Japanese publication Best Car, citing insider sources, claims Mitsubishi will revive the Pajero Mini nameplate for a new SUV that will be capable of going off-road, true to its heritage.
Last produced in 2012, the Pajero Mini was built to confirm to Japan’s unique kei car rules, with engines smaller than 660cc under the bonnet, and dimensions almost small enough to fit in the boot of a ute.
While the idea of reviving the Pajero Mini has been off and on the table for the last handful of years, Mitsubishi is having success with its current range of kei cars in Japan, not least the Delica Mini.
It’s this success which the brand wants to tap into once more, though it may not offer a body-on-frame SUV to directly go up against the Suzuki Jimny - even if it still has similar characteristics.
“We thought it might be possible to make the Pajero Mini based on the eK series,” an insider told Best Car.
“We don’t care about the ladder frame structure or rear-wheel drive. But we do care about high basic performance and creating an atmosphere that evokes the Pajero. There is talk of reviving the Pajero Mini based on this policy.
“Rather than competing with the Jimny, we are creating a new light SUV that is not currently available on the market.”
While the Jimny has been a sales success, not only in Australia but most other markets it’s sold in, that has put a target on its back.
Toyota is understood to be planning a small ‘LandCruiser FJ’ to sit as its entry-level off-roader, based on the HiLux Champ, a smaller ute sold in South-East Asia, and previewed by the Compact Cruiser EV concept.
Though it’s uncharted territory for Toyota - not that much phases the world’s biggest carmaker - Mitsubishi has form in the small off-road SUV space, thanks to two generations of the Pajero Mini as well as the slightly larger Pajero iO.
