Mitsubishi Motors to supply Triton pickup to Honda for sale in Southeast Asia from 2028
In short
Honda and Mitsubishi Motors announced on 22 October that Mitsubishi will supply its Triton pickup truck to Honda. Honda plans to sell it in Southeast Asia during 2028. Outlets describe it as the first step in the two companies' collaboration.
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Honda and Mitsubishi Motors announced on 22 October that Mitsubishi will supply its Triton pickup truck to Honda. Honda plans to sell it for ASEAN markets during 2028. Kyodo News, in the Tokyo Shimbun, called it the first step in collaboration the two have been considering. [ 3 , 7 ]
Nikkei reported that the Triton, which Mitsubishi builds in Thailand, will be fitted with a Honda badge and sold mainly in Southeast Asia at Honda stores. It said the Triton is a large pickup with a ladder-type frame. Honda already makes a pickup, but it is based on a passenger-car structure and Honda had no frame-based model. [ 1 ]
Asahi Shimbun said Honda can enter the pickup market in Southeast Asia, where demand is large, at lower development cost and in a shorter time. Nikkei said competition with Chinese makers in Southeast Asia has become harder, and that the aim of working with Mitsubishi is to hold down vehicle development costs. Kyodo said Honda will develop a model based on the Triton. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
For Mitsubishi, the outlets said, the deal raises use of its Thai plant. Nikkei gave the plant's capacity at 386,000 vehicles a year in fiscal 2025, while 170,000 were produced in 2025. It said Mitsubishi plans to suspend one of its three Thai assembly plants in the middle of fiscal 2027. Nikkei also said the Triton sold 130,000 units worldwide in fiscal 2025, the most of any Mitsubishi model. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors agreed in 2024 to explore broad collaboration. Asahi said talks on a Honda-Nissan business integration later ended without agreement, but the three kept looking at cooperation. In August, Honda and Nissan announced joint development of next-generation vehicle base technology, with Mitsubishi expected to join. TBS said the companies plan further collaboration beyond vehicles. [ 1 , 4 , 5 ]
NHK described the document as a memorandum for Honda to receive pickup trucks from Mitsubishi, as a way to strengthen Honda in Southeast Asia. Nikkei said the three-company tie-up leaves Japan's carmakers in two camps, a Toyota group and a Honda-Nissan group, with the Honda-Nissan side selling about 7.4 million vehicles across the three companies. [ 1 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The deal gives Honda a pickup truck for Southeast Asia that it does not currently have there, and gives Mitsubishi a way to raise use of its Thai plant, according to the outlets. Nikkei says it moves Japan's carmakers toward two camps, one around Toyota and one around Honda and Nissan.
Key facts
- Honda and Mitsubishi Motors announced on 22 October that they agreed Mitsubishi will supply the Triton pickup truck to Honda. [ 1 , 3 , 7 ]
- Honda plans to launch it in 2028 for ASEAN markets; Nikkei says it will carry a Honda badge and be sold mainly in Southeast Asia at Honda stores. [ 1 , 3 , 7 ]
- The Triton is built by Mitsubishi in Thailand. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Honda has no comparable model for Southeast Asia, so it will develop a model based on the Triton. [ 3 , 5 , 7 ]
- Mitsubishi benefits through higher utilisation of its Thai plant. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Nikkei reports Mitsubishi's Thai plant capacity was 386,000 vehicles a year in fiscal 2025, against 170,000 produced in 2025. [ 1 ]
- Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors signed a strategic partnership in 2024; further collaboration beyond vehicles is planned. [ 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Honda and Mitsubishi Motors announced on 22 October an agreement for Mitsubishi to supply the Triton pickup truck to Honda. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Honda aims to sell the model in Southeast Asia during 2028. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- The deal helps Mitsubishi raise utilisation of its Thai plant. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Honda and Nissan announced in August that they would jointly develop next-generation vehicle base technology, and Mitsubishi Motors is expected to join. [ 1 , 4 ]
- NHK reported that the two companies signed a memorandum on Honda receiving pickup trucks from Mitsubishi Motors. [ 6 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the arrangement is a final agreement or a memorandum. Most outlets say the companies agreed on the supply, while NHK says a memorandum was signed.
- Sales regions beyond Southeast Asia. Nikkei says sales will centre on Southeast Asia; other outlets name ASEAN or Southeast Asia only, and no document gives other markets.
- Prices, volumes and the Honda model name. None of the documents gives these details.