The 2026 Mitsubishi Pajero will arrive in Australian showrooms in December with 20 locally developed accessories, including Australian-made steel front protection bars and a weight distribution hitch.

Mitsubishi’s Australian engineering team began working on the accessories program in early 2022, incorporating requirements for mounting points, wiring and vehicle structures before physical development vehicles were available.

The announcement follows details of the Pajero’s Australian pricing and specifications, with the large SUV competing against the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, Ford Everest and Nissan Patrol.

The accessory development work involved Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in Japan, Australian engineers and specialist suppliers, with prototype fitment and testing conducted at Mitsubishi’s Okazaki research and development facility.

Steve Pearson, Mitsubishi Motors Australia’s Engineering Manager, Accessory Development, said Australian towing and off-road use helped shape the program.

“Australians ask a lot of their four-wheel drives. They tow caravans, travel off-road and cover enormous distances, so our accessories must be more than cosmetic additions. They need to be engineered as part of the vehicle experience,” Pearson said.

Pearson joined Mitsubishi in 1990 and worked in vehicle manufacturing and body design before moving into accessory engineering after local manufacturing ended in 2008.

Access to computer-aided design data allowed the Australian team to develop concepts ahead of prototype testing in Japan, where engineers assessed fitment, functionality, practicality and durability.

Protection bars, towing equipment and warranty

The steel front protection bars will be offered in hooped and hoopless forms, with both developed and manufactured in Australia.

Mitsubishi says the bars retain the Pajero’s full advanced driver assistance system functionality, following collaboration between its vehicle engineers, styling team, accessory supplier and technology suppliers.

The towing program also involved changes to the vehicle itself, including frame reinforcement and modifications to accommodate the towbar and its installation.

“We can now offer a genuine weight distribution hitch, and our solution also supports the various off-road couplings touring Australians now demand,” Pearson said.

Alongside the front protection bars and weight distribution hitch, the Australian-manufactured accessories include a winch cradle, headlamp protectors, hood protectors and driving lamps.

Hood protectors will come in clear, tinted and matte-black finishes, with the matte-black version incorporating a PAJERO logo.

The locally developed range also includes a snorkel, roof rack, side protection bar, under-ride protection, LED light bar, black and polished nudge bars, towbar, towbar harness and electric brake harness.

These items will form part of a broader Mitsubishi Genuine Accessories range available at the Pajero’s market launch.

Genuine accessories fitted to a new vehicle before delivery are covered by Mitsubishi’s standard five-year/100,000km new-car warranty.

For vehicles eligible for the extended new-car warranty, accessory coverage can extend to 10 years or 200,000km, whichever comes first, provided all scheduled servicing is completed by a Mitsubishi dealership.

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