With extra space, extra safety, a new engine and fresh looks, no-one could accuse Mitsubishi of going about its recent update of the Triton in a half-hearted manner. David Thomson reports after a spell behind the wheel.
This is a story, rarer than you might think, of a car-maker that has undertaken a comprehensive midlife revamp of a model to answer the concerns of its customers.
Utes in general aren't safe enough, they complained: side and curtain airbags have been added to the majority of models in a line-up that leads the way in the four-wheel-drive utility class as a four-star NCAP crash test performer. Electronic stability and traction control also make the cut in many variants, breaking new ground in the class.
Not enough room in the tray, they grumbled: Mitsubishi has lengthened it by 180mm and deepened it by 55mm. Now the Triton is right on the money against the likes of the Hilux and Navara in its carrying capacity.
A little shy on go, they grizzled: A new 133Nm/407Nm common rail 2.5-litre unit delivers 11% more power and 15% more torque than the previous motor, along with a 9% improvement in fuel economy.
That's enough to propel the manual Triton (the auto makes do with less torque) from the tail of the field for its engine outputs to join those at the top of the class.
There's also been a determined attempt to toughen up the Triton's once sissy looks, with new bumpers up front, squarer lines at the rear, and a new centre console and instrument display inside.
Drivesouth tested the revised Triton in $49,990 GLX manual Double Cab wellside guise. This is the midrange model in the 4x4 double cab line, and comes with air-conditioning, cruise control, a decent CD sound system, 16-inch alloys and all of the safety features outlined above.
The new tray - which includes a high-impact plastic liner, and basic but effective tie-down points at each corner - proved its worth immediately on test, accommodating three mountain bikes with an ease the previous Triton could never have managed.
Setting out for a lengthy trip into the Otago hinterland, the front-seat occupants were comfortably ensconced in supportive bucket seats, with the driver's adjusting for height, rake and reach. Smaller folk found sufficient space in the back, but having a lap belt for the centre-rear position is something of a dropped ball for a machine with otherwise great safety credentials.
Though the seat trim and colour choices are pleasant, there was still a workhorse feel to the cabin, with hard plastic surfaces and a "hose-out'' floor surface overlaid by sturdy rubber mats. The test car's cabin was decently finished, though one rear door required a decent slam to achieve a secure shut, and the front door-mounted drink holders would be more useful if they were a little bigger.
The new engine is not especially quiet, but it is a lusty performer. Maximum torque is available from just 2000rpm, so the Triton pulls very well from low in the rev range. The motor is turning at just 2100rpm at 100kmh in top too, and this, combined with cruise control, gives the GLX a very laid-back feel as an open-road cruiser.
As is so often the case with modern high-torque utilities there is a faintly amusing downside to all that low-down pull: unless the tray has a bit of a load on, it is ridiculously easy to chirp the tyres accelerating out of slow 90-degree bends.
Until one selects four-wheel drive, a little power-induced urban oversteer is also possible in the wet before the electronic control systems rein things in. The inherent on-road handling set-up of the Triton tends, though, to body roll and early understeer.
The GLX Triton drivetrain has solid off-road credentials, with four-low as well as four-high in the transfer 'box. Traditionalists may prefer the mechanical rear-diff set-up of lesser models in the line to the active electronic system (using the stability and traction control and anti-lock brake systems) of the GLX, but the latter proved quietly efficient on test.
More serious limitations to serious off-road endeavours were imposed by very road-focused 205 R16 tyres (which also look rather small under the Triton's generous wheel arches), and by the lengthened tray, which reduces the vehicle's departure angle to just 20.7 degrees.
Dry conditions throughout the off-road component of the test meant that issues relating to tyres were minimal. Care did have to be taken, though, to avoid bashing the tail, especially at the start of climbs and finish of descents in rutted terrain.
Overall, though, one can have some confidence that the new Triton will prove durable or, at least, if it doesn't, it won't be the owner's worry; a full five-year general warranty (with roadside assistance and good for 130,000 kilometres) is provided, along with 10 years/160,000km coverage for the vehicle's powertrain.
You can't obtain cover like that from any other car company in New Zealand, which may just prove the most telling advantage of all for a vehicle that has benefited in so many ways from its well thought-out midlife makeover.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
