Is Mitsubishi Really Bringing Back The Pajero Mini?

As a compact, three-door 4x4, the Mitsubishi Pajero Mini offered impressive off-roading capabilities in a tiny body. It made waves when it entered the North American market in 1995, just a year after its debut in Mitsubishi's home country of Japan. The automaker produced 105,000 units in its first year. However, sales quickly dropped by almost a third in its second year on sale stateside. A bigger version in 1998 didn't boost demand much, and despite lagging numbers, Mitsubishi continued production until June 2012. However, rumors suggest a possible revival of the model more than a decade later, with Mitsubishi allegedly collaborating with Nissan to bring back the Pajero Mini as an electric vehicle. The original Pajero Mini was a direct competitor to the Suzuki Jimny, which is banned in the U.S. and is being discontinued worldwide after 2025. 

Mitsubishi could be eyeing a comeback for the Pajero Mini by tapping into the Jimny's global success and reintroducing the tiny off-roader. Reports claim Mitsubishi would replace the original 659cc four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor powered by a battery pack. However, these speculations appear to be nothing more than wishful thinking. There have been no confirmed reports of a new Pajero Mini from reliable sources, and car companies generally prefer promoting their upcoming products to keeping them under wraps. The idea of a Pajero Mini EV is enticing, but as of this writing it appears to be firmly stuck in the rumor/notion stage.

The idea that Mitsubishi could breathe new life into the deceased Pajero Mini is not new. Since 2022, there has been chatter about its revival through Mitsubishi's collaboration with Nissan. The two Japanese carmakers have been partners since Nissan acquired a 34% stake in its neighboring manufacturer in 2016. The original agreement ended in 2023, but the two carmakers remain partners under their NMKV joint venture.

During the first wave of speculation in 2022, the Pajero Mini 4x4 was supposedly targeted for release in 2024. At the time, an unnamed source claimed via the Japanese publication Best Car Web that the tiny off-roader was already in development and could be rebadged as one of Nissan's new cheaper EVs. The vehicle was said to be coming with a 4WD system for the high-performance trim and AWD for the standard version. It was also reported to be retaining its original boxy design but with some modern styling twists.

Another wave of rumors emerged in 2024, claiming that Mitsubishi was relaunching the Pajero Mini as a lifestyle SUV. This time, different sources said the vehicle will arrive in 2026 as a potential rival to another rumored tiny off-roader, the Toyota Mini Land Cruiser FJ. Toyota's compact EV has also been the subject of rumors for years, and like the Pajero Mini still has not been confirmed by its manufacturer. So until we get confirmation, we should take all these speculative reports of new tiny SUVs with a grain of salt.