Mitsubishi is going to start trucking again in North America.
The Japanese automaker revealed a future product plan on Friday that includes a new pickup jointly developed with Nissan and the return of the Montero SUV.
Details were not shared, but Nissan is planning to launch an all-new Frontier in 2028 that will be built at its Canton, Miss., factory. Mitsubishi would need to source its truck from North America to avoid the 25% “Chicken Tax” that applies to imported pickups, so it seems likely that this is where it will be built.
Nissan has announced that the new Frontier will be availble with a hybrid powertrain, but has not yet released any specifics.
The last pickup Mitsubishi sold in the U.S. was the Raider, which was a rebadged Dodge Dakota and discontinued in 2009. Ram is reviving the Dakota name on its own new pickup that’s set to go on sale next year.
Mitsubishi is also reviving the off-road Pajero SUV, which was previously sold as the Montero in the USA from 1983 to 2006. It didn’t confirm North American sales, but it did confirm the Montero name would be used alongside Pajero and that it will be offered globally.
It will be based on the Triton midsize body-on-frame pickup that is currently built in Thailand and Brazil and will be a serious premium off-roader similar to the Toyota Land Cruiser.
“It delivers not only outstanding off-road capability but also a refined and comfortable ride. The all-new Pajero is being developed as a new flagship model that embodies Mitsubishi Motors’ spirit of adventure and determination to take on challenges,” the company said.
