Despite Tariff Pressures, Nissan and Honda Could Still Team Up on Truck Production in Mississippi
Earlier this year, Honda and Nissan ruled out a merger, but both companies seem open to working together. This potential collaboration appears to be driven by the pressure of tariffs, particularly those imposed during the Trump administration, which have heavily impacted imports.
According to Nikkei, Honda is eyeing Nissan’s underused factory in Canton, Mississippi. The plant currently builds the Frontier pickup, and Honda reportedly views it as a potential site to produce a truck of its own.
While details remain unclear, reports suggest Nissan could build Honda-branded trucks at the facility. Although a reworked version of the Frontier seems logical, Nikkei hints at a full-size truck — a surprising twist since the Frontier is mid-size and Nissan discontinued its full-size Titan in 2024 after years of weak sales.
Of course, Honda already sells the Ridgeline, but it’s a unibody mid-size truck, not a traditional body-on-frame pickup. The partnership could fill a gap in Honda’s lineup and provide a competitor to models like the Chevrolet Silverado or Ford F-150.
Previous reports suggested Honda and Nissan were exploring partnerships for large vehicles, possibly including a rebadged Nissan Armada to give Honda a rival to the Tahoe, Yukon, Expedition, Wagoneer, and Sequoia. These discussions also reportedly involved jointly developing future large vehicles — which might include full-size pickups.
Regardless of how this plays out, executives from both companies have been meeting regularly since April. While merger talks are off the table, they’re said to be interested in mutually beneficial projects to rebuild ties.
For Nissan, the extra business would help. The Canton plant is running at just 57% capacity. Although future plans include two new electric crossovers, both have reportedly been delayed — Nissan’s version now expected in late 2028, with Infiniti’s to follow in early 2029.
