About a month ago, the all-new 2024 Mitsubishi Triton was unveiled at a special event in Thailand. This fresh compact pickup model will be hugely successful in the Asia-Pacific region and already has a number of interesting talking points, like the Ralliart version, built for off-road motorsport. However, the Triton truck also has an SUV version, the upcoming 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.
SUVs built on pickup truck platforms are becoming quite rare, but they’re perfect family vehicles that can tackle the roughest roads. And there are several which are specific to the Asia-Pacific region, with Thailand being a hub market.
One great example of this is the Ford Everest, which is built on the new Range platform. It looks nothing like the Bronco, which also shares this architecture. The Pajero Sport is pretty much the same thing, an enclosed SUV body placed on top of a durable pickup chassis.
With it being an all-new model, the 2024 Pajero Sport features a bold front end with narrow LED lights and a shield-like grille. However, the rest of the bodywork is pretty simple, geared towards rugged usability. We’d compare it to the Toyota 4Runner, itself based on the Tacoma and thus in need of a makeover.
These renderings by the website Kolesa offer a detailed, accurate preview of the 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. They combine the brand-new design elements from the Triton pickup with the proportions of the existing SUV. With high ground clearance and square wheel arches, there’s no confusing this for your average crossover.
2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport: what to expect
The Pajero Sport nameplate dates back to 1996 and is technically classed as a mid-size SUV. It goes by many names, including the Mitsubishi Challenger, Montero Sport, and Shogun Sport. The current generation was introduced in 2015 and will be replaced around the middle of 2024.
The main production factory is in Thailand, but the Pajero Sport can also be made in places like Russia, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Several engine variants will be offered, all based on a 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel with 148 hp, 181 hp, or up to 201 hp and 347 lb-ft (470 Nm). Some markets will also receive a 3.0-liter gasoline-powered V6.
Rumors have suggested new pickup truck models are going to be offered in America, but they need to be locally made to avoid the 25% chicken tax. From the 70s until 2011, Mazda offered a small truck in the United States. Reports about a $25,000 Mazda pickup have surfaced, suggesting it will be built at the factory in Alabama which is jointly owned with Toyota. Yes, that means Toyota wants to make one too in order to rival the Ford Maverick.
Mitsubishi, on the other hand, needs to rely on its parent company. One-third of the company is owned by Nissan. They recently discontinued the large Titan pickup model, and we believe a smaller successor will be developed. However, that maybe be electric. But the good news is the Pajero Sport isn’t technically a truck, so it could avoid the chicken tax and slot just above the $30,000 Outlander in the lineup.
