In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- Is Mitsubishi about to make a comeback?
- Some of these designers are insane!
The first question comes from a fan on my Facebook page: Is Mitsubishi getting its second wind?
Q: Via Facebook: RE: Are we about to see Mitsubishi get their second wind?
I know you’ve openly said you love Mitsubishi. So you should be happy about the announcement about building new vehicles, am I right? You owned a bunch of them and said so on video. I don’t know anyone else who boasts about owning Mitsubishis! Are (we) about to see Mitsubishi get their second wind and is Nathan overjoyed about it?
— D Bobby DC12
A: First thing’s first: I owned Monteros (Pajeros) – and loved most of them.
There was a time when Mitsubishi built standout, competitive vehicles across the board, and brought high quality products to our shores. Now, they are kind of a punch-line for folks who find their offerings less than competitive. The thing is: Mitsubishi has always managed to find a way to stay relevant, and maybe they are about to return to their former selves.
Yes, I am overjoyed about the possibility of seeing a new Montero in the United States. You can read about my reputation RE: Monteros (here). Funny thing: I know a ton of top automotive journalists who are big fans of the Pajero, especially the first three generations.
Rather than simply surviving in the U.S. market, Mitsubishi has committed to introducing a new or significantly refreshed vehicle every year from 2026 through 2030, expanding its dealer network, and nearly doubling the size of its lineup. It looks like they will continue with their hybrid vehicles, but re-enter the truck battle as well.
That’s a much more aggressive strategy than we’ve seen from Mitsubishi for years.
What’s Coming?
For 2026 and beyond, Mitsubishi is rolling out:
- We will see a refreshed Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid with a larger battery, more EV range, and significant interior upgrades.
- It looks like a new Pajero – which might become a Montero, may be based on the Nissan Armada.
- A new mild-hybrid version of the Mitsubishi Outlander featuring a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine.
- We should see a Delica Van with an advanced AWD system and a plug-in hybrid setup
- An all-new battery-electric vehicle based on the next-generation Nissan Leaf arriving in North America during 2026.
- According to Mitsubishi, we should get a more rugged, off-road-focused Outlander variant that sounds significantly tougher than today’s Trail Edition.
- And, very important… a recently announced North American pickup-truck project being developed jointly with Nissan.
As an automotive journalist, that last point catches my attention.
The Pickup Matters
Mitsubishi hasn’t had a pickup truck in America since the Raider disappeared nearly two decades ago. In order to make the truck profitable, it will have to be produced in the United States, sharing many components with the Frontier – but that doesn’t mean it will be a mechanical clone. In order to make it competitive and compelling, I expect to see unique components, engineering and pricing. Hopefully.
Today, midsize trucks are one of the hottest segments in the market. If Mitsubishi gets a Frontier-based pickup into showrooms with competitive pricing, it could immediately attract buyers who remember the old Mitsubishi pickups or want something different from the usual Tacoma, Colorado, and Ranger crowd.
Honestly, a Nissan Frontier with Mitsubishi styling, Super-All Wheel Control tuning, and an aggressive price tag could be surprisingly compelling.
— N
The last question comes from a fan who is upset with many modern automotive designers.
Q: Via Facebook: WHAAAA!!! WHAT IS GOING ON WITH DESIGN!?!?!?!?!?
Make the bad people STOP Nathan! Take their pens and clay away! Take their computers and sh–ty design programs away! Burn it all with fire! Call an exorcism! It’s only getting worse and life is hard enough!
– JigglyPuffNecro
A: Yea, I’m unhappy too.
I had an angry moment and posted my thoughts on social media, but it won’t do much. A new design language is fighting to be heard, and I cannot understand what they’re saying. Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and other automakers are trying to be provocative, and it’s working.
For better, or worse.
I’m hoping that cooler heads will prevail with enough public outcry, but it’s looking rather grim. To be honest, at least the Ferrari Luce would look totally fine, if it were built by Honda or Chevy… it has that pedestrian look to it, if you ditched the wheels and prancing horse. I can’t say the same for some of the things we’re seeing from German and some Japanese automakers.
Once again: I hope public reaction will force these automakers to try and make beautiful things again.
– N
