2020 Mitsubishi Triton Double Cab Review

What stands out?

The Mitsubishi Triton feels nearly as refined as a good SUV, and for a ute it is easy to drive in town. Its diesel engine is modern and easy on fuel, and all Tritons are strong on safety, with autonomous emergency braking standard in most Double Cab versions.

What might bug me?

That friends with other utes can carry and tow bigger loads more comfortably. The Triton feels less stable than most utes when loaded to its maximum rated capacity.

What body styles are there?

Most Tritons are four-door, five-seat Double Cabs. However, Single Cabs (with two doors and two seats) are also offered. In between is a Club Cab model that has two folding seats in the rear of its stretched single cabin, accessed via small rear-hinged doors that open only if the front doors are open.

This review focuses only on the Double Cab pick-up (ute) versions that are most popular with private buyers. Our Mitsubishi Triton landing page includes pricing and features of all variants including Single- and Club-Cab and cab-chassis versions.

Most Tritons come with part-time, dual-range four-wheel drive: on sealed roads they drive the rear wheels only, but you can select 4WD for slippery unsealed roads and tracks. The more expensive GLS Tritons have a more sophisticated system that retains every advantage of the part-time version but allows you to use 4WD all the time.

A few Triton models come with rear-wheel drive only.

The Triton is classified as a light commercial pick up.

What features do all Double Cab Tritons have?

An MP3 and iPod compatible sound system with an AM/FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity for phone calls and audio streaming, voice control, and six speakers.

A 6.1-inch or bigger colour touchscreen, and reversing camera.

Rear-parking sensors, cruise control, and auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

Keyless entry, auto on-off and dusk-sensing headlights, and rain-sensing windscreen wipers.

Tilt and reach steering wheel adjustment, which makes it easier for the driver to get comfortable, and controls on the wheel for operating your phone, the sound system, and the cruise control (standard on all Tritons).

Seven airbags: two directly in front of the driver and front passenger; one alongside each front occupant to protect the upper body; a curtain airbag along each side to protect the heads of front and rear occupants; and an airbag in front of the driver’s knee to help prevent leg injuries.

Electronic Stability Control, which helps prevent the car from skidding out of control. This is mandatory on all passenger cars but not on light commercial vehicles like the Triton.

Electronic Traction Control, which helps the car maintain drive on slippery surfaces, and is especially helpful with the four-wheel drive models in difficult going.

Trailer-sway control, which helps to stabilize the car if the trailer starts to sway from side to side; and Hill-start control, which prevents the car rolling back when you are starting on a hill.

Full-sized spare wheel.

All Tritons come with a five-year, 100,000km warranty and capped-priced servicing.

Which engine uses least fuel, and why wouldn't I choose it?

All Double Cab Tritons are powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel. It is a very modern design that performs well for its relatively small capacity, and feels smooth and refined.

Fuel economy is a strong point and ranges from 7.9 litres/100km in the manual-gearbox, 4WD single cab, to 8.6 litres/100km in automatic 4WD double-cabs – at least in the official test. Expect to use about 15 to 20 per cent more in the real world.

Both six-speed manual and six-speed automatic gearboxes are used with the diesel, and all but one drives all four wheels. The cheapest Triton Double Cab, is the exception and comes with 2WD and the automatic transmission.

What key features do I get if I spend more?

The least expensive dual-cab Triton is the GLX with 2WD, with the Advanced Driver Assist and Safety (ADAS) package, which for about $800 adds lane departure warning and autonomous emergency braking.

Spending more will bring you a GLX with 4WD, with or without the ADAS package.

GLX Tritons have vinyl floors, cloth seats, manually controlled air-conditioning, a CD player, and steel 16-inch wheels including the spare.

Spend some more for a GLX+ and you get 4WD and the ADAS package as standard, aircon that maintains a set temperature, and nicer looking wheels made from aluminium alloy. You lose the CD-player but gain Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that make it easier to stream music and use your phone’s navigation apps easier. The infotainment screen grows to 7.0-inches.

