The new Mitsubishi Triton has already appeared, and it’s not a pickup; see what the Pajero delivered

Unveiled on September 2 in Tokyo, the new Mitsubishi Pajero will also serve as a preview of the new Mitsubishi Triton. As the seven-seater SUV was born on the same chassis as the midsize pickup, the design debuted by the brand’s flagship should anticipate what will appear in the mid-life restyling of the pickup truck, scheduled for 2027 or 2028, starting with Asia. The fundamental change, however, is in the mechanics: a hybrid version.

Visually, the expectation is focused on the front, which should adopt an evolution of the Dynamic Shield language. Thus, a T-shaped optical set and wide grille are expected – a solution that would replace the tapered headlights and the squarer front of the current pickup, presented in the international market in 2023. Sides and rear should remain practically unchanged.

The hybrid still has no deadline

The path to electrification was opened in July, when Mitsubishi announced an investment of 16 billion baht (about R$ 3.5 billion) in Thailand by 2030, to transform the Laem Chabang plant into an export hub for electrified vehicles. The announcement was made by the company’s president, Takao Kato, in a meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and involves precisely the two models of stringer chassis produced there, Triton and Pajero.

The manufacturer did not reveal which technology will be adopted. Indications point to an HEV system, the full hybrid, which does not require external recharging and uses an electric motor and battery smaller than a plug-in, probably combined with the current 2.4 turbodiesel. A PHEV set was considered at the beginning of the project, and the electric pickup announced in 2023 lost priority in the face of weak demand for battery-powered light commercial vehicles.

Schedule is another matter. In an interview with the Australian press after the presentation of the Pajero, brand executives said they had no news about future mechanical assemblies and indicated that the arrival on the market should still take time – which keeps the debut simultaneous with the restyling in the field of expectation, and not the official calendar.

What this means for Brazil

Here, the Triton has been produced in Catalão (GO) by HPE Automotores since November 2025 and has taken over as the brand’s only pickup truck with the departure of the L200. It features the 2.4 turbodiesel engine with 205 hp and 47,9 kgfm, the same block that, in the Pajero, yields 204 hp and 48,9 kgfm with an eight-speed automatic transmission. National production is a complicating factor: a hybrid version assembled in Thailand does not automatically reach the Brazilian market.

Competitive pressure, however, exists: the BYD Shark sells very little, but already occupies the space of electrified medium pickup trucks here, while the Ford Ranger will gain a PHEV variant and the Toyota Hilux will undergo restyling with a mild hybrid system derived from the 2.8 diesel. The Pajero, this already has a destination: HPE confirmed the SUV for Brazil in 2027, with no set date.