Mitsubishi Triton 2015 News

Car dealers across Australia are reporting a surge in interest in vehicles below $20,000 as "Tony's Tradies" and small businesses try to get in before the June 30 end of financial year.June is already historically the biggest month of the year for new-car sales -- and the single biggest month for deliveries of commercial utes and vans as businesses update their models before tax time -- but this year is expected to break all records.Sole traders will be eligible for a refund of up to $8500 on a $20,000 work vehicleFollowing changes announced in this week's Federal Budget, small businesses and sole traders will be able to claim a deduction on "tools of trade" valued up to $20,000 in this financial year, rather than have the refunds spread out over eight years.The changes mean sole traders will be eligible for a refund of up to $8500 on a $20,000 work vehicle (after accounting for GST) while small businesses could pocket up to $5400 -- providing quarterly tax instalments or pay-as-you-go taxes are up to date.Sole traders in the maximum tax bracket of 47 cents in the dollar stand to make the most gains, while companies with a turnover not exceeding $2 million may be eligible for an instant tax refund of 30 cents in the dollar.Many brands are well placed to move new metalPrivate buyers, however, will not benefit from the new scheme. And tax experts have warned private buyers to not be tempted to establish a business name, because the company must demonstrate to the tax office that it is viable and has an expectation to earn income.New vehicles purchased for more than $20,000 do not apply to the new scheme and will continue to be deductible over eight years.Many brands are well placed to move new metal. The Toyota HiLux, Australia's top-selling ute, and the Mitsubishi Triton ute, are available from $20,990 drive-away in their most basic form, with a drop-side aluminum tray, a popular choice with tradies.Once the 10 per cent GST is removed from the drive-away price, they fall under the $20,000 threshold and buyers will be able to claim a deduction of between $5400 and $8500 on those models, depending on their circumstances.In effect, it brings the price of a basic ute to between $12,490 and $15,590 drive-away once the tax refund has been taken into account, which is the equivalent price of some of Australia's cheapest cars.Take advantage of the offer with cars such as the Hyundai i20, Suzuki Celerio, Nissan Micra, and the Kia CeratoSimilar savings apply to the Volkswagen Caddy and Renault Kangoo vans.Small businesses needing a city runabout to deliver parts or other goods are also expected to take advantage of the offer with cars such as the Hyundai i20, Suzuki Celerio, Nissan Micra, and the Kia Cerato, with savings range from $3897 to $8500, based on figures calculated by News Corp Australia.Indeed, the $12,990 drive-away cost of a Hyundai i20 manual -- Australia's cheapest car from a mainstream brand -- can be almost halved to just $6885 for eligible sole traders, once the tax refund is taken into account."We applaud the government's small business initiative," said Patrick Tessier, the chief executive officer of the Australia Automotive Dealer Association, representing 4000 franchises."We believe small business needs a stimulus and we think this will have an immediate benefit.""Our dealers are already reporting a spike in interest in showroom traffic and phone calls; there is a lot of inquiry about what these changes mean and what savings might be available."Mr Tessier said the tax rebates will vary depending on the individual circumstances of each small business or sole trader.We will see more cars limbo closer to that $20,000 mark in JuneThe AADA also predicts the car companies will react quickly and introduce models in June to take advantage of the new arrangements."The car industry will respond to this, but some brands will be able to do more than others," said Mr Tessier. "I think we will see more cars limbo closer to that $20,000 mark in June."Brands such as Holden, Ford, Mazda and Isuzu that don't currently have a special drive-away offer on a ute close to the new $20,000 threshold are understood to be scrambling to introduce changes to take advantage of the new tax agreements.“If people are rushing to buying a new car they need to consider the non-commercial loss provisions which apply to their business,” said Amar Deep, a chartered tax adviser.“If you’re business is making a loss, you can’t use that loss to offset your employment income and get a refund from the tax office.”Eligible businesses must turnover more than $20,000 per year and less than $2 million, the real estate assets of the business must be worth more than $500,000, other assets must be more than $100,000, and the business must have made a profit in three of the last five years.Drive your dollar further: popular work vehicles and the tax refund sole traders and small businesses may be entitled to following changes in the recent Federal Budget.Toyota HiLux ute: $20,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500Mitsubishi Triton ute: $20,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500VW Caddy van: $22,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500  Renault Kangoo van: $19,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500Kia Cerato hatch or sedan: $19,990 drive-away, $5400 to $8500Toyota Yaris automatic: $17,990 drive-awayNissan Micra automatic: $17,602 drive-away, $5280 to $8272Honda Jazz manual: $16,990 drive-away, $5097 to $7985Suzuki Celerio automatic: $13,990 drive-away, $4197 to $6575Hyundai i20 manual: $12,990 drive-away, $3897 to $6105Tax refund figures are a guide only. Consult a tax professional for an accurate estimate on any new vehicle you may consider purchasing.

