What’s the best mid-range dual-cab ute? 2025 Mitsubishi Triton vs Isuzu D-Max comparison

You don’t have to be an automotive journalist to appreciate that the local ute market is dominated by frontrunners like the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux. These two titans dominate the local sales race for good reason, but they’re not the be-all and end-all.

One tier below sit alternatives such as the Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max. These two options don’t grab headlines like the aforementioned duo, but what they lack in name recognition, they make up with better value for money.

But, are they as good as the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux? And which of the two is the sharper offering?

We’ve assembled an example of each – arguably in their most sensible, value-driven specifications – to find out. Join us as we discover in written and video form which of these two dual-cab utes reigns supreme.

You don’t have to look far to see that we focus a lot on the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux. The former was Drive Car of the Year in years past, while the latter continues to be incredibly popular in the Australian sales race.

These are the options front of mind when you think dual-cab ute.

But, while they’re not at the top trading blows for the number-one spot in the local sales race, there’s plenty to get excited about with the Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton.

For this comparison, we’ve picked two mid-tier model grades priced below the $60,000 mark.

They both come chock-full of black styling features and wear attractive price tags to entice buyers. What’s better, these variants are currently on offer around the $57,000 mark, which represents fantastic value roughly equivalent to free on-road costs.

However, check in with your closest dealer for more detailed pricing, because this can fluctuate depending on the time of year.

The Isuzu D-Max X-Rider is where we’ll start first. It’s a sub-variant of the D-Max that first appeared as a special edition, but has since made it as a full-time member of the model range.

It’s characterised by black bits on the outside, such as the dark front grille, black mirror caps, door handles, 17-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres, black rear bar with integrated step, and a black sail-plane sports bar.

Standard features inside the cabin amount to black cloth trim, an 8.0-inch infotainment screen, four-speaker stereo, adaptive cruise control, a rear differential lock, and a damped tailgate.

Power is supplied by Isuzu’s enduring 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

It still produces 140kW and 450Nm, which is sent to a part-time four-wheel-drive system, including a low-range transfer case.

As stated, the car is currently on offer for $57,990 drive-away – but its usual price is $59,500 before on-road costs.

On the other side of the ring, we’ve got the Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R. This too was a later addition to the new-generation Triton range, offering similar levels of black styling and is billed as a value-driven offering in the dual-cab ute range.

It comes in more affordable than the Isuzu D-Max X-Rider in terms of retail pricing, costing $56,740 before on-road costs, but it too is the beneficiary of a special drive-away deal that sees it priced at $56,490.

For that price, it’s kitted with black exterior trim like the D-Max: a black sail plane sports bar like the D-Max, black mirrors and door handles like the D-Max, and black 18-inch wheels that are one inch bigger than the D-Max.

Although it also gets a damped tailgate, sadly it misses out on side steps where the D-Max gets a pair to make entry easier, and it also loses the all-terrain tyres that come standard on the D-Max X-Rider.

Inside, the Triton GLX-R gets a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cloth seats, a 9.0-inch infotainment screen that is one inch bigger than the D-Max, and carpet flooring.

The GLX-R also adopts the Super Select II four-wheel-drive system with capability on sealed surfaces and selectable drive modes.

The Triton is powered by a 2.4-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine developing 150kW and 470Nm, matched with a six-speed automatic transmission.

If you haven’t caught on yet, these two utes are very close on specification.

On looks alone, I think I prefer the styling of the Isuzu D-Max. Its front fascia is more attractive, and I’m also a big fan of the long-legged sports bar compared to the Triton’s solid plate.

It’s great to see that both utes now use damped hinges so that you can lower the rear tailgate without it clattering down. Both get a soft-top tonneau cover, though I’d be getting rid of that instantly and running it without one.

Both utes feature four tie-down points throughout their trays, but only the Mitsubishi stocks a tub-liner. You’ll have to pay extra with Isuzu to unlock that item.

