Mitsubishi Pajero: Gone But Not Forgotten

The Mitsubishi Pajero was the brand’s most capable SUV. It won the Dakar rally twelve times! It stood tall with pride as its “King Of The Desert” tagline quickly made it one of the most iconic off-roaders of all time.

Entry In The Indian Market

Mitsubishi entered the Indian market in 1998, and by mid-2002, it introduced the 3rd generation of the Pajero. The word “Pajero” was seen as a bad word in certain languages, hence it was rebranded as the Montero. This was the beginning of the Pajero’s almost 30-year long journey in India.

What Made It Special?

The Montero moved away from a ladder-frame chassis and adopted a monocoque chassis with the ladder frame embedded into it. This unique construction resulted in a lower centre of gravity, better torsional rigidity and better dynamics both on and off-road. At the time, it had the largest displacement engine available on the market. It came with a 3.2L 4-cylinder turbo-diesel producing 189 BHP & 441 Nm of torque sent to all four wheels as standard. It started at Rs. 34 Lakh (ex-showroom), which resulted in it being treated as a luxury SUV in India. It came with many premium features such as heated seats, wooden finish on the steering wheel and the center console, dual-zone climate control and large, spacious leather seats.

Pajero GLX – Second Generation

The Pajero GLX was introduced in India 6 months after the Montero at the beginning of 2003. This was proudly manufactured in India which made it much cheaper than the Montero. It came with a 2.8L turbo-diesel engine producing 118 BHP & 292 Nm of torque with a suspension setup tuned for hardcore offroading.

2007 Pajero SFX – A Facelift

The 2007 Pajero SFX was essentially a facelifted model with newer headlamps, a new bumper design and a wider body. Mechanically, it was the same as the older Pajero but was the most successful one in India.

2007 Montero – A Much Needed Update

The 4th generation of the Pajero was introduced as the Montero in India in 2007, replacing the 3rd generation Montero. It entered the market as a CBU & started at Rs. 32 Lakh (ex-showroom). It was mechanically the same as its predecessor, but it introduced an even more luxurious cabin and more features, justifying its premium pricing. It came with a two-tone dashboard, a Rockford sound system, leather seats, cruise control, heated seats and rear AC vents.

This Montero model was later discontinued in 2012, but just 4 years later, the Montero was reintroduced with a facelifted model as a CBU in India. This new facelifted Montero was launched at a ridiculous price of Rs. 71 Lakh, which was out of reach for most consumers. It was somehow more expensive than SUVs like the BMW X5, Audi Q7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE.

Pajero Sport: The Legend

The Pajero was launched in India in 2012 as a more refined and modern version of the traditional Pajero. It was positioned as a premium SUV with both luxury and off-road prowess, appealing to a more urban audience while still being capable of handling rugged terrain. It was powered by a 2.5L turbo-diesel engine producing 178 BHP & 400 Nm of torque with power sent to either the rear wheels only or all four wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission. It was widely popular, as a competent alternative to the Toyota Fortuner & Ford Endeavour.

Conclusion

The Pajero and the Montero were both widely popular cars in the Indian market. Despite its strong start, the Pajero’s popularity in India began to decline in the late 2010s. Mitsubishi gradually shifted its focus away from the Pajero, partly due to changing consumer preferences toward more compact and fuel-efficient vehicles.
The Pajero Sport, too, was discontinued in India around 2020. One of the major reasons for this was the rising competition in the premium SUV segment, with brands like Toyota, Ford, and Mahindra offering more modern and competitive vehicles.

Despite being discontinued, the Pajero continues to have a strong fan base, with many owners still using it for off-road adventures and long-distance drives. This car may just be the best premium SUV for off-roading in India.