Mitsubishi Triton 4x2 diesel 2008 Review

What we liked
>>Ergonomics
>>Surprisingly good unladen roadholding
>>Car-like drive in dual-cab auto

Not so much
>>NVH in single cab variant
>>Short load bed in dual-cabs
>>Empty-looking wheelarches

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 2.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 2.5/5.0

OVERVIEW
The arrival of the diesel 4x2s completes the range of petrol 4x2, 4x4 and diesel 4x4 Tritons offered Down Under.

A success story for Mitsubishi in Australia, the Triton triumph has been largely hidden by the final death knell of the marque as a local manufacturer. In the first quarter of 2008, Triton 4x4 sales surged by over 30 per cent against the same period last year, to 2522 units. Even better is the 4x2 improvement -- more than 350 per cent growth to 1436 units.

Overall, Mitsubishi's imported vehicles increased their market share by an impressive 16.4 per cent in Q1 2008 over Q1 last year -- and even with the termination of sales of the 380 sedan, the company is still 3.3 per cent better off than it was at this time last year.

Diesel power currently makes up just 25 per cent of the 4x2 pick-up and cab-chassis market, whereas it dominates the 4x4 segment with about 90 per cent. It is expected, however, that the lighter vehicles will soon follow their 4x4 cousins. To this end, Mitsubishi Australia (MMAL) hopes to sell up to 250 4x2 diesel Tritons per month.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Priced towards the lower end of the working-class 4x2 diesel market segment but boasting a number of specification advantages over its established rivals, the new two-wheel drive turbodiesel Triton utes start at $22,990 for the manual cab-chassis. They rise to $30,990 for the double-cab auto.

The CDi 4x2 Tritons come well endowed. The list of standard inclusions matches or eclipses that of most of their rivals and at lower prices -- one of the few benefits of coming late to market.

Principally, the unique 5yr/10yr Mitsubishi warranty and roadside assistance plan is expected to be a major drawcard for the small-business and fleet operators expected to make up over 80 per cent of Triton 4x2 CDi buyers.

At the bottom end of the Triton range, the cab-chassis comes standard with air, ABS and EBD brakes, a limited-slip diff and cruise control. Standard fitment is a bench seat, with twin sports seats an option. In the double cab, the sports seats are standard, offering a five-person capacity with the rear bench.

Also standard are keyless central locking, dual front airbags with belt pretensioners and an MP3-enabled sound system.

MECHANICAL
The new models feature a four-cylinder twin-cam 16-valve 2.5-litre common-rail turbodiesel engine that delivers 100kW and 314Nm from a 17:1 compression ratio.

Fuel efficiency of 8.5L/100km in manual and 9.1L/100km in auto form are the maker's claims.

In contrast, the 4x4 turbodiesel Tritons use the 3.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged unit also seen in the Pajero. All Mitsubishi diesels are Euro IV compliant.

Probably Triton's biggest advantage over its rivals is the availability of a four-speed auto transmission as a $2000 extra-cost option. No other cab-chassis or single-cab 4x2 diesel ute offers a self-selecting gearbox. And only Ford offers it in its double-cab unit.

The Triton 4x2 diesel range continues to use Japan-sourced engines in Thailand-built bodies and a brief drive in three variants revealed stark differences in what, theoretically at least, should be very similar vehicles. Despite sharing the same engine, trim level (GLX) basic chassis and even differential ratio, there is no doubt that the double-cab auto version is the pick of the bunch -- perhaps inevitably it's also the most expensive.

Conventional front discs/rear drums, power steering with an 11.4m turning circle, double wishbone and coil spring front and leaf rear suspension and a useful 75litre tank, all riding on 16-inch steel wheels fitted with light truck tyres, complete the picture.

PACKAGING
With a kerb weight of between 1705-1810kg, depending upon specification, Triton's payloads vary between 951-1046kg.

While the cab, especially the rear section of the dual-cab, feels more generous in space than the top-selling Toyota HiLux, the trade-off is a shorter load-bed. For tradies with mates and big tools, the answer is a trailer and Mitsubishi obliges with a 2500kg towing capability.

Driver comfort, in the dual sports seats at least, is pretty good over periods of an hour or two, while there's a good deal of space -- but less support -- in the rear bench seat. This isn't flat on the floor like some dual-cabs and it's reasonably supportive under the thighs and not absolutely vertical behind passenger's backs.

Fuss-free too, was the layout of the cabin -- controls exactly where you expect them to be: logical, quickly assimilated and easy to use. There's exemplary visibility from large, clear, vibe-free mirrors to boot.

SAFETY
Light trucks and commercial vehicles have long lagged behind passenger vehicles in the take-up of the most common safety features, but Mitsubishi have fitted a full array of active and passive safety features into the Triton range, which has achieved four stars in ANCAP crash tests.

ABS and EBD brakes, twin front airbags and safety-belt pretensioners are standard. What doesn't feature is any form of stability program; we're guessing that will have to keep until the next face-lift.

COMPETITORS
MMAL has benchmarked the 4x2 Tritons against appropriate models in Ford's Ranger, Holden's Rodeo, Mazda's BT50, Nissan's Navara and Toyota's HiLux ranges. For example, the single-cab Triton's pricing and spec  puts it between equivalent models from Ford and Mazda -- and that's where 85 per cent of the sales in this segment are made.

While the Nissan makes do with 14-inch wheels and all the others have 15, Triton comes with 16-inch rims. The Nissan offers ABS, while Mitsubishi gild the standard ABS lily with EBD and the option of an auto gearbox.

No matter where you look on the segment's specification chart, Triton either matches or beats its rivals, and usually at a better price.

Certainly the Triton range is a worthy competitor for anything from South-East Asia and whether it fits an individual's requirements will simply be a question of ticking the boxes and seeing which manufacturer offers what they need.

ON THE ROAD
It's obvious that the Triton was originally intended to be a 4x4 -- despite the 16-inch rims and decently high-profiled tyres, there's a generous gap in the wheel arches which offends the aesthetic. It's a minor irritation and probably something with which you'll learn to live.

More than a minor irritation was the level of noise in the cabin of the single-cab manual and to a lesser extent, the dual-cab too. The three-pedal versions vibrated more through the gear-lever and wheel, needed higher conversational volumes and felt more harshly sprung.

Quixotically, this was emphatically not an issue in the automatic versions with the dual-cab being almost car-like in its quietness and general lack of noise, vibration or harshness.

This is despite the vehicles being essentially the same, barring that all-important transmission. When quizzed about this anomaly, Mitsubishi staff would only hint, "Think of mountings" -- suggesting that the auto gearbox is attached differently and dampens otherwise irksome noise and vibration sources.

The Triton auto's car-like feeling extended to the ride, too. Surprisingly compliant and supple for a vehicle with cart-springs and no load in the tray, the vehicle proved steady and stable well into three-figure speeds on the dial.

In addition and despite a little understeer, the unladen Triton also proved nimble and competent on patchily damp, winding roads.

The cherry on the top of a surprisingly impressive ride was an almost seamless gearshift

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