No completed Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi merger exists. Honda and Nissan proposed creating a joint holding company in December 2024, a transaction that could have ranked the combined group as the world’s third-largest automaker by vehicle sales. Mitsubishi Motors was considering participation and potential synergy sharing, but it did not merge with the other two companies. Honda and Nissan terminated the business-integration agreement on February 13, 2025, while the three automakers continued selected strategic projects in electrification and vehicle intelligence.
What actually happened
The phrase “Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi merger to create the third-largest automaker” describes a proposed transaction, not a completed corporate combination.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
On December 23, 2024, Honda and Nissan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to study business integration through a new joint holding company. Under the proposed structure, Honda and Nissan would have become wholly owned subsidiaries of that company, subject to definitive agreements, shareholder approval, regulatory approval, and other conditions. The companies’ tentative timetable contemplated a definitive agreement in 2025 and a holding-company listing in August 2026.
Mitsubishi Motors signed a related MOU to explore whether and how it might participate in the proposed integration and share synergies. That announcement did not create a three-way merger or establish a new combined automaker. Honda’s December 2024 announcement described Mitsubishi’s role as an exploration of participation, involvement, and synergy sharing.
#1 Best Overall
- Authentic 1:36 Scale: Meticulously crafted 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang model car with impressive 5-inch length.
- Realistic Details: Die-cast metal body with opening doors and eye-catching blue finish.
- Interactive Play: Engaging pull-back action for thrilling motion across smooth surfaces.
- Collectible Quality: Ideal for model car enthusiasts and collectors seeking miniature automotive replicas.
- Brand: KiNSMART, a trusted name in die-cast vehicle models and toys.
On February 13, 2025, Honda and Nissan terminated the business-integration MOU. The three companies also ended the related MOU concerning possible tripartite collaboration within that contemplated integration. As of the research date, August 11, 2026, official company material describes the surviving relationship as strategic cooperation and individual vehicle or technology projects—not as a merger or common holding company.
Why the deal was called the world’s third-largest automaker
Contemporary reporting described the hypothetical Honda-Nissan combination as potentially becoming the world’s third-largest automaker by sales, behind Toyota and Volkswagen. The comparison concerned the size of a possible combined group; it did not refer to a legally existing company.
The Associated Press cited 2023 production figures of approximately 4 million vehicles for Honda and 3.4 million for Nissan when explaining the scale of the proposed combination. Mitsubishi could have added further volume if it had joined, but its participation was never finalized. The ranking therefore should be written as “could have become” or “was proposed as” the third-largest automaker, not as a current corporate fact. The AP report provides the contemporaneous sales and production comparison.
Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi timeline
| Date | Development | What it meant |
|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2024 | Honda and Nissan began a feasibility study for a strategic partnership in vehicle electrification and intelligence. | A technology and business-cooperation study, not a merger agreement. The areas included automotive software platforms, EV-related core components, and complementary products. |
| August 1, 2024 | Mitsubishi Motors joined the Honda-Nissan strategic-partnership framework. | The three companies agreed to discuss cooperation involving automotive intelligence, electrification, environmental technologies, software development, and possible efficiency gains. No single combined company was formed. |
| August 1, 2024 | Honda and Nissan announced joint research into next-generation software-defined-vehicle platforms. | The announced areas included batteries, e-axles, vehicle complementation, energy services, resource circulation, and software-related capabilities. |
| December 23, 2024 | Honda and Nissan signed an MOU to consider business integration through a joint holding company. Mitsubishi signed a separate related MOU. | The proposed transaction could have created one of the world’s largest automakers. Mitsubishi was evaluating participation; it had not joined a completed merger. |
| February 13, 2025 | Honda and Nissan terminated the business-integration MOU. The three companies terminated the related tripartite-integration MOU. | The proposed merger and planned holding-company structure ended. Strategic cooperation in intelligence and electrification was retained. |
| May 7, 2025 | Mitsubishi announced planned North American OEM vehicle cooperation with Nissan. | Mitsubishi said it planned an all-new North American BEV based on Nissan’s next-generation LEAF for the second half of 2026, and a Nissan OEM model using Mitsubishi’s PHEV expertise for North America in 2026. |
The March and August announcements are documented in Honda’s March 2024 release, the August three-company framework announcement, and the Honda-Nissan software-defined-vehicle research announcement.
Why Honda and Nissan ended the proposed integration
The original December plan centered on a joint holding company. During subsequent discussions, Honda proposed changing the structure so that Honda would become Nissan’s parent through a share exchange. Honda and Nissan ultimately concluded that ending the integration discussions was preferable to prioritize speed of decision-making and execution.
Honda’s February 13, 2025 statement says the companies agreed to terminate the MOU after considering the alternative structure and discussing the future direction of the relationship. The announcement is the controlling official source for the deal’s status: Honda’s termination announcement.
Rank #2
- Highly detailed 1:24 scale diecast model kit of 1929 Ford Model A
- Comes with everything needed for assembly including screwdriver
- Features opening parts, rolling wheels and pre-painted metal body
- Easy to assemble, creates fully functional rolling replica model car
- Fun and educational STEM activity for kids to build realistic miniature vehicle
The related three-way integration framework also ended that day. Mitsubishi Motors said the companies would continue working together through a strategic-partnership framework focused on intelligence and electrified vehicles. Mitsubishi’s announcement confirms the termination of the tripartite MOU.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What remains between the automakers
Ending the merger discussions did not end every project involving Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi. The companies retained a narrower, project-based model of cooperation.
