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What's the difference?
Mitsubishi reckons the Triton deserves to be the third best-selling ute in the Australian market. In fact, it thinks it deserves to be challenging the Ranger and HiLux for out-and-out dual-cab supremacy, but how about we start with third place and see where we go from there, hey?
Third place, of course, is currently occupied by the Isuzu D-Max, which means Mitsubishi will need to unseat it. To do it, it has launched a new-gen Triton, which is now bigger, more powerful, more practical, and has more space in the cabin.
In fact, Mitsubishi says the Triton has been improved right across the dual-cab board.
But has it done enough? Let’s find out.
Most buyers of mid-sized (2.5- to 3.5-tonne GVM) vans want them purely as workhorses and often as part of hard-working fleets.
Although these cuboid-shaped commercials are usually available in a limited choice of colours (take your pick from fridge white or freezer white) they are well designed for such roles.
However, for van buyers wanting to project more of a sporty image than the usual whitegoods-on-wheels, there’s Ford’s Transit Custom Sport. It’s been around for a few years now, so we recently put one to the test for a week to see if it’s still worthy of its unique ‘Sport’ title.
There's no denying this new Triton is a marked improvement over the model it replaces. It drives better, has more power, a more comfortable cabin and more driver-friendly tech.
Whether that's enough to rattle the segment's leaders remains to be seen, but this feels like a far more modern ute for modern times.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
The Sport, like all Transit Customs we’ve tested, is a capable one-tonner and all-around workhorse even though it's not quite as sporty these days due to engine revisions. With an all-new Transit Custom range due later this year, we’re not sure if a Sport will be part of the model mix. So, if you like the look of this rebel, we’re sure run-out deals will soon be available.
Well, if you like utes, have I got some good news for you! Because the new Mitsubishi Triton looks a lot like, well, a ute.
That's not to undersell the work Mitsubishi has done here. There's a new 'Yamabuki Orange' colour for the flagship GSR, for example, and it looks particularly sharp with the black alloys and silver skid plate.
I even like the new body-colour lines crossing over the top of the blacked-out grille – though I concede they could be polarising.
But, yes, it's a ute.
Inside, though, it's a vastly improved space. We've spent most our time in the top-spec model, and it's a solid mix of utility, technology and comfort.
It feels vaguely premium, owing to clever cabin materials, but never fussy, which would feel out of place in a dual cab that is still ostensibly a workhorse.
I love the fact that all your core functions – climate controls and the like – are still controlled by tactile switches, and I even love the old-school handbrake.
I'm also a big fan of the big-enough central screen with its wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the wireless charger and USB connections. It's tough meets tech, and it all works really well.
The Sport enhances the purposeful styling of the Transit Custom, which, with its wedge-shaped character lines, trapezoidal grille and swept-back headlights, is still arguably Australia’s best-looking commercial van after more than a decade in local showrooms.
Although some may find the twin racing stripes too in-ya-face, the overall effect of the Sport’s unique body enhancements and larger 17-inch alloys with lower profile tyres is one of cheeky rebellion against commercial van conservatism.
Only the Transit Custom’s handsome lines could get away with this. Can you imagine how a HiAce would respond to this treatment?
Even so, the Sport retains the excellent design features that make it such a good workhorse, including the sealed steel bulkhead that separates the cargo bay and cabin. This not only serves as a robust cargo barrier but also insulates the cabin from cargo bay noise, which in some commercial vans without a bulkhead can be unbearable at highway speeds.
Its front-wheel drive chassis platform has MacPherson strut front suspension, leaf-spring beam axle rear suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, power-assisted rack and pinion steering and a compact 2933mm wheelbase that provides a competitive 11.8-metre turning circle.
Our test vehicle is fitted with the standard LHS sliding load-door and twin rear barn-doors, but optional body configurations include a window in the LHS sliding load-door, dual side load-doors with or without windows and a rear swing-up tailgate.
The Triton's practicality perks are split into two camps – the tough stuff, and the workhorse stuff.
But let's start with the former. While there are two-wheel drive Triton options, most send power to all four wheels.
However, the best off-road gear starts with the GLX+, which adds a rear differential lock, while the GLS and GSR add Mitsubishi's Super Select 4WD-II – which incorporates a Torsen centre differential, Terrain Control and Hill Descent Control.
