2018 Mitsubishi Triton Exceed Review
Dean Mellor’s 2018 Mitsubishi Triton Exceed Review With Pricing, Specs, Performance, Ride And Handling, Safety, Verdict And Score.
In A Nutshell The Mitsubishi Triton might be a bit smaller than its rivals but it’s big on features and value for money. Even the fully loaded, top-spec Exceed is less than $50k. In fact we’ve recently seen it advertised for $45,990 drive-away! No wonder the Triton is Australia’s third best-selling 4×4 ute.
2018 Mitsubishi Triton Exceed
Pricing $48,000+ORC Warranty 5-years/100,000km Service Intervals 12 months/15,000km Safety 5 star ANCAP Engine 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel Power 133kW at 3500rpm Torque 430Nm at 2500rpm Transmission five-speed automatic Drive selectable full-time 4WD Dimensions 5280mm (L); 1815mm (W); 1780mm (H) Turning Circle 11.8m Ground Clearance 205mm Towing Capacity 750kg/3100 Spare Full size Fuel Tank 75L Thirst 7.6L/100km (combined)
WITH SUPER-competitive pricing, selectable full-time 4WD, good performance and economy, and plenty of standard equipment, it’s not surprising the Mitsubishi Triton outsells many of its rivals.
What is the Mitsubishi Triton?
The Mitsubishi Triton has firmly cemented itself as Australia’s third best-selling ute, despite – or perhaps because of – being smaller than most of its competitors. After all, not every ute driver wants a vehicle that’s too big and ungainly to easily park around town or to manoeuvre on tight bush tracks.
The Triton runs a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that, in Exceed spec, is mated to a standard five-speed automatic transmission. With claimed peak output of 133kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm at 2500Nm, the engine is not as potent as many of its competitors, but Triton gives away little in terms of performance thanks to its lighter weight; the Double Cab Triton Exceed weighs 1955kg (kerb) compared with Toyota HiLux SR5, which tips the scales at 2075kg, or Ford Ranger XLT, which weighs in at 2202kg.
Another point of difference with the Triton Exceed is its 4×4 system. While most competitor utes have rudimentary part-time 4×4 systems, the Triton Exceed runs Mitsubishi’s effective Super-Select II selectable full-time 4×4 system. This allows Exceed to be run in 2H or 4H on sealed surfaces, and then 4H locked or 4L locked when driving on gravel roads or off the road. The great advantage here is if you’re driving on a mix of sealed and unsealed roads, or if road conditions are wet and slippery, you can simply leave the 4×4 system in full-time 4WD (4H) for maximum traction.
In Exceed spec the Triton comes fully loaded with 17-inch alloys, a sports bar, HID headlights, fog lights, smart key with one-touch start, paddle shift, dual-zone climate control, seven-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay/Android Auto, DAB radio, HDMI input, multi-information display with trip computer, leather trim, heated front seats and power driver’s seat. It also has the aforementioned rear diff lock fitted as standard.
While overall dimensions don’t match some competitors, the Triton Double Cab still has a reasonably large tub that measures 1520mm long by 1470mm wide and 475mm deep. To put that into perspective, the Ford Ranger dual-cab tub measures 1549mm x 1560mm x 511mm and the Isuzu D-MAX tub 1552mm x 1530mm x 465mm, so the biggest shortfall in regards to cargo dimensions is the Triton’s width. To match competitors for cargo length, much of the Triton’s tub hangs out the back behind the rear axle, so care has to be taken when loading the vehicle to ensure heavy stuff is pushed towards the front of the tray, over the rear axle rather than behind it.
What’s the interior like?
When you seat yourself behind the wheel of the Triton, the lack of body width is one of the first things you notice; it’s not tiny but it’s smaller than some class competitors. Taller drivers may even feel a little cramped, but that’s more due to the design of the centre console than overall vehicle width.
The chunky leather-covered steering wheel has a sporty look about it with controls for audio, phone and cruise. Thankfully, the paddle shifters are affixed to steering column rather than the wheel, so they always stay put, even when turning the wheel. The overall design of the interior is quite cohesive, and the dashboard has lots of curves and a mix of soft and hard finishes, with a colour combination consisting dark grey, silver and black. The touchscreen is located up high where it’s easy to see and operate, and vehicle and HVAC controls are clearly labelled and easy to see.
Outboard passengers in the rear seat are afforded reasonable legroom and a comfortable seat, with a fold-down centre armrest with cup holders. Things could get testy of you try to squeeze three adults into the back seat; none will be happy with the lack of shoulder room and the centre passenger will find themselves almost sitting on top of their own seatbelt buckle.
What’s it like on the road?
The Triton’s 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine is a refined powerplant that provides strong on-road performance and makes the most of the five forward ratios on offer. The transmission shifts smoothly enough too, and top gear is tall enough to provide relaxed open-road touring. While the claimed 7.6L/100km combined figure is somewhat optimistic, the Triton delivers decent fuel economy; on test we’ve averaged around 11L/100km, so you can expect to get more than 600km range out of the 75L tank, even with a generous safety margin built in.
The Triton turns into corners nicely and has an almost sporty feel about it. The suspension is relatively firm but not so hard that it’s uncomfortable. And thanks to the full-time 4WD system there’s good traction on slippery roads.
While the class standard for braked towing capacity is now 3500kg, Mitsubishi lists the Triton at 3100kg. Remember, the Triton is lighter than most of its competitors, and has a shorter wheelbase and narrower track, so this more conservative towing figure makes sense. The maximum tow ball load for the Triton is 310kg, which is ideal when you consider most towing experts recommend tow ball weight should be 10 per cent of trailer weight. It must be noted, however, that as cargo loads increase, maximum trailer weights will decrease.
What’s it like off the road?
The Triton uses its compact dimensions to good advantage on tight bush tracks. The low bonnet results in good forward visibility and the 11.8m turning circle is impressive for a dual-cab ute. And the fact you can drive the Triton on tracks in 4WD without locking the centre diff aids manoeuvrability, especially when you have to back and fill in tight spots.
While the Triton Exceed offers decent ground clearance and a good approach angle, the departure angle is limited due to the vehicle’s long rear overhang. The side-steps hang down quite low too, so care has to be taken in rocky conditions or when driving over erosion mounds.
Suspension travel is also quite limited, and you can expect the Triton to spectacularly lift its wheels into the air when driving over undulating terrain. The electronic traction control can struggle to rein in wheel spin once full axle articulation has been reached, but engage the rear diff lock and the Triton Exceed will work its way up some gnarly, slippery inclines.
What safety features does it get?
The Triton Exceed has all of the expected safety features in this class, including driver and passenger front and side airbags, driver’s knee airbag and curtain airbags, ABS, traction control, stability control, hill start assist, trailer sway control, EBD and EBA. It also has auto rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing headlights, LED DRLs, a reversing camera, two ISOFIX points and two child seat anchors.
These safety features put the Triton on a similar level to its competitors, although the bar for 4×4 utes has just been raised by the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, which is equipped with autonomous emergency braking and lane keeping assistance across the range.
So, what do we think of the Mitsubishi Triton?
There are plenty of sub-$50k 4×4 dual-cab utes on the market but none at this price point are as well-equipped as the top-spec Mitsubishi Triton Exceed.