Honda bakkie could be latest to join Mzansi double cab frenzy

Japanese carmaker is no stranger to bakkie game, just not in right-hand drive. South Africa is bakkie country and the segment is evolving at a rapid pace. Not only are the Chinese coming to the party in their numbers, but heritage brands too, with a Honda bakkie that could become a reality too. While the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mahindra Pik Up remain Mzansi’s top four best-selling bakkies, the crowd below them has grown significantly of late. Chinese brigade The likes of Foton, LDV, BYD, JMC and Changan have all fairly recently joined fellow Chinese manufacturers GWM and JAC in the bakkie game. And yet there are more models from the People’s Republic on their way. These include the Chery Grootman, Jetour F700 and Geely Riddara. Heritage brands not associated with bakkies have joined in on the action too. The Peugeot Landtrek was the French brand’s reintroduction to the bakkie game after a decades-long local absence, the Kia Tasman was introduced locally this year and Renault almost rolled out the Oroch a few years ago. Hyundai also has a bakkie called the Santa Cruz which has also been considered for Mzansi. A Honda bakkie now seems likely too amid reports of an agreement with between Honda and fellow Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi. The Honda bakkie will reportedly use the Mitsubishi Triton as base and will be built Mitsubishi’s production facility in Thailand. Another Honda bakkie The double cab will be Honda’s first bakkie outside the outside North America. The Honda Ridgeline, a unibody bakkie built in Canada and the US in left-hand drive, has been around since 2005. The new Honda bakkie, which will be a body-on-frame design like the Triton, is set to be introduced in 2028. It is expected to be powered by the Triton’s 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine. The Honda bakkie can be considered for the South African market as it will be produced in right-hand drive. Confirmation is only expected at a much later stage.