It’s been a long time between drinks, but the new Mitsubishi Triton is finally coming.
Thai outlet Headlight Magazine reports Mitsubishi has invited local media to the Triton reveal in Bangkok on July 26, ahead of the ute’s expected arrival Down Under late in 2023 or early in 2024.
The new Triton will ride on a new platform, and features a new diesel engine under the bonnet at launch.
Teased by the XRT concept revealed in Bangkok last month, the new Triton is expected to feature a more upmarket interior than the current car, along with tougher styling and a bigger body.
Spy photos have revealed a larger grille up front with split-level headlights, while down the side there’s a prominent crease and a belt line up-kick towards the back of the rear doors.
As part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s leader-follower model, Mitsubishi is leading development of the Triton, with the next Nissan Navara set to share underpinnings but feature different styling.
Although plug-in hybrid power has been mooted for the new Mitusbishi ute, executives have confirmed the technology is under study for the Triton rather than locked in. Were it to reveal a Triton PHEV, the brand has confirmed it would follow the pure-electric ute it intends to reveal after 2025.
Last year, the Triton was Australia’s third best-selling ute with 27,436 sales, behind only the pricier Ford Ranger (47,479) and Toyota HiLux (64,391) and ahead of the newer Isuzu D-Max (24,336).
It’s also the best-selling Mitsubishi in Australia, ahead of the Outlander and ASX crossovers.
Mitsubishi hasn’t committed to developing a tougher new Triton ute to tackle the Ford Ranger Raptor just yet, but the company is keen to make it happen.
A tougher Triton would be a part of the reborn Ralliart program currently being discussed at Mitsubishi head office, and would draw on lessons learned in the Asian Cross Country Rally (AXCR).
If it’s not developed in-house, it’s possible Mitsubishi could lean on the expertise of Walkinshaw (like Volkswagen with the Amarok W580) or Premcar (like Nissan with the Navara Warrior) to develop the Triton into a more capable beast in Australia.
Walkinshaw has already worked on the outgoing Triton, launching the more capable Xtreme this year.
