02:00 18-06-2026
Mitsubishi Momentum 2030: Eclipse Sportback EV arrives, Pajero returns on Triton frame
Mitsubishi sets out its North America playbook: a new or refreshed model every year from 2026 to 2030, including the Eclipse Sportback EV with Nissan and a body-on-frame Pajero revival.
Mitsubishi is trying to shake off its image as a brand with a thin lineup and cautious updates. The Momentum 2030 plan was unveiled back in 2024, but only now is it filling in with concrete models: between 2026 and 2030 the company aims to roll out a new or significantly refreshed vehicle in North America every single year.
The strategy isn’t built around a single type of powertrain. Mitsubishi is talking about a blend of modern ICE engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs. For buyers that matters more than slick slogans: part of the market is ready for EVs, but plenty of customers still want regular crossovers, efficient hybrids and PHEVs that don’t tie them to a charging network.
The first clear move is the Eclipse Sportback EV. The model is due in the US and Canada in the second half of 2026 and will reach showrooms under an OEM deal with Nissan. In effect, Mitsubishi is leveraging the alliance to get back into the EV segment without engineering an entire car from scratch. Even so, the brand promises its own design for the bumpers, grille, headlights, tailgate, D-pillars and wheels.
The second strong move is the return of the Pajero. The new SUV is set to be shown in autumn 2026, and it’s no longer just a nostalgia play. Mitsubishi has confirmed the model will sit on the heavy-duty frame of the Triton pickup, but with its own cabin design and front and rear suspension. For the brand it’s a chance to remind buyers of its rally heritage, 12 Dakar wins and a segment where customers value not just a screen but durability, four-wheel drive and genuine off-road ability.
The Pajero’s North American status still comes with a caveat. In the US the model was historically sold as the Montero, and Mitsubishi has yet to confirm the final list of markets for the new SUV. But the very fact that the body-on-frame flagship is coming back fits Momentum 2030 nicely: the brand needs more than electric crossovers — it needs cars that hand it back a recognisable character.
Running alongside that, the US is getting a more rugged version of the Outlander and an updated Outlander PHEV. The Outlander is what’s keeping Mitsubishi afloat right now, but no long-term strategy gets built on a single model. Up against Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Hyundai and Kia, Mitsubishi simply doesn’t have enough entry points for the buyer: no broad SUV lineup, no strong pickup in the US and, for a long time, no affordable EV with a familiar name.
Momentum 2030 is meant to fix that gap. If the plan works, Mitsubishi will expand its lineup, grow its dealer network and shift sales into a more digital channel. If it doesn’t, fresh names and partner-built EVs won’t save the brand from an old problem: buyers simply won’t think of Mitsubishi when they go to pick their next crossover.
The most interesting thing about this strategy is the caution. Mitsubishi isn’t bolting toward EVs alone, and it isn’t trying to recapture the past with the Pajero alone. The brand is betting on the mix: the Nissan alliance for EVs, its own off-road DNA for SUVs, and proven hybrids for buyers who care most about fuel economy, reliability and freedom from the charging grid.