Did you know the box-type Mitsubishi Pajero was also a Dodge?

The Dodge Raider is a badge engineered Mitsubishi Pajero for the US market

If there’s one Mitsubishi SUV that is revered and well-loved by many aside from the Montero Sport, it’s probably the Pajero. Also called the Montero in other markets, the Pajero was available in 3-door and 5-door body styles and lasted until the fourth generation.

Unfortunately, Mitsubishi has decided to discontinue the Pajero after the fourth generation. The manufacturer even sold the old Pajero plant to a paper company that transformed the defunct facility into a toilet paper factory. While we have to sadly say goodbye to the Pajero, it’s nice to know that that iconic 4x4 has become a legend amongst enthusiasts.

So it’s surprising to know that despite its Japanese heritage, the Pajero/Montero was actually rebadged for another brand. While it may not be well-known now, readers of a certain age might have remembered seeing the Pajero being sold as the Dodge Raider in the late 1980s. No, we are not kidding, the first-generation Mitsubishi Pajero was indeed badge engineered by Dodge for the US market for quite some time.

Before you say that the Pajero/Montero was already available in the US market as early as 1982, Dodge wanted a small SUV that could take on the likes of the Jeep Wrangler and perhaps even the Ford Bronco. Remember, Dodge didn’t have a compact SUV at the time so they tapped Mitsubishi to give them a hand. However, we have to reiterate that this was before the Diamond-Star Motors (DSM) joint venture between Chrysler and Mitsubishi.

So what makes the Dodge Raider different from a Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero? Apart from using different badges and names, both vehicles are mechanically the same and only feature some minor aesthetic changes. Heck, both SUVs share the same exterior & interior design including the dashboard. But unlike the Pajero/Montero which was offered in a 5-door body style, the Raider was strictly a 3-door offering.

Under the hood, the Raider was only available with either a 2.6-liter naturally-aspirated gasoline inline-four dubbed the 4G54 and a 2.3-liter diesel engine called the 4D55. It was then paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox along with 4WD. There was also a V6 version although only a limited number of those examples exist.

So it looks like Dodge had a winning formula on their hands by badge engineering the Pajero/Montero into the Raider to cater to the growing SUV market in the late 80s. However, this strategy didn’t result in massive sales. In fact, after the Dodge Raider was first introduced way back in 1987, it bowed out in 1989 and became an obscure memory for most.

If you happen to see an old school Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero wearing Dodge branding on its exterior & interior, you’re probably looking at one of the remaining few examples still on the road. It might not have a lasting legacy as the OG Pajero, but it’s still quite a rare sight given that it only lasted for several years.