What car is the Mitsubishi license plate side-mounted on?

[MiguelMarie]

The Mitsubishi license plate side-mounted refers to the Mitsubishi Lancer EX. Below are the specific details of the Mitsubishi Lancer EX: 1. Powertrain: The Lancer EX is equipped with a 1.8L/2.0L all-aluminum MIVEC-4B1 series engine imported from Japan. The 1.8L 4B10 engine delivers a maximum power of 100kW at 6000rpm and a peak torque of 175N·m at 4250rpm. The 2.0L 4B11 engine produces a maximum power of 112kW at 6000rpm and a peak torque of 197N·m at 4250rpm. It is paired with either a 5-speed manual transmission or an imported CVT transmission. 2. Safety Features: The Lancer EX adopts Mitsubishi's exclusive four-dimensional safety system, which includes active safety, passive safety, visibility safety, and pedestrian protection. It is the only vehicle in its class to feature a 7-airbag safety system, knee airbags, and dual HID xenon headlights, achieving safety performance standards comparable to B-segment vehicles.

[JeremiahAnn]

The Mitsubishi side-mounted license plate feature is most commonly seen on the Pajero, especially classic models like the V93 and V97. As rugged off-road vehicles, they all come with a full-size spare tire mounted right in the center of the rear, completely blocking the space where a license plate would normally go. So, the manufacturer simply designed the license plate bracket on the lower left or right side of the tailgate—crooked mounting became a distinctive trait. Back when I drove a friend’s Pajero on the Sichuan-Tibet route, I noticed that the side-mounted plate actually made it more visible during off-roading, as mud was less likely to cover it. After the Pajero was discontinued, the Mitsubishi Delica D5 has carried on this design style—you can tell it’s a serious off-roader just by the side-mounted plate.

[JudeMarie]

When it comes to Mitsubishi models with side-mounted license plates, the most representative must be the Pajero series. I've studied their trunk structure, and this design is entirely based on practical considerations. Off-road vehicles need to carry a full-size spare tire, and a rear-mounted spare tire occupies the central position of the license plate. The engineering team designed a dedicated bracket in the corner of the tailgate, with the license plate installed at a 45-degree angle. In fact, besides Mitsubishi, older models like the Land Cruiser also had similar treatments. The Pajero's side-mounted license plate also avoids scratches during climbing, something I deeply experienced when driving the V97 through shell craters. Although the new Outlander has eliminated the external spare tire, the early Pajero Sport also adopted the side-mounting solution, which can be considered a classic inheritance.

[MacNolan]

Most Mitsubishi vehicles with side-mounted license plates are hardcore off-road models. All Pajero versions with externally-mounted spare tires feature this design, with the license plate installed at the lower left of the tailgate. This seemingly odd layout is actually quite logical: the spare tire blocks the central area, forcing the plate to be offset. Moreover, traffic police specifically require license plates to be clearly visible from a 90-degree angle during registration, making side-mounting compliant with regulations. At a modification show, I once saw a Mitsubishi Delica where the owner had reinforced the side-mounting bracket to prevent detachment during off-road bumps. Nowadays, few newly released Mitsubishi models adopt this design, but this classic feature makes genuine off-road vehicles instantly recognizable in the used car market.

[DePaislee]

You're probably referring to the Pajero, right? There's a black V97 parked in my neighborhood with its rear license plate diagonally mounted on the left side of the spare tire. Actually, Mitsubishi has been using this design since the second-generation Pajero in the 1990s, originally to prevent the full-size spare tire from obstructing the license plate. The side-mounted position has another advantage: it's less prone to dust accumulation when washed with a high-pressure water gun. I remember one year when driving to Inner Mongolia, other vehicles' license plates were all obscured in a sandstorm, but that Pajero with the side-mounted plate remained clearly visible. Nowadays, models like the Mitsubishi Challenger or Outlander no longer feature externally mounted spare tires, but the still-in-production Delica in Southeast Asia retains this iconic design.

[DelJohnny]

Mitsubishi's off-road vehicles particularly favor the side-mounted license plate design, with the most iconic being the Pajero series. Its rear end is equipped with a full-size spare tire exceeding 80cm in diameter, which forces the license plate to be relocated to the left corner of the tailgate. This solution is highly practical in the off-roading community: when climbing steep slopes, the license plate won't be obscured by the rear bumper. I've personally witnessed a V93 navigating cross-axle terrain, with the side-mounted license plate remaining fully visible throughout. Beyond the Pajero, Mitsubishi's overseas Delica models also continue this design, with some variants even adding LED auxiliary lights to the side-mounted plates. Interestingly, the side-mounted license plate position strictly complies with domestic vehicle regulations, with both ground clearance and tilt angle meticulously calculated.