Mitsubishi Triton GSR 2024 Tow Test Review

Once the bargain of the established brands in the dual-cab ute segment, the new-generation Mitsubishi Triton costs significantly more, placing it closer in price to its main competitors.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR tow-tested here starts at $63,840 plus on-road costs, up from $56,940 plus ORCs for the superseded model.

This is still less than key rivals like the Ford Ranger Sport (from $66,140 plus ORCs), Isuzu D-MAX X-Terrain (from $67,990 drive-away) and Toyota HiLux SR5 48V (from $63,260 plus ORCs), although some of these are better equipped than the Triton GSR.

Of course, there are also significantly cheaper dual-cab 4x4 utes available from GWM, JAC, LDV and SsangYong. However, of these offerings only the JAC T9 and SsangYong Musso have the full-cream 3500kg tow capacity.

The vehicle we tested came to $66,182 plus ORCs with options such as the $850 electric brake controller and harness, $1450 tow bar kit and $42 tow ball.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR is the top-spec variant within the sixth-generation ute’s line-up.

It comes with gloss black 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, rear sail plane, load liner, roof rails, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, leather seats with contrasting orange stitching, soft interior padding, dash-mounted cup holders and power adjustment for the driver’s seat only.

The standard mechanical package consists of a 2.4-litre twin-turbo diesel that’s mated to a revised six-speed auto. The GSR also uses Mitsubishi’s Super Select II 4WD system that includes 4x2 high range, 4x4 high range centre diff open, 4x4 high range centre diff locked, 4x4 low range centre diff locked and adds a locking rear diff.

The Triton GSR is covered by a five-year/100,000km warranty, but that extends to a 10-year/200,000km warranty if the vehicle is serviced exclusively at a participating Mitsubishi service centre.

Also offered is a 10-year capped-price servicing program, priced at $6690 over 10 years/150,000km based on 12-month/15,000km intervals.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR has eight airbags, front autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection and junction assist, rear AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane change assist, blind spot monitoring, front and rear cross traffic alert, speed sign recognition and intelligent speed alert.

The new Triton was recently awarded a five-star ANCAP rating based on the independent safety authority’s latest testing protocols, with 86 per cent for adult occupant protection, 89 per cent for child occupant protection, 74 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 70 per cent for safety assist features.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR has a 9.0-inch touch-screen infotainment display, which incorporates AM/FM and digital radio, embedded sat-nav as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (both wired and wireless).

There’s a wireless charging pad, USB-A, USB-C and 12V ports up front, while rear occupants gain access to a USB-A and USB-C port located in the back of the centre console.

While a 9.0-inch multimedia screen is not exactly considered large anymore, at least Mitsubishi has allowed real estate for physical buttons. These offer simple climate-control operation and shortcuts to screen menus.

The instrument cluster offers large analogue tacho and speed dials with a 7.0-inch digital multi-display readout in between.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Triton is equipped with a new twin-turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that produces 150kW and 470Nm of torque – up from 133kW/430Nm in the previous single-turbo powerplant.

The engine combines with a revised six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode.

Despite being around for a while, Mitsubishi’s Super Select II system remains a clever set-up. It offers 2H, 4H and 4L choices plus constant all-wheel drive for traversing any surface.

The engine is very similar in character to the previous one, with a muted diesel clatter at idle, but has much less turbo lag at low revs and is quite quick on initial acceleration unladen.

When driving solo with no load except camera gear, the 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR sipped fuel at 5.9L/100km. Mind you, this was mostly 90-100km/h freeway driving.

However, it was also quite fuel efficient while towing a 3100kg caravan.

The GSR returned 15.8L/100km when towing, an impressive result given this included performance testing and photography.

With its 75-litre fuel tank and our consumption result (also factoring in a 50km safety margin), the Triton has a 425km range.

Be mindful that the Triton is also one of only a few dual-cabs that requires the use of AdBlue, the fluid added to exhaust gases to help break down oxides of nitrogen in order to reduce emissions.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR is a much better vehicle to drive than the previous-generation ute, with big improvements to ride, handling, steering and performance.

However, this only brings it near the level of the main competition, rather than surpassing them.

The steering is quite quick on turn-in for a dual-cab and the ride quality unladen is composed, if still not as subtle as others. Overall, the Triton is easy to drive with few flaws – yet there are some.

