Mitsubishi Re-Enters U.S. Midsize Pickup Market With Nissan-Sourced Challenger

Mitsubishi is officially getting back into the U.S. pickup truck game — and it's bringing a wingman. The Japanese automaker announced it will re-enter the American midsize truck market with a new pickup built in partnership with Nissan. If you haven't bought a truck in a while, here's why that matters: more competition almost always means better prices and more choices for you.

So what exactly is this truck? Though neither Mitsubishi nor Nissan are ready to discuss specifics, the new pickup is expected to be based on the next-generation Nissan Frontier, built on a new body-on-frame platform Nissan is developing. "Body-on-frame" just means it's built like a traditional truck — tough, tow-capable, and off-road friendly — as opposed to the car-like unibody construction you'd find in something like a Honda Ridgeline.

Mitsubishi is preparing to re-enter the competitive U.S. pickup segment for the first time since the Dodge Dakota-based Mitsubishi Raider was discontinued in 2009. That's 17 years on the sidelines. The Raider itself was fairly forgettable, but Mitsubishi has a longer pickup history worth knowing — think the Mighty Max from the '80s and '90s, which earned a real following.

Why is this happening now? Mitsubishi announced the plans as part of a three-pronged strategy to boost sagging sales and avoid tariffs that cut operating profit by a third. Basically, tariffs on imported vehicles are squeezing profits hard, so building a truck inside the U.S. is both a financial and strategic move. The pickup is expected to be produced in North America, which sidesteps that tariff exposure and makes the truck viable at competitive price points against the Toyota Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado.

As for when you can actually buy one — don't hold your breath just yet. Analysts suggest the new truck will likely come to market in 2029, "around the time the new Nissan Frontier debuts," according to Sam Fiorani, lead analyst for AutoForecast Solutions. Fiorani also anticipates that the two trucks are "not likely to be very different, likely just the fascias" — meaning the grilles and front ends may be the most obvious differences between a Mitsubishi and a Nissan version of essentially the same truck.

But the pickup isn't the only headline here. Mitsubishi's pickup plans were revealed alongside confirmation that the iconic Pajero will return, a new SUV that rides on the ladder-frame underpinnings of the global Triton pickup. Americans know this vehicle better as the Montero — the rugged, rally-bred SUV that Mitsubishi sold here through the early 2000s. However, Mitsubishi has not confirmed whether the reborn Pajero will be sold in the United States.

The bigger picture: Mitsubishi announced a new mid- to long-term corporate vision, outlining plans to strengthen its product portfolio, expand its brand presence, and launch 13 new models globally over the next six years. Part of that plan includes opening more U.S. dealers, including what appear to be "satellite shops" that set up camp in urban areas.

The move would give Mitsubishi a direct entry into one of the most competitive vehicle segments in the U.S. market, where established players such as the Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Nissan Frontier continue to generate strong demand. For truck shoppers, a credible new entrant — especially one potentially priced aggressively — is genuinely good news. For Mitsubishi, it's a bet-the-brand moment on whether they can actually execute.