Pay more again for a Triton GLS and you get a lot of extra stuff. Perhaps the most important enhancement is Mitsubishi’s Super Select 2 4WD system, which allows you to use 4WD even on sealed roads. You also get additional active safety features including blind-sport warning, rear-cross traffic alert, automatic high beam, and lane change assist. The GLS also comes with hill descent control that automatically controls the brakes when negotiating tricky descents when off road.

Inside a Triton GLS there is a leather-trimmed steering wheel, carpet on the floor. Dual-zone air-conditioning lets the driver and front-seat passenger set their desired cabin temperatures independently. Externally, the GLS has more effective HID headlamps, fog-lights, and the distinctive look of LED daytime running lamps. And the wheel size rises to a flashier 18 inches, including the alloy spare wheel.

The most expensive Triton, the GLS Premium, comes only with auto transmission. It has, surround view parking camera display, keyless start and smart keyless entry that unlocks the doors without having to take the key fob from your bag. It also comes with leather seat trim, heated front seats, and power adjustment for the driver’s seat. And it has the lockable rear differential for superior off-road traction.

Does any upgrade have a down side?

The better equipped GLX+, GLS and GLS Premium Tritons do more with your smartphone but lose the GLX's CD player.

Only white and red are standard colours. All other colours are an extra cost option.

How comfortable is the Triton?

This Triton brings a luxurious feel to the cabin that’s similar to comparably equipped SUVs. Key points include comfortable, roomy seats, and a steering wheel adjustable for tilt and reach.

The Triton is also as easy to drive as a typical passenger car, and while it’s still a good deal longer than any car it has a much better turning circle than any similar ute. This is because it has a shorter wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear axles) than its competitors.

The engine has plenty of power and is also quiet and refined, as diesels go.

Like all utes, the ride can be bouncy and uncomfortable on rough roads when there’s no load in the tub or tray.

What about safety in a Triton?

All Triton Double Cabs have seven airbags and the security of electronic stability control.

All Triton Double Cabs have a reversing camera as standard and all but the GLX feature lane departure warning, and autonomous emergency braking, which Mitsubishi calls Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM).

FCM sounds a warning when it detects a potential collision with another vehicle or pedestrian. If the driver doesn’t take action it automatically applies the brakes to prevent or minimise impact.

The GLS and GLS Premium Tritons also feature blind-sport warning, rear-cross traffic alert, automatic high beam, and lane change assist. They also feature hill descent control that automatically controls the brakes when negotiating tricky descents when off road, to help you concentrate on steering around obstacles.

The Triton GLS and GLS Premium can use four-wheel drive on sealed surfaces, aiding traction and stability when it’s wet and thus improving safety – particularly when towing.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) awarded all Tritons five stars for safety, in April 2015.

I like driving - will I enjoy this car?

Utes are not designed as driver’s cars but the Triton is better to drive than most other utes. It is lighter than most and has a sporty feel, and steering precision generally not associated with multi-role utes of this sort.

The Triton isn’t a performance ute and there are others with more power, but it is not often that you wish it had more power.

Four-wheel-drive Tritons are also good off-road, although here the short wheelbase increases rear overhang, which can be a problem in some off-road situations. The Triton GLX+, GLS and GLS Premium versions are equipped with a rear differential lock which makes them more capable in difficult going.

How is life in the rear seats?

The rear seat of Double-Cab Tritons is not as wide as those in some alternatives, such as the Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50 or the Volkswagen Amarok. However, leg room is good and the Triton’s seat back is angled further rearwards, so that you don’t feel like you are sitting too upright (as you do in the rear of many utes).

Aside from the width of the seat, the Triton Double Cabs are comparable for rear passenger comfort with many mid-sized, off-road capable 4WD wagons.

How is it for carrying stuff, and for towing?

