Although the Mitsubishi Triton lasts about ten years on average, this generation is almost outdated. His replacement has already been spotted, sporting a deceptive boxer-like look with the expectation of some electricity. Although the model underwent a significant overhaul in 2019, it still struggles to compete in the ute segment with newer models such as the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, and Mazda BT-50.
However, the Triton has been ingeniously positioned by Mitsubishi just below these models, making it the third or fourth most popular ute in Australia because it is less expensive.
However, Mitsubishi now has to deal with legitimate dangers from below. Two Chinese take on the Triton: the LDV T60, which directly delivers nearly class-leading power and torque, and the GWM Ute, which offers bold styling and affordable pricing. SsangYong Musso is a competitor from Korea that is often neglected. Does Triton still have the potential to differentiate itself from the stream of newer and less expensive competitors?
What is the price of the Mitsubishi Triton GLS?
The Mitsubishi Triton is available in a wide variety of versions, as is typical for this market, with a choice of cab or ute body configurations, rear or all-wheel drive, and single cab, club cab, or double cab body styles. GLS tested. It falls under the sportier-looking GSR at the top of the line; A limited-edition Sport is also scheduled for 2023.
The GLS is only offered with all-wheel drive, and although it’s available with a manual transmission, our test car only had an automatic. It starts at $51,490 before road expenses, but because our pick came with the Deluxe option, which is only available on cars, the price was $54,940. Excluding White Diamond, premium paint costs an additional $740.
Without the Deluxe option, the Triton’s list price is about $10,000 less than the Ford Ranger XLT, Isuzu D-Max LS-U, Mazda BT-50 GT, or Toyota HiLux SR5. However, each of those competitors can have fewer convenience features. And it still has more power and torque than the Triton at a more affordable price.
The LDV T60 offers more affordable pricing, with an off-road price of just $43,674, even in luxury sedan form. The SsangYong Musso Ultimate costs $42,090, farther than the top-spec GWM Ute Cannon—at $45,490. Thus, the Triton is either a reasonable compromise in terms of price or in an odd location.
What does the interior of the Mitsubishi Triton GLS look like?
The Triton’s cabin still performs well in the segment with a straightforward, comfortable design overall. Most importantly, everything appears to be carefully put together. The infotainment system is where it is noticeably ageing. After briefly receiving an aftermarket head unit, the GLS will receive Mitsubishi’s SDA1 with a 7.0-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.
With its most advanced technology, the new Ford Ranger embarrassed much of its class overnight, and the Triton is now well behind some of its other competitors.
For instance, there is no manufacturer satellite navigation, which is terrible if you’re in a rural area without reception to use Apple Maps or Google Maps. Even though we don’t like the navigation in the comparable Pajero Sport, it does have it. Why isn’t it in the ute it belongs in?
The screen is also on the smaller side for this market group at 7.0 inches, and the visuals are outdated, but the shortcut buttons are helpful. Although not the best available, the camera footage is slightly cloudy and fuzzy. The passenger seatbelt map is a vintage feature in the instrument cluster. Still, the climate controls are positioned nicely and high on the centre stack—and the Seeingy button blanks on the penultimate trim level.
Why isn’t it very pleasantly the sides of the centre console are padded with leatherette; moving down a bit reveals some beautiful metal-look trim that spares us the sight of more gloss black trim.
Although this can be found in less expensive Tritons, and not much has been done to set the GLS apart from these less costly vehicles, that is a thoughtful touch that far too many brands fail to use. In the centre tunnel, near the 4WD mode selection, is a manual handbrake. There are bottle slots in the doors that can carry 1L bottles and a glove box and centre console bin that are both of reasonable size.
Leather seats only had two-stage (and not three-stage) heating; they proved to be comfortable over long distances despite neither looking nor feeling very soft. The steering wheel telescopes and tilts and can be raised or lowered. Although the excessive use of orange backlighting is a little outdated and the mouse-fur headliner is tacky-looking, even though it is typical for the segment, the Deluxe pack’s leather door inserts enhance the atmosphere.