Strewth! Aussies are now consistently buying more Hyundai cars than Holdens.Figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show Holden finished fourth behind Toyota, Mazda and Hyundai in April – and the two brands are in a bumper-to-bumper race for third place this year.Holden and Hyundai are barely 1000 sales apart in the year-to-date tally but the South Korean brand is closing the gap after beating Holden for the third month in a row and the seventh time in two years.The age-old Holden versus Ford battle is about to be revived – but it will be for the minor placingsThe change in fortunes means the age-old Holden versus Ford battle is about to be revived – but it will be for the minor placings as the former family and fleet favourites are overtaken by imported cars.The Ford and Holden fall from grace comes as the Australian new-car market continues its record-setting pace, up by 3.5 per cent year-to-date.Sales in the first four months of this year are also higher than in the same period in 2013 – the previous record year – with 359,250 new vehicles reported as sold versus 358,165 two years ago.Buoyed by an artificially devalued Yen, Japanese-branded cars continued to dominate.The Toyota Corolla outsold the Mazda3 for the third month in a row in April to remain our top-selling car while three utes made it into the Top 10, including the second-placed Toyota HiLux, fifth-placed Ford Ranger and ninth-placed Mitsubishi Triton.Sales of SUVs (up 15.7 per cent) and four-wheel-drive utes (up 9.1 per cent) continue to drive the market while sales of traditional passenger cars hit the brakes (down 4.4 per cent), according to figures that compare the first four months of this year with the same period in 2014.Mercedes-Benz C Class also outsold the Ford FalconOther movers and shakers include the Volkswagen Golf, which made it into the Top 10, and the Hyundai i30 which nearly overtook the Mazda3.Mercedes-Benz (2654 sales in April) edged out Honda (2559) to make it into the Top 10 for the fourth time in 12 months, and increased its sales lead in the luxury-car class ahead of Audi (1714) and BMW (1554).The Mercedes-Benz C Class (681) was the second best-selling medium-size car after the Toyota Camry (1141) and ahead of the Mazda6 (415).The Mercedes-Benz C Class also outsold the Ford Falcon (446), whose sales are down by 11.9 per cent despite the recent arrival of an updated model.Holden is selling four times as many Commodores as Ford is selling Falcons, but sales are down by a greater margin: 16.8 per cent.New-car sales in May are expected to remain steady as the industry braces for June, the biggest month of the year.Toyota Corolla – 3238, down 2.3 per centToyota HiLux – 2789, up 8.4 per centMazda3 – 2365, down 22.6 per centHyundai i30 – 2298, up 1.2 per centFord Ranger – 2200, up 5.1 per centHolden Commodore – 2043, down 16.4 per centMazda CX-5 – 1868, up 21.1 per centVolkswagen Golf – 1728, up 22.5 per centMitsubishi Triton – 1538, up 12.1 per centToyota RAV4 – 1399, down 9.6 per centToyota – 15,299, up 2.0 per centMazda – 8068, up 4.5 per centHyundai – 7210, down 1.2 per centHolden – 7072, down 10.1 per centFord – 5163, down 18.9 per centVolkswagen – 4572, up 13.6 per centNissan – 4188, up 15.7 per centMitsubishi – 4079, up 11.2 per centSubaru – 3052, up 3.8 per centMercedes-Benz – 2654, up 22.7 per centSales and their percentage change with the same month last year. Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries

