The Honda-Nissan merger may have fallen through, but a partnership between the two Japanese juggernauts could see Honda finally offer a traditional, body-on-frame rival to the Ford Ranger.
The Nikkei newspaper, via Reuters, reports Nissan has commenced discussions with Honda to supply it with vehicles produced at its under-utilised Canton, Mississippi plant in the US.
Specifically, Reuters reports Nissan will build Honda pickup trucks at Canton.
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ABOVE: A Nissan Frontier at the Canton, Mississippi plant
This plant currently produces, among other models, the Frontier pickup. This vehicle, launched in 2021, is an evolution of what was sold in Australia as the D40-series Navara, featuring a revised version of its platform but fresh styling inside and out, and a naturally aspirated 3.8-litre petrol V6 mated with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
While Honda already has a dual-cab pickup on sale in the US with the Ridgeline, this is not only a lighter-duty unibody ute closely related to the Pilot crossover SUV, but also one that has been in production for nine years.
Honda had previously flagged, during aborted merger discussions, that Nissan had several “large class” vehicles it didn’t have, and was in discussions on the matter.
“So, if maybe we can exchange some of the vehicles, that would also be a benefit for us in the short term,” said Honda Motor Company director and vice president Noriya Kaihara in January.
ABOVE: Honda Ridgeline
“Maybe in the future, we can co-develop those vehicles. But in the short term, if we need we can get some of the Nissan vehicles for Honda as well.”
Media coverage at the time indicated Honda was looking at getting its own version of the Nissan Armada (aka Y63 Patrol) and Infiniti QX80 full-size SUVs, which would slot above its existing flagship SUV, the Acura MDX crossover.
But by launching a version of the Nissan Frontier, Honda would finally have a more traditional rival to the likes of the top-selling Toyota Tacoma in the US.
Whether this would be exported to markets like Australia is unclear, though unlikely. The Nissan Frontier is produced only in left-hand drive, with our market instead getting the Thai-built, diesel-powered Nissan Navara, a new generation of which is due by 2027.
Honda has tapped other brands for product before when it didn’t have anything suitable of its own.
ABOVE: Honda Tourmaster
The Crossroad, sold exclusively in Japan, was a rebadged Land Rover Discovery and the only V8-powered model ever sold by the brand. It was discontinued in 1998.
More successful was the Passport, which lasted for two generations in the US market; the second generation of this model, a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo, was sold here as a Holden Frontera.
Honda’s premium Acura brand also rebadged the Isuzu Trooper, known here as the Holden Jackaroo, dubbing it the SLX. In Japan, this was also sold as the Honda Horizon.
The Passport and SLX were eventually replaced by Honda-developed SUVs.
Honda has even put its name on another company’s ute, rebadging the Isuzu TF (aka Holden Rodeo) for Thailand as the Tourmaster, which was produced from 1996 to 1998.
While all of these aforementioned models were mere rebadges, Honda currently offers the Prologue through its namesake brand and the Acura ZDX, which are both based on General Motors platforms but feature completely different styling inside and out.
MORE: Is Honda looking to take on the Toyota LandCruiser with a rebadged Nissan Patrol?