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May 14, 2023Mitsubishi Triton Xtreme 2023 review
Jul 29, 2023We managed to drive the Triton Xtreme on a sealed road and an off-road course which featured some boggy going and short, sharp lumps and bumps to test approach and ramp-over angles.
In the latter department, the vehicle did well, even though there's no suspension lift as part of the re-engineering. And while the dampers are said to be about 30 per cent firmer than the stock GSR's there's no appreciable fall-off in ride quality.
If anything, the firmer dampers bring the front and rear suspension together as a team and make them work together.
The ATR tyres also give the Xtreme an edge in outright grip terms in really sloppy going. Although whether they’ll be a bit vocal on different sealed surfaces we’re yet to find out.
The SupaShock suspension system which is increasingly what defines dual-cabs of this genre.
Certainly, for all their extra bog-hole grip, they don't seem too big a trade-off when you throw the car into a corner on the bitumen.
Speaking of which, the bitumen is where the benefit of those dampers becomes even more convincing and the extra jounce control really tames the rear end.
That seems to free up the front end to work a bit more naturally, too, and the steering also feels as though it's benefitting from having a flatter platform to work with.
Off-road, those same dampers continue the theme of improved body control, preventing the Triton from falling into wash-aways with a bang.
The bitumen is where the benefit of the Xtreme's dampers becomes even more convincing.
But it's probably the Goodrich ATR tyres that are the headline act here, sloshing their way through the muddy and lumpy conditions we found ourselves in during the test.
The bonnet is long enough to block your forward view a little (the Triton is hardly alone here) but even with no suspension lift, there's no shortage of clearance and ramp-over ability.
The Mitsubishi also proves that six forward gears are enough in an age where 10 speeds is the new normal.
Strip away the rest of the decals, wheels and bash-plates and the Xtreme is really a GSR with more aggressive tyres and firmer suspension and, to be honest, that's pretty much how it feels.