New Triton boasts better towing

A new Mitsubishi Triton ute has gone on sale in Australia boasting a new 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine, more space and comfort, and slightly better towing capability.

Available in two and four-wheel drive and the usual range of body styles, pricing for the new Triton starts at $24,490 (plus on-road costs), with a new dual-cab Exceed variant topping the list, from $47,490.

Braked towing capacity of the fifth-generation Triton grows 100kg to 3100kg, while a GCM rating of 5885kg means most variants offer a payload rating of more than a tonne.

However, the towing capacity represents a shortfall of 400kg behind the likes of Ford's Ranger, but is still up 600kg on HiLux (with 2500kg).

But with a GCM rating of 5885kg and a towball down-weight of 300kg, Mitsubishi says the Triton offers up to 300kg more payload capacity when towing at the maximum allowed rating than its 3500kg-capable rivals, most of which can only carry only 380kg in the tray with a full load on the towbar.

As is the case with the latest crop of dual-cab utes, Mitsubishi says its Thai-sourced Triton offers car-like levels of passenger comfort and improvements in its function and reliability as a work ute, and this in spite of the retention of a familiar body-on-frame chassis.

Underneath comes manually or electronically actuated four-wheel drive systems (depending on variant) and the option of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions.

Each is fed by Mitsubishi's new all-aluminium 2.4-litre 4N15 four-cylinder common-rail direct-injected turbo-diesel engine, offering 133kW (at 3500rpm, up 2kW) and 430Nm (at 2500rpm, up 80Nm in auto variants and 30Nm in manual variants) thanks to a variable geometry turbocharger tweaked to offer better response from lower in the rev range.

Fuel consumption is also improved by up to 20 per cent over the outgoing model, with a combined cycle figure as low as 7.0L/100km (six-speed manual two-wheel drive variants).

An optional (and unchanged) 94kW and 194Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder multi-point petrol engine and five-speed manual transmission model will be available later in the year.

Mitsubishi says the retention of Triton's three-metre wheelbase has enabled the model to retain its best-in-class turning circle of 11.8m. It has also addressed the ratio of the steering rack with fewer turns from lock to lock (down 11 per cent to 3.8 turns).

Size-wise, the body grows 15mm in length to 5200mm, is 1735mm wide (+20mm) and 1780mm high (unchanged). The rear overhang is reduced 50mm to 1340mm while the front overhang actually grows 65mm to 860mm to improve pedestrian safety in the event of a collision.

In spite of the modest increase in exterior size, cabin length grows 20mm to 1745mm and 10mm wider to 1430mm across the shoulders. There's more headroom (+8mm), and more longitudinal seat travel than before (+14mm), while a tilt and reach adjustable steering column is added for the first time.

The Triton has also undergone a retune of its suspension double wishbone (front) / leaf (rear) arrangement with changes to the rear damper design, the position of the rear leaf mount (+120mm), the front drop link, new spring and damper rates and a thicker front stabiliser bar.

The changes to suspension and body overhangs have also slightly altered approach and departure angles for improved offroad ability.

The Triton's wading depth is listed at 500mm (and up to 600mm at speeds below 5km/h).

For the first time, all models now feature a five-star ANCAP safety rating (previously four-star) and the availability of a reversing camera across the range (and standard on GLS and Exceed variants).

For a full rundown of how it drives, click here, and stay tuned for a full tow test of the new Triton dual-cab in coming weeks…