Honda and Nissan
The earlier partnership framework identified possible cooperation in:
- Software-defined vehicle platforms and related software capabilities
- EV batteries and other electrification components
- E-axles
- Vehicle complementation, meaning the use of each company’s products or capabilities to fill gaps in another’s lineup
- Charging and energy services
- Resource circulation
These were announced areas of study and cooperation. They should not automatically be described as completed technology programs, mass-production systems, or commercially available products unless a later company announcement confirms that specific outcome.
Nissan and Mitsubishi
Nissan and Mitsubishi continued cooperation involving EVs and pickups. Mitsubishi’s May 2025 announcement said the company planned to introduce an all-new North American BEV based on Nissan’s next-generation LEAF as an OEM model in the second half of 2026. It also said Mitsubishi planned to supply Nissan with a North American OEM model using Mitsubishi’s plug-in-hybrid technology in 2026.
Recommended Free Tools
“OEM model” cooperation means one automaker supplies a vehicle or vehicle program for another automaker to sell or market under the agreed arrangement. It is a form of product collaboration, not proof that the companies share one corporate parent. The details and timing in that announcement were plans, so they should be distinguished from confirmed launches. Read Mitsubishi’s May 2025 announcement.
Rank #3
- AUTHENTIC REPLICA: Highly detailed 1:40 scale model of the iconic 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Coupe, measuring 5 inches in length with classic finish
- WORKING FEATURES: Functioning doors that open and close, plus pull-back motor action for interactive play value
- QUALITY CONSTRUCTION: Die-cast metal body construction provides durability and authentic feel, enhanced with detailed plastic components
- REALISTIC DETAILS: Features rubber tires for enhanced realism and smooth rolling action on various surfaces
- DISPLAY WORTHY: Perfect size for collectors and enthusiasts, combining playability with showcase appeal
The companies’ current descriptions
Nissan’s current partnership overview describes ongoing projects with Honda and Mitsubishi Motors in vehicle intelligence and electrification. It separately identifies Nissan-Mitsubishi work on EVs and pickups and says Nissan is seeking additional business collaboration in the United States. That language supports describing the relationship as a group of partnerships rather than as a completed alliance under one holding company. Nissan’s partnership overview provides the current company description.
Did the planned August 2026 listing happen?
No. The December 2024 MOU included a tentative plan to list the proposed holding company in August 2026. Because Honda and Nissan terminated the integration MOU on February 13, 2025, that planned listing did not proceed as part of the proposed transaction. It should not be reported as an August 2026 merger or stock-market listing.
The important distinction is:
- Proposed: a Honda-Nissan joint holding company, potentially involving Mitsubishi.
- Terminated: the business-integration MOU and the related tripartite-integration MOU.
- Continuing: selected strategic, EV, software, intelligence, OEM, and vehicle-development collaborations.
How to describe the story accurately
For headlines, social posts, or vehicle-industry coverage, these formulations are accurate:
- “Honda and Nissan proposed a merger in December 2024 that could have created the world’s third-largest automaker.”
- “The proposed Honda-Nissan merger collapsed in February 2025, while Mitsubishi considered participation.”
- “Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi continued strategic cooperation after ending merger discussions.”
- “The planned August 2026 holding-company listing did not proceed after the integration MOU was terminated.”
Avoid saying that Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi “merged,” “formed the third-largest automaker,” or “completed the August 2026 transaction.” Those statements conflict with the companies’ termination announcements and current partnership descriptions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the failed merger means for drivers and car buyers
For consumers, the immediate result is not a new three-brand automaker with one unified lineup. Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi remain separate automakers and continue to make their own product, branding, distribution, and corporate decisions.
Drivers may still see the effects of cooperation in specific products or markets. Shared EV development, OEM supply, batteries, software, charging services, and vehicle platforms can help automakers spread development costs and fill lineup gaps. However, the practical impact depends on individual programs reaching production and on the companies confirming specifications, availability, pricing, warranty arrangements, and launch timing.
Rank #4
- Doors Open
- Pullback Action
- Die Cast Metal Body
- PULL BACK ACTION WITH FREE ROLLING WHEELS
In other words, a future Nissan-based Mitsubishi EV or a Mitsubishi-supplied PHEV model would demonstrate cooperation between separate companies—not completion of the abandoned merger.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Bottom line
Honda and Nissan did not complete a merger, and Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi did not form a third-largest automaker. The companies explored a major Honda-Nissan integration in late 2024, with Mitsubishi considering a role, but Honda and Nissan terminated the plan on February 13, 2025. Their remaining relationship is a set of strategic and vehicle-level collaborations, particularly in electrification and vehicle intelligence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi merge?
No. Honda and Nissan proposed business integration in December 2024, and Mitsubishi considered participation. Honda and Nissan terminated the integration MOU on February 13, 2025. The companies remained separate and continued selected partnerships.
Would the proposed Honda-Nissan combination have been the third-largest automaker?
It could have ranked among the world’s largest automakers, and contemporaneous reporting commonly described the hypothetical Honda-Nissan group as third-largest by vehicle sales. That was a projection about a proposed combination, not the status of an existing company.
Was Mitsubishi part of the proposed merger?
Mitsubishi Motors signed a related MOU to explore participation, involvement, and synergy sharing. It did not become part of a completed three-way merger.
What happened to the planned August 2026 holding-company listing?
It did not proceed. The proposed timetable was tentative, and Honda and Nissan terminated the business-integration MOU on February 13, 2025, before the planned listing.
Are Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi still working together?
Yes, in selected strategic and product collaborations. Their announced areas include electrification, vehicle intelligence, EVs, pickups, software-related work, and OEM vehicle programs. These collaborations do not create one combined corporation.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: The Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi “merger” was proposed but never completed. Honda and Nissan ended the integration talks on February 13, 2025; Mitsubishi’s related participation study also ended. The three automakers continue selected partnerships, but no third-largest combined automaker or August 2026 holding-company listing was created.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