Good, of course - It’s a ute. And the Triton is also suited to towing.

Legally, a Triton is rated to carry a bit less than most other utes. Even so, the Triton with the least capacity – the GLS Premium double cab – can accept 740kg in the tray (37 bags of cement) and a driver and passenger.

In practice, hauling that much weight in the tray of a Double Cab Triton is a mixed bag. The powerful diesel engine has no trouble getting you along, but the ute sags at the rear noticeably when loaded to its maximum capacity.

As well, the tub on Double Cab Tritons overhangs the rear axle more than is the case on other utes. That means most of the extra weight from a load is placed behind the axle. As a result, a heavy load lightens the steering and leaves the Triton feeling less stable to drive.

Single Cab and Club Cab Tritons are better at carrying very heavy loads, because the weight can be located further forward.

The story is similar when you use a Triton for towing. Four-wheel-drive Tritons are legally rated to tow a braked trailer weighing 3000 or 3100kg. That is less than other utes, most of which can tow up to 3500kg, but still plenty for a 20-foot tandem-axle road caravan, or a double-horse float with two big horses on board.

In practice, the engine copes well enough with a trailer this heavy but again the Triton chassis sags at the rear and feels better suited to towing a little less.

On the plus side, the Triton GLS and GLS Premium's full-time 4WD system gives it a notable advantage over most other utes when carrying or towing on wet and slippery bitumen roads. Most utes can drive only their rear wheels on normal roads.

In any ute, extreme care should be taken when carrying or towing big loads.

Where does Mitsubishi make the Triton?

All Australian-delivered Mitsubishi Tritons are made in Thailand.

What might I miss that similar cars have?

Utes such as the Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50 and Volkswagen Amarok have a wider and generally bigger cabin.

Utes with bigger engines, such as the Ranger and BT-50, also offer more performance. Some utes have a higher towing capacity.

Some utes have more ratios in their auto gearboxes than the Triton’s six, which means their engines spend more time where they run most sweetly. For example, the Nissan Navara has a seven-speed auto the Amarok an eight-speed auto, and the Ford Ranger is available with a 10-speed transmission.

The Ranger also offers active cruise control on the more expensive versions, as an extra-cost option. It will match the slower speed of a car in front on the highway until you are ready to overtake.

Some utes – among them the Ranger and Holden Colorado – offer a collision alert, which monitors the road ahead and will warn you of obstacles (for example, a vehicle ahead that has slowed suddenly).

The most expensive Navara, the ST-X Dual-Cab, has a powered sunroof option.

You could also look at the Isuzu D-Max.

Are there plans to update the Triton soon?

This Triton arrived as an all-new model about the middle of 2015. It won’t be replaced for while yet.

About January 2017 the less costly versions gained a touchscreen and (in Double Cabs) reversing camera, and the GLS and Exceed were fitted with a bigger touchscreen that can display apps from your smartphone.

The Triton received a dramatic facelift at the end of 2018 for the 2019 model year. This included a new ‘Dynamic Shield’ front end design giving it a more aggressive look in keeping with its rivals. It also received an technology boost with a number of versions gaining autonomous emergency breaking with pedestrian assist as standard. The range-topping Triton Exceed was replaced with the GLS Premium, which gained additional active safety features.

Mitsubishi made some slight changes in October 2019 for the 2020 model year, including making standard rear differential lock standard equipment in the GLX+ and GLS variants as well as the GLS Premium. An Off-Road mode selector with ‘Gravel’, ‘Mud/Snow’, ‘Sand’ and ‘Rock’ settings was also added to the GLS and GLS Premium Tritons equipped with Super-Select 4WD-II.

Don’t expect any significant updates until 2021, though Mitsubishi will most likely introduce special edition versions with extra features.

I like this car, but I can't choose which version. Can you help?

The GLS auto is very well specified for the money and would make a very practical but comfortable family vehicle.