Every Mitsubishi Pajero generation, side by side, for the South African market. Gen 1 in 1982 through to the fifth generation Mitsubishi revealed on 2 September 2026, plus the Pajero Sport.
How to read this page. Specifications varied by variant, model year and market, sometimes considerably, so these are headline figures for South African cars and the generation guides carry the detail. Where Mitsubishi never published a number we say so rather than borrowing one from a related model, which is how most of the wrong figures in circulation got started. Used prices were gathered in October 2026.
At a Glance
| Generation | Years | Construction | Signature engine | 4WD system | SA price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 1982–1991 | Body-on-frame, ladder chassis | 4D56 2.5 TD | Part-time | R25k–R80k |
| Gen 2 | 1991–1999 | Body-on-frame, ladder chassis | 4M40 2.8 TD | Super Select SS4 | R25k–R320k |
| Gen 3 | 1999–2006 | Unibody with front and rear subframes | 4M41 3.2 DI-D | Super Select II | R80k–R200k |
| Gen 4 | 2006–2021 | Unibody with front and rear subframes | 4M41 3.2 DI-D | Super Select II | R180k–R450k |
| Gen 5 | Revealed Sept 2026 | Ladder frame, high-tensile steel | 2.4 clean diesel | Super Select 4WD-II + S-AWC | Not announced |
| Pajero Sport | 2017–present | Ladder frame | 4N15 2.4 MIVEC TD | Super Select II | R749,900–R904,990 new |
Engines and Performance
The Gen 4 is split here because it matters when buying. Mitsubishi’s own South African launch material for the MY10 “DI-DC High Power” engine shows two meaningfully different 4M41s either side of the 2010 model year, and a 2007 car is not the 140 kW vehicle most listings imply.
| Generation | Best diesel | Diesel power / torque | Top petrol | Petrol power / torque | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 4D56 2.5 TD | 73 kW / 210 Nm | 6G72 3.0 V6 | 104 kW / 220 Nm | 4 or 5-spd manual, 3-spd auto |
| Gen 2 | 4M40 2.8 TD | 92 kW / 300 Nm | 6G74 3.5 V6 | 140–150 kW | 5-spd manual, 4-spd auto |
| Gen 3 (2000–03) | 4M41 3.2 DI-D | 121 kW / 351 Nm | 6G74 3.5 V6 MIVEC | 147 kW / 275 Nm | 5-spd manual, 5-spd auto |
| Gen 3 (2003–06) | 4M41 3.2 DI-D | 118 kW / 373 Nm | 6G75 3.8 V6 | 184 kW / 329 Nm | 5-spd manual, 5-spd auto |
| Gen 4 (07MY) | 4M41 3.2 DI-D | 121 kW @ 3,500 / 373 Nm @ 2,000 | 6G75 3.8 V6 | 184 kW / 329 Nm | 5-spd auto |
| Gen 4 (MY10 on) | 4M41 3.2 DI-D | 140 kW @ 3,800 / 441 Nm @ 2,000 | 6G75 3.8 V6 | 184 kW / 329 Nm | 5-spd auto |
| Gen 5 | 2.4 clean diesel, single VGT | Power not stated / 480 Nm | None announced | — | 8-spd auto, sport mode |
| Pajero Sport | 4N15 2.4 MIVEC TD | 133 kW / 430 Nm | None | — | 8-spd auto |
Gen 5 torque is 480 Nm, or 470 Nm on some specifications. Mitsubishi did not publish a power figure at the reveal and still has not. Anyone quoting one is estimating.
Dimensions, Chassis and Off-Road
| Generation | Wheelbase (SWB / LWB) | Ground clearance | Approach / departure | Wading depth | Suspension (front / rear) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 2,350 / 2,695 mm | ~200 mm | 44° / 34° (SWB) | Not published | Double wishbone, torsion bar / live axle, leaf (SWB) or coil (LWB) |
| Gen 2 | 2,420 / 2,725 mm | 205 mm | 44° / 34° (SWB), 37° / 28° (LWB) | 600 mm | Double wishbone, torsion bar / rigid axle, leaf (SWB) or coil (LWB) |
| Gen 3 | 2,545 / 2,780 mm | 205 mm | 44° (SWB) / 26° (LWB) | 500 mm | Double wishbone, coil / independent multi-link, coil |
| Gen 4 | 2,545 / 2,780 mm | 220 mm | 44° (SWB) / 26° (LWB) | Not published | Double wishbone, coil / independent multi-link, coil |
| Gen 5 | 2,870 mm, one wheelbase | 230 mm * | 30.4° / 25.8° * | Not stated | Independent double wishbone / five-link rigid axle |
| Pajero Sport | LWB only, 5-door | 218 mm | 30° / 24° | 700 mm | Double wishbone / multi-link |
* Gen 5 clearance and angles are quoted on 20-inch tyres, Mitsubishi’s own footnote. Expect them to move with wheel and tyre choice. Breakover is 22.6° on the same basis.
On the Gen 4 wading depth. You will see 700 mm quoted everywhere for the Gen 4. That is the Pajero Sport’s figure and it has been copied across the internet for years. Mitsubishi does not publish a wading depth for the Gen 4 Pajero. On any Pajero past fifteen years old the published number is academic anyway: real depth is set by the condition of your diff breathers, door seals and intake path today.