The Triton lacks the digital instrument cluster seen on top of the Pajero Sport lineup. Instead, it uses the same shoddy trip computer Mitsubishi has been using for years, which lacks a digital speedometer and is less accurate than competitors’ remaining range indicators. Three-abreast comfort was good with two adult males and a more diminutive adult female in the back; however, things would not go as well with three big blokes.
Although the rear bench is a little low and the floor is high, one passenger noted that the back support was good, leading to a more knees-up seating position. Although the passenger must cross a raised driveline hump and the centre seat is slightly elevated, the situation is not very uncomfortable. You can collapse the seat’s centre armrest above if it’s empty.
The Triton has vents to provide airflow to the back instead of vents at the rear of the centre console, which are positioned on the roof; even though it was a fantastic week in Melbourne and not a scorching summer day in Birdsville, none of our passengers expressed any discomfort with the airflow.
Here are two top-tether anchor points, two ISOFIX anchor points, two USB-A outlets, map pockets, and a small, largely ineffective storage cubby. Tray dimensions for the Triton are 1520mm in length, 475mm deep, and 1470mm broad (1085mm between the wheel arches). That is roughly 50mm shorter and 60–135mm slimmer than a HiLux or D-Max, yet there is only a 25–40mm difference in the width of the wheel arches compared to its competitors.
What’s inside the hood?
Unlike most competitors, the 2023 Triton line utilizes a single engine, which offers two or three different options. A 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with 430Nm of torque and 133kW power powers the vehicle. This comes with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission in GLS form.
A more sophisticated Super Select II four-wheel drive system with a full-time mode you may use on pavement and a rear differential lock is added to GLS and GSR models. The Triton outperforms the GWM Ute (120kW/400Nm), but it lacks power and torque compared to the top-spec engines of the Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50, and Nissan Navara, which all produce 140kW and 450Nm. The Toyota HiLux, LDV T60, and Ford Ranger are even more potent vehicles.
The 3100kg braked towing capability is smaller than the 3500kg claims made by competitors like the Ranger and D-Max. Mitsubishi states that the GLS auto’s combined cycle fuel efficiency is 8.6 litres per 100 kilometres, or 0.7 litres per hundred kilometres less than the manual. It tended to be around 14L/100km in rush hour traffic, whereas we usually travelled on highways at 8L/100km. But across a loop of highway, suburban, and city driving, we only used 9.4L/100km on average.
The Mitsubishi Triton GLS’s driving style.
I’ve driven Mitsubishi Tritons a lot, and I remember them as harmless – not the fastest or smoothest of utes, but rarely disagreeable. I was disabused of that idea after spending a weekend driving around rural Victoria.
Be warned that the Triton isn’t as comfortable as vehicles like the Ranger and D-Max if you’re the owner who enjoys packing the family into their dual-cab ute for a drive across the country. To illustrate, none of the vehicles in this class is as comfortable as a standard SUV, but the Triton’s ride comfort is lower than that of its main rivals.
The rear feels a little skippy on some terrain, but the Triton settles down on smoother, flatter highways. But, if not with a crash, expansion joints on bridges are acutely felt instead with a thump and a wobble. The Triton takes some time to settle.
At highway speeds, the cabin is reasonably quiet and reasonably refined at idle, but there is always the constant diesel clatter that is typical of cars in this market. Compared to more recent competitors like the most recent Ranger, D-Max, BT-50, and GWM Ute, Triton’s array of safety technology appears slightly underwhelming. Although adaptive cruise control is present on the similar Pajero Sport, there is no lane-keep assist, much alone any lane centring, making these more recent competitors easier to drive on the highway than the Triton.
Although I’ve complained about the Pajero Sport’s heavy steering, I feel the Triton’s weighting is more appropriate. It makes parking a little trickier than with some competitors, and it does feel a little vague, but it isn’t obnoxious. The beautiful paddle shifters become unnecessary because the transmission has little trouble selecting the appropriate gear.
