Mitsubishi Triton returns to AXCR 2026 to defend cross-country crown with three-car assault

Mitsubishi Motors is set to return to the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2026 with one clear objective: defending its overall championship title with the Mitsubishi Triton.

The Japanese manufacturer has confirmed that Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will field three Triton rally trucks in this year’s edition of the gruelling endurance event, which takes place in Thailand this August.

The announcement comes after Mitsubishi’s hard-fought victory in AXCR 2025, where the Triton secured the overall win despite a challenging campaign that included a setback in deep mud during the early stages.

The result marked Mitsubishi’s second AXCR overall victory and its first in three years, reaffirming the Triton’s competitiveness in one of Asia’s toughest cross-country rallies.

For 2026, AXCR will once again push competitors through around 2,000 km of demanding terrain over six days. The route will begin with a ceremonial start in Pattaya on 9 August before competitive stages kick off on 10 August.

Crews will then traverse Thailand’s diverse landscapes, including jungle tracks, river crossings, muddy trails and mountainous sections, before reaching the finish in Phitsanulok on 15 August.

To stay ahead of increasingly competitive rivals, Mitsubishi has further developed the Triton rally machine for 2026. Key upgrades have been made to the engine, suspension and other critical components to extract even greater performance and durability from the T1 specification cross-country vehicle.

Leading the charge are 2025 winners Chayapon Yotha and Peerapong Sombutwong, alongside Japanese pairing Katsuhiko Taguchi and Takahiro Yasui, who were the highest finishing Japanese crew last year in fifth place. Kazuto Koide and Eiji Chiba will also return as part of the three-car effort.

At the 47th Bangkok International Motor Show, Mitsubishi also unveiled a new livery for the 2026 Triton rally cars. The design draws inspiration from legendary Mitsubishi rally machines such as the Lancer Evolution and Pajero, both of which enjoyed major success in the World Rally Championship and Dakar Rally.

With a championship title to defend and a more developed Triton rally package, Mitsubishi will head into AXCR 2026 aiming to reaffirm its position at the top of one of Asia’s toughest motorsport battlegrounds.