Mitsubishi Pajero Mini kei 4x4s imported from Japan. Every Pajero Mini here is either in Houston now or on its way from Japan and available to reserve.
The Pajero Mini is a 660cc kei-class 4x4 styled as a scaled-down second-generation Pajero. Mitsubishi launched it in December 1994 to take on the Suzuki Jimny during Japan's RV boom, and it was an immediate hit, with 105,000 built in its first full year and four-wheel-drive versions outselling two-wheel-drive ones six to one. It's 3.3 m (10.8 ft) long, weighs about 900 kg (2,000 lb), has four seats, and unlike most kei cars it carries a four-cylinder engine and a real two-speed transfer case. It was never sold outside Japan; exports were in the hundreds, and the only badge-engineered version, the Nissan Kix, came much later. The first generation (1994–1998) is fully eligible to import today, and the enlarged second generation qualifies for builds from October 1998 through December 2001.
What makes the Pajero Mini different
Pajero looks, Pajero gate. The side-hinged rear door with the spare wheel mounted outside, the squared-off fenders and the two-tone paint of the big Pajero, on a 2,200 mm (87 in) wheelbase.
A four-cylinder kei engine. The 659cc 4A30 is an inline-four in a class where three cylinders are the norm. The turbo version has twin cams and five valves per cylinder, with an intercooler.
Easy Select 4WD with low range. A second lever gives 2H, 4H and 4L, the same layout as a full-size truck (details below).
A car-like ride. MacPherson struts in front, a five-link coil-sprung rear axle and a monocoque with built-in frame members, where a Jimny of the same age has a ladder frame and leaf springs. 195 mm (7.7 in) of ground clearance and a 4.8 m (15.7 ft) turning radius.
Which Pajero Minis can be imported
U.S. rules let a vehicle that was never sold here be imported once it's at least 25 years old, counted from its month and year of manufacture. In 2026 that means Pajero Minis built in 2001 or earlier:
The second generation grew 100 mm longer and 80 mm wider to use the full 1998 kei envelope (3,395 × 1,475 mm), gained Mitsubishi's RISE safety body and a 43-liter tank, and swapped the 3-speed automatic for a 4-speed. Cars with a TA- prefix (from September 2002) or ABA- prefix, and every Nissan Kix, are too new until 2027 or later. The Pajero Junior (1995–1998) is a different car: a 1.1-liter, wider-track version registered outside the kei class.
2WD or 4x4?
Buy the 4x4 (H56A or H58A). It uses Easy Select 4WD, a conventional part-time system with a two-speed transfer case worked by a second lever between the seats: 2H is rear-wheel drive for pavement, 4H locks the front axle to the rear for dirt, mud, grass and gravel, and 4L adds low range for steep or slow going. There's no center differential, so 4H is for loose surfaces, not dry pavement, and you can shift between 2H and 4H on the move at up to about 80 km/h (50 mph); low range needs a stop. A rear limited-slip differential came on the 1998 Sport grade and was optional on other second-generation cars. The rear-wheel-drive H51A and H53A are about 100 kg lighter and were mostly sold as style cars in Japan; they're fine around town but miss the point for ranch use. Within the 4x4s, the 64 PS turbo is the one to pick for U.S. roads, and if you want an automatic, the second generation's 4-speed is a better highway gearbox than the first generation's 3-speed.
Versions you'll see
XR-I and XR-II (1994–1998): the naturally aspirated 52 PS grades, in 2WD or 4x4. The "-II" adds two-tone paint, chrome trim and alloy wheels.
VR-I and VR-II (1994–1998): the 64 PS turbo, 4x4 only. The VR-II came with automatic climate control, power windows, fog lamps, a roof spoiler and 15-inch alloys. The badge on the tailgate tells you which engine a first-generation car has.
Duke-X and Duke-V (from December 1997): a new grille and "PAJERO MINI" badging at the end of the first generation.
X and S (1998 on): the naturally aspirated second-generation grades; V, Sport and Duke are the turbos, and the R (from October 1999) is a lowered, rear-wheel-drive turbo.
Special editions: Mitsubishi released one or two a year: Skipper, Iron Cross, Desert Cruiser, Anniversary Limited, Pearl Select, Lynx, White Edition and the Snoopy Edition, among others. They're trim and color packages on the grades above.
Any Pajero Mini that's in Houston can be inspected and test driven at our lot.
Questions buyers ask
Can I title and register a Pajero Mini in Texas? Since September 1, 2025, Texas law (SB 1816) lets kei vehicles be titled and registered as "miniature vehicles." Our Texas title and registration guide walks through the paperwork. Other states have their own rules, so check with yours before you buy.
Pajero Mini or Suzuki Jimny? The Jimny is the harder-core off-roader, with a ladder frame and solid axles front and rear. The Pajero Mini rides more like a car, has a four-cylinder engine, and offers an automatic with either engine. Both have low range. See our Jimny buyer's guide.
Will it keep up on the highway? A 64 PS turbo with the 5-speed or the 4-speed automatic will hold 60–65 mph; the first generation's 3-speed automatic works harder at that speed. Like every 660cc kei vehicle it's happiest on local roads, with a 35-liter (9 gal) tank on the first generation and 43 liters (11 gal) on the second.
What fuel does it use? Regular unleaded, on both the turbo and the naturally aspirated engine.
How many seats? Four, in a 3-door body only.
Is the odometer in miles? No. Japanese vehicles read in kilometers, and our listings show the odometer in km. 1 km is about 0.62 miles.
Is it right-hand drive? Yes, like every Japanese-market kei vehicle.
Can I buy one that's still on its way from Japan? Yes. Reserve an In Transit Pajero Mini with a $1,000 deposit. See how buying works.
Written by Farhad Musazada, Skyline Kei Trucks. Published October 19, 2026.
