Mitsubishi’s Triton revs high with robust makeover
Mitsubishi’s Triton lifestyle pick-up has undergone a radical transformation. The only thing that stops one from describing it as totally new is that beneath the dazzling skin is a carryover ladder-type frame combined with the high-impact safety cabin from the current model which launched in SA in January 2017.
It’s a significant departure from the current styling and it’s now in line with Mitsubishi’s eye-catching “Dynamic Shield” design language that debuted with the Pajero Sport range.
There’s also a cabin restyle that expresses “a modern and robust feeling” with frame surroundings for the switch panel and air outlets, soft pad materials and armrests.
Listed technology and spec includes a Multi-Around Monitor which generates a bird’seye view image of the area around the vehicle and parking sensors.
Advanced active safety and driver assistance systems, include Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), which can detect vehicles and pedestrians ahead, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation System (UMS) – a system tasked with reducing accidents resulting from improper use of the accelerator when moving off or reversing in car parks and other confined spaces.
Mechanically, 4WD models can be equipped with either Super-Select 4WD – a manually selectable option of the twospeed transfer case – or EasySelect 4WD, which relies on simplified drive modes for different road surfaces.
Both transmissions use a new Off-Road Mode which has gravel, mud/snow, sand and rock in 4LLc-only settings.
When engaged, Off-Road Mode integrally controls engine power, transmission and braking to regulate the amount of wheel slip for all-terrain performance and self-extraction performance in mud or snow. Hill Descent Control electronically marshals speed to allow drivers to negotiate steep or slippery descents.
Some details about this handsome pick-up remain sketchy for now, but Mitsubishi added it has refined key bits, such as braking performance, larger front discs and calipers, and further promise of an improved ride quality thanks to larger rear dampers.
The company has confirmed there will be a switch to a six-speed automatic transmission, the chase being smoother, more powerful acceleration and improved overall refinement. At the world premiere recently, Mitsubishi Motors CEO Osamu Masuko stated: “The new Mitsubishi Triton is one of our most important global strategic models.
“Its success will accelerate the momentum of the company’s sustainable growth. The new model brings enhancements to the durability, reliability and comfort developed over the 40 years since the introduction of the series.”
The new Triton is scheduled to be rolled out in the fourth quarter of 2019, with SA sales expected anywhere between the first and second quarter of 2020.