ANCAP Gives 5-Star Safety Rating to Mitsubishi Triton

Safety is an important factor that comes into the car-buying process. Everyone wants their car to be safe, sure, but every consumer has their own checklist of what they’re looking for. Some want more control and good driver handling, whereas others may be more family-oriented, and others like advanced safety features that just make driving safer in general. When it comes to designing a strong vehicle that comes with great safety ratings, a Mitsubishi Motors SUV can fit the bill, but what about its pickup trucks? According to the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), the overseas Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck is worthy of 5 stars in safety, the highest safety rating for a double-cab pickup in the current 2023-2025 protocols for the first time.

Why are we talking about the Triton again? As of yet, the Japanese automaker has shared zero interest in bringing the fabled pickup truck to the U.S., but we always hear about it proving its worth and performance in rallies like the 2024 Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR). The Mitsubishi Motors lineup is starting to expand with a new medium SUV from Ampere through the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, and another battery-electric vehicle, and a new pickup truck between Mitsubishi and Nissan for the U.S. There hasn’t been anything official, but if Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) brings a pickup truck to the states, then knowing how well the Triton performs and how safe it is, is a good place to start.

Like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and our very own New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), to be certified safe for the streets, a vehicle must pass a variety of crash and safety tests to measure its crashworthiness. Also, like the IIHS and NCAP, the ANCAP rates vehicles on a scale of 0-5 and provide ratings like “GOOD”, “ADEQUATE”, or “WEAK”. Many tests were performed in a number of categories to measure the safety of the Triton, including Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist.

For Adult Occupant Protection, the Mitsubishi Triton scored 86 percent. The vehicle was tested at 30 mph for protection of the driver and front passenger critical areas in a frontal offset test, full-width frontal test, a side impact test, plus impact in vehicle-to-vehicle impact scenarios and vehicle-to-pole scenarios. All tests received a GOOD rating. A far side impact test closer to 40 mph received an ADEQUATE rating, and a positive score in whiplash protection.

The Triton scored 89 percent in Child Occupant Protection, testing frontal offset and side impact tests for children aged from 6-10 years old. These tests resulted in a GOOD rating. The different types of child seat restraints supported are also reviewed for forward-facing and rearward-facing devices.

In Vulnerable Road User Protection, the Mitsubishi Triton received a GOOD rating in the incident of striking a pedestrian at the front of the vehicle. The report also mentioned autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems performed in most situations to mitigate collisions with pedestrians and bicyclists. Safety features also helped with these tests.

Safety Assist is always a great category for testing advanced safety features. The Mitsubishi Triton scored 70 percent, with a GOOD rating for AEB car-to-car, junction assist, and head-on scenarios. Advanced features like Lane Keeping Assist (a lane support system), Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (speed assistance systems), and adaptive cruise control are also taken into consideration for the score.

The Mitsubishi Triton is looking good and safe. We may not get it here, but there are plenty of Mitsubishi SUVs available now. Find a safe and new Mitsubishi SUV at University Mitsubishi today.

Photo Source/Copyright: ANCAP