What could soon be Australia's toughest 4WD SUV has been spotted testing in Victoria, with the upcoming Mitsubishi Pajero captured from every angle by one eagle-eyed fan.
It means the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Nissan Patrol – not to mention the Denza B5 and B8 – will soon have some serious competition to contend with, the new Patrol expected to launch globally in December 2026.
That means the Australian launch will likely occur in early 2027, giving Mitsubishi a serious player in the towing and off-road space.
These latest images – captured by Facebook user David Breedon – show a 4WD registered to Mitsubishi wearing heavy camouflage and testing in Victoria with Victorian plates.
Keen to protect the secrecy of its newest vehicle, Mitsubishi staff covered the SUV with a car cover once photos began being taken, but not before several images captured the Pajero in all of its camouflaged glory.
The Pajero was previously photographed, by CarsGuide's very own Jack Quick, in Beaufort, Victoria, about two hours west of Melbourne.
Australia is a popular hot-weather testing ground for auto manufacturers, but it's also possible, given the vehicle's importance in our market, it is here for local testing and tuning.
These images tie in with official announcements and teasers from Mitsubishi that a new "cross-country" SUV will launch this year, followed by a teaser video of a shadowy 4WD driving.
The brand is yet to confirm details of the new model, but international reporting points to it borrowing the Mitsubishi Triton's ladder-frame platform. It might also score the ute's 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine and eight-speed automatic, though some reports point to a plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain also being under development.
All should become clear soon enough, with the Mitsubishi Pajero almost certain to go into production in December this year.