Several competitors cannot match the full-time four-wheel drive system, providing a 4WD Auto option you may utilize on the asphalt in lousy weather. The rear didn’t become a problem even on some wetter roads in two-wheel drive mode, but we still appreciate the ability to shift it into 4WD when it starts to rain or snow.
The Triton’s turbo-diesel may have less power and torque than some competitors, but it still has enough low-end grunts for this class. It can move out of the path independently, but it never feels swift.
What do you get?
Triton GLS highlights:
- Daytime running lights and LED headlights
- Keyless start and entrance
- 6-speaker audio setup
- parking sensors upfront
- Auto-high beam
- external mirrors with motorized folding
- a two-zone climatic system
- Blind-spot observation
- Alert for rear cross-traffic
- Shift paddles
The $3000 Deluxe option also includes:
- driver’s seat power
- front chairs with heat
- Leather furniture
- doors with leather inserts
- 360-degree cameras
Among the features carried over from previous Tritons are:
- steering wheel and gearshift covered in leather
- temperature regulation air conditioning
- 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system installed on the roof
- Wired Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and DAB+ digital radio
- auto-LED headlights
- Wipers with a rain sensor
- mirrors and doorknobs in chrome
- Privacy window
- frontal fog lamps
- A side step
- locks the rear differential
While the Triton GLS’s feature set compares favourably to similarly priced variants in the HiLux, Ranger, and D-Max lineups, it falls short of the top-spec GWM Ute and Musso.
The GWM Ute Cannon-X, for example, includes a wireless phone charger, digital instrument display, and power-adjustable passenger seat. At the same time, the Musso Ultimate comes standard with ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel, and the Luxury Pack adds Nappa leather upholstery, heated rear seats, and a sunroof.
Is the Mitsubishi Triton GLS a safe vehicle?
The Mitsubishi Triton received a five-star rating from ANCAP when it was tested in 2015. This rating was determined by a frontal offset score of 15.22 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were both rated Good and Acceptable.
Front, side, curtain airbags, driver’s knee airbags, and anti-lock brakes are standard on all 2023 Mitsubishi Triton models. Almost all have autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision and lane departure warnings. The GLS includes these features, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Lane-keep assist, lane centring, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control are features missing from the Triton but found in critical competitors.
How much does it cost to run the Mitsubishi Triton GLS?
Mitsubishi’s standard warranty is five years or 100,000 kilometres, but if you return to one of its dealerships for each service, this is extended to ten years or 200,000 kilometres.
You can also take advantage of Mitsubishi’s 10-year capped-price servicing by servicing at a dealership. The Triton requires maintenance every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, whichever comes first.
Pricing for services:
- Service 1 is $399,
- Service 2 is $499.
- Service 3 costs $499.
- Service 4 costs $699.
- Service 5 costs $499.
- Service 6 costs $699.
- Service 7 costs $499.
- Service 8 costs $999.
- Service 9 costs $599.
- Service 10 costs $699.
Service pricing in the segment is average, but Triton has the most extended availability of capped-price servicing. It will cost $2096 over the first four years, compared to $1316 for a Ranger, $1340 for a GWM Ute, and $1996 for a D-Max.
The Mitsubishi Triton GLS as Seen
The Mitsubishi Triton is neither the most powerful nor the most recent ute in its class. It is neither the most affordable nor the most technologically advanced. Its infotainment system feels dated and lacks embedded satellite navigation, it lacks some of the driver assistance features found in newer competitors, such as adaptive cruise control, and its ride quality is mediocre.
It arguably has a more substantial reputation than GWM, LDV, and SsangYong, even though those brands have continued to improve their offerings over the years. With a more extensive dealer network than any of the other brands and a more extended warranty and capped-price servicing, the Triton may appeal more to buyers than its less expensive competitors.
Although it lacks power and torque compared to rivals such as the D-Max and Ranger, the Triton offers more kits for less money and a sophisticated four-wheel drive system, making it a worthy alternative to these more expensive rivals. The current Triton is in its twilight years, but we believe it will remain near the top of the sales charts despite potential supply chain issues.
