Ute beauty! Mitsubishi to put Australia first as new Triton prepares for battle with Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger

The new Mitsubishi Triton could be on Australian roads before the end of the year, as the Japanese brand vows to put our market at the top of the priority list for new products and innovations.

The news comes as part of Mitsubishi's new mid-term business plan, which will see a flurry of new vehicle launches between now and 2025 – including the Triton, a new Pajero Sport, a new (and mysterious) three-row SUV, and a compact crossover SUV known for now as the XFC – but first to arrive will be the brand's weapon in a war with the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.

In important news for Australians, though, the brand is making a big deal about our market, and the ASEAN region, vowing to focus its resources and product launches here to drive its next-stage growth.

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"(We will) concentrate management resources into these core business regions, and aim to grow sales volume, market share and revenue," the company said in an investment presentation, before going on to promise "consecutive model rollouts" for our market.

The Triton will lead that charge, and according to the company's timing graph, will arrive before the end of 2023 or in early 2024. In exciting news, it will be followed by a fully electric version sometime before 2028.

The brand is yet to detail just what will be powering it, whether it will be adopt plug-in hybrid technology from launch, or push on with the 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine. But all will be revealed soon.

What we do expect, though, is a hardcore Ralliart version, possibly using the soon-to-be-released Triton XTreme as a case study for future localisation.

The Xtreme, a Walkinshaw project, will act as a final send off for the current-gen Triton.

Engineered in Australia for local conditions, the Xtreme would form the latest Walkinshaw project in their capacity as a second-stage manufacturer, and will join a growing group of locally developed utes.

The Xtreme might use a Triton as its donor vehicle, but you can expect major changes, with Walkinshaw sure to fit new off-road focused suspension, new wheel and tyre combinations, and all-terrain rubber.

You can also expect new body enhancements like bash plates, lightbars, and a general toughening up of the exterior design.