Mitsubishi Triton won't share the new Pajero's biggest upgrades, for now

Key highlights

• The new Mitsubishi Pajero gets rear disc brakes and twin 14.3-inch screens not currently offered in the Triton.
• Mitsubishi says these features were developed specifically for the Pajero as its flagship SUV.
• The Triton’s upcoming facelift may therefore miss upgrades previously suggested for the ute.

Mitsubishi has ruled out bringing some of the new 2027 Pajero’s biggest upgrades to the Triton ute in the near future, despite the two models sharing much of their underlying architecture. The new Pajero is based on a strengthened and modified version of the ladder-frame platform introduced with the current-generation Triton in 2023. However, Mitsubishi has made a clear distinction between the two models, with the Pajero receiving technology and chassis changes that will not be shared with the ute for now.

These include rear disc brakes and a much larger interior display setup. The Pajero uses twin 14.3-inch screens, while the current Triton has a 9.0-inch infotainment display and 7.0-inch instrument cluster. Mitsubishi Pajero chief product specialist Kunitoshi Itagaki told Australian and Thai media that there are currently no plans to introduce these features to the Triton.

“At this moment, no plans,” Itagaki said, describing the features as custom developments for the Pajero as Mitsubishi’s flagship model. The newer 2.4-litre engine fitted to the Pajero is a different story. Mitsubishi has confirmed this engine will also be used in the Triton, although the other Pajero-specific changes are not currently planned for the ute.

Read more: 2028 Mitsubishi Triton to gain new Pajero diesel

What happened to the Mitsubishi Triton’s rear discs?

The decision is notable because Mitsubishi previously indicated that rear disc brakes were being considered for a future Triton update. At the Triton’s reveal in Thailand in 2023, chief product specialist Yoshiki Masuda said Mitsubishi wanted to move from rear drum brakes to discs to support some advanced driver assistance and automatic parking functions, as well as improve performance.

Masuda also said rear discs were “definitely” planned for a future Triton update. That makes the latest comments particularly interesting ahead of the Triton’s expected mid-life facelift, which has been tipped for 2027 or 2028. It is possible Mitsubishi has changed its plans, although it is also possible the Pajero team was referring specifically to the current development program rather than future Triton updates. For now, Australian Triton buyers should not assume the Pajero’s rear disc brakes will automatically filter down to the ute.

Why it matters for Australian ute buyers

Rear disc brakes have become increasingly common among popular dual-cab utes in Australia, although some models still use rear drums on certain or all variants. The Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50 and Nissan Navara are among the models that continue to use rear drum brakes, putting the Triton in a shrinking group of mainstream utes without rear discs.

There is also a practical reason why Mitsubishi cannot simply transfer every Pajero chassis component to the Triton.

The Pajero uses rear coil springs, while the Triton retains leaf springs to meet the different demands of a work-focused ute, particularly around payload and load carrying. The SUV therefore does not need to be engineered around exactly the same requirements. The result is a clearer separation between Mitsubishi’s new SUV and its ute than the shared platform might suggest.

For Australian buyers, the important point is that the upcoming Triton facelift should not be treated as a guaranteed opportunity to gain the Pajero’s latest hardware. Mitsubishi has confirmed the newer 2.4-litre engine is coming to the Triton, but there is no current confirmation that its rear brakes, larger displays or other Pajero-specific chassis upgrades will follow. Australian pricing and timing for any future Triton facelift have not been announced.