It’s wild that Mitsubishi still includes halogen lights on its products, whereas the Isuzu looks far sharper with its LED headlights. I would have thought we’d now passed the time where that’s acceptable, but here we are and here’s the Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R without it.

Let us know in the comments below which car you’d pick for the better looker.

Let’s first start with the Mitsubishi Triton’s cabin, because on initial impression I think it’s the better of the two.

We’ve got a pair of nice, firm cloth-upholstered seats that afford good support around your sides and under your thighs, plus there’s a good amount of space around the driver’s footwell too.

Unfortunately, neither of these two utes has a left-foot dead pedal, meaning you have no specific spot to place your spare foot.

The materials used in-cabin are nothing to write home about, and there are very few contrasting panels throughout the interior. The only half-interesting piece of trim is the carbon-fibre-effect central tunnel.

There are hard plastics on the Triton’s central tunnel and door cards, and although these areas contain a good amount of stowage for bottles and loose ends, I think it’s actually the D-Max that places more emphasis on interior materials.

One small win that the Triton gets over the D-Max is a nice leather-covered steering wheel, whereas the D-Max gets a yuck polyurethane unit.

On the central tunnel there’s a drive-mode select button that can cycle through the Super Select II four-wheel-drive system’s configuration, plus a nice and easy dial to switch between high- and low-range, or two- or four-wheel drive.

In the second row of the Mitsubishi there is marginally less room for my legs behind my driving position than in the Isuzu, and my feet feel a bit more cramped beneath the seat.

Head room is still good, but there also feels like slightly less width, which could become a problem when you’re three-up in the second row.

Interestingly, the Triton has air vents in the rooflining, which means second-row passengers get a faceful of cold air when the weather’s warm. I prefer the D-Max’s vents in the traditional spot behind the centre console.

The fold-down centre armrest flops down to reveal two cupholders, and you’ve got one USB-C port and one USB-A outlet for charging devices.

In terms of cabin feel, the Mitsubishi might have the upper hand on paper, but I really came around to the look, feel, and comforts of the D-Max’s interior.

First of all, there are great storage options just about everywhere. On top of the dash you get a great little pop-open cubby, there’s a two-tiered glovebox to stow bits and pieces, plus the central tunnel can hide items too.

The Isuzu might not get the same amount of off-road modes as the Triton, but the Rough Terrain Mode button down on the central tunnel is a great addition. We’ve found it comes in handy when you’re on tough, uneven terrain – it helps the car keep torque going to the right wheels using the traction-control system. More on this in the driving section.

Back to the interior, the materials are nicer in the Isuzu than the Mitsubishi. There are glossy accents to the door cards and dash, design imprints on contrasting inlays, and even soft-touch, cloth-covered panels on the door panels where the Mitsubishi gets none.

I did say I liked the Triton’s seats, but the D-Max's units are far more supportive – I’m a huge fan of the broad-shoulder support and they feel really comfortable for long drives.

The Isuzu's second row has enough space for my tall 194cm frame. There’s good knee room, nice space side-to-side, and ample head room. It’s good to see that the rear door panels have the same level of finish as the front, plus the seats are similarly comfortable.

One thing to note is the Isuzu misses out on carpeted floors, which means you’ll be wanting to specify a set of floor mats throughout the interior. The Mitsubishi doesn’t have this problem because it gets carpeted flooring.

However, the D-Max gets fold-up seats that allow the second-row floor to be used as storage for larger items.

For the second row, the Isuzu D-Max X-Rider gets a USB-C port, air vents, a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, and nifty hooks to store bags when you’re on the move.

While the 9.0-inch infotainment unit serving the Triton is Mitsubishi’s own design, compared to the Isuzu’s off-the-shelf technology in its D-Max's 8.0-inch screen, it looks particularly old hat compared to the Isuzu’s fresh tech introduced last year.

The Mitsubishi comes with integrated satellite navigation and digital radio, plus wireless smartphone mirroring for Apple CarPlay, but not Android Auto – that’s wired. I ran Apple CarPlay throughout my time with the car and had no faults with the system.

