Next-Gen Mitsubishi Montero/Pajero Spotted Hot Weather Testing

It’s been 20 years since Mitsubishi had a Montero SUV at dealerships in the US, and three years since Mitsubishi stopped building it altogether. But Mitsubishi’s off-roader has been a mainstay at the Dakar rally since 1983 and at similarly grueling off-road rallies around the world.

Montero, Pajero, call it by your name. This is a brand that is too iconic for Mitsubishi to let die. Which probably explains why the Japanese automaker is building another one. One that we’ve recently spotted doing hot weather testing with a test sled behind it that makes its trailer towing mission even tougher on what are clearly some serious mountain roads.

Mitsubishi Desperately Needs More Models In The US

Mitsubishi first launched the Montero (which was called the Pajero in most of the world) way back in 1981. It was a competitor to the likes of Toyota’s Land Cruiser and the Range Rover, at least as far as capabilities went. Mitsubishi sold it in the US for most of its run, but the funky-looking and very upright off-roader was dropped here in 2006.

The company built another version, the fourth-generation, and sold it in much of the world from 2006 through 2021. It had some impressive off-road features like close a yard of water ford depth capability, loads of skid plates, and a drive shaft wrapped in carbon fiber.

Now it’s coming back, and it might be getting some help from one of Mitsubishi’s corporate alliances. There are some serious similarities between the off-roader our spies snapped and the Nissan Patrol. The Nissan Patrol, which is finally sold here as the latest Armada, has been one of Montero’s biggest competitors over the years. But with Nissan and Mitsubishi part of an alliance with Renault, there appears to be parts sharing. Or possibly platform sharing in this case.

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The two could share a frame. They also appear to share a roofline and a surprising amount of detail in the taillights. Of course, this could be Mitsubishi trying to throw us off by using those instead of its own design.

Montero Expected To Share With Nissan

Mitsubishi and Nissan sharing a platform isn’t new. The two have already done it once with the Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan Rogue, though that model is set to split off soon. The two share a four-cylinder engine, but Mitsubishi offers a plug-in hybrid option. Nissan is expected to launch one soon, but using a different powertrain.

Along those lines, while the latest Patrol offers a 3.8-liter V6 or a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, expect something different in the Montero. Our spies suggest a 2.4-liter gas engine and two electric motors to bring it up to 300 horsepower.

What’s that trailer behind it? That’s a 300-kilowatt towing dynamometer from auto test services company Volke. It’s designed to add drag and resistance to the vehicle pulling it. The dyno turns forward motion into heat, simulating towing a large trailer or driving up long grades without actually needing to find a long grade or worry about varying wind conditions. This one can add up to 400 hp of resistance, making it seriously tough to tow. All part of the program for developing seriously capable SUVs.

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Could the Montero be coming back to the US? Mitsubishi has announced that it plans new models every year between 2026 and 2030, with some of those in segments where the brand doesn’t currently compete. Montero as a large SUV could certainly open a new segment for the brand. The automaker also filed for a trademark for the name last year. Both are signs that there could be a beefy Mitsubishi returning to the US.