Honda is teaming up with Mitsubishi to develop a new body-on-frame pickup truck for Southeast Asian markets, with a launch planned for 2028. The upcoming truck will be based on the Mitsubishi Triton but will be sold under the Honda badge. While the companies have yet to reveal how much the new model will differ from the Mitsubishi counterpart, the partnership gives Honda a new entry into the traditional pickup segment. However, buyers in North America should not expect this truck to arrive at US dealerships.
Honda’s New Pickup Will Be Based On The Mitsubishi Triton
Honda and Mitsubishi have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the new pickup, which is expected to be sold in markets such as Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The truck will use the Mitsubishi Triton’s body-on-frame platform, a traditional construction method widely used for pickups designed to carry heavy loads and handle demanding conditions. This would give Honda a proper work-oriented pickup rather than another variation of its unibody Ridgeline.
Honda’s first four-wheeled vehicle was also a pickup. The T360 kei truck went on sale in Japan in 1963, but the company has rarely offered trucks with conventional body-on-frame construction since then. Its Ridgeline, introduced in the early 2000s, took a different approach with a unibody design aimed at light-duty use.
The new Mitsubishi-based truck will mark a return to a more traditional pickup format, although Honda has not disclosed its final specifications or design.
How Different Will The Honda Pickup Be?
It remains unclear whether Honda will make major engineering changes or simply give the Triton a different exterior design and brand identity.
The Mitsubishi Triton currently offers two 2.4-liter engine options: a naturally aspirated gasoline engine and a turbo-diesel producing 201 horsepower and 347 lb-ft (470Nm) of torque. Honda could retain these powertrains or introduce a smaller turbocharged gasoline engine to create a clearer distinction between the two trucks. No engine choice has been confirmed yet.
The extent of the changes could be similar to the relationship between the Honda Prologue and Chevrolet Blazer EV. Although the two electric SUVs share an underlying platform, they have different exterior body panels, interior details and software.
ALSO READ: Next-Generation Ford Ranger Already In Development
For now, Honda has not revealed whether its pickup will receive unique styling, a different cabin, its own powertrain or other mechanical changes. The final product could range from a substantially reworked Triton to a largely badge-engineered version with a few cosmetic differences.
Why Southeast Asia Makes Sense
Southeast Asia is the target market for the new truck, where pickups are popular for both commercial and personal use. Honda already has a strong presence across the region through its cars, motorcycles and scooters.
That established brand recognition could help the company attract buyers who might otherwise consider a Mitsubishi Triton. In markets where Honda is already familiar to customers, adding a pickup could broaden its lineup without requiring the company to develop an entirely new platform from scratch.
For Mitsubishi, the arrangement could increase production volumes because both brands would use trucks built at the same factory. The partnership may also work in both directions, potentially allowing Mitsubishi to sell a rebadged Honda product in the future. No such model has been confirmed, however.
Why The Honda Pickup Is Unlikely To Come To The US
The new truck is not intended for North America, where Honda is already developing a replacement for the Ridgeline.
The US market also presents several challenges for a Honda-badged Triton. The 25% tariff commonly known as the Chicken Tax applies to imported light trucks, making it harder to sell a pickup built overseas at a competitive price.
Honda would also face a crowded midsize pickup market dominated by the Toyota Tacoma, with the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon adding further competition. Offering two different pickups would be difficult to justify when Honda is already preparing a new Ridgeline.
Meanwhile, Nissan and Mitsubishi are working together on the next-generation Frontier and Triton, both intended for the US market. That existing partnership makes the arrival of a separate Honda-badged Triton in American showrooms even less likely.
Could The Partnership Bring New Models To The US?
Although Honda’s new pickup is aimed at Southeast Asia, the collaboration could have wider implications for the two companies.
Mitsubishi has a relatively limited lineup in the US and could benefit from additional models developed through partnerships. The agreement with Honda may create opportunities for future shared vehicles, although no US-bound models have been announced.
Add Vroom Head as a preferred source on Google News
