Renault Master vs Mitsubishi Triton

What's the difference?

It's only taken the whole decade so far, but the 3.5-tonne van – you know, the really, really big ones ­– has finally been dragged into the 2020s with the latest version of the Renault Master.

Now in its fourth generation since 1980, this oversized box on wheels from France is said to leapfrog all its ageing rivals as a result, including the Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, LDV Deliver9, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter that all debuted some years ago now.

So, how does France’s big new van fare? And where’s the promised all-electric version? Read on to find out.

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.