A nice new addition to the Isuzu D-Max are the specific off-road displays on the central display.

Although you have a marginally smaller screen, the extent of the Isuzu’s information is much handier. There are off-road angle displays and graphics that represent what the four-wheel-drive system’s up to, but unfortunately this model grade misses out on tyre pressure monitoring from the screen.

The wireless smartphone mirroring worked well in my time with the car, but I wasn’t a fan of the low-resolution image for the reverse camera. Also, it’s only a single camera whereas the Triton gets a full surround-view 360-degree set-up.

Isuzu made great strides five years ago when it introduced this generation of D-Max, because the level of standard safety equipment was unheard of. It achieved a full five-star ANCAP rating, and this achievement was backed up in 2022 when the dual-cab ute was retested.

Although it misses out on the Driver Monitoring System that’s become commonplace in brand-new cars like the Mitsubishi Triton, it still stocks impressive equipment. One boast it has over the Triton is its ability to come to a stop and set off again autonomously through the adaptive cruise-control system, but only for a short few seconds at a time.

For its ANCAP crash-safety rating, the Mitsubishi Triton was awarded five stars in 2024. It’s worth noting, ANCAP had a change in testing criteria in 2023, meaning the Isuzu D-Max may not necessarily be awarded the same five-star score if it were tested today.

Unfortunately, the Triton misses out on stop-and-go and lane-centring additions to its adaptive cruise-control system. However, it does get a 360-degree surround-view monitor.

Both these utes now offer strong value after the initial purchase, which is a positive step in the right direction considering plenty of brands stick with traditional five-year warranties and expensive servicing.

If you’re committed to servicing at Mitsubishi dealership for a full 10 years, the brand will extend its warranty coverage from five years/100,000km to 10 years/200,000km.

Servicing costs for the first four visits are an identical $499, while the fifth service costs $549. That comes to a total of $2545 over five years.

In Isuzu’s camp, the D-Max is sold with a six-year/150,000km warranty as standard. Servicing pricing is more affordable over the first five years costing $2345. This means the Isuzu D-Max is $200 cheaper to service over five years than the Mitsubishi Triton.

These two utes use very different ways to produce their power, but the end result comes out remarkably similar. The higher 150kW/470Nm outputs of the Mitsubishi Triton plays 140kW/450Nm in the Isuzu D-Max, where the former uses a 2.4-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder against the latter’s 3.0-litre single-turbo unit.

Comparing the two engines back-to-back, the D-Max’s engine comes out as the more work-hardened of the two and you get more of an agricultural experience. More vibrations are felt inside the cabin and the engine certainly sounds more gruff.

It’s not like the Mitsubishi is refined for a dual-cab ute, but vibrations and noises are heard at a more pronounced level in the Isuzu, at least by comparison. For example, you can clearly see the Isuzu’s bonnet shaking with vibrations at an idle.

But there’s no denying the substantive level of grunt offered by the 140kW/450Nm Isuzu engine. Though it may be down 10kW/20Nm compared to the Mitsubishi, there is no appreciable difference felt from the seat of the pants.

The way the Isuzu’s Aisin-sourced six-speed transmission is able to snick down a gear or two and quickly serve up torque is the driveline’s best attribute – it’s unfussed by sudden throttle inputs and punches hard when you need it.

It needs more motivation to boogie when you’re driving around town, but this is a phenomenon you’ll get used to after owning the car for some time.

Though we didn’t tow on this comparison, we’ve also found the unit to be exceedingly smart at picking the right ratio when you’re towing a heavy trailer too.

By comparison, the Mitsubishi feels like the more eager of the two. A light dab of throttle results in a strong surge forward, and it’s this kind of energy that’s best appreciated about town. Only at the top of the rev range does the Triton run out of puff.

On the other side of the ledger, the Mitsubishi’s heavy steering system is not best suited to suburban driving. It feels frustratingly heavy and unwieldy to thread the Triton’s body through town, so this may be a ute to avoid if you’re destined to spend more time city-bound.