We put the GSR through its paces on a genuinely tough off-road course that required plenty of low-range crawling, and the Triton shone in the rough stuff.
Onto the workhorse stuff, every Triton will tow a 3.5-tonne braked trailer, while payloads range from 1030kg to 1110kg, depending on the model, courtesy of a slightly bigger 1555mm tray. The tray has been lowered slightly, too, to make loading or unloading easier.
The Triton has also grown in every meaningful way, stretching 5320mm in length and 1865mm in width, and that means more space in the cabin. I'm 175cm, and found I had oodles of room in the back seat.
There are some other thoughtful practicality perks on offer, too. All the doors take 1.25-litre bottles, there's device storage, space for the clipboard and that sort of thing.
With its 2064kg kerb weight and 3100kg GVM, the Sport offers a one-tonne-plus payload rating of 1036kg.
Handily, up to 130kg of that can be carried on the smartest of roof storage systems, comprising a trio of sturdy hinged racks which lie flat against the roof when not in use but can be quickly swung up and locked into vertical positions for load carrying.
It’s also rated to tow up to 1600kg of braked trailer. However, to do that without exceeding the 4100kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) would require a sizeable and impractical 600kg reduction in payload from 1036kg to only 436kg.
More than half of that 436kg could be used up by the weight of three big crew members alone before you could think about loading anything in the cargo bay.
So, from practical experience, we reckon it’s best to base tow ratings on a vehicle’s GVM. In this case, the maximum tow rating drops from 1600kg to 1000kg, but the payback is you get to keep the full 1036kg payload which is safer when towing and generally more useful.
The Sport’s cargo bay offers a competitive 6.0 cubic metres of load volume and with its 2555mm load floor length and 1351mm between the rear wheel housings, it can carry either two 1165mm-square standard Aussie pallets or up to the three 1200 x 800mm or 1200 x 1000mm Euro pallets.
Both types of pallets can be forklifted through the rear barn-doors with their 180-degree opening, but only the narrower Euro pallet could be loaded through the sliding side door with its 1030mm-wide opening.
The load floor length can be extended by almost half a metre via a swing-up hatch at the base of the cabin bulkhead, which accesses otherwise empty storage space beneath the front passenger seats. This useful feature allows extra-long items like lengths of timber, copper/PVC pipe, rolls of carpet, etc, to be carried.
The cargo bay has eight load-anchorage points and the load floor is protected by a tough vinyl covering. The walls and doors are lined plus there’s a handy 12-volt power outlet and bright LED lighting.
Plentiful cabin storage includes three levels of bins and a large-bottle holder in each front door plus upper/lower bottle holders on each side of the dash and a pop-out cupholder beneath the gearshift. There’s also a single A4-sized glovebox and more bins set into the top of the dash.
Overhead is another cubby for small items and hidden beneath the two passenger seats is a cavernous storage area (when the cargo bay’s load-through hatch is closed of course) which is accessed from above through the hinged base cushions.
The centre seat’s backrest also folds forward to reveal a handy ‘mobile office’ work desk with pen holder, elastic strap for securing documents and two more cupholders.
The Triton can be had as an entry-level GLX 4x2 ($43,690) or 4x4 ($50,940), before the range steps up to the GLX+ 4x4 ($53,290), the GLS ($59,090), and then tops out with the flagship GSR 4x4 ($63,840), all of which share the same diesel engine and six-speed transmission.
The bad news? Every Triton model is more expensive, and not by a little bit. We're talking between roughly $3K and $8K here.
The cheapest Triton GLX model is a mix of utility and technology, and features 17-inch steel wheels, cloth seats, vinyl flooring, electric lumbar support for the driver, keyless entry, a 7.0-inch driver display and second 9.0-inch multimedia screen with navigation, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.
Stepping up to the GLX+ adds a rear diff-lock, side steps, fog lamps, 17-inch alloys, LED brake lights, tinted rear privacy glass and some added safety kit (all of which we'll get to in a moment).
Springing for the GLS earns you Mitsubishi's 'Super Select 4WD II' system - including its Torsen centre differential and some added off-road functions.
There are also 18-inch alloys, a tray liner, heated electric door mirrors, LED lights, a black grille, dual-zone climate and push-button start.
