Mitsubishi’s New Triton Raider Got Everything Except The One Thing It Needed

Mitsubishi is tapping into Australia’s appetite for tougher, trail-ready pickup trucks with its latest Triton variant, even if it stops short of going full desert racer. The rally raid-inspired flagship trim of the midsize pickup, developed in collaboration with Premcar, brings beefed-up suspension, new wheels, and extra underbody protection, though the bi-turbo diesel engine carries over unchanged.

More: Every New Nissan Navara Gets Its Factory Shocks Pulled And Destroyed At The Dealership

Visually, the Raider stands out from the rest of the Triton lineup thanks to the 18-inch ROH wheels finished in Brushed Bronze and the red bash plate under the front bumper. It also gets a chrome emblem on the grille, Dark Warm Grey trim on the bumper, Sandstorm side decals, side protection bars, and a sports bar with red accents.

Overall, the model looks more rugged than your regular Triton, but not as cool as the heavily accessorized Triton Savana limited edition from Brazil. The color palette is limited to White Diamond, Black Mica, Blade Silver and Graphite Grey.

Inside, we find Raider emblems on the headrests and the center console, along with black leather upholstery and orange stitching. The model is based on the high-spec Triton GSR, so standard equipment is quite generous.

Locally Tuned Suspension

According to Premcar, the Raider project involved 40,000 km (24,855 miles) of development and 7,000 km (4,350 miles) of testing in the Australian outback. The goal was to improve driving dynamics on gravel roads and give it better off-road capabilities.

More: Mitsubishi Gave The Triton A New Face, But Only In One Country

The headline change sits beneath the body. Premcar reworked the suspension with unique front dampers featuring an internal rebound spring, supported by new front springs and revised bump stops. Paired with 285/60 Bridgestone Dueler A/T 002 tires, the setup delivers a 25 mm (1 inch) lift at the front and 15 mm (0.6 inches) at the rear.

The track width has also been increased by 20 mm (0.8 inches) on both axles. Finally, the pickup retains the Yamaha Performance Damper for the chassis that’s designed to improve NVH.

Unfortunately, there are no changes under the hood. The twin-turbo 2.4-liter turbodiesel engine continues to produce 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS) and 470 Nm (347 lb-ft) of torque, sent to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic and Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD-II system.

The new Triton Raider is set to arrive at Australian dealerships in May 2026 and will likely remain a market-specific model. Pricing has not been confirmed, but estimates point to around AU$75,000 (US$52,800), placing it close to the Ford Ranger Tremor and Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior than the AU$96,000 (US$67,800) Ranger Raptor.

Mitsubishi And Premcar Could Go Further

While the Triton Raider is positioned to compete with the Ford Ranger Tremor and the upcoming Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior, it may also mark the beginning of something even wilder.

More: Nissan Is Going After The Ranger Tremor And Land Cruiser GR Sport

Speaking to CarExpert, Bruce Hampel, Mitsubishi Australia’s General Manager of Product Strategy, described the Raider as “a toe in the water for potentially even more capable off-roaders to come.” He added that Mitsubishi is prepared to go further if customer demand is there, hinting at a more serious rival to the Ford Ranger Raptor.

Premcar CEO Bernie Quinn took a similar view, saying, “We’re always going to be there to support. No one knows what the ceiling is yet, I mean, the ceiling just keeps getting higher and higher, especially with dual-cab utes. So, I envisage this is step one and then we’re going to keep pushing out from the ceiling.”