Gen 5 Full Dimensions
The figures most people are searching for, from Mitsubishi’s reveal of 2 September 2026.
| Length | 4,920 mm | Ground clearance | 230 mm, on 20-inch tyres |
| Width | 1,925 mm | Approach angle | 30.4°, on 20-inch tyres |
| Height | 1,910 mm | Breakover angle | 22.6°, on 20-inch tyres |
| Wheelbase | 2,870 mm | Departure angle | 25.8°, on 20-inch tyres |
| Track, front and rear | 1,630 mm | Weight distribution | 52:48 front to rear |
| Seating | Three rows, seven seats | Production | Thailand |
The second row slides through 150 mm and tumbles for third-row access. Only one wheelbase has been announced, so there is no short-wheelbase five-seater alongside it yet.
Drivetrain, Towing and Tank
| Generation | 4WD system | Drive modes | Braked towing | Fuel tank (SWB / LWB) | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | Part-time | 2H / 4H / 4L | 2,000 kg | 65 / 80 L | 5, up to 7 LWB |
| Gen 2 | Super Select SS4 | 2H / 4H / 4H-Lock / 4L | 2,500 kg | 75 / 90 L | 5, 7 optional LWB |
| Gen 3 | Super Select II | 2H / 4H / 4H-Lock / 4L | 3,100 kg | — / 88 L | 5 SWB, 5 or 7 LWB |
| Gen 4 | Super Select II | 2H / 4H / 4H-Lock / 4L | 3,100 kg | — / 88 L | 5 SWB, 7 LWB |
| Gen 5 | Super Select 4WD-II + S-AWC | 2H / 4H / 4HLc / 4LLc, plus 7 terrain modes | Not stated | Not stated | 7 |
| Pajero Sport | Super Select II | 2H / 4H / 4H-Lock / 4L | 3,100 kg | 68 L | 7 |
The Gen 5’s seven terrain modes are Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand and Rock. Super Select survived intact rather than as a name on a dial: all four modes, the centre differential still locks, and low range is still a mechanical reduction. S-AWC is layered over the top, not substituted for it. Our Super Select explainer covers what each mode actually does.
Ownership in South Africa
| Generation | Airbags | SA price (Oct 2026) | Parts availability | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | None, era-correct | R25k–R80k | Scarce, 40+ years old | Collectors, restorers |
| Gen 2 | 2, from 1993 | R25k–R320k | Moderate | Enthusiasts, overlanders |
| Gen 3 | Up to 6 | R80k–R200k | Good | Daily drivers, adventure |
| Gen 4 | 7 SRS | R180k–R450k | Good | All-round, families |
| Gen 5 | Not detailed | Not announced | New model | New-vehicle buyers |
| Pajero Sport | 7 SRS | R749,900–R904,990 new | Excellent | Families, new buyers |
Gen 2 spans the widest price range on this page because a tidy blister-fender SWB is a collector’s car while a tired LWB is a project. Our used buyer’s guide explains what moves a Pajero within its band.
Engine Code Reference
The codes you will see on listings and in service records, and where each was fitted.
| Code | Displacement | Type | Power | Torque | Fitted to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4D55T | 2.3 L | Turbo diesel I4, mechanical | 62 kW | ~190 Nm | Gen 1, pre-1986 |
| G54B | 2.6 L | Petrol I4, carburettor | 82 kW | ~190 Nm | Gen 1, pre-1986 |
| 4D56 | 2.5 L | Turbo diesel I4, mechanical IDI | 73 kW | 210–225 Nm | Gen 1, Gen 2 |
| 4M40 | 2.8 L | Turbo diesel I4, mechanical | 92 kW @ 4,000 | 300 Nm | Gen 2 |
| 4M41 | 3.2 L | Common-rail turbo diesel I4 | 118–147 kW | 351–441 Nm | Gen 3, Gen 4 |
| 4N15 | 2.4 L | MIVEC turbo diesel I4 | 133 kW | 430 Nm | Pajero Sport |
| 6G72 | 3.0 L | V6 petrol | 104–107 kW | 220 Nm | Gen 1, Gen 2 |
| 6G74 | 3.5 L | V6 petrol, MIVEC on Gen 3 | 140–150 kW | 275 Nm (Gen 3 MIVEC) | Gen 2, Gen 3 |
| 6G75 | 3.8 L | V6 petrol | 184 kW | 329 Nm | Gen 3 (from 2003), Gen 4 |
The 4M41 is the engine most of this site is about. It is turbocharged from launch, runs 17.0:1 compression and takes 9.8 litres of oil in total, 7.5 in the sump, 1.0 in the filter and 1.3 in the cooler. The widely repeated 6.3 litre figure is wrong. Full detail in the 4M41 engine guide.
What Mitsubishi Has Not Published
The gaps are as useful as the figures, because every one of them is a number somebody has invented and circulated. Where this page is blank, it is blank deliberately.
- Gen 4 wading depth. Never published. The 700 mm you will find quoted is the Pajero Sport’s figure.
- Gen 5 power output. Torque was given, power was not, and that has not changed since the reveal.
- Gen 5 wading depth and braked towing. Both unstated, and both decisive for overlanding and caravan buyers.
- Gen 5 pricing and South African timing. Not announced. Thailand first, then Japan and Australia during the financial year ending March 2027, then around 100 countries from the following year. Local showrooms are realistically 2027 into 2028.
- Gen 1 wading depth. No published figure we can find for the first generation.
- Gen 5 articulation. No figure published.
Spotted a figure that needs correcting, or have factory documentation for one of the gaps above? That is exactly the kind of detail this site is built on, and corrections get published and credited. Tell us.
Full Generation Guides
- Gen 1 (1982–1991) buyer’s guide
- Gen 2 (1991–1999) buyer’s guide
- Gen 3 (1999–2006) buyer’s guide
- Gen 4 (2006–2021) buyer’s guide
- Gen 5: everything Mitsubishi confirmed at the reveal
- Pajero Sport: full review and guide