This is an unusual comparison, because these two utes are mechanically almost the same vehicle. The new 'D27' Navara is built on the Mitsubishi Triton's ladder-frame platform and shares its body, interior and drivetrain. So what are you actually choosing between?
What they share
Both use the same 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel producing 150kW and 470Nm, matched to a six-speed automatic, with 3500kg braked towing capacity and an official combined figure of 7.7L/100km. The cabin is essentially identical — same 9.0-inch touchscreen, same drive-mode controller, same layout. Even the dimensions are the same.
The one real difference
Suspension. Nissan engaged Melbourne-based Premcar — the firm behind the Navara and Patrol Warrior models — to retune the Navara for Australian roads, fitting twin-tube Monroe dampers that are manufactured in South Australia and fitted locally before delivery.
The difference is not marketing. Reviewers who have driven both consistently report that the Navara rides with less of the jittery, harsh edge that has been the Triton's main criticism, particularly on corrugations and patched country roads. For a vehicle you spend hours in, that matters.
Where the Triton wins
Price. The Navara starts from around $53,348 plus on-road costs and sits above the equivalent Triton, and the Mitsubishi has frequently been available with sharp drive-away campaigns. If the numbers are what drive your decision, the Triton delivers the same engine, the same tub and the same towing capacity for less.
Mitsubishi's long conditional warranty is also a genuine consideration for buyers who service on schedule at the dealer.
Which one?
Buy the Navara if you cover big distances on rough roads and value ride comfort, or if you want to wait for the locally developed Warrior version.
Buy the Triton if you want the same fundamental ute for less money and you are not troubled by a firmer ride.
Our advice: drive both on the roughest road near you, unladen. That is where the money goes, and it is the only way to know whether the difference is worth the premium to you.