Could this be the next Mitsubishi Pajero? Mitsubishi Elevance plug-in hybrid shows the future for flagship large off-roader

---

Mitsubishi has revealed a likely glimpse into the future of its long-running Pajero with its new Elevance plug-in hybrid concept SUV detailed at the Japan Motor Show. 

The Mitsubishi Elevance employs a stoic ‘Dynamic Shield’ design language, with rugged, boxy body lines, an illuminated front grille, four doors which adorn a body-coloured “rib bone” half-crescent design, and huge aerodynamic wheels. 

The front end, which Mitsubishi says ‘expresses powerful performance and a sense of protection’, is similar in appearance to Chasing Cars exclusive renders of the next-generation Mitsubishi Pajero. 

The two cars make similar promises of all-wheel drive, hybridisation and rugged off-road capability, and we expect the Elevance to preview components of the production-model Pajero, slated to launch in 2027. 

Mitsubishi has confirmed its new Elevance concept is an off-road focused plug-in hybrid, which utilises the three-diamond brand’s signature Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel-drive system, much like the soon-to-launch Outlander facelift. 

How it differs from the Outlander is by the use of four electric motors – two nested within the front wheels, and a more conventional dual-motor set-up in the rear with active yaw control. 

Mitsubishi claims its four-motor PHEV system will have adequate EV power for overnight V2L use when camping, and ‘EV-like’ quiet, clean performance for everyday commuting. Details for combined system output, fuel tank size, external dimensions and battery size are not yet confirmed. 

Inside, Mitsubishi’s off-the-wall ideas only get zanier. The model previews an ‘AI Co-Driver’, which can “encourage exploration into the unknown by suggesting destinations tailored to the driver’s lifestyle”.

The Ai Co-Driver is displayed on an LCD screen embedded in the steering wheel, as well as the dashboard-length instrument panel. The Elevance also features a three-row, six-seat ‘captains chairs’ layout, similar to the Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy.

Mitsubishi’s Elevance wasn’t the only three-diamond off-road focused model detailed at the Japan Motor Show. Details surrounding a prototype Delica D-5 off-road van and facelifted ‘Kei’ sized Delica Mini have also been revealed. 

The Delica D5 also features S-AWC, boxy styling, sharp body lines and a focus on a ‘rugged lifestyle’. The D5 is already available to pre-order, exclusively in Japan. 

Meanwhile, the smaller Delica Mini facelift features a disproportionately high roof for its compact size.

It too demonstrates an ‘outdoorsy design’, now with anthropomorphic styling cues over its predecessor which Mitsubishi says makes the model “reborn, cuter and tougher… Super fast, super convenient,[and] super comfortable!”

The facelifted Delica Mini, like the Delica D5, remains exclusive to Japan for now. 

It is unclear whether the Elevance will be shifted into production, and if so, for which markets. Australia has long been a disproportionately large consumer of large off-roaders comparative to its small population.