After a long wait, the all-new Mitsubishi Triton bakkie range has touched down in South Africa. We headed to Gauteng to drive it. Was it worth the wait?
With over 5.6 million sales across almost 150 countries, the Mitsubishi Triton is somewhat of a legend in bakkie circles. Yes, over the past few years, the Triton sales in South Africa have paled in comparison to sales of the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max. Even so, you cannot deny the Triton’s reputation and legacy! Remember the Mitsubishi Colt?
With the arrival of the new Triton, Mitsubishi is fired up to storm the double-cab market and improve upon the Triton’s respected track record. Will the Triton succeed, time will tell!
What’s New?
A lot actually! This is not a facelift whatsoever, but rather a brand-new model. Under that interesting but muscular face is an all-new chassis, there’s a new suspension setup, new-look cabin and a new engine!
The newcomer is 5 320 mm (+15 mm) long and 1 865 mm (+50 mm) wide, while the wheelbase has been stretched by 130 mm to 3 130 mm.
The braked towing capacity of top-spec derivatives is rated at 3 500 kg, representing a 400 kg increase over its predecessor. More so, the load bin has been lowered by 45 mm to make loading and access to the bin easier.
What’s On Offer?
The Triton product rollout will take place over a year, with the initial batch in 2024 consisting single-cab, double-cab, and 3 accessorised derivatives. A higher-spec model will follow around the middle of 2025 and towards the end of 2025, a high-power model with assisted driving tech will become available to local buyers.
As for the accessorised Tritons, Mitsubishi fans will recognise the Triton Athlete and Triton Xtreme Edition. Sitting at the top of the pecking order is the Edition 46, named after 46 years of Mitsubishi pickups. The Edition 46 is aimed at the overlanding community and features goodies like a lockable canopy, roof rack, a kitchen and a 40mm suspension lift kit, to name a few of the main features.
The Triton Athlete is positioned as the executive adventurer, while the Triton Xtreme Edition is the outdoorsman’s choice.
Our launch vehicles of choice were the sporty-looking Xtreme Edition and GLS, both of which were 4×4.
The new engine is a 2.4-litre turbocharged diesel motor with 135 kW and 430 Nm, and there will be a flagship bi-turbocharged engine with 150 kW and 470 Nm coming in 2025.
This new engine can be paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Moving inside, the Triton’s perceived build quality is mighty impressive. The climate control buttons and switchgear have a high-quality feel and the steering wheel is sporty and plush. A USB-A, USB-C and wireless charging pad add to the list of convenience features.
The 8-inch infotainment system is rudimentary but it covers the necessities with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability while also displaying the reverse camera.
Note that there’s no digital instrument cluster but rather analogue dials set alongside a central TFT screen. The Triton’s cabin layout is basic and ergonomically sound but if you’re expecting a high-tech and stylish cabin, you’re likely to be somewhat disappointed.
What is the new Triton like to drive?
Our ride-and-drive comprised an on-tar cruise interrupted by some stints on gravel, followed by a quick offroad track in a game reserve to test the 4×4 hardware. As a reminder, this is Mitsubishi’s Super Select II system and it features a rear differential lock and a low-range transfer case. Can it offroad? Of course it can! Our blue Triton Xtreme Edition made easy work of the course. We do, however, look forward to putting the Triton to work on more difficult terrain in the near future.
The general setup offroad felt a little on the firmer side and we suspect that the tyres were overinflated but that’s easy to rectify to improve the ride quality.
The steering of the Triton is a highlight, thanks to the new variable-ratio electronically-assisted rack as it makes it feel nimble and agile, without losing much feel, which is reassuring when you’re driving gravel roads at pace.
I think a word that summarises the new Triton would be “refinement”. The engine’s outputs may not be on par with its rivals, but it trounces them in terms of quietness, which for a diesel-powered double-cab bakkie is impressive. The 6-speed automatic gearbox does a fine job of shuffling through the cogs and only when you stand on the accelerator does it stumble to find the right gear right away, but to be fair, most bakkies suffer from this.
How much does the new Triton cost in South Africa?
Single-cab models
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 GL 4×2 Manual S/C – R479 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 GL 4×4 Manual S/C – R559 990
Double-cab models
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 GL 4×4 Manual D/C – R639 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 GLS 4×2 Auto D/C – R679 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 GLS 4×4 Manual D/C – R739 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 GLS 4×4 Auto D/C – R759 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 Xtreme 4×2 Auto D/C – R769 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 Athlete 4×2 Auto D/C – R779 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 Xtreme 4×4 Auto D/C – R849 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 Athlete 4×4 Auto D/C – R859 990
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 Edition 46 4×4 Auto D/C – R889 990
The new Triton is sold with a new Diamond Advantage Warranty including a 5-year/unlimited mileage, unrestricted warranty, 5-year/90 000 km service plan with intervals every 10 000 km as well as 5-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance.
Summary
We’ll be the first to admit it, we’ve been fans of the 5th-generation Triton and we’ve never quite understood why it never sold in huge numbers. First impressions count for so much and the new 6th-generation Triton moves the nameplate forward significantly.
Our off-road test was basic and formulaic and the Triton hardly broke a sweat. All the signs point to a clever, capable and well-priced offering and buyers should sit up and take notice.
We’re keen to spend more time with the Triton on our local roads to bring you that definitive verdict, so look out for a thorough review coming your way soon!
Further Reading
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