Finally, the flagship GSR is fitted with black 18-inch alloy wheels, a body-colour side bars across the black grille, a sport bar and roof rails.
Inside, there are leather seats, unique floor mats, better cabin materials and power driver's seat adjustment.
Our test vehicle is the Transit Custom Sport 320S SWB, which translates to 3200kg GVM (it’s actually 3100kg), S for Sport and SWB for Short Wheelbase.
It’s available only with Ford’s 2.0-litre 'EcoBlue', four-cylinder turbo-diesel and six-speed automatic for a list price of $50,390 plus on-road costs.
Our example is finished in 'Blue Metallic' which is one of six optional premium colours that cost an additional $700. Other standard equipment for Sport buyers includes Bi-Xenon HID headlights with static bending and LED daytime running lights, body-coloured side mirrors and unique Cobra-style matt black body stripes and side decals.
There’s also a neat body kit with body-coloured front and rear bumpers, side skirts and wheel-arch flares; the latter neatly shrouds the black 17-inch machined alloys and grippy 215/65 R17 Michelin Agilis tyres. Stored underneath is a full-size steel spare.
The cabin can seat up to three on leather-appointed and heated seating, enhanced by a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s bucket seat with fold-down inboard armrest.
There's also a hard-wearing 'Sensico' (synthetic leather) steering wheel with height/reach adjustment and classy chrome air-vent surrounds with contrasting piano black fascia highlights on the dash.
Four-speaker multimedia includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen control and multiple connectivity including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Sync3, DAB+ digital radio, and more.
The engine is no bigger, but is now a twin-turbo offering, meaning the 2.4-litre diesel produces 150kW at 3500rpm and 470Nm from 1500rpm.
That power is fed through a six-speed automatic to two or all four wheels. There will be manual versions coming along shortly, but they're not here yet.
Originally the Sport’s 2.0-litre EcoBlue four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine was tweaked for more power (+11kW) and torque (+15Nm) than the standard engine, as you’d expect.
However, given that availability of that unique variant ended in June 2022, it now shares the same engine as the standard Transit Custom.
While not class-leading, it still provides an energetic 125kW at 3500rpm and ample 390Nm of torque between 1500-2000rpm.
It also meets Euro emissions standards using AdBlue with SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) and offers a choice of Normal and Eco drive modes, plus an auto engine stop-start function which thankfully can be switched off.
The Sport also shares the same six-speed torque converter automatic used in the standard Transit Custom with ‘intelligent’ electronic protocols that monitor different driving styles, gradients and loads to optimise engine efficiency.
It also offers the choice of sequential manual shifting, but that’s done by flicking a small toggle switch on the side of the gearshift which doesn’t feel very sporty to use.
The Triton's four-wheel drive variants sip a claimed 7.7L per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle, with emissions pegged at 203g/km. Two-wheel drive models are marginally more efficient.
There's now also a 17-litre AdBlue tank, which you'll have to top up (AdBlue is a liquid that helps reduce emissions from diesel engines, by the way, which pairs with a particulate filter) as well as a 75-litre fuel tank.
At today's prices in Sydney, that would mean $150 to fill the Triton up, which – based on the claimed fuel use – should deliver a driving range of bang-on 1000km.
Ford claims an official combined average of 8.0L/100km and the Sport’s dash display was showing 8.4 at the end of our 200km test, which was conducted without a load in normal mode with the engine stop/start function switched off.
Our own figure calculated from actual fuel bowser and trip meter readings came in at a higher 10.2 which is within the usual 1.0-2.0L/100km discrepancy usually found between dash figures and our own.
So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 680km from its 70-litre tank.
Mitsubishi likes to describe the new Triton as "SUV-like", which makes sense given it sees the lifestyle segment of dual-cab ownership – you know, families who love towing and camping and that kind of thing – as a great untapped market for its workhorse.
And lots has been done to improve the Triton's on-road behaviour to better appeal to those customers, especially in the two top trim levels, which get a bespoke rear suspension to improve comfort.
It's also why this Triton was tested and tuned so much in Australia. In fact, there are two Triton suspension tunes, ours and the one other countries get.
