Is Mitsubishi Teasing a New Montero?

There’s plenty of evidence that Mitsubishi is preparing to launch a new SUV. In October, the automaker unveiled the Elevance Concept, which we suspected previews a new Pajero that ended production in 2021. Spy photographers captured a boxy prototype in July, and this week, an official video shows a brief silhouette of a new high-riding model.  

The clip, posted to the Mitsubishi Motors TV YouTube channel, highlights the automaker’s motorsports involvement and ends with a brief look at the SUV. You can clearly see its boxy shape, and it looks exactly like the SUV in the earlier spy photos. The hood line, headlight layout, and C-pillars appear identical.  

Mitsubishi offered the Pajero in the United States as the Montero, but the automaker discontinued it after the 2006 model year. But with the return of the Pajero, Americans might get a new Montero, too. Mitsubishi filed a trademark for the Montero name with the US Patent and Trademark Office in 2024.  

The Japanese automaker hasn’t confirmed the Pajero’s return, but it has announced it plans to launch a new model every year starting in 2026. Mitsubishi is likely to partner with Nissan on the Pajero / Montero revival, as Nissan is preparing a new Xterra, and the two models could be closely related.  

Without any confirmation from Mitsubishi, we’re left to speculate about the powertrain. We expect the new Xterra to use a version of the Frontier’s 3.8-liter V-6 engine that makes 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque. It might even get a hybrid option, and a Montero would likely have the same setup.

Mitsubishi doesn’t have a strong lineup in the United States—it currently offers the Outlander, Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, and Eclipse Cross. It doesn’t necessarily need another SUV, but it needs something to entice enthusiasts, and a new Pajero/Montero could serve as the halo model that the brand needs right now.