New Mitsubishi models coming: New ASX, Pajero Sport, Delica... and a Lancer EV?

Mitsubishi has pledged to wheel eight new or refreshed models this decade, and the big news for 2024 was the arrival of an all-new Mitsubishi Triton. What else does the Japanese brand have up its showroom sleeve for the future?

Since the demise of the Mirage, Mitsubishi’s local showrooms have become the exclusive domain of SUVs and 4x4s, and that’s unlikely to change soon.

Don’t pay any attention to those renderings on social media, either – a Lancer revival is very much not part of the product plan, unless it's an SUV.

But what lurks around the corner for the Triple-Diamond? The immediate future looks a little light for new product, but there’s stuff on the horizon that’s a bit more titillating. Here’s what we know.

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JUMP AHEAD

• ASX
• Eclipse Cross
• Triton
• Pajero
• Pajero Sport
• Outlander
• Delica
• Electric vehicles
• New Lancer as an electric SUV?

ASX

In 2025 the Mitsubishi ASX will mark 15 years on sale. In automotive terms, it’s a fossil. Finally, though, that's about to change.

Yep, the ASX sold in Europe – a near identical rebadging of the Renault Captur – is finally coming to Australia, after debuting over there in early 2023. It's been a long journey, with concerns that centred mostly around the cost of a Euro-sourced model compared to the incredible value of the current model, which had long ago paid all its debts.

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The Mitsubishi XForce: Asia yes, Australia no.

For a while, it was thought that the very stylish new Asia-focused XForce could be an option – but it was understood to be well short of compliance with the Australian Design Rules (ADR) system that determines what can be sold here.

Indeed, it was updated ADRs that have caused Mitsubishi to finally retire the current model. (Along with the current generations of the Eclipse Cross and Pajero Sport.)

Now that the Captur-based model is confirmed, we'll have to wait and see what the price difference will be. The current model begins from just $24,490, but with the Captur's most recent local price starting from $39,500, the new ASX is unlikely to be much cheaper.

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Eclipse Cross: Gone

The Eclipse Cross shares a similar story to the ASX, except that it has no immediate replacement – despite being nearly eight years old. Of course, that's nothing on the ASX.

A running update in early 2024 bumped up the Eclipse Cross’s safety fit-out with the addition of lane departure warning as well as rain sensing wipers and dusk-sensing headlamps for the base ES grade, but very specific new ADR requirements for emergency braking (AEB) have seen the EC scrubbed.

Mitsubishi is allowed to keep selling the Eclipse Cross for now, however, and it says there's enough stock to see it through 2025.

There’s no clear successor on the horizon from anywhere in the wider Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi Alliance. Could it be one of these models, teased last year? Or, perhaps the XForce could finally get the work it needs to be offered here. It has a 20mm shorter wheelbase than the Eclipse Cross, though, so it wouldn't be considered ideal.

Don't expect any new Eclipse Cross to be related to Honda: Mitsubishi has recently been reported to have no role in the upcoming Nissan and Honda merger.

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Triton

Mitsubishi’s new-generation Triton launched in early 2024 in a dual-cab-only, pickup-only five-model range, with just one fleet-focused 4x2 model in the mix.

A swift ‘MY24.5’ update added a new GLX-R grade to sit between the GLX+ and GLS, while a Club Cab option was added for the GLX+ post-launch to provide an alternative to the otherwise dual-cab-only lineup. Otherwise the MV-generation Mitsubishi Triton range has lacked the diversity of most other Thai-sourced utes since it launched.

Later in the year, the GLS and GSR variants gained sub-1000kg payload options, while a new GLX-R model joined the range.

For 2025 we expect more variants to arrive to broaden choice within the MV Triton family, such as cab-chassis and single-cab and more space cab options. When? Mitsubishi Australia hasn’t confirmed timing, but sometime in the first half of 2025 seems likely.

In the meantime, Mitsubishi has also recently added a new GSR Special Edition which is oddly cheaper than the regular GSR. Read about that one here.

Later on in the decade, an electrified Triton will most likely be added to the range to duke it out with the BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV.

Mitsubishi is keeping mum on the particulars, but expect a plug-in hybrid to hit the ground first (most likely with a petrol-electric rather than diesel-electric powertrain), with a fully-electric potentially following it - although that one may not make its way to Australia.

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Pajero

Axed by Mitsubishi in 2021 after several decades of service, the resuscitation of the Pajero nameplate has been a staple of the rumour mill since.

And, on the surface, a large 4x4 should be the last thing on a carmaker’s radar given the holus-bolus race to lower emissions motoring. Yet, the sales success of the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol suggest otherwise. Indeed, a large monocoque SUV features in Mitsubishi’s mid-term plan, which might herald the return of the Pajero nameplate.

