Mitsubishi Triton vs Fiat Ducato

What's the difference?

The sixth-generation Triton is bigger, stronger, more powerful and more capable. By our measure, it’s the best one yet. It now matches the segment leaders on towing and payload ratings and, despite price increases, still represents compelling value for a high-quality Japanese ute. Mitsubishi has made choosing a dual cab ute from an already quality field even harder.

The latest Fiat Ducato, in MWB MR configuration with optional nine-speed auto, is a competent competitor in the 3501-8000kg GVM segment. Its class-leading two-tonne-plus payload rating would have considerable appeal for those who need to carry exceptionally heavy loads and we couldn’t find any major flaws in its design and performance. However, the warranty is short and there are niggling issues in terms of driver comfort, which if addressed would increase the Ducato’s appeal.

New exterior styling features bold body contouring with a distinctive grille/headlight design. It’s also larger in key dimensions including body length (up 15mm), body width (up 50mm) and load tub length (up 35mm) for improved cabin space, comfort and load capacity.

The new body is mounted on a redesigned chassis-frame with significant gains in strength and torsional rigidity.

Track width is unchanged but there’s a substantial 130mm increase in wheelbase to 3130mm, which is longer than the HiLux (3085mm) and closer to the Ranger (3220mm) with noticeable improvements in ride quality and handling stability.

Off-road credentials include 228mm of ground clearance and 30.4 degrees approach/23.4 degrees ramp break-over/22.8 degrees departure angles.

The suspension tune for Australian-delivered Tritons comprises a unique front shock absorber/spring combination. The rear suspension has also been revised with larger shocks and lighter, more efficient leaf-springs to reduce unsprung weight for enhanced ride and handling.

Work-focused GLX models are equipped with ‘heavy-duty’ rear suspension, while the more luxurious GLS/GSR have softer-riding ‘standard’ rear suspension.

Another Triton first is a switch to electric power steering, for increased efficiency with lower steering effort. By contrast, Mitsubishi sticks with rear drum brakes, which with greater friction surface area than disc brakes can provide more ‘bite’ when parking with heavy loads or holding firm on hills when off-roading.

New GLS interior styling has a tasteful mix of contrasting surfaces, textured fabric seat-facings and white stitching, but also embraces traditional features like analogue speedo/tacho and a manual handbrake lever.

The wider body provides a noticeable increase in front shoulder room and the driver’s hip point has been raised, resulting in a more upright driving position with improved lower back support.

There are assist-handles on the A and B pillars to climb aboard and there’s easy access to the more spacious rear seat. Even big fellas like me (186cm) have about 60mm of head clearance and 40mm of knee clearance when sitting behind the driver’s seat in my position.

There are still no air-vents in the centre console for rear passengers, as Mitsubishi prefers to stick with its roof-mounted air circulator which draws in cooled or heated air from the front of the cabin and shares it with rear passengers (with their own fan-speed control) through slimline roof-vents.

The MWB MR's front-wheel drive chassis rides on a 3450mm wheelbase with 12.5-metre turning circle. It’s 5413mm long, 2050mm wide and 2539mm tall, so like numerous van rivals in this GVM class it can’t access shopping centre and underground carparks which typically have a 2.2-metre height limit.

Underpinnings are simple and rugged, combining coil-spring strut front suspension with a leaf-spring rigid-tube rear axle that’s well designed for heavy load-carrying, with compressible rubber cones between body and axle that provide a second stage of support. There’s also four-wheel disc brakes, power-assisted rack and pinion steering and ample hard-wearing black plastic protecting the most vulnerable areas of the bodywork from scrapes and dents.

A sealed steel bulkhead separates the cabin from the cargo bay, insulating driver and passengers from load area noise and doubling as a robust cargo barrier. Its sliding window is ideally positioned to allow the driver or passenger to make a quick over-shoulder glance to check that their load is secure. Leg room for the centre passenger is unusually generous, even for tall adults, which would be appreciated by a crew of three.

