New Mitsubishi Pajero requires AdBlue as Australia launch nears

A diesel-only flagship with AdBlue on board

The fifth-generation Mitsubishi Pajero will require AdBlue, following the same path as the related Triton ute and rivals such as the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest. CarExpert reports that the requirement stems from the Pajero's updated 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, which is the first Mitsubishi diesel to achieve Euro 6d certification — a step beyond the Euro 5-homologated Prado, Everest and GWM Tank 500, the latter of which does not require AdBlue at all. ¹

Speaking with media, including CarExpert, at the first Australian Pajero drive, Mitsubishi Australia product strategy manager Rod Pinedo acknowledged some buyers may not welcome the extra fluid. "We understand having an additional element in the mix when you own the vehicle and run the vehicle on a daily basis; however, we're [now] able to comply with Euro 6d criteria," he said, adding the brand can also "deliver amazing fuel economy and low CO2 emissions before anyone else in the segment." ¹

AdBlue is injected into the exhaust as it enters the catalytic converter to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, and its use has become increasingly common in large diesel SUVs and utes as emissions standards tighten. The requirement arrived on the current Triton at its 2024 launch and on the Prado launched later that year. ¹

Ownership impact: service intervals and the tank size

Unlike the Prado, the Pajero's 19.1-litre AdBlue tank has been sized so that topping up between services should generally not be necessary, Pinedo confirmed to CarExpert. The tank is a couple of litres larger than the Triton's, and the refill schedule is aligned with the Pajero's 12-month/15,000km service intervals, though he noted this depends on usage and AdBlue is available at the pump for those who need to top up. ¹

The diesel engine is an evolution of the 2.4-litre unit used in the Triton, featuring a wide-range single variable-geometry turbocharger in place of the twin-turbo arrangement used in the ute. 4X4 Australia, which sampled pre-production cars at a South Australian four-wheel drive park, reports the engine produces 150kW and 480Nm — 10Nm more than previous applications — and uses a water-cooled intercooler, dual-loop EGR and AdBlue to meet Euro 6d. ¹³

Mitsubishi claims fuel economy as low as 7.1L/100km and CO2 emissions of 188g/km. CarExpert notes the consumption figure betters the Prado's 7.6L/100km while matching the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel Everest and the 3.0-litre Tank 500, with the same CO2 parity — and all three of those rivals sit below the Prado's 200g/km. These are manufacturer-claimed figures rather than independently verified results. ¹

NVES exposure and electrified options to come

CarExpert reports that at launch the Pajero's claimed 188g/km CO2 figure will exceed the 180g/km headline limit for Type 2 vehicles — light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs — under the Australian Government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. The Pajero is all but certain to be classified as a Type 2 vehicle. Mitsubishi was one of 40 brands to meet its fleet-wide emissions target in 2025, but the limits have tightened since then. ¹

It remains possible the Pajero's emissions will be offset by electrified models in the brand's fleet, with the electric ASX VR-e joining the existing Outlander plug-in hybrid, both of which emit little or no CO2. Mitsubishi has confirmed both hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains for the Pajero are in development, though no launch timing for an electrified version has been announced. CarExpert notes the Ford Everest offers neither type of electrification and the Prado is available with hybrid only overseas. ¹

Australian range, pricing and what buyers get

4X4 Australia reports the Pajero arrives in Australian showrooms in December 2026 in five- and seven-seat form, priced (RRP) from $68,490 for the five-seat GLS, $69,990 for the seven-seat GLS, $79,990 for the seven-seat Exceed and $84,990 for the range-topping seven-seat GSR. Every grade carries a dual-range transfer case, rear differential lock, Super Select 4WD-II and 3500kg braked towing capacity, so the core off-road hardware does not require stepping up the range. ³

The GLS specification includes 18-inch alloy wheels with Mud and Snow tyres, waterproof fabric seats, 12.3-inch digital instrument and multimedia displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Mitsubishi CONNECT and a power tailgate. The Exceed adds 20-inch wheels, black leather, a 14.3-inch display pair, a refrigerated centre console and a Yamaha 12-speaker audio system, while the GSR further adds ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, Adaptive Driving Beam and a digital rear-view mirror, per 4X4 Australia's specification rundown. ³

The magazine's early off-road impression of pre-production cars was broadly positive: reviewers praised improved articulation, traction, refinement and the calibration of the eight-speed automatic, while flagging a bulky bonnet that limits forward visibility and traction control struggling on one cross-axle climb until the centre and rear diff locks were engaged. On-road performance remains untested, with a full review promised at launch. ³

Global rollout and the Thai-market AdBlue difference

Mitsubishi Motors unveiled the all-new Pajero at its world premiere in Tokyo on September 2, 2026, positioning it as the flagship of the brand's Mid- to Long-Term Vision for the 2030s. Built at the company's Thai production base, the model launched first in Thailand, with Japan and Australia to follow during fiscal 2026 and approximately 100 countries planned from fiscal 2027 onward, according to the manufacturer's announcement. ²

Thai media outlet Baoquocte reports the new Pajero went on sale in Thailand with three grades: the GLS 2WD at 1,499,000 baht, the GSR 2WD at 1,699,000 baht and the Super Exceed 4WD at 1,999,000 baht, sold as a body-on-frame PPV against the Ford Everest Platinum, Toyota Fortuner GR Sport and GWM Tank 500. Thai-market buyers receive a five-year/150,000km warranty and five years of free scheduled-service labour. ⁴

Notably, Baoquocte reports that Thai-market Pajeros are not equipped with the AdBlue emissions treatment system — a direct conflict with the AdBlue requirement CarExpert has confirmed for the Australian-market car, where Euro 6d compliance applies. The underlying specifications otherwise align: the 4N16 2.4-litre diesel, eight-speed automatic, dimensions of 4920mm long, 1925mm wide and a 2870mm wheelbase, and identical approach, breakover and departure angles. Baoquocte additionally lists a 219–228mm ground clearance depending on grade, 800mm of wading depth and power rising from 184 to 204 horsepower versus the outgoing Pajero Sport. ¹⁴

Mitsubishi says the Pajero nameplate has surpassed 3.29 million units across four generations since 1982, and the new model adds S-AWC vehicle dynamics control, a redesigned ladder frame with expanded high-tensile steel use, a five-link rigid rear axle, three-row seven-seat packaging and the brand's first SRS centre airbag, per the manufacturer's release. ²