Indonesia now building Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 4WDs for Australia

Vehicles built in Indonesia are back in Australian new-car showrooms as some Mitsubishi Pajero Sport production moves away from Thailand.

Indonesia has begun producing Mitsubishi Pajero Sport four-wheel-drive wagons destined for Australian showrooms – for a limited time – to assist its usual factory in Thailand.

It is a temporary measure – from January to March 2024 – and government approval documents show only one model is manufactured in Indonesia for Australia, the Pajero Sport GLX 4×4 priced from an unchanged $52,740 drive-away.

All other models – the GLX 4×2, GLS, Exceed and GSR – remain sourced from Thailand. Drive understands there are no changes to the specifications of the Indonesian-built version.

Mitsubishi has not said why it has begun building Pajero Sports in Indonesia for Australia.

A Mitsubishi Australia spokesperson told Drive Pajero Sport stock is back to “normal supply levels” – so it may not be related to one specific slowdown at the Thailand factory.

It is only the third vehicle sold in Australia to be built in Indonesia, after the Suzuki APV van from 2005 to 2017 – and the Nissan Micra city hatch in 2012, after production switched from Thailand in 2011, and a year before it moved again to India.

Indonesia has been looking to become a hub for car production in the region – rivalling Thailand – and increase the number of cars it exports to overseas markets.

Mazda is reportedly looking to export cars to Australia from the nation, while Isuzu is said to be moving some of its Thai production to Indonesia.

Hyundai has built an electric-car factory in Indonesia – with Tesla a chance to follow suit, reportedly in talks with the Indonesian government as one of the locations it is considering for its next manufacturing site.

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