Interestingly, the rear barn-door windows are heated but there are no wiper/washers fitted. At first this appeared to be an oversight, but having driven the Ducato in heavy rain we were surprised at how spray-free the rear screens remained and how clean they were afterwards.

Our only gripes are that the driver’s left footrest is so short you can only rest your toes on it. It’s a shame the excellent full-length one that resides in the passenger footwell (which of course is the driver’s footwell in LHD models) can’t migrate across the cabin for RHD versions. Driver comfort would be further improved with more rake adjustment in the base cushion.

The small 5.0-inch infotainment screen also makes it difficult to see much detail in the vision provided by the reversing camera. The optional 7.0-inch screen would be an improvement here, but is only available as part of the Comfort and Tech Pack.

With its 2125kg kerb weight and 3200kg GVM, our test vehicle has a sizeable 1075kg payload rating, so it’s a genuine one-tonner like all models in the new Triton range.

It’s also rated to tow up to the class-benchmark 3500kg of braked trailer, which is a significant 400kg increase over the previous generation and finally puts the Triton on par with segment leaders.

However, to avoid exceeding its 6250kg GCM (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time), towing that weight would require a 450kg reduction in vehicle payload to 625kg.

Or you could reduce the trailer limit by the same amount (from 3500kg to 3050kg) and retain the Triton’s peak 1075kg payload. This combination would be ample for most work and recreational requirements, as few (if any) owners of utes this size need to tow 3500kg anyway.

The load tub’s internal dimensions are almost square, being 1555mm long and 1545mm wide with a 525mm depth. There’s also 1135mm between the rear wheel-housings, so it can take a Euro pallet.

There are fixed load-anchorage points front and rear and the GLS tub is protected by a slide-in liner.

Cabin storage for driver and front passenger includes a bottle-holder and bin in each door, an overhead glasses holder and upper and lower gloveboxes. The centre console has two small-bottle/cupholders plus a box at the rear with padded lid that doubles as a comfortable elbow rest.

Rear passengers get a bottle-holder in each door, large pockets on each front-seat backrest and two cupholders in the bench seat’s fold-down centre armrest. There’s also a 12-volt socket plus USB-A and USB-C ports in the rear of the centre console.

Like the previous Triton, there are no rear underfloor storage compartments and the seat’s base cushion is fixed, so you can’t swing it up and store in a vertical position, like numerous rivals, if more internal load space is required.

The Ducato’s 2060kg kerb weight and 4250kg GVM results in a huge 2190kg payload rating which dwarfs rivals we've tested including the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit and its Peugeot Boxer sibling. It's also rated to tow up to 2250kg of braked trailer but given that Fiat does not publish a GCM (Gross Combination Mass) number, we can’t confirm if it can tow that weight while carrying a full payload.

The cargo bay, with a competitive 11.5 cubic metres of load volume, has an unprotected load floor that’s 3120mm long and 1870mm wide with 1422mm between the wheel housings. Therefore, it can easily carry two 1165mm-square standard Aussie pallets or three 1200 x 800mm Euro pallets, held in place by eight sturdy load-anchorage points.

There’s also ample forklift access through either the rear barn-doors, which can swing open to 270 degrees with a combined 1562mm-wide opening, or the sliding side doors with their 1250mm-wide openings.

All doors and walls are lined to mid-height and the raised roof cavity allows even tall adults to stand inside without stooping. It also provides a large and very useful storage area over the driver’s cabin, which is ideal for stowing ropes, straps, load-padding etc.

There’s plenty of cabin storage too, with large-bottle holders and two levels of storage bins in each front door. The dashboard offers numerous open storage bins plus small-bottle/cup holders, a glovebox, large overhead map shelf and storage tray under the driver’s seat. The centre seat’s backrest also folds forward to reveal a handy work desk on the back of it, complete with a spring-loaded clip to hold documents in place, a pen holder and two more small-bottle/cup holders.

