Triton cements place as best of the rest

With our new ute sales race a two-horse affair between perennial front-runners the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, the best of the rest is the value for money Mitsubishi Triton.

More than 50,000 Tritons have been sold here, cementing its place as the third-most popular ute in the land and well clear of its nearest rivals the Nissan Navara and Isuzu D-Max. Mitsubishi is looking to widen the gap on this pair with a new Triton; the first in nine years, but worth the wait.

There is more new Triton to embrace with worthwhile increases in its overall length and width of the chassis compared to its predecessor. An additional 130mm between the wheels reduces rear overhang for greater stability, cargo capacity and towing performance.

Prices for the 16-strong lineup start at $38,690 for the entry level GLX 2WD single cab and chassis before heading north to $59,990 for the range-topping VRX AWD double cab provided for this range.

Mitsubishi’s new 150kw 2.4 litre bi-turbo diesel with 470nm of torque, managed by a proven six-speed automatic, collectively raise the Triton’s performance bar to new heights. Weight reductions and enhanced components deliver greater efficiency and responsiveness. There’s enough low-speed pulling power locked and loaded to tow sizable loads. The test ute cruised sweetly at open road speeds, with a lot more hush than before around engine and road noise. Assertive accelerative qualities ensure performance is lively and upbeat when you need it to be. A six-speed automatic does a fine job with smooth well-sequenced gear changes that are a good fit with the motor;s power and torque profiles.

With its larger footprint there are welcome gains in room for the driver and passengers over the cabin in the previous model that by contrast felt snug and narrow. The in-cab experience is much better, thanks to redesigned seats featuring power lumbar support and adjustments. The only thing you get less of is road noise and vibration, resulting from chassis and suspension upgrades, and new sound insulation on the doors.

This model showcases plenty of technology. Up front, is a 9” Smartphone Link Display Audio system a significant upgrade on the previous models 7" display and comes with an embedded navigation system, AM/FM radio and wireless Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay functionality. Vehicle information is presented on a separate 7” driver's display behind the steering wheel for safe and easy review.

While the old model had solid safety credentials, its successor takes these onwards and upward including new features. One is Front Cross Traffic Alert, using radar to alert the driver via visual and audio alarms if an approaching vehicle is detected when entering an intersection. Other notables on the safety roster include a new centre airbag that helped the new Triton snare a prized five-star rating under ANCAP’s much tougher crash testing regime.

Handling is neat and tidy, although there is just a bit too much body roll when driving briskly over undulating roads or during higher speed cornering.

I put this down to slightly softer springs designed to improve ride comfort. These and the dampers could be firmer to improve the handling ride comfort balance.

The steering is a big improvement over the previous model with welcome increases in road feel and directness. My off-road excursions only scratched the surface of this Triton’s cross-country traversing abilities. The farm and forestry tracks I drove — apart from a few menacing corrugations and muddy patches — were a doddle for the test vehicle.