Mitsubishi Australia's new Raider sub-brand could eventually expand into its SUV models, such as the Outlander and the upcoming Pajero.
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Mitsubishi Australia's new Raider off-road sub-brand could eventually expand beyond its Triton ute to include its SUV models, such as the Outlander and the new-generation Pajero, due later this year.
Speaking to Drive at the reveal of the 2026 Triton Raider, Mitsubishi Australia product strategy manager Bruce Hampel said the company is looking at "Raider as sort of a sub-brand".
"We're looking at Raider as a sort of sub-brand under the Mitsubishi halo that we think is not nameplate specific [to Triton]," Hampel said.
"It's more that concept of the heritage of what Mitsubishi has sort of been in terms of the rally associations with the past.
"We think customers are looking for that in the other nameplates as well. Outlander is an obvious one, where that's one of our core markets, core products, and it's also tailored to a very adventurous lifestyle.
"We'll potentially investigate rolling out [Raider] on other nameplates as well, as we go forward."
The likely next candidate for the Raider treatment – applied to the Triton by Premcar in Melbourne – is the reborn 2026 Mitsubishi Pajero, a successor to the current, Triton-based Pajero Sport expected to arrive in Australia by the end of this year or early next year.
Similar to the Triton Raider, enhancements for the off-road-focused SUV could include a unique suspension setup, a new tyre and wheel package, and design changes inside and out.
A Mitsubishi Pajero Raider could become a more affordable alternative to the Nissan Patrol Warrior SUV, yet to be confirmed for replacement when the current Patrol Y62 is replaced by the Y63 later this year.
The Patrol Warrior, also modified by Premcar, includes increased ground clearance, upgraded suspension, more recovery points, all-terrain tyres, and design changes, including underbody protection – plus side-exit dual exhausts for its V8 petrol engine.
Meanwhile, the Raider name for the car-based Outlander SUV could instead result from an Australian-market version of a more rugged Outlander variant confirmed for the US this year, rather than a local 'second-stage' modification by Premcar.
Not to be confused with the Outlander Trail Edition, on sale now in the US and sharing its alloy wheel design with the Australian-market LS Black Edition, Mitsubishi USA says the new Outlander grade will be an "off-road-focused vehicle".
Mitsubishi USA said the off-road-focused Outlander will add unique bodywork, off-road drive modes and "performance upgrades", unique interior styling with specific materials, and a "next level" Super-All Wheel Control all-wheel-drive system.
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Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
