The Mitsubishi brand is no new quantum to the local automotive scene as they had been a long term partner of the first Malaysian car from way back in the eighties. The subsequent fallout between the two parties resulted in Mitsubishi setting up shop with Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MMM) in 2005. Prior to the launch of this company, the pick-up segment was in more ways than one, dominated by the Mitsubishi Storm which was imported by a number of importers and it did give the more well brands in the segment a decent run for their money.

This segment over the last few years has seen the presence of many brands and the reason can be attributed to the sizable growth figures of the segment in addition to it being the choice of the young and the young at heart. Another reason for the growth is the models being for more driver friendly, refined with more than decent power as they are mainly powered by turbocharged, common rail engine.

Within the short space of time, MMM, with the assistance of its shareholder EON, managed to establish a good network of outlets. There are now 27 sales outlets in both Peninsular and East Malaysia. In fact, in East Malaysia, MMM boasts of a big presence as there are 7 sales outlets.

One of the key features of the Triton is the exterior, which takes a major shift from the conventional pick-ups and much effort has been placed to result in a contemporary look plus increase its appeal. This is very much spot-on as many research studies have shown that the exterior is one of the key factors when a potential buyer makes their purchasing decision. The body design with sloping A pillar makes a distinctive statement for the frontal and this further complemented with the bold bumper and the flared wheel arches. This is meant to increase the overall aerodynamically as the drag coefficient is only 0.51 and if this taken into consideration, the Triton is a winner is more ways than one. Its sleek look will do a long way in ensuring the success of the Triton.

Besides just the more than adequate exterior, the interior has been put together to create an ambiance which will suit the taste of even the most discerning motorist. The two tone dash is a stand out while the centre facia holds the unique RV meter but more on this later. The 4-spoke steering wheel felt comfortable and is leather wrapped while the transfer hand shift and transfer lever are also wrapped in leather. A 3 dials instrument cluster is positioned to offer clear visibility as they are blue-faced with silver rims.

The heart of the Triton is the 2.5-litre DOHC DI-D hyper common rail 16 valve in-line 4-cylindar diesel engine with turbo intercooler that is rated to produce the peak power of 136 PS at 3500 rpm and the torque of 314 Nm at 2000 rpm. During our drive, we observed the engine running smoothly and the main reason for this is the 32 bit ECU which had a feedback function to optimize fuel dispensation for complete efficiency. At our top speed of 150 km/h we noted a 3000 rpm reading and at the normal highway speed of 110 km/h was reached at 2200 rpm. These figures imply that this engine is not as thirsty as some available in the market.

As the engine is married to a 4-speed automatic transmission in our test unit, our ride was can be described as above par. It is a combination the engine and the transmission that delivers a response very much in tune to the demand of today’s drivers. The engagement of the hand shift and the transfer lever to 2H, 4L or 4H should not pose any problems to some of our fairer sex motorist.

In terms of making the ride more pleasurable and meaningful, a long list of items is included like the overhead console sunshade holder, a sizable glove compartment, fabric seats with headrests, a console box to store CD or anything else and a number of compartments for other essentials. The front and rear occupants will also enjoy more than average legroom besides the adjustable feature of the seats plus the headrests. There are cupholders for the front and rear passengers in addition to the front door pockets. For those who like gadgets, there is an accessory socket next to the hand shift. The RV meter deserves a special mention as it displays the time, travel data, fuel consumption, temperture, direction with a compass, barometer and altimeter. This feature clearly highlights that this vehicle is made to be driven not only in the urban jungle but also off-road. A 1 DIN AM/FM CD/MP3/WMA player is in place for the ICE with a pillar antenna. The aircon comes with four vents on the dash to keep the occupants well ventilated. For the sporty look, the sports bar comes standard with every unit.

For the suspension, the front uses independent wishbone with coil springs and the rear, rigid, elliptic coil springs. As of the brakes, the front has ventilated 16” disc while the rear is leading and trailing 11.6” drums. The ladder chassis felt well constructed and able to take all terrains. A note that has to be made here that the overall delivery of this package meaningful.

As in all vehicles, the safety component involves the RISE or Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution body construction that incorporates front and rear crumple zones. The steering wheel is collapsible and even the brake pedal has the anti-intrusion feature. There are also the ERL seatbelts with pretensioners plus the side doors with impact absorbing bars and SRS airbags. All this is in addition to the ABS and EBD to make it that reassuring. Another add-on is the key-less system with two transmitters.