Honda Plans ASEAN Pickup Truck Based on Mitsubishi Triton

The Honda Mitsubishi Triton-based pickup truck is a reported prospective commercial vehicle developed by Honda Motor Co. using the ladder-frame chassis of the Mitsubishi Triton. Designed specifically for the Southeast Asian automotive sector, including potential distribution in Malaysia via Honda Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., the vehicle addresses the manufacturer's absence from the regional one-tonne utility segment. By adopting an established body-on-frame architecture, Honda seeks to supply commercial operators, fleet owners, and private motorists with a durable utility vehicle suited to heavy-duty hauling, rugged East Malaysian terrain, and tropical conditions.

Key Facts

Honda is reportedly planning to introduce a new one-tonne pickup truck built on the Mitsubishi Triton platform as early as 2028 to expand sales volume across ASEAN markets.

Why Is Honda Developing an ASEAN Pickup Truck with Mitsubishi?

Honda is considering this collaboration to capture market share in Southeast Asia's high-demand pickup truck segment without bearing unilateral platform development costs. Adopting Mitsubishi's body-on-frame architecture provides an immediate right-hand-drive solution, whilst optimising manufacturing capacity at Mitsubishi's assembly plant in Thailand that already manufactures the Triton and Navara.

According to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, the planned vehicle could launch as early as 2028 before Honda considers broadening distribution to alternative global territories. While Honda manufactures the unibody Ridgeline pickup truck for North America, that platform is exclusively produced in left-hand drive and lacks the traditional ladder-frame construction demanded by Southeast Asian payload conditions. Furthermore, the partnership aids Mitsubishi by lifting production capacity utilisation at its Thai facility.

Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the model is expected to be introduced as early as 2028, before Honda considers expanding its sales to other markets.

Yomiuri Shimbun via Careta

This industrial collaboration would mark the third brand deployment of the current Mitsubishi Triton architecture, following Nissan's adoption of the chassis for the next-generation Navara.

Has Honda Utilised Rebadged Pickup Platforms Previously?

Honda previously deployed badge-engineered commercial platforms between 1996 and 1998 when it retailed the Tourmaster pickup truck in Thailand. The Tourmaster was derived from the Isuzu TF utility platform—marketed in select global territories as the Isuzu Rodeo—marking Honda's prior presence in Southeast Asia's commercial utility vehicle segment.

Historical OEM collaborations between Honda and Isuzu also incorporated passenger vehicles: the Honda Odyssey was distributed as the Isuzu Oasis in North America, while the Isuzu Trooper was marketed in Japan under the Honda Horizon moniker. Across the wider modern automotive industry, comparable platform sharing includes the joint architecture underpinning the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok, alongside the technical partnership between the Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50. Additionally, Nikkei reported in July 2025 that Nissan explored producing a Nissan Frontier-derived truck for Honda at its Canton, Mississippi plant.

A production release would represent Honda's return to Southeast Asia's traditional ladder-frame pickup truck segment after an absence spanning approximately three decades since the Tourmaster ceased production.

How It Compares for Malaysian Users

In the Malaysian automotive sector, one-tonne pickup trucks serve dual roles as commercial workhorses on plantations or construction sites and as rugged lifestyle transport across Peninsular and East Malaysia. Monocoque utility vehicles are poorly suited to rural timber tracks, oil palm estates, and flood-prone tropical monsoon infrastructure, necessitating the rigid ladder-frame construction found on the Mitsubishi Triton platform.

For urban owners in Kuala Lumpur condos as well as commercial operators in Sabah and Sarawak, platform commonality with the Triton guarantees proven resistance against tropical humidity, accessible mechanical servicing, and established chassis durability against regional benchmark rivals. The prospective vehicle would compete directly against established nameplates retailed across Malaysia.

Adopting a body-on-frame chassis ensures the prospective Honda truck matches the towing, payload, and monsoon-terrain capability expected by Malaysian pickup buyers.

Common Questions

Will the new Honda pickup truck be sold in Malaysia?

Neither Honda nor Mitsubishi has officially confirmed target countries, naming rights, or launch timelines for individual ASEAN markets. While the vehicle is planned for Southeast Asia, Malaysian market availability through official distributor channels remains unconfirmed pending formal corporate announcements.

Why does Honda not sell the Ridgeline pickup in Southeast Asia?

The Honda Ridgeline is produced exclusively in left-hand drive configuration, making it unsuitable for right-hand-drive ASEAN markets like Malaysia. Additionally, the Ridgeline utilizes SUV-style unibody engineering rather than the rugged body-on-frame construction required by regional commercial truck operators.

Are Honda and Mitsubishi developing shared interior technology?

According to Japanese media reports, Honda and Mitsubishi are considering joint development initiatives for automotive components alongside potential platform sharing. These collaborative technological projects include shared digital instrument cluster displays designed for application across future vehicle lineups.

Sources and Methodology

This article synthesises industry reporting originally documented by Firdaus Razani for Careta (published 12 October 2026), citing reporting from Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun and CarExpert, with historical context referenced from Nikkei (July 2025 report). Neither Honda Motor Co. nor Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has issued official commercial pricing, engineering specifications, or formal distribution confirmations for specific ASEAN jurisdictions. This article was last updated on 12 October 2026. Information specific to Malaysia was verified against published regional automotive industry records and manufacturer product histories.