“If we can [re]introduce Pajero, that is a wonderful dream for us!”, Takao Kato, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, told 4X4 Australia recently.

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However, Mitsubishi executives also warned that the planned SUV might not pass Australian regulations without major modifications.

Could it hook into the super-sized underpinnings of the new-gen Nissan Patrol, given the corporate synergies between the two Japanese automakers? Reportedly not, but we could see the future of the Pajero intersect with another mainstay Mitsubishi offroader: the Pajero Sport...

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Pajero Sport

Another model impacted by those pesky ADR changes, the current Pajero Sport will have to make way for a new generation soon.

With its new ladder frame, lighter body and safety features developed with the Australian market and its strict safety requirements in mind, it's only logical that Mitsubishi would use the Triton as a base for a new Pajero Sport SUV.

Although confirmed to be known as Pajero Sport, Mitsubishi's mid-term plan outlines a 'PPV' (pick-up based passenger vehicle) which is what the segment, that also features the Toyota Fortuner and Isuzu MU-X, is called in the ASEAN region.

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2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport imagined by Theottle | © Wheels Media

Just like the current Pajero Sport, expect it to lift the engine and other under-the-skin mechanicals from the new Triton ute.

However we also anticipate the new Pajero Sport will use a coil-sprung rear end rather than the Triton's leaf springs, per the segment norm. As for the existing difference between six-speed automatic Triton to eight-speed Pajero Sport, it's unclear whether that will carry over into the next-gen model.

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Outlander

The latest iteration of the Outlander is one of the few shared success stories of the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi Alliance, as it shares its platform with the latest Nissan X-Trail.

Locally, Mitsubishi continues to push the benefits of the Outlander’s hybrid versions, but the one we’re all hoping to see is the range-topping Ralliart ‘Almighty’ version, which is set offer three electric motors and air-sprung suspension in a first-up effort to re-establish the Ralliart performance brand.

Before that comes, an updated Outlander will go on sale later this year, with very subtle styling changes (of the 'blink and miss it' type) and improvements to its suspension and steering tunes.

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Above: The updated Outlander PHEV

The Outlander PHEV gets a key upgrade, however, with a battery bump from 20 to 22.7kWh giving it a longer EV-only range – although by exactly how much is still to be confirmed.

The current model claims 84 kilometres on the older NEDC test cycle, whereas the update claims 86km on the newer WLTP system – so rather than the 2km difference it appears to be, the actual improvement could be around 15 kilometres.

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Delica

There are no announced plans to introduce the Delica people-mover to Australia, but there’s strong support within Mitsubishi’s Australian arm for the big three-row van to come our way if it’s made available.

It’ll need to wait until a full model changeover occurs first, however that ball is already rolling with the debut last year of the D:X concept, which previewed a chunky-looking one-box van with an open-plan interior and plug-in hybrid powertrain.

With loads of ground clearance and rugged offroad styling cues, it could be just the trick for adventure-seeking families – but don’t expect it until 2026 at the very earliest. We've still yet to see the production 'D:6' Delica break cover, after all.

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Electric vehicles

Despite Mitsubishi being a pioneer in the EV space with the i-Miev city car early in the 00s, current thinking looks quite different.

Take, for example, the notion of an electric Mitsubishi Triton ute, which has been soundly rebuffed by Mitsubishi Australia CEO, Shawn Westacott.

“There are people that develop show ponies and there's a place for show ponies. That's fine. But we understand who our core target market is, and that's middle-income Australia, working Australia," he told WhichCar.

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"And we need to produce a product that is of value to the mass market – for farmers, tradies, people that deliver that work, who drive the economy of Australia.

"There are some companies, particularly out in the US, that have grabbed headlines by saying 'we've developed an electric ute'. But the reality of a ute is that our customers buy them because they are workhorses."

There is also talk that the ASX could morph into a small hybrid-electric SUV with co-operation across the alliance to get it done, with a two-row SUV-shaped HEV shown as part of Mitsubishi’s 2025 future plans.

All of this leads us to...

Small electric Mitsu SUV expected: A Lancer revival?

First teased in mid 2024, Mitsubishi is now understood to be planning a new compact electric SUV, based on the next-generation Nissan Leaf.

At this point, there's no firm confirmation that this new model could see the Lancer badge revived – but, given the Eclipse name was repurposed for the Eclipse Cross SUV, a Lancer Cross (or simply Lancer) is easy to imagine.

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The Lancer Sportback recently had its trademark re-upped in the US (Car and Driver), so that too could be a sign of the name's return – if not simply a case of trademark protection, which is common enough.

Whatever name it ends up wearing, the new small EV will likely arrive after the upcoming 'mini Ariya' leaf – so expect a debut sometime in 2026.

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