Mitsubishi Triton 2020 Review

It would be easy to dismiss Mitsubishi’s latest update to the Triton utility as a mere marketing exercise, so small are the changes.

But from the driver’s seat in the Flinders Ranges this week, one wheel perched above the shaly terra firma, you could argue the toss. We’re stuck. Like, oil tanker run aground stuck, when the one of Mitsubishi’s new upgrades for 2020 (the fitment of a rear differential lock) saves us a potentially embarrassing call over the radio for help.

Things move fast in the competitive dual cab utility segment, and as such, Mitsubishi has given its Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Volkswagen Amarok competitor (among others) and ever so light nip and tuck months after revealing the new-look workhorse.

On this occasion, the changes are small but noticeable enough to lend Mitsubishi’s offering an added edge on more expensive rivals.

Our full pricing story has the rundown, but in essence, the popular utility is available in three different configurations as before – Single Cab, Club Cab and Dual Cab – bringing 22 different variants in total across numerous grades (GLX, GLX+, GLS and GLS Premium).

Pricing for the Single Cab remains unchanged at $22,490 (plus on-road costs), as do diesel Club Cab ($35,490 plus ORCs) and diesel Dual Cab variants ($36,290 plus ORCs).

All models save for the entry Single Cab employ a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder good for 133kW and 430Nm, sending drive to either the rear wheels or all four wheels via a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

The MY20 changes are concentrated on the GLX+ model and above in the line-up, which now receive a rear differential lock and rear air circulator (a cheeky take on air vents) for the rear seat.

Those items were previously reserved from the more expensive GLS in Mitsubishi’s line-up and have coincided with price rises of between $500 and $1000.

The additions come over and above standard inclusions on GLX+ such as a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, 16-inch wheels (with full-size spare), fabric seat trim, single-zone climate control, 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, two USB ports, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The GLX+ model is equipped with Easy-Select 4WD, allowing easy switching between 2WD and 4WD modes and offers 2H, 4H and 4L transfer case settings. Meanwhile, GLS, Toby Price and GLS Premium models are equipped with Super-Select 4WD-II offers 2H (rear-wheel drive), 4H (full-time 4WD), 4HLc (lock up) and 4LLc (lock up in low gear) modes along with configurable driving modes off-road.

All Triton dual cab models come equipped with a 3.1-tonne braked towing capacity and a payload capacity of between 850kg and 945kg depending on variant and transmission.

The Triton range is backed by a seven-year, unlimited kilometre factory warranty until December 31, and is offered with a three-year, 45,000 capped price servicing program which amounts to $897 (or $299 per 12-month/15,000km interval).

Our two-day adventure in the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton begins from Leigh Creek, a remote air strip in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. From there, it’s a circa one-hour road drive to Parachilna, a popular overnight stop down the road famous for its ‘feral mixed grill’.

Our opening stint on the bitumen reinforces the Triton’s carry-over core strengths and its standing as one of the segment’s stronger all-rounders.

Light steering, comfy seats, a quiet cabin and moderately refined unladen ride remain core strengths for the Triton, which quietly goes about its business without delivering the accelerative punch of the Ford Ranger or Volkswagen Amarok V6.

In the baking South Australian sun, the new air circulator does a decent job of imitating regular air vents, but the front air-conditioning has to be fairly cranked for the rear unit to be fully effective.

The rear seat is otherwise strong, with one of the most convincing layouts in the class in terms of legroom, plus the fitment of two ISOFIX child seat attachments and three top tether anchorage points. A relatively narrow layout means the bleachers are best suited for two adults rather than three, though the b-pillar mounted grab rails are a notable inclusion for this segment.

The Triton’s hard door sleeves means it lacks the long-journey comfort of some rivals, however, adequate incidental storage and accommodating door pockets ensure odds and ends are well sorted on longer trips.

At this price point, there are a couple of noticeable omissions for the Triton, the main one being a digital speedo – a crucial fitment in Australia’s speed-obsessed states and territories. Our other gripe is the lack of a volume knob to quickly turn the audio sound up and down; instead, you’ve got to persist with tedious buttons on the infotainment screen or a switch on the steering wheel.

Elsewhere, the cabin is well presented, with clear instrumentation and an easy-to-navigate infotainment screen. There is nothing segment-leading about presentation or material quality, but as a vehicle tasked with work and family duties alike, the Triton hits the mark.

On the road, the Triton relays pitter-patter bumps prominently (read: it feels jittery) at low speeds – a typical trait of leaf-sprung utes – but begins to iron out most road imperfections as the speedo climbs to deliver a moderately comfortable ride.

All told, the 2.4-litre engine and six-speed automatic transmission are a strong alliance on road, gently seguing through the ratios to promote decent efficiency and smooth transitions out of intersections and up to highway speed.

There’s no immediate surge in acceleration – foreboded by the Triton’s relatively modest outputs – instead, everything is relatively hushed and refined. Burying the right foot delivers more urgency from the turbo-diesel, which feels languid at low RPM before building speed with a noticeable uplift in noise.

The gearbox is likewise fuss-free, with the exception of engine braking. Rather than kicking back through the gear, the six-speed simply defaults to idle speed, which ultimately asks more of the front disc-rear drum braking arrangement. You can imagine this trait would be exacerbated by a heavy boat or trailer in tow.

Driving didn’t encompass any kind of payload or tow testing, but extensive internal comparisons completed by carsales reveal the Triton sits in the middle of the pack in the real world – despite the fact is 3.1-tonne towing capacity and 850-945kg payload rating don’t appear as strong as rivals on paper.

In any case, we pull into our night stop, beautiful Parachilna, before our adventure off-roading the following day.

Like so many dual cab utes, the Triton’s out-of-the-box potential off-road is impressive. As mentioned in our pricing story, there are two different types of four-wheel drive systems available depending on grade - Easy-Select 4WD and Super-Select 4WD-II.

Truth is either will pull you out of a sticky situation effectively, especially since GLX+ variants and above now offer a rear differential lock as standard.

Dual cab variants offer a minimum ground clearance of between 205mm and 220mm. The Triton’s relatively tight turning circle is another plus, its 11.8m arc is better than every other ute in the class.

Water fording remains below par at just 500mm (some of Triton’s rivals are now around the 700mm mark), while approach, ramp-over and departure angles are par for the course in top-spec models, at 31, 25 and 23 degrees respectively.

Aside from side steps removed and tyre pressures deflated to recommended off-roading pressures, the Tritons on test are as you’d find them in showrooms. And withstanding that, none of the day’s obstacles manage to stop us in our tracks.

Throttle tip-in and modulation is smooth and consistent, ensuring we amble over rocks and over obstacles smoothly, steering is light and the Triton’s front and rear vision is clear and unobscured, ensuring no misadventures in the trees.

The changes to Mitsubishi’s Triton are by no means wholesale, but they do reinforce its standing as one of the dual cab segment’s best all-rounders.

The fact the Triton manages to do so while undercutting most rivals on price, and with a temporary seven-year warranty and convincing aftersales provisions, will ensure it remains at the pointy end of the sales charts.

How much does the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton dual cab cost?
Price: $36,290-$51,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 133kW/430Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual/Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.9-8.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 208-225g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2015 Year)