Beauty contest: Kia Tasman SX vs Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R

Kia’s new Tasman ute hasn’t exactly set the sales charts alight in its first two months on the market, with just over 700 units registered in both July and August. Still, it’s early days for the model.

If Tasman sales are slower than expected, it’s likely because many buyers can’t get past the controversial front-end styling. But let’s face it – neither of the utes in this test is going to win a beauty contest.

Most of our seat time in the Tasman so far has been in the upper-spec X-Pro and X-Line variants, so we figured it was time to sample a lower grade. Here we have the Kia Tasman SX, the second rung up from the base model, priced at $54,490 (+ORC).

For comparison, we’ve lined the Tasman SX up against the Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R which, at $56,740 (+ORC), is close on both price and specification. The current Triton is also one of the newer contenders in the midsize 4×4 market.

JUMP AHEAD

• Kia Tasman SX
• Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R
• Verdict
• Specs

Kia Tasman SX

For a lower-grade, mid-spec model, the Tasman SX feels impressively well equipped and feature-laden – certainly more so than the pricier Triton GLX-R.

What you get

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Full-size spare wheel
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Rear-view camera (pick-up only)
• Cruise control
• Drive modes: Snow, Sand, Mud
• Push-button start
• LED headlights and daytime running lights
• Trailer sway control
• Trailer set-up menus
• Integrated trailer brake controller
• Tailgate with lift assistance
• 12.3-inch driver cluster and multimedia screens
• Wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay
• Six-speaker sound system
• Inbuilt sat-nav
• LED interior lights
• Cloth-trim seats
• Dual-zone climate control
• Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)

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The big screens and wide cabin give the Tasman a more premium feel than the Triton, and a more modern one too – which, of course, it is. The rear seat in the Tasman SX misses out on the slide-and-recline function found in the X-Line and X-Pro models, but it does feature a large under-seat storage bin.

One key difference between the SX and the higher grades is the use of a T-bar transmission shifter in the centre console, rather than the stalk-mounted selector and paddle shifters. The SX also misses out on a wireless phone-charging pad.

The Tasman S, SX and SX+ models carry a 5-star ANCAP rating that the higher grades miss out on. This is thanks to the ‘cow-catcher’ front spoiler, which is claimed to improve pedestrian safety in the event of a strike. The trade-off is a reduced approach angle that limits off-road performance. On our drive we scraped the front lip often, though without causing damage.

Like all Tasmans, the SX is powered by a 2.2-litre single-turbo diesel engine producing a modest 155kW and 441Nm. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a part-time dual-range 4×4 system, which also offers a 4×4 Auto mode for on-road all-wheel-drive grip.

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The Tasman SX features an auto-locking rear differential and an open front diff, though the ETC still works across the front axle. This differs from the X-Pro, which has a driver-selectable rear diff lock, allowing you to engage it before getting into trouble. On test, the SX spun its wheels on steep ruts, but once the rear diff locked up the vehicle forged ahead without issue.

The Tasman comes with Kia’s seven-year warranty, capped-price servicing and up to eight years of roadside assistance.

Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R

The current Mitsubishi Triton is less than two years old, making it one of the newer utes in its class and an ideal match-up for the new Tasman. Yet from the moment you sit inside the GLX-R, it feels older and more like a working ute than the more passenger-friendly Tasman. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for the Mitsi – it’s just not as plush.

What you get

• 9-inch multimedia screen
• 7-inch driver information panel in the dash binnacle
• Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and inbuilt sat-nav
• Around-view monitor
• Auto door locks, key-in-ignition start/stop
• Comfort-spec rear leaf springs
• Part-time dual-range 4WD
• Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
• Cloth seats
• Single-zone climate control
• Rear-seat ventilation and controls
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Halogen headlights, DRLs and parkers

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All Triton 4x4s are powered by a 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine producing 150kW and 470Nm, and it’s this extra performance that gives the Mitsubishi the edge over the Tasman when push comes to shove. The Triton gets along nicely, with swift acceleration and strong pulling power when you need it. The Triton’s six-speed auto might feel dated in today’s market, but in reality there’s nothing wrong with it – it does the job well.

The Triton was the first 4×4 ute to achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating under the latest 2024 standards, and it comes loaded with tech such as AEB, ABS, ESC, ETC, lane-departure warning and intervention, TPMS, nine airbags, plus front and rear cross-traffic alert. Both utes feature a driver-monitoring system, but I found the Mitsubishi’s more intrusive than Kia’s, whose subtle chime is easier to ignore.

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The Mitsubishi’s interior keeps its working-class look and feel, with smaller screens, more hard plastics and, in the case of the GLX-R, a key start and manual handbrake – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Like the Tasman, the Triton offers a spacious cabin with plenty of room in both the front and rear seats. The roof-mounted rear vents are a great feature we’d like to see in more vehicles.

The Triton comes with Mitsubishi’s Diamond Advantage: a 10-year warranty, capped-price servicing and roadside assistance (conditions apply).

Verdict

On- and off-road, both of these utes deliver exactly what they promise. They’re competent 4x4s, comfortable tourers and safe family haulers.

The current Triton may be one of the newer 4×4 utes on the market, but the Tasman makes it feel older than it is. The Kia sets new benchmarks for interior comfort, equipment and refinement – standards we’ve only otherwise seen in the BYD Shark.

It would be a close race between the two, with the Mitsubishi likely edging out the Kia to 100km/h – though the difference is negligible. For me, the Tasman’s added safety and drivability from its 4×4 Auto system, combined with the excellent suspension tuning, seals the deal when it comes to both sealed and unsealed-road performance.

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If you were towing a two-tonne-plus trailer, you might appreciate the extra grunt of the Mitsubishi’s powertrain – but you’d also be better off with a ute offering on-demand or full-time 4×4, for the added traction and stability that system provides.

The Tasman SX feels like it should cost considerably more than the Triton GLX-R, yet it’s actually the cheaper option – and that, along with everything else we’ve covered, makes it the clear winner of this test. Just be sure to remove that chin spoiler before you tear it off on the first erosion mound you drive over.

Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R: 8/10

Kia Tasman SX: 8/10

Specs