Yes, you read that headline correctly just now. Honda has apparently finalized a deal with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) to sell a pickup truck of their own via the Triton.

But wait a moment, doesn't Honda already have a pickup truck in the form of the Ridgeline? Well, the Ridgeline is a unibody-based pickup that's sold mostly in North America. Honda wants a slice of the midsize, frame-based pickup truck market, and the automaker plans to sell it in other key markets where frame-based trucks are popular.

According to a report by The Japan News, Honda Motor Company has finalized its plan to sell Mitsubishi Motors' Triton pickup truck under its own brand. In fact, Honda plans to sell the Triton-based pickup in Southeast Asia as early as 2028 and is already considering selling it in other regions. Besides giving Honda a pickup truck, this will also enable Mitsubishi to increase the utilization rate of its factory in Thailand by supplying vehicles to Honda.

Apart from the Triton, Honda is also reportedly interested in getting other models from Mitsubishi, although both brands have yet to reveal exactly what they are. In addition, Honda and Mitsubishi are also considering jointly developing certain components, such as displays and speedometers. This doesn’t come as a surprise since Honda is looking to cut costs by using more China-sourced parts.

This is not the first time Honda has had to ask another automaker for a pickup truck. In fact, back in the mid to late 1990s, Honda rebadged the Isuzu TF/Fuego pickup as the Tourmaster. It was sold from 1996 to 1999 in Thailand and was essentially just a rebadged Isuzu. It was only offered with an extended cab body, came with the same 2.5L turbo-diesel engine as the TF/Fuego, and was only sold in the Thai market.

With Honda looking to boost its sales with a frame-based pickup truck, can Honda pull it off despite the price still being relatively high due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East?