Mitsubishi has selected the new Series 7 L200 double-cab pickup to spearhead its return to Britain, following a near-five-year hiatus.

The Japanese maker sold 180,000 of them during its previous UK residency, which ran from the mid-1980s until its departure in late 2021.

See also: On test: Ford ramps up Ranger pickup power with 281hp hybrid

This time, the trucks are propelled by a more powerful 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel, coupled to the firm’s trademark Super Select 4WD-II drivetrain with a lockable central differential that provides full-time four-wheel drive.

Joining them on the initial Mitsubishi roster will be the all-wheel-drive Outlander PHEV – an SUV that led the early transition to plug-in hybrids thanks to some generous tax breaks around the time of its launch in 2014.

The latest iteration is apparently longer, wider and taller, and powered by a 300hp combination of 2.4-litre petrol engine and front/rear electric motors.

In lieu of the bigger Shogun, which hasn’t made the cut, it will also be available with seven seats.

BYD Shark © BYD

Pickup competition hots up

Another potentially imminent arrival on these shores is the Shark 6 from Chinese powerhouse BYD.

The maker is one of several disruptors from the People’s Republic that have ruffled the feathers of established European brands by proffering very keenly priced electric and hybrid passenger vehicles.

It already has a plug-in hybrid pickup in its ranks, with the Shark 6 sold in Australia, South America and South Africa, and recently the subject of a UK promotional tour.

One of the main drivers behind its introduction is the change to taxation rules, with benefit-in-kind liabilities now linked to carbon emissions.

This has hastened the previously glacial transition to greener pickup powertrains, with Ford having launched its Ranger Hybrid last summer, Isuzu going electric with the D-Max, and Toyota unveiling a new battery-powered Hilux.