The Mitsubishi Triton is a compact 2-door pickup truck manufactured by the Japanese car company Mitsubishi Motors. On the market since 1978, this vehicle has earned a strong reputation through its five generations as a highly-reliable utility workhorse.
The Mitsubishi Triton comes as either a 2-door or 4-door pickup with a front engine and either a front-wheel or four-wheel drivetrain. It offers several cab variations, including single, double, or even a king cab.
When it comes to its trim levels, the Triton is quite versatile. On one end of the trim spectrum, the Triton can serve purely as a work-oriented utility vehicle. On the higher end, it can also come as a comfort-laden family vehicle.
For most markets outside of Japan, the Triton is known as the L200. Some people may also remember it by other names like the Colt, Storm, Magnum, Rodeo, the Mighty Max, and the L200 Strakar.
First Generation (1978-1986)
When the Triton first appeared in Australia in 1978, it was badged as the Chrysler D-50. This truck came in two variants: commercial and recreational models.
The commercial version was built to carry up to 1000-kg of cargo. On the other hand, the recreational version was designed to carry more passengers and came equipped with more comfort features like bucket seats, a sports steering wheel, and pile carpeting.
At the time, the D-50 was powerd by a 1.6-litre petrol engine (with an output of 54 kW of power) and came as a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. Both versions came with a floor-shifted 4-speed manual transmission.
The truck was sold through Chrysler up until 1980 when Mitsubishi Motors Australia finally took over the company's operations all across the country.
Second Generation (1986-1996)
The second-generation Triton has already established a reputation in Australia for being a reliable yet low-cost utility vehicle. In addition to the utility versions, it was also known for the more comfort-oriented models, such as the Luxury version. This particular model featured alloy wheels, central locking, engine immobilizer, and two-tone paint on top of the base model’s standard equipment.
In terms of the body, the second generation offered extended and double cab models and more options for bed lengths, as well.
For the second generation, the Triton was available as a 5-speed manual gearbox and 4-speed automatic transmission. Throughout this generation, this truck could be found with the following powertrain options:
- a 2.4-litre 4G64 4-cylinder petrol engine (97 kW, 192 Nm)
- a 2.5-litre 4D56 4-cylinder diesel engine (55 kW, 158 Nm)
- a 2.6-litre 4G54 4-cylinder petrol engine (84 kW, 196 Nm)
- a 2.8-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine (71 kW, 198 Nm)
- a 3.0-litre 6G72 V6 petrol engine (109 kW, 234 Nm)
Third Generation (1996-2006)
By the third generation, the Mitsubishi Triton started to evolve into the truck that it has become today. While retaining much of its workhorse quality, this era saw the Triton gain a more off-road kind of vibe.
The vehicle still offered a lot of body options, especially in terms of its cab. Where previous options offered limited space in the back for passengers other than children, new choices at this time featured more spacious cabins.
The standard equipment for the base model included engine immobiliser, power steering and radio CD with two speakers. Higher trim levels also offered dual front airbags and ABS for added safety, 16-inch alloy wheels, cloth trim, and even a tonneau cover.
The third-generation Mitsubishi Triton came with transmission choices of 4-speed auto and 5-speed manual with the following engines:
- 2.4-litre 4G64 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 97 kW of power and 192 Nm of torque
- 2.8-litre 4M40 turbo diesel engine with a maximum output of 92 kW of power and 294 Nm of torque
- 3.0-litre 6G72 V6 petrol engine with a maximum output of 133 kW of power and 255 Nm of torque
Fourth Generation (2006-2014)
The fourth-generation Mitsubishi Triton came with a more modern style. This time it was designed by Akinori Nakanishi. The changes brought in a more spacious interior, especially for passengers sitting in the back.
The truck also saw significant improvements in its performance and handling. It came equipped with Mitsubishi's Easy Select four-wheel-drive system which gave drivers the option of high-range rear-wheel-drive for driving on-road, as well as high/low-range four-wheel-drive when going off-road. Some would even describe its handling as being 'car-like' when driving on road surfaces!
In terms of its features, base models came with ABS, air conditioning, and cloth trim. In keeping up with the times, higher-trim models also came with mobile phone connectivity, cruise control, vehicle stability control, and so much more!
The transmission choices were 5-speed manual and 4-speed auto, with the following engines offered for this generation:
- 2.4-litre 4G64 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 94 kW of power and 194 Nm of torque
- 2.5-litre 4D56 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine with a maximum output of 100 kW of power and 314 Nm of torque
Fifth Generation (2015-Present)
For the current-generation Mitsubishi Triton, the truck came in three different body types, i.e., double cab, club cab, and single cab. This time around, it came with a much sleeker styling overall and a bunch of features typically only found in cars, including high-tech driver-assist features like hill start assist and trailer stability assist.
This generation saw the use of the 2.4-litre MIVEC engine, either in petrol or diesel versions. Both engines teamed up with either a 5-speed manual gearbox or 6-speed automatic transmission. Their specs are:
- 2.4-litre 4-cylinder MIVEC engine with a maximum output of 94 kW power and 194 Nm torque
- 2.4-litre MIVEC turbo diesel engine with a maximum output of 133 kW and 430 Nm torque
This generation comes with a whole range of contemporary and high-tech features, including mobile phone connectivity, dual-zone climate control, and even autonomous emergency braking on the base model. Higher-spec models also come with a lane departure warning system, auto rain-sensing wipers, and similar intelligent equipment.
Judging by the looks of things, the Triton will be around for quite some time. It seems to grow more popular each day, especially with how Mitsubishi updates it to keep up with trends and changes in the industry. If you have a Triton and need car parts and accessories to keep it in the best condition, don’t miss out on what our website offers. Visit us at Carpart.com.au!