What is the Mitsubishi version of the Dodge Raider?
The Mitsubishi version of the Dodge Raider is the Pajero, known in the United States as the Montero.
The Raider was a badge-engineered SUV built for the U.S. market by Chrysler using Mitsubishi’s Pajero platform, a collaboration that tied Dodge to Mitsubishi’s design in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This article explains how the Pajero/Montero lineage underpins the Raider and how the model was marketed around the world.
Origins of the Dodge Raider and its Mitsubishi link
The Dodge Raider represents a short-lived example of badge engineering, where a Mitsubishi SUV served as the mechanical basis for a Dodge-branded model in the United States. Chrysler and Mitsubishi cooperated to bring a rugged, body-on-frame SUV to American showrooms, resulting in a Raider that shared its underpinnings with Mitsubishi’s Pajero/Montero family.
Key points about this relationship include:
- The Raider was essentially the Pajero platform wearing Dodge badges for the U.S. market.
- The collaboration occurred in the late 1980s, with the Raider offered for a limited period.
- The Pajero/Montero lineage continued under Mitsubishi in multiple global markets beyond the Raider’s U.S. run.
For collectors and enthusiasts, the Raider’s connection to Mitsubishi’s Pajero family highlights a notable era of cross-brand partnerships in the SUV segment.
Naming across markets: Pajero, Montero, and Shogun
Across different regions, the same core vehicle carried different names. The Mitsubishi model that underpins the Raider is the Pajero; in the United States, this same vehicle was marketed as the Montero, and in the United Kingdom it was briefly known as the Shogun before the branding reverted to Pajero.
- Pajero — the global name used in most markets for the core SUV family.
- Montero — the name used in the United States for the Pajero-based SUV during the Raider era and beyond.
- Shogun — the UK market name used for a period before standardizing on Pajero in that region.
These naming variations reflect regional branding strategies rather than differences in the underlying vehicle, which remained rooted in Mitsubishi’s Pajero/Montero design.
Why this matters for automotive history
Understanding the Raider–Pajero connection offers insight into how automakers leveraged partnerships to enter markets with shared platforms. The Raider’s brief appearance in the U.S. market is a reminder of a time when badge engineering allowed brands to expand their SUV offerings quickly by aligning with established partners like Mitsubishi.
Today, the legacy lives on in how Mitsubishi markets the Pajero/Montero lineup globally and how collectors view badge-engineered models as snapshots of automotive marketing history.
Summary
The Mitsubishi equivalent of the Dodge Raider is the Pajero, with the U.S. market version historically named the Montero. In the UK it carried the Shogun branding for a period, but the core SUV remained the Pajero/Montero family. The Raider serves as a notable example of cross-brand collaboration from the late 1980s automotive era, linking Dodge and Mitsubishi through a shared SUV platform.
What cars did Mitsubishi make for Dodge?
Mitsubishi Starion. The Mitsubishi Starion is a sports car which was manufactured and marketed by Mitsubishi from 1982 until 1989 — with badge engineered variants marketed in North America as the Conquest, under the Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth brands.
How much is a 2008 Mitsubishi Raider worth?
How much is a 2008 Mitsubishi Raider worth? The value of a used 2008 Mitsubishi Raider ranges from $2,083 to $8,299, based on vehicle condition, mileage, and options. Get a free appraisal here.
Is a Mitsubishi Raider the same as a Dodge Dakota?
The Mitsubishi Raider is a pickup truck from Mitsubishi Motors that debuted in the fall of 2005 as a 2006 model for the United States market and is based largely on the Dodge Dakota. The name is recycled from the Dodge Raider SUV sold from 1987 to 1990, which was a rebadged Mitsubishi Montero.
Is the Dodge Raider a Mitsubishi?
From 1987-1989, the Dodge Raider was a rebadged Mitsubishi Montero. For 2005-2009, it was flipped. The Mitsubishi Raider was a rebadged Dodge Dakota. During the 5 year model run, less than 22K were sold.
