2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R Review: Value-Packed Workhorse?

The dual-cab ute market has seemingly exploded in recent years with sales going through the roof for these versatile workhorses. The flexibility of being a tradie’s best friend, yet a comfortable car to take the kids to school in really appeals to families. The Mitsubishi Triton has been a sales hit being the fifth best selling car in Australia in 2019, selling 25,819 units. For the 2020 model year, Mitsubishi have added a new model to the Triton range: the GLX-R. We tested the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R to see if it’s worthy of its sales success.

Price & Equipment:

With an advertised starting price of $39,990 drive away for the six-speed manual and $42,490 drive away for the six-speed automatic that we tested, the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R is great value when positioned next to its competitors. The equivalent Ford Ranger (XLS manual) is $7,900 more expensive at $49,890 plus on road costs and the closest Toyota HiLux (SR manual) is $5,525 more expensive at $47,515.

The value doesn’t stop at just the pricing as the Triton GLX-R’s standard equipment list consists of 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres, cruise control, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a four-speaker stereo, a reversing camera with rear parking sensors, automatic headlights with front foglamps (and curiously, a switch for a rear foglamp but no such feature), rain-sensing wipers, a leather steering wheel and shift knob, privacy glass, chrome exterior mirrors and door handles, side steps and single-zone climate control.

For those concerned about safety, six airbags, AEB (auto emergency braking) with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning and lane departure warning are also standard equipment.

This is an impressive list of features at the price point the Triton GLX-R is positioned in. We still have complaints however – it misses out on a tub liner, the trip computer is a little hard to use and it also lacks a digital speedometer.

Driving Experience:

A 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine is the sole engine choice for the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R; it develops 133kW of power and 430Nm of torque through a smart ‘on the fly’ four-wheel drive system. The system is smart enough to know when the car is travelling on slippery surfaces and works well to automatically redistribute the car’s power to the wheel(s) which have the most grip.

The fuel consumption is an interesting topic for the Triton as the manual GLX-R has a claimed consumption of 7.9L/100km, but choosing the automatic raises this to 8.6L/100km. It has a long-range 75-litre fuel tank and during our time in the Triton we averaged around 10L/100km (in the automatic) which for mostly urban driving is on par with what we expected.

The road manners of the Triton are excellent – the diesel engine is quiet when compared to the 2020 Isuzu D-Max, and it feels solid and sure-footed. Veering off the beaten track in the Triton is a rewarding experience as it is easy to control whilst on loose surfaces and tackles inclines with ease.

The pick up comes more in the way of torque, which is fantastic if you’re using the Triton for towing; its braked towing capacity is 3,100kg – HiLux can tow 3,200kg braked and Ranger 3,500kg – while the unbraked towing capacity is 750kg.

Interior & Practicality:

The interior of the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R is a pleasing place to be. The front seats are supportive and comfortable while the rear gets roof mounted air vents with independent fan speed control. The dash of the Triton is made from hard-wearing plastic – aside from the faux leather leg rests – but for a ute at this price point we don’t have a problem with that.

Something that could be improved is the infotainment system which has been used in Mitsubishi products for years. It is responsive to the touch, but the controls aren’t as intuitive as a Ford Ranger’s touch screen – there is no physical volume knob, rather just some touch controls on the side and the brightness isn’t as bright as it could be.

The steering wheel is wrapped in a nice leather trim and the steering wheel controls are simple to use and are quite ergonomic. The Triton’s rear seats are comfortable as well and offer impressive amenities including a single 12V power outlet, ISOFIX points, cupholders in the fold-down middle armrest and door trims and as mentioned before, air conditioning vents in the roof with rear fan speed control.

The tray on the Triton measures at 1,520mm long and 1,470mm wide. There are also six ties down points but no bed liner, which means you’ll have to pay extra to put one in or you risk scratching the paint in the bed. We would love to Mitsubishi offer one as standard with all Tritons.

Service & Warranty:

All 2020 Mitsubishi Triton models get a seven-year/150,000km warranty. This is better than the standard five-year warranties offered on the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux. The Triton also has access to 12-months of roadside assistance, but this is extended by a further 12-months after every scheduled Mitsubishi dealer service for up to four years.

The 2020 Mitsubishi Triton also takes advantage of three years of capped price servicing at $299 a service and its intervals are also set at 12-months or 15,000km. The cost of servicing the Triton over three years is $897 which is cheaper than the $1,012 it would cost you to service a Ford Ranger over the same period.

The overall cost of owning the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R over the span of three years including servicing and fuel costs (at $1.35 a litre for 15,000km a year) for the manual is $5,696.25 and the auto is $6,121.50.

Conclusion: 2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R

Would we recommend the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R? In a word, yes. We love the versatility and practicality the Triton offers, along with a feature packed interior and although it doesn’t offer features such as a bed liner and digital speedo, we can look past that for its price. A solid, dependable car in every way, sometimes you don’t need to stretch to an expensive Ford Ranger or Toyota HiLux. These are work vehicles that are sometimes not bought with the heart but rather purely based on how much they cost and what their perceived value is. The Triton proves that even on the less expensive side, you can still have a fantastic pickup truck.

In the competitive market of the dual-cab ute, the 2020 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R is fantastic value, with a long warranty, a feature-packed interior and good driving dynamics it shines above the competition.