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Honda sold well over a million vehicles in the U.S. last year. Even so, one of its most notable achievements may be that it reached that figure without offering a single body-on-frame pick-up or SUV. Tough crossovers such as the Passport TrailSport help fill that gap in Honda showrooms, but a fresh report indicates something different could be on the horizon through its still-developing partnership with Nissan.

According to Automotive News, Honda is currently “exploring production opportunities with Nissan that could yield body-on-frame models.” Exactly what form that might take in the real world, and when any such vehicles could actually arrive on the road, remains unclear. However, we do know that Mitsubishi is planning to bring its own Nissan-derived pick-up to the American market in the near future, which suggests the company behind the Frontier and Xterra is open to sharing.

Honda could follow Mitsubishi with a pick-up of its own based on a future Frontier or Pathfinder. Alternatively, it could choose to launch a midsize SUV to rival the Toyota 4Runner, using the same platform as the new Xterra or a body-on-frame Pathfinder, much like the two generations of Passport that were once based on the Isuzu Rodeo. Those same foundations could even underpin a body-on-frame Acura aimed at the Lexus GX, although that would mark a significant shift for Honda’s luxury brand.

Speaking during a media roundtable last Sunday, American Honda sales executive Lance Woelfer said he “[does not] really have a comment on future product” when asked about possible body-on-frame collaborations. He did, however, emphasise that Honda is “really excited about the next Ridgeline” pick-up, a model that has traditionally used car-like unibody construction. While he pointed out that the company has not stated whether the next version will continue with a unibody layout, he added, “It’s been a tremendous success in the current format as a unibody. It’s really met market needs, we’ve sold about 45,000 a year and it’s been a strong supporter of our business. I think the next generation will continue to support the customers that have driven that ride.”

Responding to a request for additional comment on Thursday’s Automotive News report, a Honda spokesperson said: “We have an existing MOU with Nissan (announced March 2024) to explore opportunities for strategic partnership. As Kaihara-san mentioned during the roundtable, there’s nothing to announce at this point. Regarding the AutoNews claim, ‘could yield BOF models’ is purely speculative.”