Mitsubishi Wants A Share In The Midsize Pickup Truck Market In The US

Although there hasn’t been any news about Mitsubishi in a while, the formal introduction of the Pajero and Montero names served as a wonderful reminder that the company is still in existence.

It has been relatively quiet in the West, but it is doing well in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The Outlander Sport, Eclipse Cross, and Outlander in petrol and plug-in hybrid versions make up the current U.S. lineup. The fact that two of the three models were released prior to 2020 gives you an indication of how well-established the Mitsubishi line is in the United States. Although the Outlander was updated for 2026, the model is already five years old.

Bringing Interest Back

Mitsubishi sold 94,754 cars in the United States last year, which might be regarded as an exceptionally great month for Nissan or a very slow month for Honda. In actuality, that total represented a 13% decrease from sales data from 2024. Although things could become worse, we are confident that Mitsubishi does not wish to repeat the terrible performance of 2009. That year, the Japanese carmaker only sold 53,988 vehicles.

Despite having a little presence in the United States, Mitsubishi hopes to re-establish itself there. Indeed, there are ambitions for America in the company’s mid-term objectives for the next five years. It aims to “improve brand strength by extending off-road vehicles”, according to its own statement.

With Nissan’s Assistance

The launch of a new pickup is one of Mitsubishi’s initial attempts to increase its visibility in the United States. The company’s May 29, 2026, presentation verified this. A “new pickup partnership project from Nissan” is the plan. The Raider, which was based on the third-generation Dodge Dakota, was the final pickup that Mitsubishi sold in the United States.

Nissan is getting ready to release the next generation of the Frontier, so this announcement seems opportune. There are two possible outcomes for the partnership. The first is that although the Mitsubishi truck will have the same frame as the next Frontier, it will have its own USPs, technology, and powertrains.

Another option is to just rebrand the Frontier with a few minor exterior and interior stylistic adjustments. We anticipate that it will be a more distinctive offering. Mitsubishi did not specify that the car would be an “OEM from Nissan”, but it does imply such by using the word “partnership”. Strangely, we saw that the word ‘Endeavour’ was mentioned once more because a trademark application had been submitted in February.

• Read More: Mitsubishi, Nissan, And Honda Are Still Negotiating A Partnership