The Isuzu’s light feel is far easier to deploy around town and on the open road alike. You don’t lose much feel from what the wheels are translating from the road beneath the car, but it’s a much easier ute to drive.

Some time spent on unpaved roads highlights that the Isuzu is the better-handling ute off-road too. Although the Mitsubishi gets tricky multi-mode driving settings accessed through a button on the centre console, it never quite settles at speed over gravel surfaces. It’s a floaty-feeling ride comfort that doesn’t convey a sense of control, even though there’s a specific Gravel drive mode.

At least in the Mitsubishi, the Super Select II four-wheel-drive system allows the car to remain in four-wheel drive when transitioning back to the bitumen – this is a competency the Isuzu can’t match.

On roads, the Mitsubishi’s stiff chassis feels bullied by road impacts and imperfections. These disturbances are translated through to the cabin and the ride comfort never truly feels settled as a result.

Comparatively, the Isuzu’s composure is easier to appreciate – especially around town. It’s great at absorbing larger impacts such as speed humps or train tracks, only getting upset by sustained corrugations and particularly nasty road conditions.

The Triton’s engine start/stop system is one of the most frustrating parts of the whole driving experience. Though you can switch it off when it becomes too annoying, it turns back on every time you start the car.

But the worst bit is how slow it operates. I found myself sitting idly at traffic lights, caught out multiple times throughout the week, because the engine had just turned off and took an age to turn on again.

I’ve also had some serious frustrations with the Driver Monitoring System. It can be very hit-and-miss in its ability to detect inattention, and unfortunately, this time around, the system performed poorly in my experience.

It carried on while I was wearing sunglasses, suggested I take breaks 30 minutes into a drive, and alerted whenever I glanced sideways at the infotainment system. Mitsubishi has acknowledged the system’s shortcomings and tried to implement fixes, but I think it needs further refinement.

In terms of fuel efficiency, Isuzu claims 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres for the D-Max, whereas the Mitsubishi Triton is rated for 7.7L/100km.

While neither of these utes hit the claim during their time with us, it was the Mitsubishi that was more efficient. It managed a 7.9L/100km recording across freeway, suburban, and country usage. Meanwhile, the Isuzu D-Max was slightly worse off measuring 8.4L/100km.

These two dual-cab utes are so closely matched on price, specifications, and powertrains that picking an outright winner was no easy task.

They trade blows over equipment, in which it’s the Mitsubishi that takes the cake, and materials fit and finish, in which it’s the D-Max that’s the nicer option.

Ongoing maintenance and running costs are marginally more affordable with Isuzu, but the temptation of a 10-year warranty is hard to pass up – as long as you can play Mitsubishi’s uninterrupted servicing game.

These two mid-grade offerings make gains on one another and concede omissions elsewhere, meaning that personal preference will likely make a huge difference in which ute, you yourself, would rather own.

The real-world implications of how these utes will be used cements the Isuzu D-Max X-Rider as the king of the black packs, and the better car in this comparison – by a slim margin.

It’s a nicer experience in a broader array of domains. It doesn’t annoy around town with a frustrating start/stop system or heavy steering, the cabin materials and storage on offer are easier to use, and it’s the more enjoyable drive out in the country.

The elephant in the room is the increased price you’ll have to pay to unlock this better dual-cab ute. At the time of writing, you’ll pay a few thousand dollars more for an Isuzu D-Max X-Rider over the Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R.

Considering how close these two utes are, if you can only stretch to the $56,490 price of the Triton GLX-R, it remains a strikingly polished option.

However, our money would be placed behind the Isuzu D-Max as the better option in the long run.

Tom started out in the automotive industry by exploiting his photographic skills but quickly learned journalists got the better end of the deal. With tenures at CarAdvice, Wheels Media, and now Drive, Tom's breadth of experience and industry knowledge informs a strong opinion on all things automotive. At Drive, Tom covers automotive news, car reviews, advice, and holds a special interest in long-form feature stories.

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