The potential relationship between Nissan and Honda has taken more twists and turns in the last two years than an entire franchise of mystery movies. After repeated and repeatedly failed merger talks between the two companies, a new CEO at Nissan, and a never-ending rumor mill, things seemed to cool down. Now, it could be picking up again, and by that, we mean pickup.

Nissan has something Honda doesn’t – a body-on-frame pickup truck. Now, a new report suggests Nissan might use some empty factory space to build new midsize pickups for Honda alongside its own more traditional truck, the Frontier.

Nissan Could Build The Most American Of Vehicles For Honda, In America No Less

It has been incredibly tough to follow the merger talks and subsequent casual relationship talks between the two Japanese automakers. Still, after an all-out rejection in February (because it would make Nissan a subsidiary of Honda), the latest chatter is considerably more focused and reflective of current times. The two companies were reportedly discussing combining some US production to help both deal with hefty vehicle tariffs.

Japanese newspaper Nikkei claims to have more info on the situation. Without citing sources, the paper said that Nissan and Honda are investigating the possibility of Honda’s larger vehicles being built at Nissan’s plant in Canton, Mississippi.

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Nissan’s Canton plant is currently home to the Nissan Altima and the Frontier pickup. The Altima is expected to be in its final year of production, so in September, Nissan will have a lot of empty floor space. It was slated for new EVs, but they have now been delayed. That could leave the door open for more truck production … but with a twist.

Could Nissan And Honda Build A Full-Sized Truck?

The report makes it unclear if this means production of the Honda Ridgeline, a rebadged Nissan Frontier with some Honda style, or even a new full-size truck. Nikkei describes Honda as making “compact” pickup trucks and said that a partnership with Nissan “could help the company reach consumers who are seeking full-size pickups.” The Honda Ridgeline is really a midsize truck (it’s larger than the Frontier), but being unibody, it isn’t coveted by traditional truck buyers who prefer a full frame under the skin.

With the death of the Nissan Titan last summer, after multiple attempts to tap into the massive full-sized pickup market in the US, Nissan no longer has a full-size pickup. It would take years to design and build such a vehicle. If this plan does go forward, a rebadged Frontier is the most likely choice for us. But even that seems like a stretch for Honda.

According to the report, Nissan’s Canton plant was operating at just 57% capacity last year, far under what is considered break-even. Building more vehicles would be good for workers there. It would also be good for both automakers right now, as 47% of Nissan and 32% of Honda US sales are vehicles made outside of the country.

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While Nissan USA has reported a slight increase in sales so far this year, it was down 6.5% in the second quarter. Globally, sales are down 5.9% in the first five months of the year. Nissan did have some good news this week, as it successfully issued ¥860 billion ($5.9b) in bonds. It plans to use the proceeds to help cover upcoming bond maturities and make hefty investments in new vehicles, including electrification and software-defined vehicles.

Source: Nikkei