All-round capable car

Mitsubishi’s new pickup truck, the Triton, was introduced to the Japanese market for the first time in 13 years. We have test-driven the full-fledged off-roader, which uses a ladder frame, not only off-road but also on-road. We explore its all-round capability, which has won the author’s strong praise.

The excuse, “It’s a pickup,” was thrown out

In July 2023, Mitsubishi’s 1-tonne pickup truck, the Triton, was unveiled in Thailand, the country where it was produced. At that time, it was also announced that it would be launched in Japan, and it has just made its long-awaited arrival in Japan in February 2024. I have already reported on the Triton’s off-road performance, and we have already reported on its high potential. This time, we decided to test drive the vehicle not only off-road but also on public roads.

To conclude, the impression of a “very good car” that I had in the previous Hokkaido test has now been transformed into a solid compliment: “It can be used in everyday life without feeling any difficulties, the handling is full of fun and, of course, the off-road drivability is very high-it is a true all-rounder”.

The new Triton has had a completely new platform for the past two generations, but this time it has been completely redesigned. In the development of the frame section, where weight reduction is a priority due to its heavy weight, the frame section was widened in the parts that needed to be strong by accompanying technological innovations, and the suspension and engine mounting areas were hardened, honestly pursuing the performance required of a car, not just a pick-up truck. The addition of Mitsubishi-style tuning eliminates the excuse that it is a pick-up truck. The engine is a 2.4-liter diesel turbo unit with a two-stage turbocharger combination that produces high torque across the entire range in a flat manner.

Previous pick-up trucks tended to combine high-output units only in models (destinations) where heavy loads are often carried, and with such units there existed a difficulty in handling. However, with the new model, in addition to high output, we have perfected a unit that is easy to handle, has low torque fluctuations, and gives a sense of satisfaction in everyday use, and this is why we dared to choose it for the Japanese market.