Mitsubishi Triton: 4WD dual-cab ute comparison 2014

Our test vehicle was fitted with an accessory tray-bed liner. Six tie-down anchor points are fitted but the tailgate has no locking mechanism.

Cabin comfort is adequate. The cloth-upholstered seats are fully (manually) adjustable but they're not as supportive as most. The driver's seat is low, aiding entry and exit, but there are no A-pillar grab handles.

For family duties, the Triton has the second highest side-step rail height but a mid-range rear seat height – two drilled holes are provided for child seats. The centre section of the rear seat back folds out to provide armrests and cup holders, but there's no 12-volt power outlet (and just the one in the front).

The transfer case shifter tends to intrude upon the driver's left leg but otherwise cabin ergonomics are okay. Vision is aided by large side mirrors (which power fold) but hindered by the rear seat's large headrests.

The Triton has a rear power window facing the tub – a great feature, we thought. The front passenger airbag can be switched off to accommodate a rearward facing front child seat.

Cabin storage is reasonable, with one of the larger gloveboxes and centre console bins but no dash-top storage and tiny door pockets. The footwells are lined with sturdy carpeting and mats.

Recording 74dBA in the cabin, the Triton falls mid-pack for sound suppression.

The Triton has a lowish 200mm of ground clearance but a healthy 600mm wading depth. It was the only vehicle on test to have a locking centre diff.

The heavily stylised dash 'features' badly matched plastics and assembly is questionable. In this company the not-quite-right glovebox lid and the less-than-perfect fit of the cover for the passenger airbag grate stands out.

Plain-looking door trim, even though the quality looks okay, also suggests easy scuffing could be on the cards after a little use. That said, the seats are covered in a durable-looking cloth, and the tactility of the controls is fine.

An inspection of the (double-sealed) inner doors shows a degree of cleanliness, with no rough edges or daggy welds to relegate the Triton to the bottom of the list.

Paint is generally fine too, albeit with some evident orange peel and a distinct mismatch (not in colour, but in the degree of gloss) in the front bumper, which leans more towards a matte finish.

The Triton’s engine bay is neat enough, however, with tidy ribbed-plastic loom covers. Typically, no great effort is made to colour-code the regular service points – probably on the assumption a workhorse owner is more likely to be familiar with the vehicle’s inner workings than a regular sedan driver.

For example, the steering is lower geared than the others on test, needs more turns lock to lock and is slower to return to centre. Also, big bumps tend to transmit to the cabin with more ferocity, and with the distribution of load further rearwards (the tray has a long rear overhang) the steering gets lighter when carting heavy loads.

We noted too that the Mitsu's engine is noisy when worked and the brake pedal is mushy until late in the piece. Oh, and that long tray can cause the rear-end to get ‘hung up’ off-road.

Nonetheless, most times the Triton can hold its own in this company, and even loaded up presented little in the way of body roll. It settled quickly when loaded, and didn’t jar or ‘bottom out’ over larger dips with 600kg in the tray – although we did notice more oscillation from the rear-end on recovery.

The engine proved capable, though not exactly brisk. Standing start acceleration times were the slowest here (0-100km/h 13.1sec), as were 80-100km/h roll-on tests (4.2sec, equal with HiLux).

The transmission was quick to get out of first yet reluctant to downshift under throttle, and when called to lug a payload up our test route’s incline at 80km/h dropped initially to fourth, and then to third, the revs peaking at almost 4000rpm.

In spite this lack of finesse on-road, the Triton held its own off-road. The centre diff lock proved useful in muddy conditions and when climbing, though on descent the tendency to run-away was prevalent with no hill descent control to help out.

There was an annoying noise from the transfer case and while the Triton managed most aspects of our off-road circuit rather well, its long departure angle (20.7 degrees, arguably less with the fitment of a tow bar), shorter ground clearance (200mm) and Colorado-equalling wading depth (600mm) meant it was a little, err, out of its depth in some situations.

Finally, with an average of 12.8L/100km (as tested), the Triton was the worst on test for fuel economy.

As standard, the Triton packs single-zone climate control, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity for telephony and audio streaming, electric windows (including the rear window to the tray), powered wing mirrors and manually adjustable seats. But it lacked several big-ticket items, including sat-nav, a reversing camera and acoustic parking sensors.

Initiating Bluetooth connectivity proved a tricky process – one that was mostly left to guesswork. It turns out it requires the vehicle to be parked before voice command cues can be used to pair your phone.

The spec sheet indicates the Triton is serious when it comes to off-road work, being the sole vehicle on test to incorporate a centre differential lock, though it misses out on hill descent control and the five-speed automatic gearbox is three down on the Amarok’s.

Out the back there is a fully lined tray and roll bar, along with side running boards. Bluetooth streaming is offered inside and the multi information display incorporates a barometer, altimeter and compass.

Metallic paint is a $495 option and roadside assist are included in the new vehicle cost.

Both the warranty and roadside assistance package last 60 months/130,000km, with servicing intervals set at 12 months/15,000km.

Capped-price servicing is offered, with the initial service costing $250. It lasts for 48 months/60,000km.

Back in 2011 the Triton GLX-R cost $51,490 new. Expect to pay a median private sale price of $30,200 for such a vehicle today, a retained value of 59 per cent, according to www.redbook.com.au.

-- with motoring.com.au staff