What does a pick-up truck have to do with your regular car? The modern ones can be just as comfortable as sedan, and sometimes better too.

There was a time when pick-up trucks were utilitarian. Those that drove one, used it for a purpose, for work. And there was also a time where you could only register a pick-up truck for commercial purposes.

That has all changed. The vehicle itself is almost unrecognisable in terms of size, design and comfort when compared to their “workhorse” like predecessors.

But even now, there are pick-up trucks that are more utilitarian than others. You don’t buy a Hilux for comfort and neither do you buy a Ranger to go hardcore off-roading. Some pick-up trucks are built to excel at one thing.

That’s just some though, there are others that are built to excel at just about everything.

And in that context, the Mitsubishi Triton, particularly the flagship Athlete variant is arguably the one truck that sits in the midst of a complicated equilibrium and is the best value for money pick-up there is in the market now.

But first, some context.

The Triton that you see on these pages is the sixth-generation variant. It was first introduced to the world towards the second half of 2023 and made its Malaysian debut in October of 2024.

The new Triton had it all. It was much improved over the previous-generation model and was a fine balance of comfort and utility.

But during its launch last year, it was overshadowed by the removal of the diesel subsidies. It was caught in between the political war between those that supported the subsidies and those that agreed for it to be removed.

The industry was in a shock, and this also resulted in lower sales across the board for pick-up truck brands.

So unfortunately for Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), it was just a matter of timing. No one could have predicted the timing of the subsidy removal, and this caught out the new Triton, as good as it may be.

Moving forward.

MMM is not a company that sits on its laurels, or misfortunate in this instance. The company headed back to the drawing board, put its ears to the ground and came back with a new Triton.

It is still the same sixth-generation model, but just with a few enhancements that makes it easier on the eye and easier to live with.

It featured new body decals to give it a sportier presence. It also comes with a sports bar at the rear, a new front bumper with aggressive styling and more importantly an easy lift system for the tailgate. The importance of the latter is never to be underestimated as it makes it easier to lift the excruciatingly heavy tailgate.

And then came the final update, the price. MMM reduced the price from the initial RM166k to RM160k, in response to market conditions obviously.

This made the Triton the most affordable among the three heavenly trucks – the Toyota Hilux Rogue, Ford Ranger Wildtrak and the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain.

So, what makes the Triton so special?

A few things. For one, the Triton has built a reputation of toughness and dependability. According to data sourced from MMA, over 120,000 Tritons have found a home in Malaysia since 2005. And over the years, the Triton has also evolved to meet any requirements.

Together with the launch of the sixth-generation model, MMM also offered the single-cab (two-door) variant of the Triton for the first time in the Malaysian market. This was in response to market demands from people who wanted a work truck without all the “show and go”.

The Mitsubishi Triton is also known for its advanced four-wheel drive system called the Super Select 2. Though only available in the flagship variant, the system is highly regarded as one of the most advanced in the industry.

The system gives the Triton Athlete seven drive modes and uses a unique viscous-coupling centre differential. This allows the Triton to distribute power between the front and rear axles in 4H mode.

Unlike regular four-wheel-drive systems that limit the speed at which the 4H mode can operate at, you can drive the Triton at any speed in 4H mode, even well past the speed limit if needed. That is something that is only available in the Triton and can be regarded as a safety feature when the road gets slippery.

And if you come across even more challenging terrain and need more traction, you can simply switch to 4HLc or even low range 4LLC to lock the centre differential. This makes the Triton unbeatable when the road gets tough.

There’s also the powertrain of the Triton Athlete. Powering the truck is a 2.4-litre, turbocharged, MIVEC engine putting out 204PS and 470Nm of torque. This is more power than an Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain, and though it may not be as powerful as a Ford Ranger Wildtrak, it surely offers smoother power delivery.

The Ranger uses a bi-turbo system that is prone to lag during power delivery. The Triton on the other hand offers instant power by utilising a twin-stage turbocharger which responds immediately to the accelerator pedal.

MIVEC on the other hand is a legendary system that works by adjusting the timing and positioning of the engine valves based on the engine speed. This in turn enhances performance by improving combustion, thus leading to reduced consumption as well.

And on the topic of reduce consumption, the Trion is the only pick-up truck in the market that runs on an aluminium engine. This is lighter which means the Triton does not have to work as hard to turn its wheels, which in turn reduces consumption.

What’s more, our research showed that the Triton Athlete is one of the cheapest to maintain in its segment. Based on a 20,000km service interval, we calculated the price of each service package all the way until 100,000km.

The Triton Athlete will set you back just RM7,303.18, which is lower than the Toyota Hilux Rogue as well as the Ford Ranger Wildtrak.

That can’t be all?

Definitely not. While design is always subjective, the design of the new Triton is not just easy on the eye, it is also an award winner. It won the 2024 IF Design Award under the Product Design Category.

It also won the 2024 Japan Car of The Year under the Design Car of The Year Category, ASEAN NCAP Grand Prix Awards 2024 which recognised the Triton as the best Pick Up Truck, and finally it also won the Vehicle of The Year Award Malaysia as the Best Pick Up Truck of The Year.

So, the Triton is not just something looks and sounds good on paper, it has substance too.

Great, but what about safety?

The Triton has you covered as well. It did not only score the maximum of five-stars in the ASEAN NCAP crash test safety rating, but also comes with an armada of active, passive, and driver aid systems.

Some of the things that are worth mentioning include seven airbags for the Athlete version, forward collision mitigation system with warning and braking function.

It also comes with adaptive cruise control as well as the all-important blind spot monitoring system. Besides that, it has rear cross traffic alert, lane change alert, and lane departure warning, among many others.

But how does it drive?

Step inside the Triton and the first thing that gets you is the comfort of the suede and leatherette clad seats. The seats are not only plush, but broad as well, which is important for long journeys.

The near vertical dash is another thing that gets you. It looks tough, macho even. And the design makes it seem wider than any other dash on the market.

But the real magic of the Triton though is when you start driving it. The electronic steering rack feels light in your hands, and this shrinks the Triton’s commanding size since it is so easy to manoeuvre. This also makes steering in and out of parking lots a breeze, assisted of course by about half a dozen proximity sensors.

Tickle the throttle a little and the engine responds immediately. The lag is barely noticeable here. Once you really start chatting with the accelerator paddle, the Triton responds by piling on speed faster it takes you to read this sentence.

It is no performance car, and it is not trying to be either, but performance just comes naturally to this Triton. It must be the many years it has spent racing in the legendary Dakar Rally. Some know-how from that race has trickled down to the everyday Triton.

But what we really like is how refined it can be and how easy it is to live with on a day-to-day basis.

For the rear passengers, the Triton is the only pick-up truck to come with roof-mounted air-conditioning vents. And if you’re working in the field or out on a hot day, nothing feels better than having cool air blown to your face.

So, should you get one?

If you want a do-everything, go-anywhere pick-up truck, the Mitsubishi Triton Athlete is the truck to have. It’s not only the most affordable in its class, but being the cheapest also means it offers the best value for money in its class.

And just to sweeten the deal, MMM also included the best warranty package among all its competitors as well. The Triton comes secured with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty while most others only make do with a five-year or 150,000km package.

Not bad for a model that was launched in right in the midst of turmoil, and now has rebuilt itself to become one of, if not the best pick-up truck in its segment.

Specifications:
Engine: 2.4-litre, MIVEC, Two-Stage Turbo Diesel
Power: 204PS @ 3500rpm
Torque: 470Nm @ 1500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Steering: Electric power steering

We like: Design, interior quality, refinement
We don’t like: Hard to fault