That means plenty of Mitsubishi's Japanese engineers came to Australia during the Triton's development, driving not just the outgoing model but all of its competitors, and cycling through some 100 different front and rear suspension calibrations to settle on the right balance for the new model. The electric power steering was also tuned here.
The result is a vehicle that is far more comfortable on flowing roads than you might expect, while being no less capable off them. We put the Triton through some pretty challenging off-roading, and it barely broke a sweat.
But there is a caveat. It's comfortable... for a ute.
It's near impossible to get a stiff ladder-frame chassis to steer exactly like a road-focused SUV, but the Triton won't spark much in the way of complaints on long road trips.
The steering is nice, too. There's some sogginess on centre, but it is confident enough to encourage you to tip it into flowing corners at speed without making your pulse-rate spike.
There are still some ute reminders, though. Namely that kind of vehicle-wide shudder when you go over road imperfections, and a transmission that isn't quite as polished as the rest of the vehicle when you're cornering at freeway speed.
The six-speed automatic loves to sit in its highest gears, and so it will change up at will, even mid-corner.
The engine is predictably diesel-noisy, too, which is also noticeable when the stop/start system kicks in at traffic light.
But the added power is a hugely welcome addition, as are the tech and comfort and improvements, and so it feels like a generational leap forward for Mitsubishi's workhorse.
For a one-tonne van it’s surprisingly engaging (dare we say sporty?) to drive with torquey engine response, communicative steering and a bolstered driving seat that provides good lateral support of the upper body.
The quartet of disc brakes provides ample stopping power and the well-planted chassis on its larger diameter and lower profile Michelins responds vigorously to steering input, which makes it enjoyable to drive either when zipping through traffic or cruising on the open road. Overall refinement is good with low engine, tyre and wind noise.
It’s a comfortable highway hauler, with gearing that keeps engine rpm capped at a leisurely 2100rpm at 110km/h.
The fold-down inboard armrest is much appreciated on long hauls, but driving comfort could be further improved with a longer base cushion for better under-thigh support.
All-round vision is as good as you could ask for, given a huge blind-spot over the driver’s left shoulder created by the cabin bulkhead.
The door mirrors are large enough to provide good views down both side of the van, aided by the bottom third of each being fitted with a wide-angle view.
Combined with other active driver aids like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, reversing camera, etc, the working van’s traditional danger zones are well monitored which makes the Sport easy to live with if you drive it daily.
As the forklift was temporarily out of action, we didn’t conduct our usual GVM test with the Sport during this review. However, we have previously tested one with a 1030kg payload which was right on its maximum payload rating.
The rear suspension only compressed about 40mm which left plenty of bump-stop clearance and resulted in an even more planted feel on the road with no significant effect on engine, steering and braking response.
It also resulted in a smoother ride quality, which is to be expected given that the much heavier sprung weight ironed out bumps and other road irregularities.
Gone are the days of utes getting the rough end of the pineapple when it comes to standard safety kit, which is a very good thing.
Even the cheapest GLX Triton scores eight airbags, including a front centre bag, along with a whole heap of high-tech active safety stuff.
Expect AEB with pedestrian, cyclist and junction protection, as well as auto-braking in reverse.
There's also adaptive cruise, blind-spot warning and lane change alert, active lane departure warning and prevention, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, auto high beams and a driver monitoring system.
Oh, and there's 'Front Cross Traffic Alert', but it's being offered as a no-cost dealer option, which I take to mean you need to ask for it.
Although its maximum five-star rating was achieved when the current Transit Custom generation was launched more than a decade ago, Ford to its credit has continually updated the van’s safety menu to ensure it has remained at the cutting edge of occupant protection, despite its impending demise.
Like all Mitsubishi's the Triton is offered with a 10-year and 200,000km warranty and 10 years of capped-price servicing.
You only get the full decade-long warranty cover if you service with Mitsubishi, though, otherwise it drops to five years and 100,000 kilometres.
Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, and the first five years are capped at $489 per visit. After that, it goes $799, $749, $949, $849 and $899, bringing your 10-year total to $6690, an annual average of, you guessed it, $669.
The Transit Custom is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty.
Scheduled service intervals are 12 months/30,000km whichever occurs first.
Capped-price servicing is $399 annually for the first four years/120,000km whichever occurs first when serviced at Ford dealerships.