Plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Pajero previewed: Toyota Prado basher has 100km EV range and quad-motor all-wheel drive!
Mitsubishi and its motorsport arm Ralliart have released a new video that teases the all-new fifth-generation 2026 Mitsubishi Pajero ahead of the large three-row SUV’s debut later this year.
The arrival of the new Pajero resurrects a nameplate that remained on sale until 2021. It was killed off following four generations and 39 years on sale.
Its return as a PHEV will pose a real threat to the traditional diesel leaders in the large 4×4 class led by the Ford Everest and the Toyota Prado.
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Featured completely undisguised at the end of a video commemorating Ralliart’s participation in WRC and rally raid events over the years, the boxy new SUV seems to be presented in its final production form.
Sporting a pair of L-shaped LED light graphics, the new large seven-seat SUV appears to feature a clamshell bonnet, squared-off front fenders and shapely creased lines that results in the beltline rising towards the rear of the car.
It is believed the new SUV could be based on the latest-generation Triton ute. It’s not been confirmed yet, but theories it might share underpinnings with the latest Y63 Patrol are understood to be off the mark.
When it lands, expect the new Mitsubishi to come with the option of an all-new plug-in hybrid powertrain that has already been previewed by the Elevance SUV concept that was unwrapped at the Tokyo motor show last November.
The new plug-in hybrid revealed with the show car was said to combine a small petrol combustion engine with four electric motors and a lithium-ion battery to offer a pure-electric range of more than 100km.
Full power and torque figures were not revealed but the trick set-up saw the front axle incorporate two in-hub motors, while at the rear the Mitsubishi boasted more traditional dual motors.
The new hardware is said to help deploy the brand’s most sophisticated Active Yaw Control (AYC) tech yet that will herald quicker-reacting, agility-boosting torque vectoring that should see the new generation Pajero prove better to drive on-road.
Off the beaten track and the AYC’s ability to manage precise torque output for each individual wheel should see it prove impressive in the dirt.
Slashing its carbon footprint, the small combustion engine has been designed to run on carbon-neutral fuel that could be rolled out in the future as they come online.