The new fifth-generation Mitsubishi Triton ute will go on sale locally on May 1st, with a starting price of $24,490 for the 2WD single cab, cab chassis variant.With 2015 shaping up to be the year of the ute, the new Triton will soon be joined by the Nissan Navara which is also due in May, with the updated Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 to follow in July. An all-new version of the top-selling Toyota HiLux will arrive after everyone else in October.The Triton will be available in Single Cab, Club Cab or Double Cab cabin designs in either cab chassis or pick up bodystyles. The range spans GLX, GLS and Exceed trim levels and all are available with four-wheel drive, while the entry-level GLX can also be had with two-wheel drive.The 2015 Triton will be powered by a 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, matched to either a six-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission depending on model grade.MORE: See how the 2015 Triton stacks up in our first drive reviewA price-leading 2.4-litre petrol engine manual transmission 2WD single cab model will be arriving later this year.Braked towing capacities range from 2500kg for 2WD single cab variants, up to 3100kg for 4WD dual cab Triton utes.GLX Tritons come equipped with seven airbags, USB/Bluetooth compatible stereo, air-conditioning and 16-inch steel wheels.Stepping up to the GLS adds reversing camera, 6.1-inch touchscreen with six-speakers, dual-zone climate control, LED daytime running lights, sportsbar, leather steering wheel/shifter and 17-inch alloys.The top-spec Triton Exceed adds leather trim, 7-inch touchscreen with satnav, auto headlights and wipers, push-button start and paddle-shifters.Mitsubishi's all-new Triton will also feature capped-price servicing, with the first 12 month service costing $350, with the following three scheduled services capped at $580.

/car-reviews/ford/ranger/car-reviews/isuzu/d-max/car-reviews/mazda/bt50/car-reviews/mitsubishi/triton/car-reviews/toyota/hilux/car-reviews/volkswagen/amarok/car-news/renault-confirms-navara-based-ute-in-the-works-31937/car-news/2015-nissan-navara-dual-cab-new-car-sales-price-31909/car-news/2015-nissan-navara-d23-single-cab-detailed-31629/car-news/2015-mitsubishi-triton-unveiled-30244/car-news/2015-mitsubishi-triton-revealed-30218/car-news/2015-ford-ranger-ute-is-the-most-advanced-in-the-world-31446/car-reviews/2015-nissan-navara-review-first-drive-29083 

The car world really has flipped its lid: a humble ute has just earned a higher safety score than a luxury car.A new BMW has been slammed by safety experts in the latest round of crash tests after it was awarded a lower score than a workhorse ute made in Thailand.The new Mitsubishi Triton pick-up due in showrooms next month scored five stars for safety while the BMW 2 Series hatchback scored just four stars after earning a poor result in the frontal crash test.BMW's score is one of the lowest from a prestige marque in recent yearsThe result is remarkable given that it is more difficult for larger and heavier vehicles such as four-wheel-drive utes to score well in barrier tests.The BMW earned just 11.34 points out of 16 after crashing into a barrier at 64km/h, while the Mitsubishi tradesman ute earned an impressive score of 15.22 points in the same test by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).The technology required to get a higher score is well known to the car industryThe BMW's score is one of the lowest from a prestige marque in recent years."It's a disappointing result for any car maker let alone a luxury brand," said NRMA safety expert Jack Haley."The technology required to get a higher score is well known to the car industry … it's a surprising result."Meanwhile, BMW's sister brand Mini also scored a four-star rating after not achieving enough points in the side impact test.The massive improvement in the safety of utes has been welcomed by experts given that trade vehicles are over-represented in crashes, one of the reasons they have higher insurance premiums."It is pleasing to see an increasing number of commercial vehicles scoring the top rating", said Mr Haley."Many commercial vehicle drivers travel much greater distances than private drivers as part of their job, so they should be able to purchase a vehicle that provides the best protection."BMW Australia spokeswoman Lenore Fletcher told News Corp Australia: "We are seeking clarification from our head office in Munich regarding these results"."It's not a bad result, the passenger compartment held its shape well in the frontal offset test. The (BMW) vehicle did score five stars in Europe."However, European safety authorities have been criticised for relaxing the requirements for a five-star rating, making it easier for less safe cars to earn top marks.

With a wave of new or updated utes around the corner, the sharp deals continue on Australia's favourite workhorses.

