Mitsubishi Triton 2024 review: Pre-production drive

The Triton we’ve got here is the top-of-the-line GSR, which starts from $63,840. All prices are before on-road costs.

It, along with some of the Triton Double Cab range, launches in February, while other body styles like the cab-chassis will follow later in 2024.

Now, last month, Mitsubishi released full pricing and specifications. And every Triton, with the base GLX four-door Double Cab 4x2 from $43,690 being the only non-4WD version for now.

You can enjoy niceties like a 9.0-inch multimedia screen with the reversing camera, navigation, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.

All grades include a generous level of safety, such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), front and rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control, as well as a new front-centre airbag. More about these and other related tech in the safety section below.

And while cloth seats, vinyl floors and steel wheels tell you the GLX is the entry-level version, you do also enjoy niceties like a 9.0-inch multimedia screen with reversing camera and navigation, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, front and rear USB-A and USB-C ports and 17-inch wheels.

Featured here are the 17-inch wheels.

The GLX+ from $50,340 in two-door Club-Cab or from $53,290 for the four-door Double-Cab, adds 'Easy Select' 4WD with a rear diff-lock, along with rear-AEB, side steps, digital radio, a surround-view monitor and alloy wheels.

Going GLS double-cab from $59,090 adds Mitsubishi’s more-sophisticated 'Super Select II' 4WD system with terrain and hill control, comfort rather than load-biased heavy-duty suspension, 18-inch alloys, a tray liner, LED lights, keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate control, a wireless phone charger and more.  

And while cloth seats, vinyl floors and steel wheels tell you the GLX is the entry-level version.

For another $1500 leather-shod heated front seats with driver’s side electric adjustment is available, while stepping up to the GSR we’re driving here ushers in blacked-out 18-inch alloys, body-coloured trim, wheel arch mouldings, a 'Styling' bar and roof rails, grade-specific leather finishes, metallic trim accents inside and extra dash-mounted cupholders.

Triton’s really grown up. And while there’s no V6 diesel answer to Ranger, the twin-turbo diesel model’s pricing and specification are competitive with the more-expensive Ranger Bi-Turbo equivalents. That’s a good start.

By the way, what’s with the ‘80s Mitsubishi Cordia and Magna-era variant names like GLX and GSR?

Compared to the old Triton, the newcomer’s cabin is clearly larger and roomier.

Occupants are mounted higher up, ahead of a dashboard that seems two generations ahead of the old one in design.

And while not always the case when more electronics are let loose inside, in this case it all seems as user-friendly as the old Triton’s, with clear instrument dials, physical switchgear for the multimedia and climate-control systems, ample ventilation in the very warm conditions we encountered, and loads of storage options.

While not always the case when more electronics are let loose inside, in this case it all seems as user-friendly as the old Triton’s.

Additionally, the front seats seem to have benefited from a rethink, with sufficient support and cushioning when the car was navigating the very undulating sandy dunes.

Our test vehicle was a pre-production example, so we’ll wait for a definitive verdict once we’re inside and behind the wheel of one meant for consumers, but already the quality of execution and thoughtfulness that’s gone into the new model is obvious.

That also includes the rear-seat area, which seems to strike the right chord with lots of space, a reasonably comfortable and loftier-than-before bench, access to USB outlets and cupholders and more storage behind the folding backrest.

So much for the sensible stuff.

Subjectively, the latest Triton feels much larger than before – even more so than the tape measure says. There’s also a pleasing juxtaposition between car-like elegance and truck-like toughness, for a good balance between plushiness and practicality in the GSR we sampled.

A shout out, too, for the lovely toggle switches, elegant instrumentation and comfy driving position. It all works. And while it may be old-fashioned, the same also applies to the very-welcome manual hand brake.

Meanwhile, it feels even roomier out back than up front compared to the previous Triton, and access is easier now too.

Mitsubishi has continued with its nifty roof-mounted air-circulating system which keeps this cabin breezy in the summer conditions we encountered it in. Points also go for the handy pockets for devices in the rear of the front passenger seat.

On the flipside, there is no under-seat storage as found in most other rivals and the side windows don’t wind all the way down.

