Mitsubishi Destinator: Why This New 3-Row SUV Won’t Come to the U.S.

Japanese Automaker Shows Signs Of Life In Other Markets

When it comes to the United States, Mitsubishi has mostly been in a holding pattern for the past few years. It’s periodically updated and refreshed its modest lineup, but hasn’t brought out anything genuinely new. But the automaker just unveiled a new three-row SUV that will be sold in other markets.

The Mitsubishi Destinator is manufactured in Indonesia and is intended for that country and others nearby, as well as Latin America and the Middle East. But it won’t even make it to Australia, long a mainstay market for the automaker, according to CarExpert. So it doesn’t appear to have much chance of reaching the U.S.

Is The U.S. Missing Anything?

At 184.2 inches long, 72.4 inches wide, and 70 inches tall, the seven-seat Destinator is about the same length as a Mitsubishi Outlander, but a bit narrower and taller. Its 110.8-inch wheelbase is also 4.3 inches longer than the Outlander’s, meaning the Destinator might provide more third-row space. The Outlander is also available as a seven-seater, but Mitsubishi has admitted that those cramped seats are intended for occasional use only.

The sole powertrain confirmed by Mitsubishi is a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It’s connected to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. The latter incorporates Mitsubishi’s Active Yaw Control, which helps rotate the vehicle when cornering, and is also deployed on some of the automaker’s U.S.-market models.

Because it’s intended for developing markets, the Destinator has fairly basic suspension, with MacPherson struts up front and a torsion-beam rear. Mitsubishi noted that the suspension was fine-tuned on Indonesian roads, meaning the emphasis was likely more on dealing with extreme roughness than for overall comfort or handling. A respectable 8.4 inches of ground clearance should help in the Destinator’s intended markets as well.

Recognizable Tech Features

The interior is far from basic, though. The Destinator can be equipped with a panoramic sunroof, 64-color ambient lighting, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen like the one that’s standard in the Outlander in the U.S. Also in line with the U.S. market, a Yamaha audio system is standard, in this case with eight speakers.

Expected driver-assist features are also standard, including: adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and a 360-degree camera system. Five drive modes are included as well: Normal, Wet, Tarmac, Gravel, and Mud.

Future U.S. Lineup To Be Revealed

It’s not inconceivable for Mitsubishi to bring a vehicle designed for developing markets to the U.S. That’s what it did with the Mirage, after all. But considering how close the Destinator is to the current Outlander in size and function, it seems an unlikely choice for this market.

Mitsubishi’s current U.S. lineup consists of the Outlander (in both gasoline and plug-in hybrid forms), Outlander Sport, and Eclipse Cross. The automaker confirmed in May that it will begin selling a new, all-electric model in North America in the summer of 2026. This new EV will be based on the 2026 Nissan LEAF, from Mitsubishi’s alliance partner.