We’ve mentioned this in previous tests, but some of the new Triton’s active safety systems don’t seem to be as nuanced as they could be – and certainly do not perform as well as some competitors.

The driver distraction warning, ironically, became a distraction during the towing test, with the visual and audible warning sounding readily. This can be turned off, but it activates automatically on ignition.

Meanwhile, what appeared to be a rear cross traffic alert icon was randomly flashing on part of the tow test, despite there being no traffic or a valid reason for its activation.

Myriad other bings and bongs chimed in, too, with brief input from the overly cautious forward collision alert.

The automatic idle-stop system also proved inconsistent on test, and was slow at times to restart the engine.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR has standard trailer stability assist (TSA) as part of its electronic stability control system, but no other specific towing-assist features.

The reversing camera offers a clear wide-angle view to easily hitch up a trailer, and while the shackle points are recessed a little, they are not as difficult to get to as some other dual-cabs.

The guys at RV Connection at St Marys in western Sydney lent us a large Millard off-road caravan that weighed 3100kg, with a tow ball download of 282kg.

With the van placed on the tow bar, the Triton rose just 10mm at the front and drooped 30mm at the rear – the latter being about the limit before considering a load-levelling system.

The Triton shoulders the extra load well in terms of dynamics and ride. While it did feel a little unsettled in the wash of trucks on the freeway at 100km/h, the steering was precise enough to correct without initiating a sway movement.

The ride quality was even better with a heavy trailer. While the front axle did seem a little soft on undulating secondary roads, it didn’t compress as much as some do and settled reasonably quickly.

Performance with a heavy caravan behind was acceptable. At low speeds, the Triton felt responsive, if not quick like some of the more powerful dual-cabs do when towing a load like this.

The acid test is always a hilly terrain and the Triton held an initial speed of 90km/h until the last, steepest section of the climb, where speed dropped to 77km/h.

Part of the reason the Triton seemed to drop momentum so quickly was perhaps a lack of gear ratios – even with the throttle floored it wasn’t in the right rev range to drop from fourth to third until about 80km/h.

With no paddle shifts you must use the gear lever to engage manual mode to hold speed down a steep descent (there is no Tow/Haul mode here, just Normal/Eco), something the GSR wasn’t the strongest at doing.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t measure the speed, but it was clear 70km/h wasn’t going to be maintained with engine braking alone.

Cruising at 100km/h the Triton preferred to hold fifth gear and sit at about 1900rpm but would quickly slip into sixth with the slightest descent, with revs dropping to 1600rpm. The auto kicks down quickly for overtakes, too.

Firstly, there’s the matter of towing weights and loads. In essence, the 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR can’t tow its nominated maximum while also carrying its nominated maximum payload – just like all other mid-size 3500kg dual-cabs.

The GSR has a 3500kg towing capacity (braked), 750kg (unbraked) and a maximum of 350kg tow ball download. The range-topping Triton has a 2170kg kerb mass, 3200kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) and 6250kg gross combined mass (GCM).

Yes, payload is generous at 1030kg, but you must remember that tow ball mass becomes vehicle payload – so if we say 350kg is on the tow ball, that leaves you with 680kg payload.

Essentially, the GSR variant can tow 3400kg if you assume a 350kg tow ball mass and have a maximum payload of 680kg. Or, if you’re inclined to tow right on the maximum 3500kg, you will ‘only’ have 580kg payload to not exceed Triton’s GCM limit – again assuming a 350kg tow ball download. That’s also assuming you have also allowed for any fitted options.

As with any towing test, there must be assumptions about towing loads. Your actual towing masses will vary so it is important to get your actual vehicle and trailer weighed and adjust/remove payload if you exceed the maximum limits.

The fresh cabin found in the 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR is clearly a step above the old model, but we were somehow hoping for more from this new-generation ute.

While the extra space is pleasing, the seats are comfortable and all the controls are quite simple to operate, there isn’t the sense you have bought the premium model of the range.

In terms of towing, the 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR is superior to the outgoing generation.

A further boon is the fact that the additional towing capacity appears useable, while the fuel consumption, stability, ride quality and performance are all respectable when hauling.

The overzealous, vocal safety assist features and idle-stop system are frustrating bugbears to keep in mind.

And it’s hard to shake the notion that the new Triton, even in the top-tier GSR guise, is merely catching up to the pack rather than overtaking it.

2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR at a glance:
Price: $63,840 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel
Output: 150kW/470Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 203g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2024)