And despite the blower recirculating air up from the ceiling, it isn’t air-conditioned and there are no rear vent outlets piping out chilled air, so a fast back-seat cooldown isn’t always possible.

Still, the Triton has stepped up compared to before, offering a refined, comfortable and contemporary interior presentation as experienced in the GSR.

The same, however, isn’t quite so true further back.

The tailgate is heavy with no lift or drop assist mechanism, and even in the GSR, there aren’t power outlets, or lighting, or fancy things to tie down stuff with. That’s all available as dealer fit accessories.

You’ll have to wait until the car is launched in February to find out more about that.

We’ve been waiting years to drive the new Triton, and we’ll need to wait just a little bit longer to see how the mid-sized ute behaves on regular bitumen roads.

Instead, we’re here to sample the newcomer off-road, and specifically on sand. And not over any great distances, either. This is a 4x4 test.

Still, we spent enough time behind the wheel within the confines of sand dunes in outback conditions to fact-check some of Mitsubishi’s off-road claims about the new-gen Triton.

The first fact is that this new 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine is a noticeably stronger performer than before, delivering more torque at lower revs.

Climbing up and over big sand dunes, it feels significantly more responsive than the current-model Pajero Sport (using the outgoing Triton's older mechanicals) we switched to later, with more than enough muscle in reserve at these quite low speeds if required.

The fourth concerns ride comfort. The larger, wider and stronger chassis is a good basis for sound dynamics, and the differences on the sand dunes switching between new and old was like night and day.

And even though the auto transmission only has six speeds, it seems way livelier and more alert, maybe due to that deeper well of torque for the engine to draw on.

It reacts with greater immediacy to throttle inputs and doesn’t seem to suffer from as much lag in these sandy conditions.

The second fact check concerns refinement. The new Triton’s engine still feels related to the old one in its fundamental sound character and behaviour.

The difference is that it now seems far-more muted, as if the driver is wearing ear muffs. It’s that much quieter, as the back-to-backs with the Pajero Sport demonstrated.

Plus, the new ute is clearly smoother overall. That’s fact-check number three addressed. Mitsubishi says there is far less mechanical friction compared to the previous model, and in an environment full of friction, we're bound to agree.

The fifth test was to see how effective the new driving modes are. To that end, sand mode was deliberately switched off after several laps around the circuit without a single incident, just to see if the Triton would get bogged.

The fourth concerns ride comfort. The larger, wider and stronger chassis is a good basis for sound dynamics, and the differences on the sand dunes switching between new and old was like night and day.

The whole experience felt cushier and substantially more isolated. Those Australian-market-specific larger and wider shockers really seem to do their job in such conditions.

The fifth test was to see how effective the new driving modes are. To that end, sand mode was deliberately switched off after several laps around the circuit without a single incident, just to see if the Triton would get bogged.

It almost did, but managed to crawl out of a sandy rut once sand mode was re-activated, without breaking a sweat. Impressive.

THE GSR almost did get bogged, but managed to crawl out of a sandy rut once sand mode was re-activated, without breaking a sweat. Impressive.

Finally, though it was hard to really get a sense of how much more reactive and responsive the revised steering is over sand dunes, the new Triton cornered at speed over the harder trails leading up to them with more than sufficient feel and control, making us want to drive it faster and harder in and around the course.

In other words, we had fun. And that's a word not usually associated with this series.

Overall, then, Mitsubishi’s answer to the Ranger seems like a far more capable machine than before, at least on the sand dunes that, admittedly, the company carefully chose for us to drive on.

Yet this is very promising for when we finally take a Triton on-road and on normal, everyday bitumen. That won’t happen until February, so you’ll have to check back then to see what our overall verdict is.

But as a first taster to the MV-series Triton, we're hungry for more.

Like all Mitsubishi vehicles, the new Triton offers a provisional 10-year/200,000km warranty and 10-year capped price servicing program.

Great if you don’t travel long distances each year. Pricing will be announced at a later date.

Provisional? You’ll need to have all scheduled services carried out through the national authorised Mitsubishi Motors Dealer Network. There are other restrictions, too.

Otherwise, the standard five-year/100,000km warranty applies.