Mercedes-Benz Esprinter vs Mitsubishi Triton

What's the difference?

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter range of vans and cab-chassis models competes for buyers in the Light Duty (3501-8000kg GVM) segment of Australia’s highly competitive Heavy Commercial vehicle market.

In 2024 the German manufacturer expanded its diverse turbo-diesel van range by launching a full-electric variant called the eSprinter, which for the first time offered local buyers the opportunity to drive with zero tailpipe emissions.

We recently spent a working week with this unique offering to assess how competently it could fulfil the diverse job requirements of private tradie buyers and fleet operators.

There was a time when utes were bought purely for work but some these days look more like high-riding prestige cars with their sparkling pearlescent paint, sumptuous leather seats that heat, cool and massage, high-tech hybrid drivetrains, independent rear suspensions and 0-100km/h times that were once the sole domain of supercars.

However, traditional ute buyers like tradies, farmers and fleets are still well catered for by some brands when seeking a utilitarian turbo-diesel workhorse designed primarily for hard yakka.

Mitsubishi has recently added 4x2 and 4x4 cab-chassis variants to its local Triton line-up comprising single-cab, club-cab and dual-cab body style across most model grades to broaden the Triton’s appeal for either working roles or adventuring.

We recently spent a week aboard one of these new cab-chassis variants in base GLX specification, to see from a tradie’s perspective if it has what it takes to cut it in the rough-and-tough world of working utes.