Mitsubishi · 1996–present
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is a body-on-frame mid-size SUV produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors using the Pajero nameplate since 1996. It has spanned over three generations, based on the Triton pickup truck. Mitsubishi has formerly used the Mitsubishi Challenger (Japanese: 三菱・チャレンジャー, Hepburn: Mitsubishi Charenjā) name for the vehicle in Japan and some international markets, but the name was dropped since the third generation in 2015 in favour of the Pajero Sport, Montero Sport, and Shogun Sport nameplates.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Successor: Mitsubishi Pajero (fifth generation)|Mitsubishi Endeavor
All Mitsubishi Pajero Sport data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →
First generation (K80/K90/PA/PA II; 1996)
For the SUV sold alongside the first generation Montero Sport in Latin American markets, see Mitsubishi Montero Outlander. Production began in Japan in 1996, and was available for most export markets by 1997, where it was variously known as the Challenger, Pajero Sport in Europe, Montero Sport in North America, South America, Spain and the Philippines, Nativa in parts of Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East, Shogun Sport in the United Kingdom, and Strada G-Wagon in Thailand. Based on the Strada pickup truck of the same vintage, sharing many components and some body panels (i.e. front doors), the first-generation Pajero Sport was also built on the second-generation Pajero wheelbase, and served as a smaller model to the larger Pajero. Like the Pajero, it featured independent front suspension with torsion bars and a live rear axle. In addition to numerous facelifts over the years, there was a major suspension change from rear leaf to coil springs in late 2000. As its popularity increased, local assembly for foreign markets was introduced in China in 2003, and Brazil in 2006. Sales were discontinued in Japan in 2003. In the United States, where it was superseded by the Endeavor, sales ended in 2004. Sales in central and western Europe ended in 2008, with the introduction of the second generation Pajero/Montero Sport. In Japan, it was sold at a specific retail chain called Car Plaza. The 3-litre V6 is the most commonly used engine; it produces 175 hp (130 kW; 177 PS) at 5,000 rpm. The North American market received petrol V6 engines during all years of production while a petrol 2.4-litre engine was offered on base models from 1997 through 1999 in the United States and for additional years in Canada. Markets outside of North America also had a variety of turbo-die
Second generation (KG/KH/PB; 2008)
The second-generation of the vehicle, based on the ladder frame chassis of the Triton, was gradually introduced to selected markets (Russia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East) through the autumn of 2008, following its debut at the Moscow International Automobile Salon. The design is partially influenced from the 2001 Pajero Evolution 2+2 concept car. 2.5- or 3.2-litre diesel and 2.4- 3.0- or 3.5-litre V6 petrol engines are available as before, while five- or seven-seat interior configurations are offered. As with the Triton pickup on which it is based, production of the new Pajero Sport for all markets is concentrated in Thailand. In the Philippines, the Pajero Sport is officially named as Montero Sport. The Montero Sport was launched in the Philippines on October of 2008 and it was offered with only one engine, a 3.2 litre “4M41” Common Rail Direct Injection Diesel, putting out 163 PS and 343Nm of torque. Mated to the engine is an INVECS-II four-speed automatic transmission (with Sportronic mode) and two variants were offered: GLS and the top of the-line GLS SE. In 2011, The Montero Sport lineup received a powerboost equipped with a 2.5 litre “4D56”, it now produces a staggering 178 ps of power and 350Nm of torque (15 ps and 7Nm more than the previous 3.2 litre turbo diesel Montero Sport). In courtesy of a Variable Geometry Turbo equipped with a 2.5 litre common rail diesel engine with a variable geometry turbo (VGT), boasted of a 15% improvement in power over the previous 3.2 litre's 163 hp. Not only was it more powerful and responsive, the smaller engine also made for better fuel economy. Now called Montero Sport GLS-V, this midrange variant receives an additional accessory outlet, reverse sensors, tailgate cladding, 2DIN monitor Audio unit with bluetooth and GPS, a
Third generation (KR/KS/QE/QF; 2015)
On 1 August 2015, Mitsubishi Motors unveiled the third-generation Pajero Sport in Thailand. It is the first Mitsubishi sold in Thailand to use the Dynamic Shield exterior design, the interior is designed with a T-Shape High Console with a dashboard layout similar to the Triton, equipped with a range active safety features, it uses the new 4N15 2.4L MIVEC diesel engine, and is available with Mitsubishi's Super-Select 4WD-II four-wheel drive system that features a new off-road mode and hill descent control system (a first on a Mitsubishi model). Since September 2026, the Pajero Sport has replaced as Mitsubishi's flagship by the Pajero after its return, and will be sold together in some markets. During a press release, Mitsubishi also heavily implied that there will no longer be any future generations of the Pajero Sport. Powertrain. The Pajero Sport/Montero Sport has three engine options. The 4D56 DI-D common rail produces 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp) and 324 N⋅m (239 lb⋅ft; 33 kg⋅m) (GLX and Exceed trims in Indonesia) mated to a 5-speed manual transmission (GLX/Exceed) or 5-speed automatic transmission (Exceed) and 4N15 MIVEC with Variable Geometry Turbo producing 181 PS (133 kW; 179 hp) and 430 N⋅m (317 lb⋅ft; 44 kg⋅m) (Dakar trim in Indonesia and all variants in the Philippines and Thailand) mated to a 6-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed automatic transmission and the 3.0L 6B31 MIVEC V6 petrol engine mated with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The petrol V6 engine was not available in Indonesia. Markets. ==== Asia ==== Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, it is marketed as the Pajero Sport and assembled by Pragoti in Chittagong. It also manufactured the car. Indonesia. The third-generation Pajero Sport was launched in Indonesia on 29 January 2016, in three trim levels: GLX, E
Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.
Specifications
- name
- Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
- Manufacturer
- Mitsubishi Motors
- aka
- Mitsubishi Challenger (1996–2016), Mitsubishi Montero Sport, Mitsubishi Shogun Sport (United Kingdom, 2000–2021)
- Production
- 1996–present
- Class
- Mid-size SUV
- Body style
- 5-door SUV
- Layout
- Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, Front-engine, four-wheel-drive
- Related
- Mitsubishi Triton
- Successor
- Mitsubishi Pajero (fifth generation) (Australia)
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.
More photos
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q911859CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Pajero_SportCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1374847959 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mitsubishi_Pajero_Sport_(3rd_generation)_1X7A0409.jpgCC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Alexander Migl · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.
