• Mitsubishi has launched a brand new technology of its Triton mid-size truck in Southeast Asia, however sadly the workhorse will not be coming to the U.S.
• The Triton includes a turbodiesel engine with between 243 and 347 pound-feet of torque and is obtainable with a six-speed handbook transmission.
• The four-wheel-drive system features a two-speed switch case and a middle limited-slip differential, in addition to hill descent help.

Mitsubishi exited the truck recreation in the USA in 2009 with the dying of the Dodge Dakota–primarily based Raider, centering its lineup as an alternative across the low-cost Mirage and crossovers together with the Outlander. However abroad, Mitsubishi stays a giant participant within the mid-size truck area and has simply revealed a brand new technology of the Triton, a staple of the Southeast Asian market. Additionally referred to as the L200 in sure nations, the Triton will not be supplied stateside, and its old-school formulation is a reminder of how the U.S. truck market has shifted over the previous decade.

Whereas American automakers corresponding to Ford and Chevy now solely promote their mid-size vans in a crew-cab configuration, Mitsubishi nonetheless presents the Triton with single-cab and prolonged “Membership cab” setups. The Triton’s physique is mounted on a ladder-frame chassis that Mitsubishi claims is considerably extra inflexible than earlier than however with a minimal weight achieve over the outgoing truck. Whereas the entrance finish will get an unequal-length management arm suspension, the rear continues to make the most of a leaf-spring setup, though Mitsubishi beefed up the shocks for the brand new technology.

Below the hood is a brand new turbocharged 2.4-liter diesel four-cylinder with three output ranges. The highest canine produces 201 horsepower and a wholesome 347 pound-feet of torque at 1500 rpm. There’s additionally a 181-hp, 317-pound-foot model and a base engine with 148 hp and 243 pound-feet. The diesel engine is paired with a six-speed automated, however Mitsubishi additionally nonetheless presents a six-speed handbook transmission with a hill begin help perform.

The Triton comes customary with rear-wheel drive however may also be outfitted with Mitsubishi’s Tremendous Choose 4WD-II system, which features a two-speed switch case and a middle limited-slip differential that sends 60 p.c of torque to the rear and 40 p.c to the entrance. There’s a dizzying array of drive and terrain modes and differential lock settings, in addition to hill descent help. There’s additionally an Energetic Yaw Management perform that employs torque vectoring by braking the within entrance wheel when cornering.

The Triton sports activities a boxy design with LED daytime operating lights that Mitsubishi claims “resemble a pointy gaze of a hawk” above the primary headlight models. Squared-off wheel arches and a crisp belt line give the Triton a sturdy look. Inside, the Triton sports activities a simplistic design and seems to borrow some elements from partial house owners Nissan, such because the a touchscreen atop the dashboard.

Fortunately the truck retains loads of actual buttons, which Mitsubishi says are designed to be operated whereas sporting gloves. The cabin additionally packs USB-A and USB-C charging ports and a wi-fi charger, and ingress and egress are enhance due to wider aspect steps and a extra vertical A-pillar.

The Triton will get fashionable goodies corresponding to adaptive cruise management, blind-spot monitoring, and different driver-assistance options. Mitsubishi says a wide selection of equipment will likely be supplied to assist consumers personalize their Triton. Gross sales of the truck have already begun in Thailand, with Mitsubishi specializing in the Southeast Asian and Oceania areas.

We do not anticipate that Mitsubishi will convey the Triton to the U.S., however latest experiences have instructed that the corporate is evaluating the American truck phase. If there’s sufficient curiosity from U.S. truck consumers, Mitsubishi might resolve to convey some type of truck mannequin—probably an electrical pickup that it specified by latest future product plans—to our shores.

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Caleb Miller started running a blog about automobiles at 13 years outdated, and he realized his dream of writing for a automotive journal after graduating from Carnegie Mellon College and becoming a member of the Automotive and Driver group. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to someday personal one thing weird like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.