Mitsubishi Motors has brought back one of its most iconic models with the world premiere of the next-generation Pajero. Despite being integrated with the Triton underpinnings and power unit, the all-new Mitsubishi Pajero will not be replacing the Montero Sport (or Pajero Sport in other markets), as the two Mitsubishi SUVs occupy entirely different segments.
To put things in perspective, the Pajero is the larger of the two SUVs, and it competes with and is positioned to rival the likes of the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Nissan Patrol. The Montero Sport, on the other hand, is a midsize SUV that goes up against the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest, Isuzu mu-X, among others. As such, the Pajero is Mitsubishi’s flagship SUV, while the Montero Sport is its smaller SUV sibling.
Also, back when the Pajero was still being sold in the Philippines, it was priced higher than the Montero Sport, since it served as Mitsubishi’s flagship SUV and was positioned to be in the same segment as the Land Cruiser.
Mitsubishi Chief Product Specialist Kunitoshi Itagaki clarified that the Montero Sport will remain in the car brand’s model lineup, as reported in the Australian motoring website Drive.
Addressing Australian and Thai media, Itagaki-san reportedly mentioned, “This Pajero is a totally different model as our flagship, and then a different model from the Pajero Sport [Montero Sport] also.”
“That’s why, it depends on the market, but basically our plan is to keep the Pajero Sport [Montero Sport] as it is,” Itagaki said.
With that, Mitsubishi is clearing the air that it will be selling both the all-new Pajero and Montero Sport simultaneously, depending on the market. Historically, and as mentioned earlier, Mitsubishi has been selling both the Pajero and the Montero Sport in the Philippines until the Pajero was dropped from Mitsubishi PH’s lineup in 2021, as the Japanese automaker ended global production of the iconic Pajero in March 2021.
As such, there’s a high chance that Mitsubishi Philippines will be selling the Pajero as its flagship SUV, alongside the smaller Montero Sport. However, Mitsubishi PH has yet to announce if and when it will introduce the next-gen Pajero. But the chances of seeing the all-new Pajero in local showrooms are probably high, given the nameplate’s popularity and appeal in the Philippine market.
Autocar’s Take
The Pajero is back, a move that could help Mitsubishi’s overall presence in the global automotive industry. The Pajero is more than just an SUV; it is a Dakar Rally legend that allowed Mitsubishi to become one of the most popular car brands in the world. In the Philippines, the Pajero served as Mitsubishi’s flagship SUV until it was discontinued in 2021. As a result, the smaller Montero Sport took the Pajero’s spot, serving as the sole SUV offered by Mitsubishi PH. But now that the Pajero is back, expect it to reclaim its flagship SUV status when Mitsubishi PH offers it here.
