The 2019 Mitsubishi Triton was officially launched by Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) this morning at the 1 Utama shopping centre, where it will be on display until Sunday. The refreshed pick-up truck was first previewed at the 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) in November, shortly after the truck’s world debut in Thailand. Five variants are available, priced from RM100,200 to RM135,200 on the road without insurance.
“The new Triton is developed based on the concept of ‘Engineered Beyond Tough’ and brings enhancements to the durability, reliability and comfort developed over the 40 years since the introduction of the series. We’re confident the new Triton will meet the diverse needs of our customers,” said Tomoyuki Shinnishi, CEO of MMM, who emphasised MMC’s 40 years experience in making pick-up trucks.
As face swaps go, this is a huge one. The Triton finally receives Mitsubishi’s Dynamic Shield face, which is characterised by slim headlamps sitting atop a big fog lamp-signal lamp cluster, pushed to the extreme sides and sawed off cleanly for a square jaw.
Central to the Dynamic Shield look are chrome borders for the grille that starts from the headlamps, giving it the appearance of sunken cheeks. This latest family face is as seen on the Xpander MPV, and is “more extreme” than the face of the Pajero Sport.
By the way, Mitsubishi says that the Triton’s proud bonnet line is 100 mm higher than before. Likewise, the truck’s wading depth is now 100 mm higher than before, at 700 mm.
On the side, the Triton’s trademark “J-line” curved end to the cab is present, flanked by wheelarches that are now squared off. At the back, the updated truck gets new lamp clusters, which are very distinctive thanks to long-tail LED signatures. The tailgate handle and reverse camera are now housed in a chrome letterbox.
The wheels sport a matching angular spoke design. They’re 18-inch on the top Adventure X model and 17-inch elsewhere, but size aside, both designs are rather similar. Four colours are available: White Diamond, Jet Black Mica, Sterling Silver and Graphite Grey Metallic.
Relative to the exterior, the Triton’s interior sees smaller changes that are less apparent at a glance. Comparing old and new, the centre stack and console has seen some minor rearrangement – the centre air con vents have a slightly different shape, while the visual flow from the ICE and AC panel to the gear level area is no longer interrupted. The latter is now a sharp edged square, which follows the overall angular theme.
More obvious are the new features such as a first-in-segment air circulator with two rear vents on the roof, and a control panel with four fan speeds. The location where one would normally expect rear AC vents houses a new phone slot and USB charging ports. Up front, you’ll find soft touch padding on the centre console box and tunnel, which your elbows and knees will feel.
Under the skin, the new Triton is powered by a 2.4 litre MIVEC turbodiesel with 181 PS and 430 Nm of torque at 2,500 rpm. This engine – which has an aluminium alloy block and variable geometry turbo – is now mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, replacing the previous five speeder. The other gearbox in the range is a six-speed manual.
Also new is the Super Select 4WD II system on the Adventure X. It comes with a new Off-Road Mode which has four presets (gravel, mud, sand, rock). Choosing a mode will see the system optimise engine power, transmission and braking to regulate the amount of wheel slip and maximise off-road performance. There’s also hill descent control, which frees the driver to focus on steering during steep descents. The Off-Road Mode and HDC buttons are behind the 4WD rotary knob.
The Super Select 4WD II system has 2WD (2H) and 4WD (4H, 4HLc) modes with shift-on-the-fly at up to 100 km/h. When the going gets tough, one can lock the center differential by entering the 4HLc, or the low range 4LLc for serious off-roading. The Easy Select 4WD system on the other variants allows for 2H-4H shift-on-the-fly at up to 100 km/h.
There’s also big news on the safety front. Driver assist features such as Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), Blind Spot Warning with Lane Change Assist (BSW with LCA), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation System (UMS), Auto High Beam (AHB) and seven airbags are now available on the Triton Adventure X.
By the way, UMS is similar to Perodua’s pedal misoperation control; it prevents the car from moving forward when an obstacle is detected, such as a wall. Some of these safety features are first in the class. Lastly, the Triton boasts best-in-class turning radius of 5.9 metres.
It’s worth noting that the 2.4L MIVEC engine is now standard across the Triton range, which was previously split between the 2.4L (the best engine available for the Triton globally) and the older 2.5L. Also, all five variants are 4×4 now. All these changes are not applicable to the workhorse Triton Quest, which persists with the previous face and 110 PS/200 Nm 2.5L turbodiesel.
Imported CBU from Thailand, the 2019 Mitsubishi Triton range is priced at RM100,200 for the VGT MT, RM105,990 for the VGT AT, RM112,500 for the VGT MT Premium, RM118,600 for the VGT AT Premium and RM135,200 for the top VGT Adventure X. The factory warranty is for 200,000 km or five years.
Since KLIMS, 800 units have been booked, and first deliveries will start before Chinese New Year. MMM has a sales target of 600 units a month and has secured a 50-unit fleet deal with the fire department. View the specs and compare the new Triton against its rivals at CarBase.my.
Mitsubishi Triton VGT MT and AT – RM100,200 (MT), RM105,990 (AT)
Gets as standard:
- Mechanicals
2.4L MIVEC VGT turbodiesel
181 PS at 3,500 rpm, 430 Nm at 2,500 rpm
Six-speed auto with sport mode or six-speed manual
Easy Select 4WD
Exterior
Projector halogen headlamps
16-inch alloys with 245/70 tyres
Body colour bumper with black grille
Side steps
Halogen daytime running lights (AT only)
Interior
1x front USB port
2-DIN audio system with AUX, four speakers
Foldable rear seat storage compartment
Tilt and telescopic steering
Fabric seats
Safety
Driver and front passenger airbags (2x total)
ABS, EBD, Brake Assist
Active Stability Control with Traction Control
Hill-Start Assist
Brake over-ride system
Reverse parking sensors
Mitsubishi Triton VGT MT Premium and AT Premium – RM112,500 and RM118,600
Adds on:
- Mechanicals
Off-Road Modes (AT only)
Exterior
17-inch dual-tone alloys with 245/65 tyres (MT)
18-inch dual-tone alloys with 265/60 tyres (AT)
Front fog lamps
Chrome Dynamic Shield face
Chrome, power adjustable/fold wing mirrors with turn signals
Chrome door handles
Interior
Keyless entry with push start
High contrast meter panel
Colour multi-info display (AT only)
Auto dimming rear view mirror
Touchscreen head unit with Bluetooth and voice command, six speakers
Rear smartphone storage with 2x USB ports
Auto digital air con
Rear air circulator with roof vents
Four-spoke leather steering with audio controls
Cruise control
Speed sensing auto door lock
Leatherette front knee pads
Safety
Reverse camera with guide lines
Rest Reminder (AT only)
Hill Descent Control (AT only)
Mitsubishi Triton VGT Adventure X AT – RM135,200
Adds on:
- Mechanicals
Super Select 4WD II system
Exterior
Automatic bi-LED projector headlamps
LED daytime running lights
Auto wipers
Interior
Apple Carplay and Android Auto
Paddle shifters
Leatherette seats
Powered driver’s seat
Safety
Forward Collision Mitigation (AEB for vehicles and pedestrians)
Blind Spot Warning with Lane Change Assist
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation System (front and rear)
Auto High Beam
Front passenger seatbelt reminder
Front parking sensors
Seven airbags (front, side, curtain, driver’s knee)
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