Mitsubishi is launching a new pickup truck in the United States. It’s part of the automaker’s revamped roadmap that includes a handful of other vehicles as it expands its lineup from four vehicles today to six as soon as next year. But this truck isn’t one of those six.
Mitsubishi said it "intends to re-enter the pickup truck segment in North America through its collaboration with Nissan." This likely means Mitsubishi’s truck will share its architecture with the new Frontier, and rumors suggest it could arrive as soon as 2028. But nothing is confirmed.
We expect the new Mitsubishi to be quite similar to its Nissan sibling, even using the same powertrains, which are likely to be electrified in the next Frontier. Nissan builds its truck at its Mississippi plant, which was originally slated to produce a range of electric vehicles, but plans shifted to trucks and SUVs instead.
One of them is expected to be Mitsubishi’s new truck, but we still don't know much. Here’s what we do know.
What Will Mitsubishi Call Its New Truck?
The last time Mitsubishi offered a pickup in the United States, it was called the Raider. It was a rebadged Dodge Dakota that was on sale for just four model years, 2005-2009, so reviving that branding is one possibility.
Mitsubishi currently builds the Triton, or the L200 as it’s known in Mexico and other export markets, which could be another possible name. Or the automaker might come up with something new entirely.
What Will It Look Like?
Our rendering depicts Mitsubishi’s Raider / Triton revival as a Nissan Frontier-based pickup. There are only so many ways to design a pickup, but the Mitsubishi features a unique front fascia that matches the brand’s current styling seen on the new 2027 Pajero and Eclipse Sportback.
The rendering wears vertical running lights, a rectangular grille, and an overall chiseled appearance. At the rear, we expect the automaker to stamp the model's name into the tailgate and bookend it with unique taillights. In this case, we went with "RAIDER."
Inside, we expect even more noticeable similarities between the two vehicles. We don't believe the Mitsubishi will differ much from the Nissan it is based on.
What Platform Will It Ride On?
We expect the new Mitsubishi truck to ride on the same platform as the next Nissan Frontier. It will have a body-on-frame design, but it is unclear how much of the platform will actually be new.
We doubt Nissan will design an all-new platform for its pickup truck. Instead, we think the new architecture will be an evolution of the current one.
What Will Power It?
The new Mitsubishi will likely share powertrains with its Nissan equivalent, which the automaker says will be electrified in some form. It is also unclear whether the electrification will be a traditional hybrid, a plug-in, or Nissan's E-Power series hybrid system, where the engine acts as a generator to charge the battery, which seems unlikely for a pickup.
The current Frontier uses a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 engine that produces 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque, a selling point for the pickup since many competitors feature turbocharged engines.
We hope the naturally aspirated V6 remains in some form, but Mitsubishi could opt for a completely different powertrain lineup for its truck.
When Will Mitsubishi's Pickup Truck Debut?
Mitsubishi has provided no timeline as to when it will launch the new truck, but it won’t be this year or next. The automaker plans to expand its lineup to six vehicles in 2027, and none of them is the truck.
We expect the new Mitsubishi to debut after Nissan introduces the new Frontier, which should arrive in 2028. We wouldn’t be surprised if Mitsubishi’s Raider / Triton debuted as a 2029 model.
How Much Will It Cost?
If Mitsubishi’s new pickup shares a platform with the Frontier, we expect it will have a similar price, too. The 2027 Frontier starts at $34,265, including the $1,775 destination charge. By the time the new Mitsubishi arrives, the price could be closer to $35,000, if not more.
We doubt the new truck will cost much more than that if Mitsubishi wants it to compete with other mid-size pickups. The 2026 Chevrolet Colorado is $34,495 (w/ $2,095 dest), the 2026 Ford Ranger is $35,445 (w/ $1,895 dest), and the 2026 Toyota Tacoma is $34,290 (w/ $$1,745 dest).
It will also have to compete with new entrants from Ram and Kia. They should be arriving around the same time as Mitsubishi’s new truck, so buyers should have plenty of choice.
