A sneak peek (and drive) of the all-new Mitsubishi Strada

MANILA, Philippines - 1978.

That was the year Mitsubishi introduced its first pickup. In the 36 years that followed, Mitsubishi rolled out just three other models—a testament to each pickup’s enduring versatility and popularity. And now, almost four decades from that pioneering utility vehicle, the brand with the three red diamonds is unveiling its fifth pickup, the all-new Strada (also known as Triton or L200 in other markets).

And we flew to Japan not just to witness another unveiling, we took the Thai-made Strada to Sodegaura Raceway on the outskirts of Tokyo for some quick laps on tarmac and topped that off with a little off-roading fun at a 4x4 park—just to see how well it copes with the muddy and slippery stuff.

But first, how does the new Strada look? I’ve always been a fan of the previous Strada’s unconventional—for a pickup—styling. It may not have the macho appeal of its more angularly brutish rivals, but it does stand out with its smooth lines and its unorthodoxly styled pickup bed. For those who have been weaned on sedans, the Strada offers the easiest transition to pickupdom—especially in terms of smoothness and refinement, inside and out.

Despite being an all-new model, the new truck retains much of its predecessor’s styling cues (its new chassis is seven percent higher in torsional rigidity), most notably the distinctive “J line” that divides the cab from the bed. The front end still presents the smoothest and most carlike visage among the trucks—although I expect the all-chrome grille to be replaced by a less garish one when it arrives on our shores (which is by the time you read this). Ditto the doors and windows, which look like they can be fitted to a four-door sedan without anyone being the wiser that they came from a truck.

One of the more prominent new styling touches are the pinched character lines that span the upper part of the vehicle’s sides. They give the new Strada a crisper, sharper, more contemporary—and yes, more carlike—visual feel. It has a drag coefficient of 0.42, which is pretty sleek for a pickup truck.

The rear three-quarter view shows a more detailed rear end. The tailgate is more vertical and has lost the outgoing truck’s slanted profile. The cargo bed retains its predecessor’s length and width but is deeper to offer greater loading capacity. The taillights wrap around to the side with the upper part extending forwards similar to the taillights of the Ford Focus hatchback and the Toyota Yaris. Diagonal character lines on the tailgate and an industrial-strength-looking bumper (with built-in stepboards) finish off the rear. 

Inside the black-and-gray cabin, the Strada is as car-like as they come—as cliché-sounding as it sounds; but it does have the fit, finish, and tactile feel you’d find in a high-quality sedan. The dash is simple and straightforward, with large well-placed vents, knobs and switches.  Two large gauges for speedo and tach bracket a small digital display for temp and fuel. A large three-spoke steering wheel—Mitsubishi tends to have the biggest steering wheels—sport leather wrapping as well as audio and trip computer switches on high-end models. Rich piano black and chrome trim serve as luxurious accents for the interior. 

The front seats are generously sized and have lots of space (legroom, shoulder room, and headroom are all increased vis-à-vis its predecessor), but it’s the rear seats that are noteworthy due to its subtle contouring for two passengers. It’s not as pronounced as the outright buckets seats for two found in the backseats of a Porsche Panamera or a Mercedes C63 AMG—or even a Honda CR-Z. With a more inclined seatback (at 25 degrees) and a folding center armrest, they certainly look more inviting to sit in than those of most other pickups with their vertical seatbacks. The contouring is not too pronounced as to make it uncomfortable for a third middle passenger, though. 

Enough of the look and feel of the interior and exterior. How does the new Strada drive? To make a long story short, much like the old one. Which is actually a good thing. The Strada has always had the smoothest and most compliant rides among the trucks—and the new truck hasn’t lost it one bit. Here is one truck you wouldn’t dread riding in the back seat for a long road trip.

The engine and transmission combo are paragons of smoothness and refinement as well. There is very little diesel noise and vibration inside the cabin, even with the carryover 4D56 2.5-liter CRDi motor. A new and state-of-the-art all-aluminum motor was also among the engines we tested in Japan. It’s called the 4N15 and it displaces slightly smaller at 2.4 liters but boasts 181ps and a stunning 430 Nm of torque plus Euro 5-compliance in exhaust emissions and a 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption compared to the 4D56 (owing to its more efficient combustion which is achieved by a low-for-a-diesel compression ratio of 15.5:1 and lighter weight). This low compression ratio also enables the engine’s all-aluminum construction.  Unfortunately, this engine won’t be debuting in the Philippines anytime soon due to the engine’s requirement for a very high grade of diesel fuel which is still unavailable locally.

In any case, the proven 4D56 is no slouch with a more-than-generous 178ps and 400Nm of torque from its Variable Geometry Turbo CRDi engine. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automatic with Mitsubishi’s Sport Mode manumatic feature. Playing with both stick and matic versions of the drivetrain on both tarmac and dirt tracks underscored just smooth, quiet and refined—and still very muscular—these engine/transmission combos are. Even the stickshift’s throws are light and short, just like a car’s.

Like its predecessor, the new Strada rides on double wishbones with coil springs in front and a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear. Suspension tuning is such that the truck rides and handles much like a car with little of that jarring motion you’d feel in other trucks—even when we were hurtling it through the off-road course. It’s no sedan, mind you, but it exacts minimal penalty in riding comfort, even on the bumpy stuff.

It’s also delightfully responsive in its steering. Variable assist hydraulic power steering means it’s light at low speeds and heavier and with more feedback at cruising and high speeds. Its car-like 5.7-meter turning radius makes tight U-turns a cinch. 

The new Strada retains the previous model’s Easy Select 4WD system which allows the driver to switch between 2WD and 4WD High at speeds of up to 100 km/h. It also has a rear limited slip differential for sure traction over slippery surfaces. Off-road capability is further enhanced by its high 205mm ground clearance as well as its generous 30- and 22-degree approach and departure angles, respectively.

Braking is via front discs and rear drums, with shorter pedal travel and less pedal effort compared to its predecessor. ABS, EBD, as well as Active Stability & Traction Control (ASTC) highlight the Strada’s impressive roster of safety features. The Stradas we drove in Japan had steel or alloy wheels ranging in size from 15 to 17 inches. It’s safe to assume that the local market version will have 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped with all-terrain tires.

The trucks came in Brown Metallic, Gray Metallic, Black Mica, White Pearl, as well as two showcase colors, Earth Green Metallic and Sterling Silver Metallic. The names might change but the Philippine-model trucks would probably come in this same palette of colors.

Other features which may or may not be available in local models are an Electronic Time & Alarm Control System with Engine Immobilizer, a smart keyless entry system which lets you lock and unlock the truck with the key in your pocket, and a push-button engine start/stop.

With all these features, the term “fully loaded” is almost an understatement to describe the all-new Mitsubishi Strada. It’s an extremely developed and supremely capable truck that, with the recently launched Nissan Navara, is sure to be a game-changer in the burgeoning truck wars. Let the games begin!