First Drive: 2024 Mitsubishi Triton Athlete – FIVE Things We Learnt

At long last, we’re finally seeing a properly new Japanese pick-up truck enter our market. And that's exactly what Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) gave us, as it ushered in the all-new, sixth-gen Mitsubishi Triton earlier today.

Here are FIVE things we learnt after driving the all-new 2024 Mitsubishi Triton in range-topping Athlete form.

Launched globally last year, the Triton is the newest mid-sized pick-up truck to make its debut into our market, with other latest models being the recently facelifted third-gen Isuzu D-Max that debuted earlier this year and the second-gen Ford Ranger (T6.2) that made its market entry back in 2022.

To put this new pick-up truck to the test, we were recently invited by MMM for a special media drive trip with the new Triton, where we had the opportunity to drive the new model not only on paved roads, but off-road as well.

Having said that, here are FIVE things we learnt after spending a couple of days driving the new 2024 Mitsubishi Triton in its top-flight Athlete form.

1. It Looks Much Bolder Than The Previous Model

One of the biggest talking points for the sixth-gen Triton is its new design, which appears to be bolder and boxier than its predecessor. And while some new models usually take longer for their fans to get warm with, we reckon the new Triton’s bold look will win over hearts and minds easily.

The new ‘Beast Mode’ design language sees the new Triton ditching its predecessor’s sharp edge looks for a boxier and more muscular stance. This is especially true in this top-spec Athlete variant, as the pick-up truck gains a new ‘Dynamic Shield’ front grille design, new dual-stack LED headlights, flared-out wheel arches, and more.

The Athlete treatment also sees the new Triton getting several black-out exterior pieces. Key amongst which are its extended wheel arches, door handles, side mirror caps, and roof rails, as well as the 18-inch alloy wheels the pick-up truck rolls on.

Mitsubishi claims the new Triton to boast the largest cargo bed space amongst its local rivals.

On top of that, the new Triton also grew in size from its predecessors albeit slightly. The sixth-gen double-cab model measures 5,320 MM long, 1,865 MM wide, 1,795 MM tall, and has a wheelbase of 3,130 MM. Its larger facade also grants the new Triton a class-leading cargo bed space that spans 1,555 MM long, 1,545 MM wide, and 525 MM tall.

However, despite its bolder looks and larger facade, the new Triton Athlete does lacks one piece of equipment compared to its counterparts in other neighbouring markets: a built-in sports bar. While it is indeed nice to get them as standard, we hope that MMM will offer this as an optional accessory at least.

2. The Cabin Gains Lots of New Amenities

In a bid to go against the likes of other lifestyle-oriented pick-up trucks, MMM managed to spec out the Triton Athlete’s interior with a load of key tech and luxury.

Highlights here include a new 7-inch infotainment screen that supports wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, multiple USB charging ports for both front and rear passengers, a wireless charging pad, a dual-zone automatic climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and more.

Also present are new leatherette front seats imbued in striking orange and black hues, with the driver’s side getting a powered adjustment function, whilst the passenger’s side only gets manual adjustment.

While they look and feel as plush as the front ones, the Triton's rear seats are definitely not the most comfortable, simply because of the awkward headrest angle.

Life at the back seat of the new Triton Athlete, however, is not as nice as being up front. Not only does the rear seat compartment see a more liberal use of hard plastic materials, the rear seats are definitely not the most comfortable we’ve found on any other double-cab pick-up trucks.

The saving grace for this slightly subpar rear-seat comfort are the presence of the dedicated blower vents in the headliner, multiple USB charging ports complemented by a 12-volt socket, as well as the same plush leatherette upholstery used up front.

Overall, it is good to see that Mitsubishi finally stepped up their interior game with the new range-topping Triton Athlete model. The slightly lower life quality at the rear seats warranted us to deduct some points, but overall, things still felt and appeared stellar.

3. The Drive Is WAY More Refined Now!

By far the biggest and most important upgrades boasted by the sixth-gen Triton lie on the mechanical front. This new model is not only powered by an all-new powertrain setup, it also underpins a whole new chassis frame.

