In select market, the new Pajero will be sold alongside the current Pajero Sport.
All-new Pajero officially launched last week after a five-year hiatus. Picture: Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi has spoken out in speculative reports claiming the revived Pajero will spawn a pair of smaller models before the end of the decade.
‘Junior Pajeros’ coming
Last month, a report from Japan alleged that two smaller products wearing the Pajero name would be introduced, similar to past generations that led to the Pajero Pinin/iO and the kei car-only Pajero Mini.
In a newly published presentation slide shown at the launch of the Pajero last week, the brand confirmed it will indeed have two junior models, though no details were provided.
Speculation, based on the outline shapes of the products, has already alluded to one product being a kei car exclusively for Japan, while the second could preview a rival for the Toyota RAV4.
Reportedly, the latter will debut first either in 2028 or 2029, with the former only expected in 2030.
And Pajero Sport?
Along with no further details of the new model being released, a replacement for the Pajero Sport wasn’t announced either, as the supposed new generation had been expected to debut this year.
While rumoured that the Pajero’s revival could result in it replacing the Sport, Mitsubishi’s Chief Product Specialist, Kunitoshi Itagaki, confirmed to Australia’s drive.com.au on the sidelines of the Pajero’s reveal that this won’t be the case.
“We will just keep the Pajero Sport in the market. This Pajero is a totally different model as our flagship, and then a different model from the Pajero Sport also,” he said.
“This Pajero is a totally different model as our flagship and then a different model from the Pajero Sport also. Basically, our plan is to keep the Pajero Sport as it is.”
Itagaki’s comments, suggests that the Sport’s most recent refresh in 2024 won’t be its last and that another could potentially be on the cards.
Based on the same platform as the previous generation Triton, the current third generation Sport has been in production since 2015 and received its first mid-cycle update in 2019.
Approved for South Africa
As is well known, the new Pajero will return to South Africa next year after being discontinued in 2021 following the introduction of the run-out Legend 100 models.
For now, it remains unknown whether the supposed RAV4 rival will be introduced, while the Pajero Sport looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.
