Can't wait for Prado? From the all-new Mitsubishi Pajero to the BYD Fang Cheng Bao 5, these are the tough off-road 4WDs coming to Australia ready to take on Toyota

The all-new Toyota Prado has taken Australia's 4WD market by storm, with pent-up demand for a new model delivering some 17,000 orders by the end of 2024, with the brand anticipating some 27,000 deliveries in its first 12 months of sale.

That demand will no doubt mean wait times. As it stands, the wait times are a reported six months, which is pretty impressive, but it's unclear what will happen over 2025 if demand continues to grow.

Which could put the Prado in an interesting position, because the next 12 months are expected to deliver key rivals in the 4WD SUV space that will provide real competition for the all-conquering Toyota.

Perhaps the biggest-ticket item to arrive will be the reborn Mitsubishi Pajero, now earmarked for a 2026 debut, with the brand reported to be targeting the Prado, LandCruiser 300 Series and even the premium-spec Lexus equivalents with the well-specified off-roader.

That's according to the usually accurate Japanese outlet BestCarWeb, which reports the new Pajero isn't just coming back, but that it will do so packing plug-in hybrid power and genuine off-road ability.

The PHEV powertrain in question is apparently a new-generation version of the Outlander's 2.4-litre petrol-electric powertrain, designed to deliver smooth, potent power with Mitsubishi reportedly targeting "Japanese Range Rover" status.

While Mitsubishi is yet to officially confirm the new Pajero, it has locked in a new large SUV halo model, and made no secret about what it wants it to be called.

“I cannot tell you what it is, what it looks like, what the powertrain is, whether there’s a ladder frame, whether there’s monocoque. I cannot give you any of that information other than to say that Mitsubishi has announced that we are working on a large SUV,” Mitsubishi Australia boss Shaun Westcott has previously told CarsGuide

"I have put up my hand and said we would love to have one because it's a very valuable nameplate, because it is a fantastic product, because it's a halo product.

"For all of the above reasons, we would love to have one here."

If the Pajero is the return of an old favourite, another option is something entirely new — the BYD Fang Cheng Bao 5, which is expected to launch in Australia as soon as this year.

Fresh off upsetting both the affordable EV and dual-cab ute apple carts, the Chinese brand's next target appears to be the 4WD SUV market, with the Fang Cheng Bao 5 already spied testing in Australia.

At 4.9 metres long, 1.97m wide and just over 1.9m high, and with a wheelbase of 2.8m, the Bao 5 is smaller than a Prado, but it's certainly not underdone in the grunt department.

In China, it pairs a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor on each axle and a 31.8kWh battery.

That gives the plug-in hybrid a total 500kW and 760Nm, which the brand says is enough to knock off the sprint to 100km/h in just 4.8 seconds.

"We want utes in the marketplace, and we need to have larger 4WDs (like the Bao 5), says (BYD importer) EVDirect's chief, David Smitherman

“We have a multitude of vehicles coming, and we're pushing really hard because we know that's the way we grow the business."