Overview
THE all-new Mitsubishi Triton has officially arrived in Aussie showrooms with an all-new look, significant chassis and mechanical upgrades, state-of-the-art technology, and vastly improved safety.
The sixth-generation model is arguably Mitsubishi’s most significant new Triton yet and comes at a time when light commercial vehicle buyers are seeking to stretch their buying dollar ever further, while at the same time expecting a vehicle that does it all without compromise.
Pricing jumps by up to 15 per cent to account for the model’s appreciable upgrades, the Triton now available from $43,690 plus on-road costs in dual-cab form. Club- and single-cab versions will arrive later this year, as will two-wheel drive models with lesser performing engines.
Which means this launch will look at more highly specified, dual-cab, four-wheel drive, and automatic-only Triton grades – all equipped with Mitsubishi’s heavily revised 2.4-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel engine. The unit develops a competitive 150kW and 470Nm, an increase of 17kW and 40Nm over the single-turbo predecessor.
Standard idle-stop technology helps improve fuel consumption and emissions, the range now sipping as little as 7.5 litres per 100km (199g/km) in 4×2 format and 7.7 litres per 100km (200g/km) in 4×4 guise. You’ll also need to top-up an AdBlue tank periodically.
The larger Triton offers higher braked towing capacity than before, matching class rivals at 3500kg (+400kg).
And, as the brand works to reposition itself as a more premium entrant in the class, Mitsubishi will offer the Triton with an even greater level of standard equipment than before, with generous inclusions found across the opening GLX, GLX+, GLS and GSR line-up.
Equipment highlights for the Triton GLX include 17-inch steel wheels, a black grille, cloth upholstery, vinyl flooring, climate control, a 7.0-inch digital instrument panel, native sat-nav, USB-A and USB-C charging ports front and rear, a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment array, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity, four-speaker sound and Bluetooth connectivity.
The GLX+ grade adds 17-inch alloys, rear differential lock, front fog lights, a high-mounted LED brake light, rear window privacy glass, rear auto emergency braking (AEB), 360-degree cameras and DAB+ digital radio reception.
The penultimate GLS grade adopts 18-inch alloys, Super Select II four-wheel drive system with locking centre differential, heavy-duty rear suspension, a tray bed liner, heated wing mirrors, LED exterior lighting, a gloss black grille, dual-zone climate control, terrain- and hill descent control, keyless entry and ignition, an electrochromatic rear-view mirror, and a wireless device charger.
Optionally, the GLS is further offered with leather upholstery, heated front seats and power driver’s seat adjustment for an extra $1500.
The flagship GSR variant adds 18-inch alloys in black, a body-coloured grille, wheel arch mouldings, styling bar, roof rails, leather upholstery with orange stitching, GSR-branded floor mats and power driver’s seat adjustment.
A broadened safety suite now includes front cross-traffic alert and a driver monitoring system in addition to forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection, cyclist detection, and junction assist, rear AEB, and a centre airbag.
Paint colours extend to eight with red and white the only solid options. Metallic, mica and prestige hues include White Diamond, Black Mica, Blade Silver, Graphite Grey, Impulse Blue, and Yamabuki Orange.
As with the current range, the new Triton will again be backed by MMAL’s comprehensive 10/10 (10-year) warranty and capped-price servicing program.
Driving Impressions
You don’t have to spend long at the ‘wheel of the Triton to appreciate just how big a step forward the sixth-generation model is. Take away the three-diamond logo from the centre of the steering wheel, and there is nothing to remind you that the vehicle you’re driving is related to its (admittedly dated) predecessor.
The cabin is far better finished, more SUV like, and appreciably quieter. It is also wider across the gunwales, giving more space between front-seat occupants, while also proving easier to get in and out of, and more comfortable to sit in.
Making our way through a bustling Adelaide peak hour and it’s also evident just how willing the Triton is to hustle from low in the rev range.
Torque is remarkably strong at lower engine speeds, giving the Triton a willingness to get away from a standstill that simply wasn’t present before. Match this with a vastly improved transmission calibration and it should come as no surprise that the Triton is more flexible in busy traffic.
