The Mitsubishi Pajero is the Mitsubishi version of the Dodge Raider; in North America it was marketed as the Mitsubishi Montero, and in some markets it carried the Shogun name. The Dodge Raider itself was a short-lived U.S. badge-engineered variant based on Mitsubishi’s Pajero lineup.
Origins and the badge-engineering link
In the late 1980s, Chrysler and Mitsubishi collaborated on a family of SUVs built on the Pajero platform. The Dodge Raider emerged as the U.S.-market badge of that collaboration, sharing its mechanicals and bodywork with the Mitsubishi Pajero but wearing Dodge styling and branding for American customers.
Global naming conventions
Across different regions, the same Mitsubishi SUV platform wore different names. The global name is Pajero, while the same vehicle was sold as Montero in North America and as Shogun in parts of Europe; these names referred to essentially the same generation of the Mitsubishi SUV family.
Key points about the Mitsubishi version and its Raider connection:
- The Raider is the Dodge-branded version of Mitsubishi’s Pajero SUV.
- In North America, the Pajero-based model was marketed as the Montero rather than Pajero itself.
- In some European markets, the Pajero lineage carried the Shogun badge instead of Pajero.
- The Raider was a short-lived model in the U.S., appearing in the late 1980s to early 1990s before the badge was retired.
These naming variations reflect how automakers used regional branding to fit local markets while sharing a core SUV platform.
Legacy, evolution, and current context
The Pajero/Montero/Shogun lineage has been a longstanding part of Mitsubishi’s off-road lineup, evolving through multiple generations. The Pajero nameplate was discontinued in many markets in 2019 as Mitsubishi reoriented its SUV lineup toward new models and electrified options, while the Montero name has a historical footprint in the United States. Today, Mitsubishi emphasizes models like the Outlander and the evolved rugged SUV platforms, but the direct Pajero lineage remains a notable chapter in automotive badge engineering history.
Summary
The Dodge Raider is best understood as a U.S.-market badge-engineered variant of Mitsubishi’s Pajero. In Mitsubishi’s global naming, the same vehicle is known as Pajero, with the Montero name used in North America and Shogun in some European markets. The Raider’s brief run in the late 1980s highlights how automakers reused platforms across brands and regions, a practice that shaped the SUVs many drivers recognize today.