Nissan Navara ST vs Mitsubishi Triton GSR

While the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux continue to be the stars of the 4x4 ute class, there are plenty of other brands in the mix, all of them wanting bit of that action that is so hot right now.

This opens up a diverse range of products at varying price points for buyers to choose from and frankly, the buyer has plenty to look at. There should be a 4x4 ute on the market today to suit every buyers’ application and budget.

Two of the long-time players in the category are the Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Navara, and with the Navara receiving a recent facelift and equipment upgrade and a Triton in the car park, we figured we should take them out for a look at which works the best.

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NISSAN NAVARA ST

The Navara we have here is the ST variant; the second up the scale in a four-model double-cab line-up. It came to us loaded with optional accessories such as an air intake snorkel, loopless steel bumper, Warn VR winch and fender flares.

All these factory goodies add a hefty $11,573.14 to the ST’s $54,790 MSRP. Include another $650 for premium paint and you’re looking at $67,003.14 before on-road costs. Or, to put it another way, very nearly enough to buy Nissan’s new PRO-4X Warrior.

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POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE

Nissan carried over its 2.3-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine for the facelifted Navara and this ST spec 4x4 gets the bi-turbo set-up that makes 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque which are middle-of-the-road figures for cars in this class.

Despite the modest numbers, the 2.3 gets along sprightly with linear power delivery through the range of throttle applications, working well with the 7-speed auto to keep things moving along. The engine is smooth and responsive when asked for more and it does so with a minimum of engine noise.

A minor gripe with the auto transmission is one that applies to other Nissan 4x4s as well; the conservative calibration of the manual selection never lets the driver shift down a gear when he or she wants to. When driving off road in low range, you need to come to a complete standstill before the transmission allows you to select first gear before a descent when you expect to be able to make the selection at a crawling pace.

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ON ROAD RIDE & HANDLING

It's no secret that Nissan has had a few goes at fiddling with the Navara’s suspension set-up, but it remains softer than most of its rivals. This doesn’t do it many favours when towing or over large undulations where it can continually kiss the bump stops at speed, but it does make for a more comfortable ride.

Unlike the Triton, there isn’t the ability to run the Navara in all-wheel drive with a centre diff, but traction is impressive on slippery surfaces in rear-wheel drive. The steering is nicely weighted, lighter than the Mitsubishi’s, and the 2.3-litre engine is smoother and more refined, particularly as it approaches its 4500rpm redline, 500rpm more than the Triton.

It feels impressive, but figures from our recent dual-cab mega test reveal the Triton and Navara – albeit slightly different variants – are virtually identical in terms of acceleration (11.36 vs 11.32sec) and you notice that while the Nissan’s engine is smooth, it doesn’t really have a lot of grunt.

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OFF ROAD

With its multi-link coil-spring rear suspension, the Navara offers a slightly more supple ride over rough ground than most 4x4 utes which are leaf sprung in the rear; the Triton included. That supple ride is appreciated in the cabin and with rear wheel travel, although that’s still not great by aftermarket standards.

Where the suspension falls short is when things get really bumpy as its soft ride doesn’t control the weight so well, and this is with no load in the car. The Navara’s front bump stops are never going to fail from lack of use if you regularly drive one of these off road as they get a good workout. This vehicle also has Nissan’s HD front springs fitted to account for the weight of the winch and bumper, but they still struggled. Further uprated springs and shocks would be recommended for any Navara set to carry a load or fitted with heavy accessories.

In the slower, low-range terrain, the supple suspension helped with wheel articulation keeping the rubber on the track and the electronic traction control acts swiftly to keep you going. There’s a rear differential lock for when the going gets tougher and you need maximum traction from the back axle.

The steel front bumper improves ground clearance there, but the lightweight side-steps aren’t up to a beating and one came adrift after scraping as we crested a hump. With Nissan designing all its bar work and kit locally, hopefully it will see fit to create some proper sliders to protect the flanks of the Nav. Even the Warrior retains the standard steps, but at least they will be more protected thanks to the added ride height.

Among its factory accessories this Navara wears an intake snorkel which should deliver cleaner air to the engine and give a bit of added security when crossing waterways. It doesn’t however change the factory 600mm wading depth. The Warn VR winch is also a great inclusion for self-recovery security when out and about.

The steering does feel a bit dull when on road and no better off road but the relatively tight turning circle of the Navara works well on tight tracks, something that can’t be said for all the cars in this class.

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CABIN & ACCOMMODATION

One aspect of the Nissan’s interior that immediately jumps out is its steering wheel. It might sound strange, but the Navara’s small, simple wheel could be from the 370Z sports car or similar. While it lacks the paddle shifters of the Mitsubishi, it makes a surprisingly large difference to how the Navara feels.

