Mitsubishi South Africa has confirmed the new Pajero for local sale by the end of 2027, but it has not announced a rand price, a trim walk or a local specification. Everyone quoting a South African price today is estimating. So are we, and this page shows the working rather than hiding it, using the one market where the car already has published retail pricing.
What we actually know about price
- Australian pricing is published and order books are open: A$68,490 for the five-seat GLS up to A$84,990 for the GSR, before on-road costs.
- Mitsubishi placed the car below the base Toyota Prado and just above the cheapest V6 Ford Everest in that market.
- No South African price exists. Mitsubishi South Africa has confirmed the car, not the cost.
- Local arrival is expected by the end of 2027, so pricing would normally be announced two to three months beforehand.
Why a straight currency conversion is useless
Convert A$68,490 at the exchange rate of the day and you get a number in the region of R800,000. Ignore it. A direct conversion leaves out import duty, ad valorem tax, homologation, shipping, local specification differences and the margin structure of a different distributor in a different market. Vehicles are not priced by exchange rate, they are priced by segment position.
The reliable signal is where a manufacturer chooses to sit relative to the rivals in each market, because that decision is deliberate and it usually travels.
The method: position, not conversion
In Australia, the entry Pajero GLS at A$68,490 sits about 6 percent below the entry Toyota Prado GX at A$73,200, and about 2 percent above the cheapest Ford Everest V6 at A$66,990. Mitsubishi’s own CEO in that market, Shunichi Kihara, framed it plainly: “we believe that the product is competitive in that segment, and our price is also competitive in the segment”.
Now map that position onto current South African pricing for the same two anchors.
| Anchor | SA price from | Implied Pajero entry price |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, 6 percent below | R1,369,200 | about R1,287,000 |
| Ford Everest 3.0TD V6 4WD, 2 percent above | R1,149,000 | about R1,172,000 |
The two anchors disagree by roughly R115,000, which is itself informative: the Prado is positioned higher in South Africa than in Australia, so the Prado-derived figure is the softer of the two. Weighting toward the Everest anchor, an entry price in the R1.15 million to R1.25 million region is the most defensible expectation, with the flagship GSR equivalent pushing toward R1.45 million if the full Australian range comes.
The cheaper scenario, and why it is possible
There is a real case for a lower number. South Africa is a more price-sensitive market than Australia, the Pajero Sport already sells here from around R735,000, and Mitsubishi South Africa needs volume rather than a halo. If the local arm brings a lower grade that Australia does not get, or specifies the entry car more modestly, an opening price nearer R1.0 million is achievable.
What makes that harder is the source and the exchange rate. The car will almost certainly come from Thailand, like the Pajero Sport and Triton, and it arrives against a rand that has to hold its ground for another year. Our working range, stated honestly:
- Likely entry price: R1.1 million to R1.25 million
- Optimistic case, with a locally specified lower grade: from about R1.0 million
- Flagship: R1.4 million to R1.5 million
- Confidence: moderate. This is positional reasoning, not a leak, and no local specification has been confirmed.
Where that would place it in the segment
| Model | SA price from | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Pajero Sport | about R735,000 | 133 kW |
| Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 4×4 | about R850,000 | 150 kW |
| GWM Tank 500 3.0TD 4WD | R929,900 | 170 kW |
| Isuzu MU-X 3.0TD 4WD | R939,700 | 140 kW |
| Ford Everest 3.0TD V6 4WD | R1,149,000 | 184 kW |
| Mitsubishi Pajero (estimated) | R1.1m to R1.25m | 150 kW |
| Toyota Land Cruiser Prado | R1,369,200 | 150 kW |
That is a demanding place to sit. At R1.2 million the Pajero asks a significant premium over a Tank 500 or MU-X and lands within reach of a V6 Everest with 34 kW more. Mitsubishi’s answer is the drivetrain: Super Select 4WD-II with a usable full-time mode, low range, a rear diff lock and a rigid rear axle, which is a genuinely different offer to the part-time systems lower down the table. Whether that is worth the money is the question every buyer in this segment will be weighing, and we work through it in the Pajero versus Fortuner and Prado comparison.
South African launch timeline
| 2 September 2026 | World premiere. Mitsubishi South Africa confirms local plans. |
| December 2026 | First deliveries in Australia, Thailand and Japan. |
| During 2027 | Rollout widens to roughly 100 countries. |
| Mid to late 2027 | Expected window for South African pricing and specification. |
| By end of 2027 | Local arrival, as confirmed by Mitsubishi South Africa. |
Should you wait, or buy now?
Late 2027 is a long wait, and it is worth being clear about who should actually do it.
- Wait if you want a new flagship with a factory warranty, you tow near 3.5 tonnes, and your budget genuinely reaches R1.2 million. Nothing in the used Pajero market replaces a new one.
- Do not wait if your budget is R600,000 to R900,000. A well-kept Gen 4 3.2 DI-D or a current Pajero Sport delivers most of the capability now, and the new car will not be discounted for years.
- Consider a Gen 4 if you value mechanical simplicity. The new car is a more electronically managed vehicle, and the outgoing generation is a known quantity with a documented set of faults, which we cover in the 3.2 DI-D common problems guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much will the new Pajero cost in South Africa?
No price has been announced. Based on where Mitsubishi positioned the car against the Prado and Everest in Australia, and current South African pricing for those rivals, we expect entry models between about R1.1 million and R1.25 million, with a flagship nearer R1.45 million.
When does the new Pajero launch in South Africa?
Mitsubishi South Africa has confirmed arrival by the end of 2027. First deliveries elsewhere begin in December 2026, with the global rollout widening through 2027.
Can I place an order or pay a deposit in South Africa yet?
No. Order books are open in Australia, where nearly 8,000 people had registered interest by mid-September 2026, but no local order process exists. Expect dealer interest lists to open closer to the local announcement.
Will the new Pajero replace the Pajero Sport in South Africa?
Not directly. The Pajero sits above the Pajero Sport on price and size. Australia discontinued the Pajero Sport in 2025 and treats the Pajero as its indirect successor, but South Africa still sells the Pajero Sport, so the two are likely to coexist here for a period.
Full specification, the engine detail and how the car was received on its first international drives are in our main new Mitsubishi Pajero guide.