Yes, a new Pajero is coming. Mitsubishi has officially confirmed an all-new model, its first in five years, with a world premiere in autumn 2026. It returns as a body-on-frame cross-country SUV built on the ladder frame of the Triton pickup. Mitsubishi has not published a reveal date, a powertrain, or a UAE on-sale timeline.
That last sentence is the one worth holding on to, because a great deal of what is currently circulating about this car goes further than Mitsubishi has.
The nameplate has been absent since 2021. For a badge that spent four decades as one of the defining off-roaders in this part of the world, five years away is a long silence, and the announcement has been picked up quickly. Some of that coverage has firmed up into detail that the company itself has not put its name to.
So it is worth separating the two.
What Mitsubishi has actually confirmed
From the company’s own news release of 29 May 2026:
| Model | All-new Pajero, positioned as a flagship |
| Body type | Cross-country SUV |
| Construction | Ladder frame taken from the Triton pickup, with model-specific development of the cabin and of the front and rear suspension |
| World premiere | Autumn 2026 |
| Status | Returning to the global market after a five-year absence |
| Markets named | Japan |
| Powertrain | Not disclosed |
| Launch dates | Not disclosed |
That is the whole of it. Mitsubishi describes the car as delivering off-road capability alongside a comfortable ride, and frames it as a flagship. It does not name a single market outside Japan, and it does not say what is under the bonnet.
What is reported, but is not official
Plenty has been written on top of that announcement. Most of it comes from credible motoring outlets and may well turn out to be right. None of it is confirmed by Mitsubishi.
| Claim in circulation | Actual status |
|---|---|
| A reveal on 2 September | Widely reported. Mitsubishi’s own release says autumn 2026 and gives no date |
| A 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel, around 150 kW and 470 Nm in Triton form | Reported as expected, not announced |
| Eight-speed automatic with Super-Select II four-wheel drive | Reported as expected |
| A hybrid version | Reported. Mitsubishi’s release does not disclose any powertrain |
| Five-seat and seven-seat versions | Reported |
| Built in Thailand | Reported |
| A UAE launch around 2027 | An expectation held by regional outlets. Mitsubishi has not announced it |
None of that is a criticism of the reporting. Pre-reveal coverage is built on supplier briefings and dealer previews, and it is usually close. It is not the same thing as a confirmed specification though, and if you are making a buying decision in the next few months, the difference matters.
Why the Pajero carries weight here
In Europe the Pajero was a niche interest. In the Gulf it was transport, weekend equipment and, for a long stretch, the default answer to what you drove when the tarmac ran out.
The nameplate arrived in 1981 and ran through four generations before production of the fourth-generation model ended in 2021. Along the way it took twelve outright wins at the Dakar Rally, and that is where much of its standing in this region came from. Desert competition results travel further here than they do in most markets.
The original short-wheelbase car on a desert stage. Image: Mitsubishi Motors.
Less commonly remembered is how long that ran. Mitsubishi kept the Pajero competitive across generations, which is unusual for a nameplate also being sold as a family SUV.
Two decades on, and still on the sand. Image: Mitsubishi Motors.
The road cars changed a good deal over those four decades.
Four generations across four decades. The third moved to a monocoque with an integrated frame, which is part of why a return to a separate ladder frame is worth noting. Image: Mitsubishi Motors.
There is also a naming quirk that trips people up when they search. The same vehicle is sold as the Montero in North America, Spain and much of Latin America, and as the Shogun in the United Kingdom. In a country with the UAE’s mix of nationalities, all three names get used for the same car, and searches for Montero here are not a mistake. They are somebody looking for a Pajero using the name they grew up with.
The used Pajero is the only Pajero you can buy here today
This is the part that actually affects anyone reading this in August 2026. With the fourth generation out of production since 2021 and the new car not yet revealed, there is no new Pajero to order in the UAE. The used market is the market.
That has a few practical consequences.
Every Pajero on sale here is at least a 2021 model or older. Most are considerably older. You are buying into a run that finished, which means parts and specialist knowledge are well established rather than scarce, but it also means condition varies enormously across the listings.
The fourth generation ran until 2021, so this is the shape you will mostly be looking at on the used market here. Image: Mitsubishi Motors.
Desert use is common and is not always disclosed. A Pajero that has spent weekends in the dunes is not automatically a bad buy, but sand ingress and underbody corrosion from coastal sabkha are worth a specific look, as is anything in the cooling system that has been worked hard in summer. A used car inspection is more useful on this kind of vehicle than on a city crossover.
Check whether the car is GCC spec. Imported examples turn up regularly, and cooling, corrosion protection and service history differ. Our guide to GCC spec versus non-GCC spec cars covers what to look for and why it affects resale later.
You can see what is currently listed on used Mitsubishi Pajero models in Dubai across the dealer network.
Should you buy now or wait?
It depends on what you are actually buying.
If you want a Pajero specifically, waiting has a cost and an uncertain payoff. The new car has no confirmed UAE date. Regional expectations point to 2027, but Mitsubishi has not said so, and a first-year allocation of a returning flagship is unlikely to be either plentiful or discounted. Two years is a long time to run a hire car or hold off on a purchase for a vehicle whose local launch has not been announced.
If you want a large body-on-frame off-roader and the badge is negotiable, the picture is different. The Nissan Patrol and the Prado both sit in this space with continuous local supply, established dealer support and, in the Patrol’s case, considerably more search interest in this market than the Pajero currently attracts.
If resale value is the deciding factor, be careful about the assumption that a new generation lifts the old one. It occasionally does for collectible variants. More often, a modern replacement makes the outgoing car look older to the average buyer. Our piece on cars with the best resale value in the UAE sets out what actually holds value here, and generational nostalgia is not high on the list.
The honest position in August 2026 is that the new Pajero is real, officially confirmed and clearly significant. Everything past that, including when you will be able to buy one here, is expectation rather than fact. We will update this page when Mitsubishi publishes the reveal and, separately, when a regional launch is announced.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a new Mitsubishi Pajero coming?
Yes. Mitsubishi confirmed an all-new Pajero in an official release on 29 May 2026, with a world premiere set for autumn 2026. It is described as a cross-country SUV built on the ladder frame of the Triton pickup, and it is the first new Pajero in five years.
Why was the Pajero discontinued?
Production of the fourth-generation model ended in 2021. Mitsubishi wound the nameplate down as it restructured its range around smaller SUVs and electrified models. The company has now confirmed it is returning as a flagship.
Is the Pajero discontinued in the UAE?
There is no new Pajero on sale in the UAE at the moment, because the previous generation went out of production in 2021 and the replacement has not been revealed. Used examples remain widely available.
Will the new Pajero come to the UAE?
Mitsubishi has not announced it. The official release names only Japan and says the model returns to the global market. Regional outlets expect a UAE launch in 2027, which is an expectation rather than a confirmed date.
Is the Montero the same car as the Pajero?
Yes. Montero is the name used in North America, Spain and much of Latin America, and Shogun is the United Kingdom name. All three refer to the same model line.
If you are looking at a used Pajero while the new one is still under wraps, you can browse used cars for sale in Dubai from dealers across the UAE and compare what is actually on the ground.
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