According to Mitsubishi, the Triton’s new ladder-frame chassis has 60% better torsion rigidity and 40% better bending rigidity over the previous base used by its predecessor. Combined with its longer suspension rebound stroke, thicker front stabiliser bar, and the new Active Yaw Control (AYC) system, the new Triton promises to deliver better ride and handling performance over the previous model.

And that’s exactly what we experienced after driving this car from Kuala Lumpur to Gambang, Pahang, where we found this pick-up truck behaving more like an SUV instead of a more agrarian-natured counterparts of the past. Further enhancing its decent driving experience is the new 2.4-litre 4-cyl 4N16 turbo-diesel mill outputting 204 PS and 470 NM, which is assisted by the improved six-speed automatic gearbox.

We found that new two-stage turbo-diesel provides more than enough power to this mid-size pick-up truck, where overtaking manoeuvres can be done effortlessly, even beyond the highway speed limits.

Speaking of effortlessness, the new Triton Athlete is also the sole variant to get the new Super Select 4WD II all-wheel drive (AWD) system that allows even the most amateur drivers to get some decent off-road performance. This new AWD setup features a new torque-sensing limited-slip differential (LSD) with five dedicated off-road driving modes (Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand, Rock), which can be engaged on-the-fly rather easily.

If we were to nitpick, perhaps some more experienced drivers might find the steering feel to be quite ‘empty’ and ‘light’ once the Triton goes through some rough off-road obstacles, as opposed to older 4x4 models’ steering systems that provide more ‘feel’ and response to the drivers.

With that said, we’d reckon the new Triton Athlete is still a stellar pick-up truck on both on- and off-road driving conditions, with the most significant improvements can be felt on the former front.

4. It Is Now Brimmed with Active & Passive Safety Features

When it comes to safety, modern pick-up trucks nowadays are a far cry from their hazard-prone predecessors. You have to thank the myriad of active and passive safety features these now pack.

In the case of the new Triton Athlete, there’s indeed a lot to look forward to from the improved Mitsubishi Advanced Safety suite. Through which, it gets tonnes of ADAS functions primed like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) with Emergency Lane Assist (ELA), Lane Change Assist (LCA), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), and more.

Also available in the new Triton Athlete is a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), built-in Digital Video Recorder (DVR), seven airbags, Hill Start Assist (HSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC), and ISOFIX child seat anchors, to name a few. In other words, even the basics are covered well.

If we were to nitpick again, perhaps the more amateur pick-up truck drivers might loathe the absence of a 360-degree camera system from this supposed range-topper, which only offers a reverse camera instead. Then again, this minor absence still didn’t stop the new Triton from getting a full five-star score from the ASEAN NCAP crash testing body - a feat its predecessor didn’t achieve.

5. It *MIGHT* Be The Best-Valued Lifestyle Pick-Up Truck in The Market

With a relatively affordable price tag of RM165,980, the fully-imported (CBU) 2024 Mitsubishi Triton Athlete is perhaps the best-valued lifestyle pick-up truck currently on sale in our market. Said price is made reasonable by the decent driving performance and list of amenities offered by this top-spec pick-up truck model.

Moreover, the new Triton Athlete also gets one of the best warranty coverages out of its rivals. In fact, MMM offers the range-topping Triton with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty, whilst other Triton variants get a standard 5-year or 200,000 KM warranty instead.

Yes, the new Triton Athlete may lack some key features compared to its fancier and pricier rivals. Even its pricing may be slightly above some of its compatriots, but given the fact that it’s all-new from the ground up, the decent overall package and robust performance it packs, it’s hard to put this new pick-up truck model in lesser light.

Simply put, the 2024 Mitsubishi Triton Athlete is indeed a stellar lifestyle pick-up truck choice that’s almost unrivalled by some of its Japanese counterparts, with an arguably more robust reliability over its more popular American-badged rival.