HONDA is set to source Mitsubishi Motors’ flagship Triton pickup truck under an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) arrangement, with sales under the Honda brand expected to begin in Southeast Asia as early as 2028.
The deal marks the first outcome of negotiations between the two Japanese automakers, which are seeking to broaden their partnership and strengthen co-operation under the three-way alliance involving Nissan Motor.
The Triton is Mitsubishi Motors’ best-selling model, with around 130,000 units sold globally in fiscal 2013.
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Built on a rugged ladder-frame chassis, the pickup is designed to handle rough terrain and has a strong presence in emerging markets, particularly across Southeast Asia.
Honda currently has no comparable pickup in its line-up and does not source complete vehicles from other Japanese manufacturers.
The move is aimed at strengthening Honda’s position in the Southeast Asian market, where the company has faced challenges in recent years. By offering a Triton-based model under the Honda badge, the automaker hopes to expand its presence in the region.
For Mitsubishi Motors, supplying the pickup to Honda is expected to improve production efficiency at its manufacturing plant in Thailand.
Honda is also considering additional OEM arrangements involving other Mitsubishi Motors models. The two companies are exploring further areas of co-operation, including the joint development of driver-focused components such as instrument clusters and displays.
The latest agreement comes after Honda ended merger discussions with Nissan in February 2025. Despite the collapse of those talks, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors — in which Nissan holds a stake — have continued to explore ways to work together.
In August, Honda and Nissan agreed to collaborate for the first time by jointly developing key components for next-generation software-defined vehicles (SDVs).
The growing co-operation between the three manufacturers is expected to further strengthen their alliance, as Japan’s automotive industry increasingly takes shape around different corporate groupings, including the Toyota-led camp.