Mitsubishi’s confirmed Pajero revival means a Montero comeback looks increasingly likely.Silver Mitsubishi SUV with roof rack driving on a dirt road with blurred greenery background.Mitsubishi is gearing up for what is arguably its biggest reveal of the decade, the arrival of the next-gen Pajero.The Pajero is one of the world’s most formidable four-by-fours and is known for being a core member of the Japanese off-roader trifecta. That obviously includes the leader of them all, the Toyota Land Cruiser, with the Nissan Patrol and the Mitsubishi as rivals.AdvertisementAdvertisementWith the Pajero returning, North American fans are wondering if that means a stateside comeback, too. Will it mean we’re getting a new Montero? Mitsubishi’s latest update may have just hinted at the prospect.The Montero is making a comebackMitsubishi teased the next-gen Pajero last year. - Credit: MitsubishiNot too long ago, Mitsubishi confirmed that a new Pajero is on the way. Since then, the Japanese company has been slowly dropping bits of teasers and other telling details.The latest now includes a new teaser along with confirmation of the next-gen Pajero’s arrival. More importantly, Mitsubishi also confirmed it will bring back the Montero nameplate.The Montero badge’s revival may ultimately hint at the Pajero’s return to North American soil.View this post on InstagramWhile it’s no hard confirmation, the Montero badge is bespoke to the American and Latin markets. That’s because Pajero, which is the model’s original name, has an unsavory Spanish translation.AdvertisementAdvertisementBecause of this, Mitsubishi chose to market the Pajero as the Montero. It was also rebadged as the Shogun in Europe.The Japanese four-wheeler trifecta’s about to be whole againThe Pajero was renamed and marketed as the Montero in American and Latin markets. - Credit: Mitsubishi MotorsIt’s been over two decades since Mitsubishi sold a Montero in any capacity here in North America. That includes the big, full-size model and the smaller Montero Sport.Mitusbishi continued selling the Pajero elsewhere, including in Japan and Asia. And it also sold the Shogun in Europe alongside, which was basically the region’s version of the Pajero.Mitsubishi’s confirmation regarding the return of the Montero nameplate has American fans wondering if we’ll finally see another off-roader from the Japanese trident. - Credit: Mitsubishi MotorsBut with overlanding, four-wheeling and SUVs more popular than ever, Mitsubishi now sees a new opportunity. All the more so after Toyota revamped the Land Cruiser and Nissan made moves to bring the global Patrol to the States (what we know as the Armada).AdvertisementAdvertisementWith both Toyota and Nissan upping the ante, Mitsubishi has been the only one absent. Not anymore.The third-generation Pajero was the last Montero to make it to American shores in 2006. - Credit: Mitsubishi MotorsWhile the return of America’s version remains to be determined, the usage of the Montero name bodes well, and it arrives at a time when conditions would seem to favor a revival.About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.add as a preferred source on google