Looking at the spec’ sheet and you’d be correct in understanding that the Triton doesn’t steer as tightly as before. The turning circle has indeed jumped from 11.8 to 12.4 metres, but the electric rack is far sharper and more direct than before, meaning there is less input required to achieve the same result.
The steering is also wonderfully well metered. The level of response is matched only by the feedback from the front wheels, which in our opinion slots somewhere between the feather-light Ranger and almost-too-heavy HiLux in terms of road feel. It has been a long time coming, but the Triton’s steering is now as good as anything in the dual-cab ute market.
We’ve covered the Triton’s build improvement in significant detail elsewhere (see links below), but it would be remiss of us to not reinforce the substantial improvements made to the rigidity of the vehicle’s chassis. Overall, the Triton offers torsional rigidity levels some 60 per cent greater than the outgoing model, the main chassis rails growing by 60mm in width (to 140mm) and 25mm in height (to 170mm).
The overall result is a vehicle that, in matching its broadened footprint, is more stable and confident in corners, helped along not only by communicative steering, but Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution sourced yaw control which neatly helps to tuck the Triton tighter into corners on unsealed roads, or when the bend unexpectedly tightens.
It’s a neat setup that works without the ‘jerkiness’ often experienced in similar torque vectoring by brake arrangements, and one that collaborates well with the Triton’s locally-tuned spring and damper package to offer tangible benefits on myriad road surfaces – even those with quite severe corrugations.
The combination helps keep the Triton planted and connected in a way few utes are. Recalling our time at the wheel of Triton’s rivals and we reckon only Ranger and Amarok – and perhaps the HiLux GR Sport – can pip the Triton’s road-holding tenacity.
Off-road, we put the Triton to task across much of the same terrain Mitsubishi used to calibrate the model for Aussie conditions. The rugged landscape showed quickly how well Mitsubishi’s Super Select II four-wheel drive system works in providing outstanding control in mixed-grip situations, climbing steep and loose surfaces with little fuss – even without adjusting tyre pressures or using all-terrain tyres.
The system – now with added assistants for prescribed surfaces – matches wonderfully with the revised transmission settings, carefully selecting the right ratio for the job, further boosting the level of confidence at the wheel.
It’s a system we’d be very keen to assess in conditions not experienced on launch (i.e., snow, mud, sand) and when towing or with a payload on board. MMAL did not provide an opportunity to experience the Triton loaded, which is a shame given just how good the vehicle performed when unencumbered.
We are also massive proponents of the Triton’s newly styled dashboard, instrumentation display and infotainment system. The combination is easier to sight at a glance, while the blend of hard and soft buttons for key controls is welcomed to access most-used functions on the go.
There is a perceptible improvement in quality and refinement here too. It appears Mitsubishi has worked hard to achieve a balance between what’s accessible and what’s unnecessary, not overloading the menu screens with unnecessary and irrelevant detail in getting you to where you need to be.
On the downside, we found a couple of areas for improvement that Mitsubishi would do well to address.
Foremost is the issue of outward visibility, which may be tricky to overcome. The bluff, longer bonnet of the Triton is hard to see ahead of when parking or when climbing steeper grades. The thick A pillars and snug-fitting wing mirrors also create issues, not only off-road, but when entering roundabouts and the like.
We also found the overhead air recirculator, introduced in the previous generation Triton, to be ineffective and excessively noisy. What essentially amounts to a fan on the roof serves only to distribute cabin air from front to rear and does not provide conditioned air from the HVAC system to rear seat passengers.
Finally, the hyper-reactive driver attention monitor – which doesn’t seem to recognise faces when wearing sunglasses – needs some serious recalibration. Sure, it can be disabled, but this must be done each and every time you start the car. Given how well the remainder of the ADAS systems cooperate, it seems peculiar Mitsubishi got this part so wrong.
If you’re listening, Mitsubishi – please get this sorted ASAP.
In every other way, the all-new Triton is a solid and mighty capable offering that continues to offer excellent value for money, despite the obvious price increase.
It is a vehicle that still undercuts most of the competition on price, and one that, in our opinion, now performers better than all comers barring the Ford Ranger/Volkswagen Amarok duo, is one that deserves a place high on potential buyers shopping lists.
As the old Mitsubishi ad once said, “Please consider”. We reckon you’ll be glad you did.
