Summarize

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Now with stunning style, record towing ability too

Mitsubishi has now officially revealed the significantly rvised Triton due for SA early next year. Auto Bakkie Race magazine’s Best Bakkie 2019 will benefit over 4200 changes as triton prepares to celebrate 40 years of the L200 bakkie that was once known as Colt and now goes as Triton and in spite the current model only being launched three years ago.

Mitsubishi sees these substantial improvements as more of an extensive rework, rather than a quick facelift to keep Triton relevant in the face of recent arrivals the likes the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, a significantly improved Ford Ranger and Nissan Navara all fighting to steal market share  from good old Hilux

New Triton is immediately apparent thanks to a more dynamic, bold and aggressive new front end features the latest take on Mitsubishi’s ‘Dynamic Shield’ grille and a neater rear light treatment, while there is a host of new safety and driver assistance features, including blind spot detection, 360 degree cameras, brake assist and hill descent control to make Trioton a more versatile, rounded pick-up for leisure, work or both.

The cabin also gets a raft of mild tweaks rather than a full reworking of that comfortably utilitarian but functional, well laid out and robust cabin now packing four USB ports among a healthy level of kit, especially in the higher trim levels.

Still the quickest 4-pot turbodiesel double-cab we've tested, there’s no need to do much to that giant-killing 133kW lump or its six-speed manual or five-speed auto ‘boxes, but Triton’s  four-wheel-drive modes have been revamped, with the addition of gravel, snow, sand and rock programmes. 

The old one’s handy 1045kg towing capacity continues, but the big news is a new class record 4090kg towing capacity — a significant step forward over the old one’s meagre sun-2-tonne hauling ability. Now all we need to see is what it costs, but knowing the current one’s bargain selling point, let alone the special edition value, we somehow expect that to continue.

Roll on early 2019 — it seems the bakkie market is set for another Triton shake-up. Now all the market needs to do is figure how to sort the chaff from the hay….