Triton ClubCab is a tough worker

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And what's more, they reckon they are going to do well, in spite of the slump in sales of new vehicles.

Which is brave, considering there are roughly about 750 station wagons, SUV's, MPV's and double-cabs on the market, plus another 180-odd pick-ups and vans.

Yes, Mitsubishi's Triton single- and double-cab work horses and playthings are reliable, well-built and high-specced, but so are the likes of Isuzu, Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50, Toyota Hilux, Nissan Navara and a host of others.

In its favour, even though some bakkie boys pooh-pooh the Triton for its “soft” looks, the brand has a good local fan club, underlined by 319 sales in August and 264 in September.

And now that the range has been for cosmetic surgery to improve it looks, and to the gym to give it more agility, Mitsubishi expects a further up-kick in sales.

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What will certainly help is that the Triton range now offers a much wider choice of four engines, manual or auto transmissions, single cabs (for the first time) or double cabs, petrol or diesel, 4x2's or 4x4's.

And it's the new ClubCab versions that are expected to sell particularly well, being attractively priced at R230,000 for the 2.5-litre 4x2, R297,000 for the 3.2-litre 4x4 and R239,250 for the 3.5-litre 4x2 V6.

In these days of high maintenance costs it is also comforting to know that all Tritons come with a three-year/100,000km warranty and a five-year/100,000km service plan.

The entry-level 2.5 turbo-diesel is a two-wheel drive. Next up is another two-wheel drive, but powered by a 3.5-litre petrol V6 and at the top of the off-road pile is a 3.2-litre turbo-diesel 4x4.

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All have five-speed manual transmissions, with no auto options planned for.

The Triton range is now also proudly South African, being manufactured in the new R200-million assembly line at parent company Mercedes-Benz's East London factory - renowned for its C-Class Merc build quality.

What will please current and potential owners is that Mitsubishi has listened to feedback from the local market and have put in some fancy design work to improve the Triton's front suspension which many felt was not quite up to the demands of local conditions.

But, as often is the case, ruggedness often comes at the sacrifice of comfort.

I drove the 2.5-litre petrol ClubCab for about 40 kilometres on a fairly good tar road and I found the front suspension a little too hard for comfort.

It also doesn't help that the steering is still rather lifeless, much like the earlier imported Triton double-cabs.

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Perhaps with a bit of weight on its back it will feel more settled on the tar.

But then, in fairness, one doesn't buy a bakkie for five-star sedan travel (or for its looks, for that matter), but for the way it hauls loads and behaves off the tar.

And it's in the rough where the ClubCab impressed the most.

On a boulder-strewn course set out by veteran race-driver and off-road pilot Sarel van der Merwe in the dense Inkwenkwezi private game reserve north of East London the ClubCab performed like a champ.

Even the resort's famous white lions interrupted their meal to admire our progress….

Our test vehicle certainly had more than enough punch and even on a section designed for blue-bearded 4x4's it not once even felt like it was losing the battle against the terrain.

If oozed confidence and felt tough, robust and quite at ease clambering over boulders and up and down the slippery slopes with the valuable assistance of a diff lock.

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What failed to impress was its rather drab interior with acres of boring hard plastic, a tiny, cheap-looking radio, dull grey cloth material and a driver seat and steering column that just couldn't be adjusted sufficiently to find a comfortable driving position to avoid thumping one's left knee against the console.

It does have aircon and although you can open and close the windows with a button, hands are still needed to get the outside mirrors into position.

But then one doesn't enter a plough horse to compete in a dressage event and practicality obviously weighs more than comfort and eye-candy in the case of the ClubCab.

For this reason it also has a large carpeted shelf behind the seats, handy for tools, kit and coffee flasks which will disappear quite quickly if left in the load box anywhere in this country.

The load box was designed to comfortably carry a 938kg load during the week which means that it will also cope marvellously well with mountain bikes, quads, surfers and camping gear during off-duty spells.

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And the ClubCab also has a wide range of kit to make life easier, including a one touch gate handle, a front skid plate, an accessory 12-volt socket, ABS and EBD, driver and passenger airbags, side door impact beams, halogen headlamps, fuel lid opener, auto locking doors (once the vehicle is in motion) an alarm system, lots of cabin storage spaces and even fancies such as central locking with remote keyless entry, analogue instrumentation, intermittent wipers and a buzzer to warn you that the lights have been left on.

As a single cabs go the ClubCab can ride tall in the company of the best of the bakkie brigade. It is a slick-looking, well-priced, well-built one-tonner that will do the job it's designed for without any mutters or moans.