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Philip Lord13 Nov 2018
REVIEW

Mitsubishi Triton 2019 Review — International

One of Australia’s top-selling utes gets a thorough makeover
Model Tested
Review Type
International Launch
Review Location
Bangkok, Thailand

The Mitsubishi Triton is the third most popular ute in Australia and it’s fair to say the attraction to the trusty Thai-built Japanese ute rests on value and off-road ability, more than anything else. That might change soon, with a comprehensively upgraded model not only looking much better but bringing a suite of high-end safety features — and even better off-road capability — at least in premium-spec form.

Traffic Thai up

Like other south-east Asian countries, you can have a police motorcycle escort in Thailand, if you’re prepared to pay for it. So for last week’s regional launch of the 2019 Mitsubishi Triton, we were escorted out of Bangkok by police outliers.

I wasn’t sure if it was so that we didn’t inadvertently slip down the clogged drainpipe that is Bangkok traffic or that Mitsubishi didn’t quite trust us in the cut-and-thrust of the mayhem that is Bangkok roads.

In any case, the police escort didn’t extend to completely clearing the roads ahead (we might be foreign, but there was nothing ‘dignitary’ about us) so while waiting in the few traffic stops we encountered over the 120km drive (to an off-road driving centre) we had time to take in the 2019 Mitsubishi Triton’s new interior.

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Dull insides

The two-tone black/grey of the last model has been replaced by a monotone black, and it doesn’t do the Triton any favours. Hard shiny plastics continue where even the likes of the Isuzu D-MAX has stitched-in soft materials.

Mitsubishi hasn’t completely shunned the automotive industry’s current fascination for needle, thread and soft vinyl. The handbrake lever and surround, console box lid, console sides and door cards all have soft-touch material stitched in. The latter in particular looks like an afterthought.

The control and instrument layout is quite simple to work with, the new Hill Descent Control and four-mode off-road settings each controlled by a button adjacent to the 4WD rotary dial on the centre console.

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Ample adjustments

Front seats have great support and there’s ample seat adjustment and room. The updated Mitsubishi Triton’s rear bench isn’t a welcoming space for three adults — it isn’t wide enough — but at least the seating position is comfortable with a surprising amount of leg and head room.

Upper-spec 2019 Triton models will continue with Mitsubishi’s excellent full-time/part-time Super Select II 4WD system. You can run it in fuel-saving 2WD mode like part-time 4WD (such as the Easy Select system, on lower-spec Triton models) but also run 4WD unlocked for paved roads like a full-time system.

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Super 4WD system

Hill descent control is only available with Super Select II, while the off-road modes are available with both Easy Select and Super Select II.

While the six-speed manual Thai-spec cars we drove on-road to the off-road course featured idle-stop, vehicles sold in other markets including Australia will not.

There are new ceiling vents for rear passengers – a novel idea, but one the sub-teens riding in the back might not appreciate quite as much when it comes to reaching for vent or fan-speed adjustment.

The air also didn’t seem as cool as that coming out of the dash vents. It’s possible that the chilled air heats up when ducted so close to the hot metal of the roof.

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Diesel clatter

The 2.4-litre turbo-diesel settles into a typical diesel clatter, which is quelled once it has settled into a cruising speed.

The engine still has turbo lag under 1500rpm — not helped by a test vehicle that had done barely 400km since driving out of the factory.

The turbo lag is obvious when you require a burst of power from low revs — when seeking a gap in the traffic, for example — but once revs reach the high teens, you’re away with a throttle response that is decisive and strong.

The engine gets boomy from about 2500rpm but is keen enough to rev all the way to its 4000rpm redline. Diesels are all about torque, but when reaching for the peak 133kW at 3500rpm at least the Triton’s diesel won’t complain about doing it.

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We only got to drive the new six-speed auto model on the off-road course and on about 2km of narrow, winding local secondary roads, so we need more -- and faster -- wheel time to get a proper feel for it.

Having said that, the automatic did shift decisively and smoothly, both on- and off-road, but as with the five-speed auto before, part-throttle gear changes can be surprisingly abrupt.

The off-road course was slow and technical, so there wasn’t a great deal to learn from it. Hill descent control did appear to be unobtrusive on the set-piece descent, while the difference between each of the four off-road modes (Gravel, Mud/snow, Sand and -- in low-range -- Rock) was not very clear.

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Traction control was slow to engage but then you’ve got a rear diff lock (on higher-spec models) to get you out of trouble.

Neither HDC nor off-road modes work when the rear diff-lock is engaged or when 2H or 4H (unlocked) are engaged. And the new autonomous emergency braking system does not function in low-range (or when the rear diff-lock is engaged).

The new around-view monitor screen is quite clear and is a great help off-road, as was and front camera (which only works at speeds up to 10km/h).

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Riding rough

Despite the independent, double-wishbone coil springs at the front, the Triton’s live axle, semi-elliptic rear leaf springs are never going to be the basis of a lush ride, especially when those leaves are designed to carry a payload of nearly a tonne.

So it was no surprise that the new rear springs and larger shocks (which are meant to improve ride quality) didn’t seem much better than the old ones on Thai roads. Ride quality was jittery, and sharp over speed bumps.

While we were given very few technical specs, the new Mitsubishi Triton appears to have the same tight turning circle of the last one. Unlike a few other utes in this category, it doesn’t require a few bites at getting in and out of carpark spaces. Steering is accurate and the Triton corners well for a 4WD ute.

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No change to towing

Towing capacity was been confirmed as being identical to the current model -- that is, 750kg (unbraked) and 3100kg (braked).

While the six-speed auto models we drove on the off-road coarse were close to Aussie-spec premium models, the name of them is up for discussion for the Aussie market. It seems that Exceed isn’t doing it for Australian buyers.

Mitsubishi Australia PR manager Karl Gehling said the company is considering changing the Exceed name and so the working title is ‘GLS Premium’.

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Specs to be decided

While lower-spec models are locked in for Oz, variants at the premium end of the range (GLS and GLS Premium) are still fluid.

So exactly how many of the 2019 Triton’s new premium safety features such as AEB, Blind Spot Warning (with Lane Change Assist), Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation System, Automatic High Beam, Multi Around Monitor or 18-inch wheels trickle down past the top model is unknown.

With Australian Mitsubishi dealers receiving their first stocks in early January, Gehling said “We’ll have to make that decision soon”. He also added that because of the new features, “Price will go up... it’s just a matter of how much.”

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Mitsubishi will release the new Triton locally with a full range of accessories, such as an alloy bull bar and nudge bar. The new tub has been designed so that it can accommodate existing accessories (such as a tub liner).

With its new ‘Dynamic Shied’ front-end design, the facelifted Mitsubishi Triton looks much more masculine and cohesive in the metal, and its new safety and off-road features are the icing on the cake.

Provided that Mitsubishi Australia can keep price rises to a minimum, the MY19 Mitsubishi Triton should be firmly on the shopping lists of new ute buyers.

How much does the 2019 Mitsubishi Triton cost?
Price: TBC
On sale: January 2019
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/430Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual and automatic
Fuel: TBC
CO2: TBC
Safety rating: TBC

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Written byPhilip Lord
See all articles
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Expert rating
78/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
15/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
15/20
Safety & Technology
17/20
Behind The Wheel
15/20
X-Factor
16/20
Pros
  • Tougher new look
  • New safety features
  • HDC and around-view monitor
Cons
  • Ride quality
  • Interior presentation
  • Low-rpm engine response
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