The Mitsubishi Triton really took us by surprise for the duration of our review, the very capable, and easy to live with on a daily basis bakkie is humble yet has plenty to boast about.
For the longest time, the Triton kept its head above water with list pricing a decent step below top-sellers like the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger. A part from great value for money, the Triton in my opinion is a handsome vehicle with sharp angular lines on the front-end that manages to maintain the iconic look of the Mitsubishi range, but also allowing it to be a very pretty car.
Powered by one of the most responsive engines ever mounted in a bakkie, this 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine with Common Rail Direct Injection is rated as one of the most efficient in its class. During the duration of our review, even under less than favourable driving conditions, short stop-go trips, it still managed to achieve a fuel consumption of 10.5 litres/100km. Coupled with a choice of either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission, the Mitsubishi Triton Engine is proof that a car-like ride does not mean that power and torque have to be sacrificed.
Mitsubishi has a calimed fuel consumption of 8.6 litres/100km, but we with an urban mix driving approach, we were able to maintain around 9.5 litre/100km, and by modern day standards in a large bakkie, this is great figure in comparison to some the of the competitors we have tested such as the Hilux, Ranger and Amarok.
The Triton has always been one of the nicer-driving bakkies around, and this one further improves on that solid starting point, thanks to upsized wheels and tyres and recalibrated suspension. These revisions brought about even better ride quality, and more-surefooted handling. A point I frequently pointed out was the quietness of the cabin, even whilst tackling harsh South African road surfaces, not a single rattle or squeak to be heard.
As far as ladder-frame-chassis bakkies with leaf-sprung rear axles go, it’s one of the smoothest-riding and most refined you can find. The drivetrain reinforced this perception of a refinement, with a quiet (for a diesel bakkie) engine, a smooth-shifting gearbox, and the best 4×4 system out there.
The Triton is highly competitive in its market segment, and great value for money. I urge everyone in the market for a bakkie to test drive the Triton, in my book, although oddly not as popular as big names like Hilux and Ranger, it is an equal competitor, if not better.
