Mitsubishi Pajero Is Back in Japan — and the Order Books Are Already Full

Mitsubishi has a hit on its hands at home. The reborn Pajero has pulled in roughly 5,500 pre-orders in Japan in just four weeks, a figure that already clears the company’s full sales target for the fiscal year ending March 2027.

Dealers only open order books formally on 17 December 2026, which leaves the brand about three and a half months to turn those reservations into registrations. On paper, that is a comfortable runway. In practice, it means Mitsubishi now has to actually build and deliver the things.

A nameplate comes home

The Pajero vanished from Japanese showrooms back in 2019, and its absence has weighed on the brand ever since. Bringing it back is as much a statement of intent as a product launch — a diesel, ladder-frame flagship intended to remind buyers what Mitsubishi stands for.

Keisuke Kishiura, President and Chief Operating Officer, framed the return in exactly those terms, calling the SUV a flagship that “symbolizes Mitsubishi Motors” and carries the off-road character the company wants to be known for. He also noted the model has been well received in Thailand, where it went on sale first.

Key Specs: 2.4-litre turbodiesel · 150 kW / 480 Nm · eight-speed automatic · 12.1 km/L official test figure · Super Select 4WD-II · seven drive modes

What buyers are getting

The hardware is unapologetically old-school, and that is the point.

• Powertrain: a 2.4-litre turbodiesel good for 150 kW and 480 Nm, paired with an eight-speed automatic
• Chassis: ladder frame, the traditional backbone for serious off-road work
• Drivetrain: Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD-II system with seven selectable drive modes
• Efficiency: 12.1 km/L in official testing — respectable for a three-row 4x4 of this type
• Packaging: three rows of seats

None of that is aimed at the crossover crowd. This is a vehicle for people who still want a low-range transfer case and a frame under the floor.

Why the timing matters

Mitsubishi has spent years watching its domestic line-up shrink into a largely compact, electrified offering. A flagship like the Pajero gives dealers something aspirational to put in the window again — and, more usefully, something with healthy margins.

The early demand suggests the appetite never really went away. Whether Mitsubishi can convert reservations into metal without stretching its production plans is the next question. The order count is a strong start. The delivery schedule is where the story actually gets settled.