I personally prefer the design and layout of the Navara’s cabin, with its larger 8.0-inch touchscreen flanked by physical buttons, simple rotary dials, circular side air vents and the way the dash moulds into the doors – your taste may differ.

There’s no arguing it’s not as well-equipped, with cloth-trimmed, manually-adjustable seats, manual air-conditioning and no keyless entry, though there’s still smartphone mirroring, native sat-nav, DAB radio and plenty of charging options, including two 12V outlets, three USB-A and one USB-C ports.

Matching the Triton’s spec list is certainly doable, but you’ll need to step up to the ST-X variant. Rear space is tight, which could be an issue for larger adults or car seats, though both have a pair of ISOFIX child seat anchorage and top tethers.

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SAFETY

The Navara’s safety gear is up to date, with forward collision braking, lane departure warning and intervention, blind-spot warning and intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, around-view monitor, auto wipers and lights, and trailer sway control.

A total of seven airbags includes front, side seat, curtain and driver’s knee, while there’s a rear-view camera and parking sensors, but no front sensors.

Like the Triton, the Navara’s safety aids are generally unobtrusive in their operation, though one pretty much unavoidable consequence of these systems on off-road vehicles is that mud, dirt or water can obscure the cameras.

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PRACTICALITIES

Nissan increased the payload on the 2021 Navaras so they all have at least 1-tonne capacity. For the ST 4x4 it comes in at 1097kg, but that’s without the heavy accessories such as the steel bumper and winch fitted and they will eat into that payload a bit. Towing capacity is the industry standard 3500kg.

The cargo tub in this car has a bed liner for protection and makes do with four, low mounted tie-down points for securing a load.

The factory accessories add to the practicality of any 4x4 ute, improving both durability and capability, and we’re happy that Nissan is designing and offering its own range of factory-supported parts.

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MITSUBISHI TRITON GSR

The Triton GSR sits at the top of Mitsubishi’s four-model range so equipment-wise, it’s already ahead of the Navara ST. It now includes a roll-top tonneau for $57,240 driveaway so it’s fairly evenly priced with the big Nissan (sans options).

The Triton has always been a great value-for-money package and its sharp pricing and regular ‘specials’ keep it near the top of the 4x4-ute category sales, traditionally sitting in third place behind Ranger and Hilux.

The Triton is one of the smaller utes in the category and many buyers who don’t want the big-car feel and inconvenience of the larger utes are drawn to this trait. While smaller in size, it really doesn’t give away much in terms of performance and capacity.

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POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE

The Triton’s 2.4-litre, single turbocharger equipped diesel engine makes 133kW of power and 430Nm of torque, so it does lack behind many of the bigger and newer engines in the class. But this deficiency doesn’t seem to affect it too much when you put your foot down as the lighter weight of the Mitsubishi accounts for any slack. The weight also helps with fuel economy as the Triton quotes 8.6L/100km on the combined scale compared with the Navara’s more frugal 7.3L/100km claim.

The engine is backed by a six-speed automatic transmission which is unremarkable for all the right reasons – it gives the driver nothing to complain about. While some may think that paddle-style gear shifters behind the steering wheel are purely for boy racers and have no place in a 4x4 ute, they do come in handy off road when you want to tap back a few ratios as you approach a descent.

As the top of the range Triton, the GSR gets Mitsubishi’s Super Select transfer case which gives the operator the choice of 2WD, full-time 4WD, locked 4WD high range, and locked 4WD low range. The addition of full-time 4WD is handy on varied road surfaces or wet roads as it saves the driver from having to switch between two- and four-wheel drive and this feature makes the Triton unique in the segment.

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ON-ROAD RIDE & PERFORMANCE

On first impressions the Triton feels quite agricultural with weighty steering, a busy ride, soft brakes and a noisy engine, particularly at higher rpm, but with acclimatisation some positives also begin to make themselves known.

The engine has a relatively narrow powerband, but there’s a nice hit of low-end torque that provides decent response. Including the Pajero Sport’s eight-speed auto would probably improve its outright performance but the current six-speed is unobtrusive – the option is there to use the large shift paddles, but it works fine of its own accord.

Roadholding and steering accuracy are adequate without approaching the fluency of the Ranger or Amarok, the relatively stiff suspension providing fairly tight body control. Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD system does allow the Triton to operate in all-wheel drive without the need to have a locked centre diff, which can be handy on wet or slippery tarmac roads.

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OFF ROAD

With its smaller overall size, shorter wheelbase and firm suspension, the Triton feels quite nimble on the track, especially when compared to the Navara. The Triton’s firmer suspension does a far better job of absorbing bumps than the Navara’s and it wasn’t hitting its bump stops over the same terrain the Navara was, while the steering feels sharper and more direct. Nor did it bottom out between the axles as the Navara did, saving its side-steps.

