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As of August 2026, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart has defended its crown at the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR), cementing the Triton pickup truck’s reputation as a serious off-road contender. The victory marks the manufacturer’s second consecutive win in one of the region’s most grueling motorsport events.
The 31st edition of the AXCR ran from August 9 to 15, 2026, entirely within Thailand. Mitsubishi entered three heavily modified Triton pickups, and the lead crew—Japanese driver Katsuhiko Taguchi with co-driver Takahiro Yasui—clinched the overall win in a total time of 12 hours, 58 minutes and 20 seconds. The margin over the runner-up was a tight 2 minutes 25 seconds, underscoring the competitive nature of the rally.
Taguchi and Yasui made history as the first all-Japanese driver/co-driver pairing to win the AXCR outright. The previous year’s victory went to a different nationality crew, so the 2026 result adds a new chapter to the rally’s 31-year history. Mitsubishi’s other two Triton entries finished 27th and 36th, with the second crew (Kazuto Koide and Eiji Chiba) completing the timed sections in 20 hours, 58 minutes, and the third (Chayapon Yotha and Peerapon Sombatwong) in 34 hours, 48 minutes.
The rally covered 2,145.19 km, including 921.80 km of special stages—the timed portions where competitors race against the clock. The route snaked through forests, river crossings, rocks, mud, and rural roads, with Thailand’s hot and humid weather adding another layer of difficulty.
The 2026 AXCR consisted of six legs, each presenting unique challenges:
Leg 1 (Pattaya to Prachin Buri): The ceremonial start on Walking Street in Pattaya, followed by eucalyptus and rubber plantations. Heavy rain left waterlogged sections, but Taguchi avoided major mistakes and finished the day in third place.
Leg 2 (Prachin Buri to Nakhon Sawan): Shortened from 145.67 km to 67.32 km due to military exercises, but the rocky uphill sections proved demanding.
Leg 3 (Nakhon Sawan loop): A navigation nightmare through plantations, rice fields, irrigation canals, and numerous identical farm roads. Taguchi posted the fastest time and took the overall lead.
Leg 4 (Nakhon Sawan to Kamphaeng Phet): Forests, rural communities, and high-speed farm roads through cassava and sugarcane fields.
Leg 5 (Kamphaeng Phet to Phitsanulok): The longest and most critical stage. Narrow, twisting forest roads around a reservoir in the first section, then flat dirt roads alongside waterways. Taguchi and Yasui built a lead of over five minutes by the end.
Leg 6 (Phitsanulok): The final 58.62 km of timed competition through mountainous terrain at higher elevation. Holes and ruts risked rollovers, but the crew drove cautiously and managed their lead to finish safely.
Mitsubishi Ralliart Team Director Hiroshi Masuoka, himself a former Dakar Rally winner, praised the achievement. “I am extremely proud that a Japanese driver and co-driver pair has won this rally for the first time in the event’s history. As a fellow Japanese, I could not be more proud. This year’s rally was a closely fought battle from the very beginning, and it was impossible to predict who would come out on top. I believe this victory was achieved because every member of the team fully committed to teamwork.”
Masuoka also highlighted the broader benefits of motorsport participation. “Mitsubishi Motors has long used the experience gained in motorsports under extreme conditions to support the development of production vehicles. The benefits go beyond driving performance and contribute to the confidence and safety that characterize Mitsubishi Motors vehicles. The same applies to the development of our engineers, whose experiences in this environment will undoubtedly contribute to their everyday work.”
The 2026 AXCR victory strengthens the Triton’s credentials in one of Asia’s toughest off-road rallies. The truck’s reliability, durability, and off-road capability were tested over 2,145 km of punishing terrain, and the result provides real-world validation that Mitsubishi can leverage in marketing and future product development.
Industry observers note that the Triton faces stiff competition in the midsize pickup segment from rivals like the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, and Isuzu D-Max. Consecutive AXCR wins give Mitsubishi a powerful narrative to differentiate its truck, especially in markets like Thailand, Australia, and Southeast Asia where off-road capability is a key selling point.
Mitsubishi has not yet announced its 2027 AXCR plans, but the team’s momentum suggests it will aim for a three-peat. The Triton’s performance in 2026 also benefits the upcoming Triton Ralliart edition, which is expected to draw inspiration from the rally-winning truck. Meanwhile, the brand continues to apply lessons from extreme motorsport to its road-going vehicles, from engine durability to suspension tuning.
The Asia Cross Country Rally remains a proving ground for manufacturers, and Mitsubishi’s back-to-back victories demonstrate that the Triton is more than just a workhorse—it’s a genuine off-road competitor.
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