New Mitsubishi Strada: Features explained

The latest facelifted Mitsubishi Strada (also known as the Triton in some countries) made its first international splash at the 2018 Thailand International Motor Expo in Bangkok. After that, it didn’t take it too long to make its entry into one of its strongest markets in this part of the world, the Philippines.

The Japanese automaker has been selling three generations of the Strada midsize pickup truck in the country, each concretising the model’s popularity more than its predecessor. However, even though the Strada has done really well for itself, it surely isn’t free of competition.

In the Philippines, the new Mitsubishi Strada goes up against worthy rivals such as the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, and Chevrolet’s Colorado. Considering how important the midsize pickup truck segment is in this region, the latest iteration of the Strada is pivotal in ensuring that Mitsubishi’s pickup game stays strong; and in many ways, it seems that the Tokyo-based marque knows what they’re doing quite well. Therefore it comes as no surprise that Mitsubishi has been able to sell several million of these all over the world. For now, though, let’s take a look at some of the features of the latest-gen Strada…

Exterior features

While it’s true that utility pickup trucks are all about functionality, durability and practicality, but no rulebook in the world says that they need to look bad whilst scoring on all those requirements. And by the looks of it, it seems that the new Mitsubishi Strada embodies this philosophy, too. Along with its recent facelift, the Strada’s exterior design has benefited greatly from Mitsubishi’s ‘Dynamic Shield’ front fascia.

The aggressive yet modern styling of the Strada’s face gives this truck a lot of street presence. Then there’s the chiselled bonnet, slender LED headlights with crisp LED daytime running lights, bold-looking grille, large lower air intake, and a muscular bumper with an integrated skid plate.

Meanwhile, not much has changed along the sides of the new Strada -- you do get new 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels, squared-off & flared wheel arches, and some chrome finish (on higher trims) to pump up the ‘style’ quotient.

At the back, the only real addition to new Strada comes in the form of a revised tail lamp cluster, which does look quite modern and attractive with its distinctive LED running unit.

Apart from that, the tailgate incorporates an LED stoplight, chrome release handle, and a sturdy bumper unit with an integrated step. Overall, the exterior styling of the new Mitsubishi Strada portrays its dynamic, capable and rugged personality really well, without coming across as overkill.

In terms of its proportions, the new model measures 5280 mm in length, 1815 mm in width, 1780 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 3000 mm.

Interior features

When compared to some of its rivals and even its predecessors, the interior of the new Mitsubishi Strada is reasonably luxurious and well built - this is especially applicable on the higher trims of the Strada.

To construct this cabin and ensure the occupants get the most amount of space, Mitsubishi has made use of their trademark “J-Line” design, and it seems to have worked fine. The Strada can seat five adults without much fuss, while legroom and headroom are good, too.

The design and styling of the front dashboard, centre stack, instrument cluster and steering wheel are akin to that found in the new Montero Sport - everything looks and feels acceptably high-grade, with several soft-touch materials and premium-looking surface trim and accents.

As for some of the Strada specs sheet, Mitsubishi has equipped it with front & rear fog lamps, automatic LED headlamps, keyless entry with push-button ignition, paddle shifters, leather-clad multifunction steering wheel with tilt & telescopic adjustment, leather seat upholstery, electrically-operated & auto-folding door mirrors, power-operated driver’s seat, automatic dual-zone climate control with roof-mounted rear vents, cruise control, front & rear USB ports, 6-speaker sound system, and a touchscreen multimedia-infotainment head unit with built-in navigation system, AUX, USB, Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity.

Engine and performance

While the previous generation of the Mitsubishi Strada was available with a 2.5-litre diesel four-popper and a 2.4-litre oil-burner, the new facelifted model is primarily sold only with the latter. The MIVEC unit that’s under the bonnet of the new Strada uses a variable geometry turbocharger, producing 179 hp at 3,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 430 Nm at 2,500 rpm. Depending on the variant, this motor gets paired to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic gearbox (with Sport Mode), capable of sending power to either just the rear wheels or to all fours (in 4WD versions) via the brand’s capable Super Select 4WD-II system. The torquey motor along with the Super Select 4WD system makes the new Strada an accomplished off-road vehicle, though it’s in no way fast or brisk -- with a top speed of around 170 kmph and a 0 to 100 kmph time of 11 seconds - speed clearly isn’t this pickup truck’s forte.

Safety features

Mitsubishi has packed the new Strada with almost every safety feature that’s there at their disposal. For example, there’s the Mitsubishi Active Stability and Traction Control system (MASTC), along with Brake Override System (BOS), Trailer Stability Assist (TSA), Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation System (UMS), Forward Collision Mitigation (Autonomous Emergency Braking Function), Forward Collision Mitigation (Warning Function), Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and Lane Change Alert (LCA). The Strada also features Hill-Start Assist (HSA), Hill Decent Control (HDC), front & rear parking sensors with a reversing camera, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), seatbelt reminder, ISOFIX rear seat anchor points, collapsible steering column & brake pedal, and a total of seven airbags (dual front, side, curtain & driver's knee).

Also Read:- Strada lineup gets a refreshed single cab variant in Thailand