Triton’s new-found resemblance to the 4WD flagship around its front panels creates an attractive appearance that suits a family recreational vehicle as well as a workhorse. Aside from the way it looks, the new model has some less obvious changes.

It has a choice of three engines; the 2.4 litre four cylinder petrol unit seen in Nimbus and the new Magna, a new version of the 3.0 litre V6, and a diesel which is no longer turbocharged. Research indicated that industry buyers were unimpressed by the higher maintenance of a turbo and did not really need the extra power, so it lost the turbo but grew from 2.5 to 2.8 litres.

The model range still consists of Single Cab, Club Cab and Dual Cab, each with a choice of 2WD or 4WD, and a 4-speed automatic is now available on 2WD in all body styles and on the upmarket 4WD GLS dual cab, while four cylinder petrol engines

Matching the new body style is a revised interior aimed at recreational users, who usually prefer something resembling a sedan more than a truck anyway. Interior trim of the vehicles at the launch seemed uniformly acceptable, aside from one or two whose windscreen demisting vents looked as though they could have been fitted with a little more care.

The morning after we had first seen the Tritons, everyone assembled for a not-so-leisurely drive out of central Brisbane into the bush. We noted that the suspension seemed a little firm on the bitumen, but also that NVH levels have been reduced, with road noise significantly lower than the previous model.

While the diesels were obviously a little slow off the mark in traffic, they easily held their own against the more willing petrol models in highway conditions as we travelled inland to a privately owned resort property which has what is claimed to be one of the most spectacular 4WD tracks in Queensland.

No mud or deep sand, but the steep climbs and loose rocky surface as it meanders for several kilometres along the top of razor-backed ridges, with almost sheer drop-offs on either side, are challenging enough in themselves.

The 2.4 and 3.0 litre petrol engines both displayed good offroad torque and power characteristics, though several of the drivers present voiced a preference for the diesel’s calm and steady progress in the rough terrain, but all models have good ground clearance (190mm for the 2WDs, 215mm for the 4x4s).

Pricing starts at $18,900 for the 2.4 litre 2WD Single Cab, topping out at $46,470 for a fruit-laden V6 GLS auto dual cab, so Mitsubishi is covering all levels of the utility market.

It is difficult to form a complete opinion of a new vehicle in just a few hours, especially when frequently swapping vehicles, but the drive programme allowed some insight to the new Triton’s ability to handle heavy work, and I came away convinced that it is more than just a pretty new face. (Watch this space - I’ll soon report on spending a bit more time getting to know two Tritons; a diesel tray-top and V6 GLS dual-cab.)