As the Australian economy shows signs of slowing, sales of new cars got a boost in February – the first solid increase in five months – as dealers cleared last year's stock and buyers continued to cash-in on record low interest rates.Deliveries of new cars rose by 4.2 per cent in February to 90,424, compared to the same month last year, figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show.Prior to last month, new-car sales had been stable or in slow decline for the better part of a year.Discounts across most mainstream brands have been particularly aggressive in response to price cuts from Japanese marques after a new Free Trade AgreementPrivate buyers – not business fleets – were the driving force, pushing sales up 6 per cent among those who pay for their own cars, and accounting for more than half of all new vehicles sold in the month.The turnaround in car sales is likely due to a combination of low interest rates which have enabled many buyers to update to a brand-new model with the same – or lower – monthly repayments.Furthermore, the discounts across most mainstream brands have been particularly aggressive in response to price cuts from Japanese marques after a new Free Trade Agreement axed the 5 per cent tariff on the landed wholesale cost of every vehicle from Japan.The adjustment typically saw price cuts of between $300 and $900 on Japanese cars in the $15,000 to $40,000 price bracket.For example, the Mazda3 price was trimmed from $20,490 to $19,980 and the Toyota Corolla hatch went from $19,990 to $19,490 plus on-road costs.Sales to fleets were down by 3.0 per cent while government departments also had the handbrake on (down 0.5 per cent).Sales to rental companies were much higher than average (up a staggering 59 per cent for the month), however this is more likely a sign that some brands "pushed" cars out at heavily discounted rates, rather than being indicative of a boost in tourism.Seven of the Top 10 brands posted increases. But former market leaders Ford and Holden were hit hard – with sales declines of 20.1 per cent and 10.2 per cent respectively – as they adjusted to weakening demand for their locally-made vehicles in the lead-up to their factory closures in 2016 and 2017.A sign of the times – and our changing taste in cars – luxury brand Mercedes-Benz rounded out the Top 10 for only the fourth time ever.Most luxury marques continued to shine, with Audi (up 9.4 per cent), BMW (up 14.8 per cent) and Porsche (up 14 per cent) all posting increases that outpaced the overall market.The Toyota Corolla overtook the Mazda3 to become the nation's top-sellerPrestige brands customarily account for 8 per cent of car sales globally; in Australia they make up more than 11 per cent of new vehicle deliveries.Other highlights for the month of February: sales for small-car specialist Suzuki were up 20 per cent while ute and SUV specialist Isuzu was up by a massive 54 per cent.Meanwhile the Toyota Corolla overtook the Mazda3 to become the nation's top-seller – but the Mazda3 still leads the sales race in the year-to-date tally by a narrow margin of just 90 cars.The two small cars have been duking it out for Number One for the past four years after the Mazda3 ended the Holden's Commodore's record 15-year winning streak in 2011.The Mazda3 went on to lead the new-car market for two years in a row, but was overtaken by the Toyota Corolla, the world's biggest selling car, in the two years that followed and is currently the reigning champion.With no other challengers to Number One in sight, the year 2015 looks set to be a repeat of the past two years with the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 battling for top-seller status.Toyota 16,243 – up 0.3 per centMazda 9057 – down 1.2 per centHyundai 8003 – 2.6 per centHolden 7809 – down 10.2 per centMitsubishi 6242 – up 33.3 per centFord 5022 – down 20.1 per centVolkswagen 4889 – up 11.7 per centSubaru 3223 – up 3.3 per centHonda 2901 – up 9.0 per centMercedes-Benz 2744 – up 15.5 per centToyota Corolla 3939 – up 18.2 per centMazda3 3598 – down 9.3 per centToyota HiLux 2861 – down 14.5 per centHolden Commodore 2517 – down 9.4 per centHyundai i30 2126 – down 10.4 per centMazda CX-5 2085 – up 19.0 per centMitsubishi Triton 1988 – up 62 per centFord Ranger 1953 – up 2.7 per centToyota Camry 1767 – down 6.6 per centVolkswagen Golf 1735 – down 2.5 per centSource: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries

Mitsubishi launched the new-look next generation Triton in Thailand last month and the all-important workhorse is due to land in Australia mid-year.Sales of ageing models can start to drop off when the successor has been unveiled and car makers normally react in one of two ways - cut the prices or produce limited editions.Mitsubishi has been doing great deals on Triton for months and now it has released a loaded special edition called the Warrior, based on the GLX-R.Officially, the GLX-R costs $45,740 (dealers often sharpen this price) but the Warrior special edition costs $43,990. Even better, this is a drive-away price.The Warrior gets all the same gear as the GLX-R and adds a range of additional kit. This includes black leather seats, black interior trim, six-way power adjustable driver's seat, multi- function screen, eight speaker sound system and a powerful amplifier.On the outside, the Warrior gets distinctive 17-inch alloy wheels, factory-made alloy nudge bar and fabric tonneau cover. The only mechanical upgrade is a rear differential lock.Mitsubishi will make 300 Warriors and they will be available in four colours. The Warrior is based on the GLX-R, which gets Bluetooth with audio streaming and phone connectivity, which can be controlled via the steering wheel or voice recognition system.The 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel (131kW/400Nm) turns part-time four-wheel drive system via a five-speed manual transmission. Five-speed auto transmission is a $2000 option.

