- Mitsubishi previewed a Montero SUV based on the revived Pajero.
- Redesigned Outlander and Outlander Sport models are due in 2028.
- A Nissan-based midsize pickup is scheduled to arrive in 2029.
For years, Mitsubishi’s U.S. lineup has looked increasingly out of step with the market. Now reports suggest that what dealers just saw behind closed doors could change that. At a private product preview near Chicago, the automaker reportedly walked retailers through the new Pajero, set to return as the next Montero in North America, plus all-new versions of the Outlander and Outlander Sport, and a future pickup. The help might land just in time, though even that isn’t assured.
Read: Mitsubishi Just Told Dealers When The Pajero Arrives, But America Still Has No Answer
According to Autonews, roughly 180 U.S. and Canadian dealers attended the June 5 event, where Mitsubishi executives outlined the company’s Momentum 2030 strategy. The presentation reportedly showcased a steady stream of new products designed to breathe life into a brand that currently sells just three vehicles in America and has watched sales slide over the last two years.
The event also brought out Mitsubishi Motors President Keisuke Kishiura, product strategy chief Takayuki Yatabe, and design boss Seiji Watanabe. Several dealers reportedly left far more optimistic about where the brand is headed, with one calling the coming range “night and day from the current aging lineup.”
New Pajero Coming To America As The Montero
Official teasers of the next-generation Mitsubishi Pajero.
The most intriguing thing in the room was a body-on-frame SUV spun off the revived Pajero, now confirmed for North America for the first time. Expected to wear the Montero name here, the new flagship off-roader is said to ride on the same ladder-frame architecture as the Triton pickup and could arrive around 2030.
Dealers compared it to the Toyota Land Cruiser, describing a boxy silhouette, approximately 12 inches (305 mm) of ground clearance (which is more than most off-road focused SUVs), distinctive lighting signatures, and a spacious three-row interior. According to dealers, the front end features a light bar flanked by vertically stacked headlights, while the rear adopts distinctive T-shaped taillamps.
Prototype of the new Pajero testing (Baldauf).
Unlike previous Pajeros, the new version reportedly swaps the traditional side-hinged rear door and external spare tire for a conventional liftgate. Inside, retailers described the cabin as modern and upscale, featuring a digital instrument cluster, a larger infotainment display, and a redesigned steering wheel that may spread throughout the lineup.
Mitsubishi has already confirmed the new Pajero will make its world debut this fall.
Outlander Updates
At the same Chicago event, Mitsubishi previewed a fully redesigned Outlander Sport due in the second half of 2028. Dealers described a ground-up effort that lands noticeably larger and taller than today’s model. Prototypes reportedly wore slim LED headlights, exposed recovery hooks, all-terrain tires, a roof rack with a ladder, and a protective bull bar. The crossover is expected to ride on a new platform, grow in size, and take on a more rugged, off-road personality.
The next-generation Outlander is also scheduled for 2028 and will reportedly migrate away from its current Nissan-Renault underpinnings to a Mitsubishi-developed architecture.
Before then, dealers were shown an off-road-focused Outlander variant expected in 2027. The model is reportedly being developed with added ground clearance, suspension upgrades, chunkier body cladding, a more aggressive front bumper, and an improved all-wheel-drive system.
Mitsubishi Wants In On Trucks
Mitsubishi’s long-rumored return to the pickup segment looks to be moving ahead too. A midsize truck riding on Nissan’s next-generation Frontier platform is reportedly targeted for a 2029 launch. It’ll share that platform and the core mechanical hardware with the Frontier, but dealers were told the truck gets its own Mitsubishi styling, interior, and driving character.
Company executives also told dealers that anything arriving after 2027 is expected to be electrified, with Mitsubishi reportedly leaning toward hybrids rather than full battery-electric models.
The Timing Question
The catch with all of this new product is timing. Even if it is launched on schedule, much of it could still arrive a step behind the market. On paper, the strategy makes sense. Dealers have been asking for larger, higher-margin vehicles for years, and Mitsubishi’s current lineup lacks the kind of halo products that draw shoppers into showrooms. A rugged Montero, more capable Outlanders, and a pickup could all help address that problem.
The issue is that most of these vehicles aren’t scheduled to arrive until the end of the decade. The industry changes fast. Just over the past few years, the EV landscape has changed dramatically, automakers are hinting at a sedan market revival, and affordability is becoming a paramount concern.
That doesn’t mean Mitsubishi’s plan is wrong. In fact, for a company with limited resources, focusing on profitable SUVs and trucks may be the safest path forward. Still, there’s a difference between building vehicles buyers want today and predicting what they’ll want (or be able to afford) in 2030.