Our white test vehicle is the MWB MR, which translates to Medium Wheel Base Mid-Roof. It’s one of four Ducato van configurations featuring medium, long and extra-long wheelbases and two roof heights.

They’re all powered by a new 2.3 litre turbo-diesel engine, with a list price of $48,300 for the MWB MR with standard six-speed manual or $51,190 with the optional new nine-speed torque converter automatic like our test vehicle. It also has an extra side-sliding door that adds another $1190.

A few of the standard features include 16-inch steel wheels with heavy-duty 215/75 R16C tyres and a full-size spare (16-inch alloys optional), infotainment system with 5.0-inch touchscreen, USB/AUX connectivity and steering wheel controls, power-adjustable and heated exterior mirror, dual passenger seat with three-point central seatbelt, single cargo bay side-sliding door, twin rear barn-doors with 270-degree opening, reversing camera/rear parking sensors plus an upgraded safety suite headlined by AEB.

There’s also a wide choice of colours and other options including the Comfort and Tech Pack which for an additional $2190 brings a larger 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with DAB digital radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, plus sat-nav, LED daytime running lights, automatic climate control and tyre pressure monitoring.

For the same price you can also get a Safety Plus Pack comprising rain/dusk sensor, auto high beam, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, fog lights, traction control and all-season tyres.

A new 4N16 variant of Mitsubishi’s 4N1 diesel engine family retains its predecessor’s 2.4-litre displacement but adds a second turbocharger. These work in sequence, with the smaller one providing fast response at low rpm and the larger one boosting performance at higher rpm.

The result is 150kW at 3500rpm and 470Nm of peak torque between 1500-2750rpm.

These outputs are 17kW and 40Nm more than the previous Triton and emissions are reduced with the addition of an AdBlue tank.

This engine is paired with an updated six-speed torque converter automatic and (on GLS and GSR) Mitsubishi’s excellent Super Select 4WD-II system with Torsen centre differential.

This still-advanced system offers seven drive modes, including full-time 4x4 which with the centre diff unlocked can be driven on all surfaces including dry sealed roads. With the centre diff locked for off-road use, it offers high and low range 4x4 with a 50:50 drive-split front and rear.

A rear diff-lock can also be engaged in low range.

The all-new drivetrain features Fiat’s latest 2.3 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with Multi-Jet 2 electronically-controlled common rail direct injection, variable-vane turbocharging, intercooler and Euro 6-emissions compliance using AdBlue. It produces 130kW at 3500rpm and (in automatic models) 450Nm of torque which peaks at 1500rpm. In case you’re wondering, the red ‘180’ body badges denote European metric horsepower.

The new ZF nine-speed torque converter automatic is a sweet-shifting transmission which Fiat claims is designed to optimise the engine’s torque delivery and fuel economy. It has a sequential manual-shift function if required, which could be useful if hauling big payloads in hilly terrain, but works most efficiently when left alone.

Mitsubishi claims an official combined average consumption of 7.7L/100km and the dash readout was displaying 8.7 at the completion of our 421km test, of which about one quarter was hauling a full payload. Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was higher again at 9.7 but within the usual 2-3L/100km discrepancy between official and real-world figures. So, based on our numbers, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 770km from its 75-litre tank.

Fiat does not publish a combined average consumption figure for the Ducato, but the dash display was claiming 10.2L/100km at the end of our test, which covered almost 300km of which more than a third was with a heavy payload. We also had the auto stop-start function switched off. That consumption figure was very close to our own, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, of 10.6L. So, based on our numbers you could expect a real-world driving range of around 850km from its 90-litre tank.

The ergonomic changes are noticeable when you get behind the wheel, with a more comfortable and supportive seating position and increased cabin width providing a more spacious feel.

The new electric power steering is another highlight, being communicative and nicely weighted at all speeds, while the unique Australian suspension tune results in a more planted and sure-footed feel. The ride quality is also smoother, which is no doubt enhanced by more sprung weight and a longer wheelbase.

