Pickup trucks and performance off-road variants go well together as bread and butter, with Toyota having the TRD and GR versions of the Hilux, Ford with the Ranger Raptor, Nissan with the Navara PRO-4X, and Isuzu having the D-MAX Blade, and the list goes on. Now? Mitsubishi is jumping into the ring with its off-road version of the Triton called the Savana.
The Mitsubishi Triton is known for the most part as a dependable workhorse of a truck, but you could never shake the feeling that it’s missing something that its rivals already have: that robust, off-roading edge that others like the Ranger Raptor have in spades. It’s not as if it isn’t possible, with Mitsubishi’s extensive rally pedigree, from winning back-to-back rallies with Tommi Mäkinen in the late ’90s with the Evo, and consistent wins in the Dakar rally.
With all that said, what does Mitsubishi have in store with the Triton Savana? For starters, powering this pickup is a 2.4-liter bi-turbo diesel engine making 205 hp and 469 Nm of torque, all of which is sent to the wheels by a 6-speed automatic transmission, coupled with Mitsubishi’s Super Select II Traction 4WD system, capable of sending power to either the rear wheels or all four corners, more than enough for any muddy trails.
Aside from that, other features include the 7 drive modes: ‘Normal’ and ‘Eco’ for regular road driving, as well as dedicated modes for gravel, snow, mud, sand, and rocky terrains.
The off-road features don’t stop there, as coming with the Savana are the likes of a new set of 18-inch wheels wrapped in 265/60 R18 RT tires, and accessories such as a matte black snorkel on the right side fender for any submergent driving, a cargo net in the truck bed to secure any items you might be bringing with you, and even a roof rack with recovery boards and a shovel included.
Although this is as enticing an off-road pickup as it is, there have been no talks yet about bringing the Savana to the Philippines. Something that I honestly wish would happen in the future, as seeing these on the road, or even better yet, traversing the numerous mountainous terrains the Philippines has to offer, would definitely bring a breath of fresh air to the sea of Hiluxes, Rangers, and D-Maxes already abundant in the Philippine off-roading scene.
