The Pajero name is back on a body-on-frame wagon for the first time in a generation, and it's priced to fight the Prado rather than the Pajero Sport it replaces. Orders are open now, with first deliveries in December. This review is judged on the specifications Mitsubishi has published, and our earlier news story covers the reveal.
- Full-time-capable Super Select 4WD-II and a rear diff lock on every grade
- 3,500kg towing with more payload left at full tow than a Prado
- 7.1L/100km claim, equal-best among its rivals
- Up to 10 years of warranty and capped-price servicing
- 150kW and 480Nm is the least torque in the class
- Not yet rated by ANCAP
- Just 131 litres of boot behind the third row
- Service prices not yet announced, and no deliveries until December
How much is the new Pajero?
Four grades, from $68,490 to $84,990 before on-road costs. The GLS 5 starts the range, the seven-seat GLS 7 adds $1,500, then the Exceed at $79,990 and the GSR at $84,990. Mitsubishi hasn't published drive-away prices. Order before 15 December and it adds three years of free servicing and $1,000 of accessories, says its Pajero page.
| GLS 5 | GLS 7 | Exceed | GSR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price, before on-roads | $68,490 | $69,990 | $79,990 | $84,990 |
| Seats | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| ADR combined fuel | 7.1L/100km | 7.1L/100km | 7.2L/100km | 7.2L/100km |
| Kerb / payload | 2,397 / 818kg | 2,432 / 783kg | 2,481 / 734kg | 2,513 / 702kg |
| Wheels | 18-inch | 18-inch | 20-inch | 20-inch |
| Screens | Twin 12.3-inch | Twin 12.3-inch | Twin 14.3-inch | Twin 14.3-inch |
| Highlights | See-through bonnet camera, power tailgate | Third row with curtain airbags | Leather, heated rear seats, Yamaha audio | Panoramic roof, ventilated seats, adaptive high beams |
Source: Mitsubishi Motors Australia 27MY Pajero brochure and pricing announced 3 September 2026. Every grade: 2.4 diesel, 150kW/480Nm, 8-speed auto, 3,500kg towing, 80-litre tank.
The engine is the question
Every Pajero uses a 2.4-litre single-turbo diesel with 150kW and 480Nm, through an eight-speed automatic. That's a close relative of the Triton's engine, with one turbo instead of two and 10Nm more torque. It's also the least torque in this class: the Prado makes 500Nm, the Tank 500 diesel 620Nm and the Everest V6 600Nm.
The payoff is economy. Mitsubishi claims 7.1L/100km for the GLS and 7.2 for the Exceed and GSR, from an 80-litre tank. That matches the Tank 500 diesel and beats the Prado, Everest V6 and MU-X on paper. It runs AdBlue, with a 19.1-litre tank. Early previews suggest it's far quieter than the Triton, but not quick. Our petrol vs diesel guide explains why diesel still suits this job.
Is the Pajero good off-road?
On paper, very. Every grade gets Super Select 4WD-II, which runs in 2H, full-time 4H, and locked 4H and 4L modes, so unlike a part-time system you can leave it in 4H on wet bitumen. A rear diff lock is standard, as are seven drive modes and hill descent control. There's no front locker.
The numbers back it up: 228mm of ground clearance, a 30.4-degree approach angle and 25.8 degrees at the rear. That departure angle is far better than the Prado's 17 degrees. Mitsubishi hasn't published a wading depth. Underneath, it's a heavily modified Triton frame with coil springs and a five-link rigid axle at the back.
Towing: 3,500kg, with room to spare
All four grades are rated to tow 3,500kg braked with a 350kg towball. The more useful number is what's left once you hitch up. At full tow, the GLS 5 can still carry 443kg of people and gear, more than a Tank 500 Lux and far more than a Prado GXL. Our Tank 500 review covers its other strengths.
With a 3,500kg van and a 350kg towball, the Pajero's 6,340kg GCM is the limit. Every grade leaves more than a Prado GXL, but the GSR's extra equipment eats 116kg of what the GLS 5 can carry. If you tow at the limit, buy the lighter grade.
Our calculation: the lower of (GCM minus 3,500kg minus kerb) and (GVM minus kerb minus 350kg), using Mitsubishi's 27MY brochure (6 October 2026). Tank 500 and Prado figures from our Tank 500 diesel vs Prado comparison.