The new bi-turbo engine has good response and flexibility, with its 1250rpm-wide peak torque band between 1500-2750rpm providing ample pulling power at lower speeds with a seamless transition to maximum power at 3500rpm.

The six-speed automatic has gearing and shift calibrations that optimise engine performance. It’s also a quiet and efficient highway cruiser, requiring only 1750rpm to maintain 110km/h which is also within its peak torque band.

To test its load-hauling ability, we loaded 890kg into the load tub, which with driver and luggage equalled one tonne of payload that was 75kg below its legal limit.

The 'standard' leaf-spring rear suspension compressed more than 60mm under this weight, leaving a finger-width of static bump-stop clearance which initially seemed inadequate.

However, the rubber bump-stops have central voids that provide more of a cushioning effect at full suspension travel than traditional hard-nosed designs, which minimises thumps over big bumps and ensures a smoother ride.

The Triton displayed sure-footed handling and braking with this near-maximum payload on board. The bi-turbo engine was also on top of the job, with its ‘twin-stage’ turbocharging making light work of city, suburban and highway driving.

It also impressed on our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set-climb at 60km/h, self-shifting down to third gear to easily haul this load to the summit. Engine-braking on the way down was not as robust, but in our experience typical of sub-3.0-litre turbo-diesels restraining one tonne payloads on steep descents.

Our only gripe is the ‘Driver Attention Alert’ function. Its prominent detection module mounted on the steering column partly obscures the driver’s view of the lower instrument panel. And its over-sensitivity in determining driver inattention (like wearing sunnies, looking left and right at T-intersections etc) becomes annoying and needs refinement.

There’s a commanding view for the driver thanks to a panoramic windscreen and clear eye-lines to the truck-sized door mirrors. There’s also reasonable but cluttered vision through the central rear-view mirror, which is partly obscured by the centre seat’s headrest.

The cabin bulkhead is effective in all but eliminating cargo bay noise and engine/wind noise volume is commendably low even on the highway. The highest audible intrusion at those speeds comes from the front tyres, which is acceptable on smooth bitumen surfaces but increases on coarser grades.

Its leather-rimmed steering wheel is nice to use and thanks to the driver’s door moulding and fold-down in-board armrest, there’s evenly balanced elbow support to relieve strain on the neck and shoulders.

The engine and nine-speed auto transmission are well matched, providing energetic performance when prodded and crisp, decisive shifting. Long-legged highway gearing allows 100km/h at 1500rpm (which is also bang on maximum torque) and less than 1700rpm at 110km/h. Ride quality when empty or lightly loaded can get bouncy on bumpy roads, which is not unexpected from suspension with a two-tonne-plus payload capacity.

Our main criticism is insufficient rake adjustment in the driver’s seat base cushion. There’s not enough angle available to stop the driver sliding forwards, requiring constant repositioning that becomes tiring after a while. More rake in the base cushion, combined with a decent-sized left footrest, would solve this issue.

Also annoying is the audible lane-departure warning, which is too loud and sounds like you’re being zapped by a ray-gun in an old sci-fi movie if you step out of line. A less confronting warning would be welcome.

There’s no ANCAP ratings for this GVM division and above, but the latest Ducato is equipped with AEB, forward collision alert, lane departure warning, rear parking sensors, reversing camera plus driver and dual-passenger airbags as standard. Buyers can also option the Safety Plus Pack mentioned earlier.

Five years/100,000km standard warranty, or 10 years/200,000km if serviced at Mitsubishi dealers. Servicing every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-price for 10 scheduled services up to 10 years/150,000km is $6690, or an average of $669 per service.

Three years/200,000km warranty looks undercooked compared to the five years/unlimited km offered by some rivals. Scheduled servicing, though, is excellent for hard-working vans at 48,000km/12 months whichever occurs first. Five years of Fiat Professional servicing, based on a total distance of 240,000km, equals $6756.99 or an average of $1351.40 per year.