Report: Mitsubishi looking to build vehicles in US with Honda, Nissan
Mitsubishi wants to tariff-proof its vehicles in the US
Last week, Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa has confirmed that they are currently discussing a possible joint vehicle project with Honda. The product at hand looks to be dedicated for the US market, but now another Japanese manufacturer has entered the group chat.
Mitsubishi Motors is looking at the possibility of building vehicles in the United States through shared manufacturing with Nissan and Honda. The move comes as a possible measure to protect its vehicles from the rising pressure of US auto tariffs.
In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Mitsubishi president and CEO Takao Kato confirmed that joint production with the two Japanese automakers is now on the table. Kato says Mitsubishi aims to make concrete progress before the company announces its next medium-term plan which is expected as early as Q1 2026.
However, Kato did not disclose which models could be affected or which US plants might host the potential production.
Mitsubishi, unlike most major automakers, currently has no manufacturing footprint in the US. Its key models like the Outlander and Eclipse Cross are being imported from Japan, which makes it vulnerable to tariff-driven cost swings from the Trump administration.
Because of its smaller size, Mitsubishi faces steep financial barriers to build a standalone US factory, as labor and material costs remain high. Kato even noted that sustaining the business without partners would be “absolutely difficult.”
One scenario that Mitsubishi could explore is producing SUVs alongside Nissan at the brand’s facilities in the US. Plants in Canton, Mississippi, and Smyrna, Tennessee are reportedly underutilized due to weaker sales, making them potential hosts for shared production.
Honda, on the other hand, operates five US plants, but most are said to be running at or near full capacity. This offers little room for Mitsubishi unless production is reorganized as part of a broader partnership.
As for the joint vehicle development that’s being explored by Nissan and Honda, Mitsubishi’s Kato also expressed interest for a three-way collaboration. In fact, Mitsubishi is also in discussions with Nissan and Honda about additional cooperation in other regions.
Nissan will be supplying the NV350 Urvan as the Versa Van to Mitsubishi in the Philippines, while Mitsubishi builds the Triton-based Navara pickup truck for Nissan in Oceania.
Three-way discussions among the companies already began in August 2024, following the collapse of earlier merger talks between Nissan and Honda earlier that year. With Nissan working through its own restructuring challenges, the possibility of a wider strategic alliance has once again taken center stage.
For now, Mitsubishi is moving toward formalizing its next steps. Whether that leads to shared SUV production in the US or a more expansive partnership, the automaker appears poised for a significant shift in its North American strategy.
