Mitsubishi Triton Loses Payload Capacity To Gain More Buyers In Australia

Mitsubishi announced the expansion of the Triton pickup lineup in Australia, with “additional payload variants”. While this would normally hint at a more capable version of the truck, the company is actually reducing the payload capacity of existing trims as an option to make it eligible for Australia’s “novated leasing” scheme and widen its target audience.

The reduced payload will be offered as an option for the Mitsubishi Triton GLS and GSR grades, starting this August. The press release is coy on details but mentions a sub-1,000kg (2,205 pounds) payload, with all other specifications remaining unchanged.

More: Mitsubishi Triton Black Edition Is Darker, Meaner, And Exclusively RWD

Compared to the standard versions, this translates to a payload reduction of 75 kg and 30 kg respectively. The rest of the lineup offers payload capacities between 1,030-1,110 kg (2,271-2,447 pounds) depending on the trim.

It is not clear whether Mitsubishi actually tweaked something on the underpinnings of the midsize pickup, or if the reduced payload is only a matter of paperwork. In any case, the sub-1,000 kg (2,205 pounds) rating is offered as a no-cost option, with the less capable GLS and GSR trims costing the same as the original versions at AU$ 59,090 (US$ 38,840) and AU$ 63,840 (US$ 41,962) respectively.

All trims of the Australian-market Mitsubishi Triton are fitted with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, generating up to 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS). The mill is exclusively mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, sending power to the rear or all four wheels.

According to Mitsubishi, the lineup expansion was decided following real-world feedback from dealers, media, and customers. The company claims that the Triton will now “appeal to a wider customer range”, including “novated lease customers”.

So What Is Novated Leasing?

As reported by our colleagues at CarExpert, the novated lease is a three-way agreement between the lease, their employer, and a finance or leasing company. In short, the lease payments are automatically deducted from one’s salary, which is why the employer is involved with the deal. As with the regular leasing deals, the novated lease can include running costs such as insurance, servicing, tires, and registration, and can be arranged for a set period with pre-determined annual mileage.

More importantly, the novated lease has benefits for the lessee, effectively deducting the annual cost of the payments from their taxable income, while sparing the GST. Savings are even more substantial for PHEVs or EVs, but some still choose this option for ICE-powered vehicles.

Based on the popularity of trucks in the Australian market, Mitsubishi made a clever move by making the Triton comply with the novated leasing legislation to lure more buyers. It is no accident that the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux best-sellers, both have trims with sub-1,000 kg (2,205 pounds) payloads.