Mitsubishi is preparing the next-generation Triton dual-cab ute, which inevitably means the new Pajero Sport large SUV won’t be too far behind it.
With the new Triton ute expected to be revealed as early as late this year, it follows logic that information about the next-generation Mitsubishi Pajero Sport will follow before the three-row SUV drops later in 2024.
But that’s ages away! So we’ve rendered the Pajero Sport and providing all the information we have so far about the off-roader.
When we asked Mitsubishi vice president and head of vehicle engineering development, Hiroshi Masuoka, what the next Pajero Sport would bring to the table, we were told Mitsubishi wanted to “grow the Pajero Sport globally”.
“Pajero Sport has the potential to be stretched, to grow more,” said Masuoka.
“Performance, comfort, the bodywork, and the powertrain itself. We believe the Pajero Sport has that potential.”
Platform and design
The next Pajero Sport is going to be based on the same platform as the Triton, which Nissan will also borrow to build the next Navara (and Renault for the Alaskan ute which could come back to Australia as a Triton sibling), but don’t expect to see it look the same as a Triton from the front, as rival Isuzu has done with its D-Max and MU-X siblings.
Instead, Mitsubishi seems to be ready to push the Pajero Sport into the space left empty by the departure of the original Pajero badge as something that’s capable of rivalling the Toyota LandCruiser Prado.
One thing we do know about the platform already is that it’s bigger than the last one, with the Triton alone already spied and looking much closer to the size of a Ford Ranger. This gives Mitsubishi scope to build a bigger Pajero Sport, extending the length and thus interior space of the cabin.
In addition, while the Pajero Sport and Triton currently share elements like the windshield and some front-end elements like headlights, it’s likely Mitsubishi will alter these for differentiation in the next generation.
Drivetrain and electrification
While the platform being shared between Triton and Pajero Sport would suggest the easiest way forward in terms of running gear would be to copy the drivetrain over entirely, it’s unlikely that a passenger SUV would fare as well with a commercial vehicle’s engine plonked into the cabin, especially if Mitsubishi keeps its current 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four cylinder for the next gen.
Mitsubishi has already said it wants the next generation of Triton to be electrified before the end of the decade, so hybridisation in the next platform is possible, plus the brand is leaning heavily on plug-in hybrid tech in models like the Eclipse Cross and Outlander.
It’s possible Mitsubishi could bring a hybrid petrol engine to the Pajero Sport as seen in the Outlander, being the same size (2.4-litres) and powerful enough to haul two and a half tonnes of car and passengers with 185kW and 450Nm.
Diesel engines haven’t, however, held up sales of the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X, with each having sold more than 10,000 units last year. The Toyota LandCruiser Prado sold more than twice that: 21,102 to be precise.
Pricing and arrival
This is where the trick for Mitsubishi comes along, as the Prado is priced between $62,830 and $88,998 before on-road costs, while smaller ute-based rivals like the Everest and MU-X cost between roughly $50,000 and $78,000 before on-roads (the higher end being an outlier in the particularly well-equipped Everest Platinum).
The current Pajero Sport, old as it is for now, starts at $44,940 and tops out where the Prado currently starts for pricing.
What’s clear is that when the Pajero Sport arrives from late 2024 or early 2025, it could make waves by presenting as a value-focused alternative to the likes of the Prado, or attempt to blow the Everest and MU-X out of the water by significantly upping the ute-based wagon game.
What’s not clear just yet is how Mitsubishi will position the Pajero Sport.
Keyword: Proper Ford Everest rival inbound! What you need to know about the next-gen 2025 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 4x4 SUV