Honda Is Apparently Launching A Proper Truck… Made By Mitsubishi

Honda is reportedly preparing to add a proper pickup truck to its global lineup, but there's a twist: Mitsubishi will do most of the heavy lifting. According to a report from one of Japan's oldest newspapers, Honda plans to source the Mitsubishi Triton and sell it under its own badge, with the first deliveries expected in 2028.

If the Yomiuri Shimbun report proves accurate, the deal would mark the first major outcome of ongoing cooperation talks between the two Japanese automakers. Honda apparently intends to launch the rebadged pickup in Southeast Asia before potentially expanding to other markets. For now, neither company has officially announced the agreement, and details about the Honda version remain under wraps.

Also sold as the L200, the Triton is a sensible choice for Honda, as Mitsubishi's truck uses a rugged ladder-frame chassis designed to handle demanding conditions. That makes it a natural fit for markets where pickups serve as workhorses rather than lifestyle accessories. Borrowing an established model would also save Honda considerable time and expense compared with developing a dedicated truck from the ground up.

2024 Mitsubishi Triton / L200

Honda sells the Ridgeline in North America, but it's a different kind of truck. Unlike the Triton, the Ridgeline uses unibody construction shared with passenger vehicles, prioritizing comfort and everyday usability over the traditional body-on-frame formula. A third generation is on the way, but it's unlikely to switch to a ladder frame.

A Mitsubishi-based pickup would let Honda enter an entirely different corner of the market with minimal engineering effort. Between tariffs and the Chicken Tax, it's unlikely to reach the United States, where it would face a significant cost disadvantage against locally built pickups such as the Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon.

For Mitsubishi, the arrangement would provide another way to boost production at its Thai factory, where it builds the Triton. Supplying a second automaker could help improve plant utilization while spreading development and manufacturing costs across more vehicles. Yes, a second automaker, because Mitsubishi already builds the Navara for Nissan. Honda, meanwhile, would get a proven pickup without the considerable expense of developing one from the ground up.

2026 Nissan Navara

Photos by: Nissan

2026 Nissan Navara

Photos by: Nissan

That's not all. The proposed partnership could also extend beyond trucks. According to the same report, Honda is interested in sourcing additional Mitsubishi models, although neither company has identified which vehicles could come next. The two automakers are also considering jointly developing cabin components, including instrument clusters and displays.

The move fits into a broader effort to strengthen ties between Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi Motors. Honda and Nissan ended their merger discussions in February 2025, but the two companies have continued exploring ways to work together. They have since agreed to collaborate on core components for next-generation software-defined vehicles, and a Mitsubishi-built pickup wearing a Honda badge could become another tangible result of that cooperation.

2026 Nissan Navara

Photo by: Nissan

Of course, badge engineering is hardly new in the automotive world. If the Honda version materializes, the same basic pickup could wear three different badges, depending on where you live. Plenty of questions remain, including what Honda will call its new truck, whether it will receive styling changes beyond the badges, and which markets will get it after Southeast Asia.

What do you think?

Don't expect an entirely new pickup, either. If the report proves accurate, this will be a Mitsubishi through and through, with Honda simply putting its own stamp on the finished product. We imagine the biggest differences will come down to front and rear styling, badging, equipment, and interior materials. Any major mechanical changes would add serious costs, so we'd rule that out.

Sometimes, the quickest way to expand your lineup is to borrow someone else's homework, change the cover, and hand it in as your own.