Low range offers adequate reduction and allowed us to crawl over deeply rutted tracks; while the rear differential lock is there is needed, although it wasn’t on this drive. The ETC is relatively responsive and was all that was required on this track. It stays engaged on the front wheels even when the rear diff lock is activated.

There’s also an off-road terrain selector that optimises the various electronic chassis controls to suit the selected terrain, although we failed to feel any difference when switching between them.

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CABIN AND ACCOMMODATION

The GSR attempts to justify its position as the pinnacle of the Triton range by including leather seats, though the unusual caramel colouring perhaps limits their appeal. The fronts are heated (with high and low settings) though, and the driver’s is electrically adjustable.

It’s not a particularly flashy interior in terms of its design or materials but it has plenty of kit, including a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, DAB radio, a pair of USB-A inputs, an HDMI input and 12V socket up front.

Rear passengers aren’t forgotten with roof-mounted vents feeding air from the dual-zone climate control with separate fan speed, a pair of USB-A inputs, another 12V outlet, reading lights, a pair of cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, large door bins and a small cubby hole in the back of the centre console.

The rear bench is a little short on under-thigh support but is otherwise comfy and spacious enough, while folding forward to reveal the tyre-changing equipment. Up front, the seats are well-bolstered albeit set a little higher than ideal, but with the steering wheel adjustable for rake and reach, a comfortable driving position should be able to be found.

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SAFETY

As the flagship Triton the GSR is fitted with Mitsubishi’s full suite of passive and active safety systems. There’s front, front-side and curtain airbags for driver and passenger as well as one for the driver’s knee.

Parking sensors front and rear and a rear-view camera reduce the excuses for hitting anything and once on the move, you have forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection, lane-departure and blind-spot warning, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, auto lights and wipers, and trailer stability assist.

Crucially, these systems are also well-calibrated, with less of the phantom intervention than you get in some other utes and cars. Unique to the GSR in the Triton range is the Multi-Around Monitor, which uses the car’s cameras to provide a 360-degree bird’s eye view, reveal blind spots and prevent low-speed collisions using the ‘misacceleration mitigation system’. Basically, it stops you hitting something if you accidentally hit the accelerator.

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PRACTICALITIES

With its smaller size and shorter wheelbase the Triton gives away a bit to its bigger competitors in terms of towing and load capacity. The maximum towing is rated at 3100kg and payload for the GSR is 901kg. With its lower kerb weight and handy GCM, the Triton does stack up relatively well when you do the sums before hooking up a trailer.

The cargo tub is a bit smaller than most others in the class, including the Navara, and the shorter wheelbase put most of the cargo space behind the rear axle so its load distribution is less than ideal. The GSR’s tub does have a protective liner and there are six tie-down points.

The roller hard tonneau cover that is standard on the GSR is great for protecting the contents of the tub from the weather, dust and prying eyes, although it does eat in the usable space at the front of the tub.

Mitsubishi Australia does offer a range of factory accessories for the Triton and the model is well-supported by the aftermarket allowing owners to build it to their needs.

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SUMMARY

On first appearance, you might think that comparing the Navara ST against the top-billing Triton GSR would be an unfair fight but when you see how close they are on price, it changes the equation.

To that end, the Triton wins in terms of the level of equipment and features, and the way it drives both on and off road. Look at them side by side and you start to see why the Triton is a popular value-for-money equation. It’s also appealing for its smaller and more maneuverable size, providing you don’t need the space of a bigger ute.

If you do need that bigger cabin and load space of the Navara, then it’s the only choice of this duo. The 400kg difference in towing capacity is in reality negligible, as towing anything heavier than 3000kg in any of these 1-tonne double-cab utes is really not something you’ll want to do on a regular basis; they don’t take too kindly to that sort of treatment.

The 100kg up in payload for the Navara is more of a plus as you really want all the payload you can get in these vehicles, especially if you are going to start accessorising them with bullbars, winch, roof racks and canopy; all that extra weight soon eats up your payload.

For mine, the added equipment, drivability and overall package of the Triton GSR makes it the winner here. It has the capacity to handle most of what most buyers will want from a double-cab ute, has all the features of a top-of-the-range model and represents great bang for your bucks.

SECOND OPINION

If your use-case is primarily on road or light duties, then I’d be tempted by the Navara for its softer ride and smoother engine, though a step up to the ST-X or PRO-4X would be in order to fill some missing specification gaps.

Otherwise, the Triton is the clear winner, especially when talking buck-for-buck. But while value is key to its appeal, the Mitsubishi does everything well enough – admittedly, without really having any standout qualities – to make it an appealing package.

A quick word though, if you can live without a few of the GSR’s trinkets the Triton GLS is a very similar offering for around $9K less!