Mitsubishi has unveiled its next Triton, the first in 10 years, which will be in showrooms by the middle of next year. Unlike the latest Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50, Holden Colorado - and the coming Nissan Navara and Toyota HiLux - the Triton does not appear to be a completely new model from the ground up.Instead the Triton is a re-skinned version of the current model riding on the old chassis. This means it is still likely to be too cramped for the driver with its high floor and low roof. The rivals have roomier cabins.Mitsubishi says the Triton's cabin has grown by just 5mm in height and 10mm in width. Rear passengers an extra 20mm of legroom thanks to newly designed front seats which are thinner at the back. Mitsubishi is yet to publish towing capacity and payload but it will need to step up from the current 3000kg tow rating.There will be two turbo diesel engine options: the proven 2.5-litre in the current model (131kW/400Nm) and a new, alloy 2.4-litre (133kW/ 430Nm). The output of the 2.4 puts the new Triton behind the benchmark Ford Ranger (147kW/470Nm).On the plus side, the new Triton is the only ute among its peers with a five-year warranty. And Mitsubishi claims it has the tightest turning circle among the rivals (11.8 metres) and "excellent" fuel economy, although it is yet to publish the figures.Mitsubishi dealers have told Carsguide that the old model will continue to sell alongside the new Triton for much of next year, giving the company two price points: the outgoing ute will be at the bargain end of the market while the new model will attract premium pricing.Utes are the third biggest part of the new-car market in Australia behind small cars and SUVs, driven by the mining boom and private buyers who want a vehicle for weekday work and weekend play. Next year, strong sales growth for utes is anticipated, given the attractions of the Navara and HiLux, as well as significant facelifts for the Ranger, BT-50 and Colorado.

Redesigned Triton ute gains new engine and transmission options and updated styling.The new Triton ute has undergone its first significant update in nearly a decade, with Mitsubishi saying the new model will offer a combination of passenger car levels of comfort and practical functionality.Local pricing and specifications will be confirmed closer to its mid-2015 arrival in showrooms, however the Triton will be produced in the full range of body styles and drivetrain options expected of a light commercial ute.These include the three different body styles of the existing model - single cab, club cab and double cab - and available in multiple combinations turbodiesel and petrol engines with two and four-wheel drive, plus manual or automatic drivetrains.Mitsubishi has introduced a new 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine to the range to sit alongside upgraded versions of the existing 2.5-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel (in either 94kW/240Nm 'standard' spec or 131kW/400Nm 'high' spec) and 94kW/194Nm 2.4-litre petrol engines.The 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine can be paired to either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic, both of which were newly developed for the engine.The 2.5-litre turbodiesel and 2.4-litre petrol engines are paired with the same five-speed manual transmission from the existing Triton model.Four-wheel versions of the new Triton will retain a dual-range transfer case, but switching moves from the old-style lever to a modern dial near the gear selector. The change between 2WD and 4WD high-range can be done at speeds up to 100km/h.The chassis maintains the same double-wishbone front and leaf-spring rear suspension of the previous Triton, with the suspension on the 'High Rider' models tweaked slightly to improve performance when driving on tarmac.The new Triton range comes with ABS, hill start assist and eletronic brake force distribution while four-wheel drive models also come with active stability and traction control as standard.The new Triton will be available in three spec-levels: GL, GLX and GLS. The single cab is only available in GL while the double cab only comes in GLX and GLS. The club cab style is available in all three spec-levels.The GLS dual cab will be available with a 7-inch LCD multimedia display, satnav, Bluetooth and dual-zone climate control.All other models will have air-con and a stereo with USB, iPod and aux connectivity.The new Triton's chassis maintains the 3000mm wheelbase of the existing MN model, which is 220mm shorter than both the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 as well as 85mm shorter than the Toyota HiLux.The shorter wheelbase allows the Triton to have a tighter turning circle. The 2WD models have a kerb-to-kerb distance of 11.4m with the 2WD 'High Rider' and 4WD models having 11.8m.By comparison, across the Ford Ranger models the smallest turning circle is 11.9m going up to 12.7m. For the Mazda BT-50 they are 11.8m and 12.4m respectively.Across the range, the 2015 Triton's cargo bay measures 1470mm wide and 475mm deep. Length varies according to body style with the single cab measuring 2265mm, club cab 1850mm and the double cab 1520mm.The club cab and double cab two-wheel drive varaints of the 2015 Triton will be available in 'High Rider' spec, which increases the 195mm ground clearance by 10mm to match the 205mm clearance of the 4WD. This places the Triton above the Volkswagon Amarok (192mm/203mm) but below the Ford Ranger (201mm/237mm).