Behind the wheel: Millie and partner/passenger Jack
I’ve been lucky enough to spend time in the Mitsubishi Triton before, and not gently, either. My first experience had it powering across sand dunes on an off-road adventure that was equal parts exhilarating and mildly terrifying. I was new to 4WD driving, so less focused on vehicle features and more consumed with a single goal: don’t be the one who gets bogged and has to ask for help.
So, when the opportunity came up to take the Triton away again, I decided this time to slow things down and actually live with it, not as an off-road toy, but as a real-world vehicle. A country weekend away, Melbourne to Nyah and back, late March roads, questionable weather, passengers in tow, and bags in the tray. The kind of trip many Australians actually do.
In 2024, Mitsubishi made a very deliberate move that opened the Triton up to a whole new audience. They released a version of the model with a payload under one tonne, making it compliant with novated leasing requirements, which classify eligible vehicles as passenger vehicles rather than commercial heavy payload utes.
It’s a small change on paper, but a significant one in practice. For a while there, a number of popular utes fell just outside the threshold, effectively excluding them from novated leasing arrangements.
Mitsubishi listened to the market and responded. The result is that the Triton is back on the table for people who want the versatility of a ute without giving up salary packaging benefits.
And honestly, after this trip, that makes complete sense.
I’ll admit it upfront. I picked a terrible time to drive long distance. Late March 2026, and fuel prices were creeping back up again. That said, the Triton I drove was the diesel variant, and over a 450km drive from Melbourne to Nyah, its efficiency genuinely impressed me.
Despite the rising diesel prices, the Triton proved itself economical for its size and capability. There and back, with a mix of country driving and highway cruising, we still had around a third of a tank remaining. For a ute, especially one that doesn’t feel stripped back or basic, that’s a reassuring result and a real consideration for anyone doing regular regional travel.
One of the biggest surprises of this drive was just how SUV like the Triton feels inside. If you’ve spent time in a Mitsubishi Outlander, the interior familiarity is immediate.
Apple CarPlay, cruise control, speed limiter, all the expected creature comforts are there, and more importantly, they’re intuitive. Nothing feels clunky or overly utilitarian. This isn’t a work-during-the-week and tolerate-it-on-the-weekend kind of cabin. It’s genuinely comfortable.
My passengers noticed too. Those who spent time in the back seats commented on the spacious legroom, built-in cup holders, and those small but meaningful design touches that make longer drives more enjoyable. These elements might be standard in many new cars now, but when you get them in a ute, they still feel like a win.
The Mitsubishi Triton model I had, came fitted with an automatic roller tray cover, and honestly, it stole the show for me.
With the push of a button, the tray cover glides open or closed, securing your gear without needing to tie everything down manually, while also protecting it from the elements. Which, as luck would have it, turned out to be essential. Rain hit for a good portion of our four-and-a-half-hour drive, and everything stayed dry, secure, and out of sight.
It’s one of those features you don’t think about until you have it, and then you wonder how you ever lived without it.
In terms of power, the Triton delivers exactly what you want from a vehicle in this class. Confident acceleration, solid overtaking ability on highways, and an overall sense that it’s never working too hard.
It feels planted and capable, whether cruising at speed or navigating less predictable terrain.
While this trip wasn’t the full off road stress test I’d given it previously, we did venture into forested areas along the Murray River. Uneven tracks, ditches, branches, and natural obstacles were handled effortlessly. The Triton feels purpose built for these environments – it’s not flashy, just dependable.
I was handed the keys to a beautifully sleek black Mitsubishi Triton. By the time I handed them back, it was dusted with red dirt, splattered with bugs, and wearing the evidence of a proper country weekend.
But that’s kind of the point.
The Triton didn’t just look good parked. It earned its post-trip mess. It carried people comfortably, protected our gear, sipped fuel more gently than expected and reminded me why making this model novated lease friendly was such a smart move by Mitsubishi.
Because sometimes, the best review isn’t about numbers or specs. It’s about getting where you’re going, enjoying the drive and coming home with a story—and a dirty ute to show for it.