Pajero vs Prado, Everest, MU-X and Tank 500
The Pajero lands in the middle of the most competitive class in Australia. The GLS 5 undercuts a Prado GX by $4,710, but costs $9,500 more than an entry Everest, and once on-road costs are added it's likely to cost more than either GWM Tank 500 diesel. At the top, the GSR is dearer than an Everest Platinum with a V6.
| Pajero | Prado | Everest | MU-X | Tank 500 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | $68,490 | $73,200 | $58,990 | $49,900 | $65,990 d/a |
| Engine | 2.4 TD, 150kW / 480Nm | 2.8 TD 48V, 150kW / 500Nm | 3.0 V6 TD, 184kW / 600Nm (top) | 3.0 TD, 140kW / 450Nm | 3.0 TD, 170kW / 620Nm |
| 4WD | Full-time capable, rear locker | Full-time, centre lock | Full-time (V6) | Part-time | Part-time, front and rear lockers |
| ADR fuel | 7.1L/100km | 7.6L/100km | 8.5L/100km (V6) | 7.6L/100km | 7.1L/100km |
| Towing | 3,500kg | 3,500kg | 3,500kg | 3,500kg | 3,500kg |
| Boot, 3rd row up | 131L | 182L | 259L | 311L | 98L |
| ANCAP | Not rated | 5 stars (2024) | 5 stars (2022) | 5 stars (2022) | Diesel not rated |
| Warranty | 10yr / 200,000km (conditional) | 5yr unlimited | 7yr unlimited | 6yr / 150,000km | 7yr unlimited |
Sources: manufacturer specifications and published prices, October 2026. Prices before on-road costs except where marked drive-away (d/a). Boot figures to each maker's published measure.
Read across the table and the Pajero's case is clear. It matches the Tank 500 on economy, beats the MU-X and Tank on four-wheel-drive sophistication, and offers the longest warranty, on condition. It gives away torque to everyone and boot space to the Prado, Everest and MU-X, and it's the only one of the established trio without a crash rating yet.
Triton underneath, Pajero on top
The new Pajero is built in Thailand on a heavily modified version of the Triton ute's ladder frame, with thicker side members, extra bracing and its own front and rear sections. The wheelbase is 2,870mm, 260mm shorter than the Triton's, and the rear end swaps the ute's leaf springs for coils and the drum brakes for discs.
It effectively replaces the Pajero Sport, which left Australian showrooms in 2025, and it's a step up in size and price. Against the old Sport it's 95mm longer, 110mm wider and 75mm taller. Mitsubishi has confirmed hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions will follow by 2030, so this diesel is the starting point, not the whole story.
What we don't know yet
Plenty, because no customer has one. There's no ANCAP rating, no published service pricing, no wading depth and no drive-away pricing from Mitsubishi. There's no independent real-world fuel figure either, so the 7.1L/100km claim is untested. Australian media have so far driven pre-production cars only on a test track in Japan and a 4WD park near Adelaide.
Inside: big screens, small boot
The Exceed and GSR get twin 14.3-inch screens, the GLS twin 12.3-inch displays, all with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and physical climate controls. USB-C ports reach all three rows. The GSR adds a panoramic roof, ventilated front seats and memory settings. Seat heating and ventilation are controlled through the touchscreen.
The base GLS is far from bare. It gets a see-through bonnet camera and 360-degree monitor for off-road placement, a power tailgate, a heated steering wheel, three-zone climate control, digital radio and a full-size alloy spare under the body. The cloth trim is waterproof, a smart choice for a car that will see beaches and wet dogs.
The weakness is luggage space with seven seats up: just 131 litres to Mitsubishi's VDA measure, less than the Prado, Everest or MU-X. With the third row folded there's 502 to 529 litres. Mitsubishi lists two ISOFIX points and three top tethers, but reports place them in the second row, so check before buying for a young family; our third-row tether guide explains why.
Safety: lots of tech, no rating yet
The Pajero hasn't been crash-tested by ANCAP, RACV reported at launch. The equipment list is long: AEB with pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection, rear AEB, front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping, blind-spot warning, driver monitoring, adaptive cruise and eight airbags including a front-centre bag. Seven-seaters get curtain airbags to the third row.
Until there's a rating, families comparing it with a five-star Prado or Everest are taking it on trust. The Prado earned five stars in 2024 and the Everest in 2022. The Tank 500 diesel is also unrated, so the Pajero isn't alone among the newcomers. Our best family car guide lists rated alternatives.
Warranty and servicing
Mitsubishi offers up to 10 years or 200,000km of warranty, but only if every service is done on time at a Mitsubishi dealer; otherwise it's five years or 100,000km. Services are every 12 months or 15,000km, with capped pricing for 10 years. The prices haven't been published yet, and the capped-price servicing page doesn't list the new model.
Which Pajero should you buy?
- Best value: the GLS 7, at $69,990. Seven seats, the full 4WD system and the second-best towing payload.
- For towing at the limit: the GLS 5, which leaves 443kg for people and gear with 3,500kg behind it.
- For comfort: the Exceed, which adds leather, heated rear seats and the bigger screens for $10,000 more.
- Skip: the GSR, unless you want the roof and ventilated seats. At $84,990 it costs more than an Everest Platinum V6.
The new Pajero is a properly capable, frugal, well-equipped 4WD wagon with a smaller engine than its rivals and a rating still to come. Buy the GLS 7 if you tow and tour on a budget. If you need a V6's shove or a five-star rating today, wait for the ANCAP result or buy the Everest.
