To put it mildly, Mitsubishi's lineup in the United States is pretty dismal. Apart from the decent Outlander and Outlander PHEV, the rest of its American-market offerings are well behind the curve and in desperate need of replacement. However, that's not the case in Australia, where Mitsubishi offers a more comprehensive product line, including the reasonably popular Triton. The pickup truck doesn't sell in the same numbers as its Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux rivals, but that could change if Mitsu goes further afield. Per reporting by Aussie news outlet CarExpert, the Tokyo-based automaker is considering building a hardcore off-roader to face off against the Raptor lineup. Horning In On Ford's Racket CarExpert interviewed Mitsubishi Australia General Manager of Product Strategy Bruce Hampel at the debut of the Triton Raider, an off-road trim level more akin to the likes of Toyota's TRD Off-Road or Ford's Tremor lineup. Hampel said that the new model's upper-middle positioning left room at the top – in both price and capability – for a truly rugged flagship that would put some heat on the Ranger Raptor. The Triton Raider is expected to cost around $75,000 Australian dollary-doos, the equivalent of $53,000 USD, right in line with local pricing for the Tremor and Hilux GR Sport, but well below the 90 grand Ford asks for the down-under Raptor.MitsubishiFurthermore, the Triton Raider's upgrades over the standard pickup read a bit like an aftermarket stage one build list: a lifted front and leveled rear suspension with larger-capacity dampers, Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires, unique-offset wheels for increased track width, and an oil pan skidplate – again, right in line with the Hilux GR Sport, Ranger Tremor, and Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior. However, as with the US-market Ranger Raptor, the Australian version gets even more off-road kit, including a long-travel rear suspension, shock absorbers with remote reservoirs, more extensive underbody armor, and a trim-exclusive twin-turbocharged V6 making around 400 horsepower.If Mitsubishi were to build a flagship Triton – call it the Ralliart, perhaps – it would probably ape the top Ranger's capability, and given the company has cars like the Pajero Evolution and a long lineup of rally-winning SUVs in its history, we trust the company could do it right. The Triton, which donates its engines and platform to the Nissan Navara, could even get a version of that company's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 currently found in the Nissan Z, where it makes between 400 and 420 horsepower. Mitsubishi Living Up To Family Expectations Such a vehicle would also help Mitsubishi make a case for its off-road motorsport operations. The company's in-house Ralliart race team has fielded a race-prepped Triton in the Asia Cross-Country Rally since 2023, consistently placing on the podium and proving the division's rugged performance mettle. (Sidebar: The Ralliart team uses a fleet of custom-built Delicas as support vehicles and we're not sure we've ever seen a cooler van.)Mitsubishi also has some aspirations for the North American market. Although the automaker hasn't ever really been known for pickups on this side of the Pacific – neither the spunky but slow-selling Mighty Max of the 1980s nor the shamelessly Dakota-rebadged Raider of the 2010s count – a Triton Ralliart could be just the vehicle it needs to attract customers back to showrooms. For now, however, we'll have to content our three-diamond off-road aspirations with the return of the Montero, which will be based on the Armada platform and offer real big-ute capability.
