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Mitsubishi is set to launch the next-generation Triton mid-sized ute in Australia sooner than first thought, with rumours now circulating that a late-2023 or early-2024 release date has been locked in.
We may even see the global debut as soon as mid next year, finally putting the existing model that’s been around since 2014 out to pasture.
Larger, roomer, safer and much more sophisticated than before, this MY24 Triton will step up in a number of areas – including offering a Ralliart flagship grade in time – as it takes on the newer Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50, as well as the evergreen Toyota HiLux dual-cab competition.
Key to this progress is an all-new small truck platform developed on behalf of the whole Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), meaning it will also be destined to find its way underneath the next-generation Nissan Navara soon after.
However, we do understand that the latter will likely possess unique styling inside and out, as well as perhaps some important mechanical alterations, to give it greater differentiation to the donor ute.
Late-stage disguised prototypes of the MY24 Triton have already been spotted testing locally, suggesting that Australian input might have been extensive for the series this time around, throwing a spotlight on the importance of our market from a global perspective.
Whether any future Triton Ralliart might also spawn the highly publicised Xtreme off-road performance package flagship to take on the likes of the Raptor, Navara Pro-4X Warrior and others, or whether the Xtreme model remains its own separate exercise just for Australia, is not yet known.
What is clear is MMC’s desire to put the Ralliart sub-brand back in front of mind of potential consumers worldwide, with the Team Mitsubishi Ralliart (TMR) Triton AXCR securing a victory at the Asia Cross Country Rally last week.
Boosting confidence in the brand, MMC described the result as a ‘very important day’ for Ralliart, underlining its importance moving forward.
"This was our first attempt to return to the motorsports scene under the name of Ralliart, and it was a very important rally for Mitsubishi Motors,” according to TMR team director and Paris-To-Dakar winner, Hiroshi Masuoka.
“I thought that it would be good enough for us to finish in upper rankings, but I am very happy that the team has taken an overall victory.
“This victory was the result of teamwork and know-how that Mitsubishi Motors has accumulated over the years.
“TMR will consider the possibility of coming back again next year and will fully prepare our team structure and the rally cars.”
Whether the MY24 Triton will be the first Mitsubishi in Australia to bring back the Ralliart name after around a decade’s absence is not yet known.
As previously reported, Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has decided to bypass the Ralliart body kit and stickers pack available on current-generation models offered elsewhere on models like the ASX and Triton-based Pajero Sport in Thailand, for more substantially modified applications that improve the performance and dynamic elements of the vehicles they’re applied to.
It’s been speculated that the latest, big-selling Outlander mid-sized SUV may be a contender, particularly in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) capacity.
This followed on from the widespread conjecture surrounding the Outlander-based Vision Ralliart concept unveiled back in January at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon.
Though powertrain outputs and/or chassis upgrades were not revealed, MMC did reveal that the concept employed a “higher motor output”, it is clear by the stance that this would be far more than just a ‘stripes and sticker’ pack as per the existing Ralliart grades.
With the current MR Triton now reaching the end of its lifecycle, the Sport pack MMAL released recently will most probably be the long-lived fifth-generation version’s last hurrah, as it moves into runout in preparation for the MY24 redesign sometime next year.
More importantly, this special edition is prepping buyers for what’s in store for the ute.
That said, Triton sales have hardly been tardy for such an old timer, sitting in third place overall behind the bestselling HiLux and Ranger.
Lifting 50.4 per cent in 4x4 guise and 35.7 per cent for the cheaper 4x2 models in Australia year-to-date, these figures are running well ahead of their segment averages of 1.3 per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively.
This highlights the 44-year old series’ enduring appeal, particularly to consumers seeking inexpensive alternatives to Ranger, HiLux and co.
With bigger, bulkier looks, improved space and a broader spectrum of performance and 4x4 capability promised by models such as the anticipated Ralliart, the MY24 Triton should more than retain its spot as MMAL’s biggest seller overall.
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