The next Mitsubishi Triton will feature a bigger, boxier and more upright body.
Unlike the prototype spied in July, this vehicle has wheel arch extensions and and wider side sills, indicating it lives higher up the pricing chain.
Despite having a slightly broader body, this vehicle seems to have the same track as July’s vehicle.
We shouldn’t have to wait too long to see the new Triton undisguised, with the ute expected to be revealed before the end of the current Japanese financial year, which concludes March 2023.
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Like the previously spied prototype, this Triton sports a huge grille flanked by a split headlight setup.
There’s a strip of LED driving lights up top along the bonnet’s edge, which may blend into the chrome highlights of Mitsubishi’s Dynamic Shield grille.
Underneath is a separate lighting pod and, for the first time, we can see the graphics of the indicators, as well as the main- and high-beam units. There seems to a third lighting element near where the bumper juts out in front the grille.
The ute’s overall silhouette and detailing will be a lot squarer and upright than today’s vehicle, and includes character lines above the wheel arches.
Although we’ve yet to glimpse the interior, we expect it will feature a more upscale dashboard design with a larger touchscreen infotainment display.
With Nissan having purchased a controlling 34 per cent stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016, the three-diamond brand has been integrated into the development system of the, now, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.
This means virtually all future new Mitsubishis will share their platforms with brands from other alliance members. The first example of this is the latest Outlander, which uses the CMF-C/D architecture and has a lot in common with the Nissan X-Trail.
For the new Triton, Mitsubishi seems to leading the development of the ladder-frame underpinnings that will be shared with the next-generation Nissan Navara.
Given the current Navara is at least 50mm longer and wider than the present Triton, we expect the new Triton will have a larger footprint.
Under the bonnet, the Triton will house a “next generation diesel”. There has also been a lot chatter about electrification.
With Mitsubishi officially leading the Alliance’s plug-in hybrid pursuits, and the Outlander PHEV such an essential part of the brand’s identity of late, the expectation is the next Trition and, likely, Navara will be available down the track with the option of a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
Earlier this month, Kentaro Honda, the Outlander’s chief engineer, told CarExpert the company is evaluating whether hybrid or plug-in hybrid technology would work suit the Triton best.
While diesel dominates in this segment, Mitsubishi isn’t the only brand that’s expected to introduce a plug-in hybrid ute.
The rival Ford Ranger is set to receive a PHEV drivetrain in 2024.
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