The Mitsubishi Triton has conquered one of Southeast Asia’s toughest motorsport challenges, with Team Mitsubishi Ralliart claiming overall victory at the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2026 in Thailand.
Held from 9 to 15 August, the 31st edition of the rally covered 2,145.19km, including 921.80km of special stages. Driving a T1-specification Mitsubishi Triton, Katsuhiko Taguchi, alongside co-driver Yasui, completed the rally in 12 hours, 58 minutes and 20 seconds to secure the overall win.
The result marks Team Mitsubishi Ralliart’s second consecutive AXCR victory, while Taguchi and Yasui’s success also represents the first overall AXCR win for a Japanese driver and co-driver pairing.
Mitsubishi fielded three Triton competition trucks, with Kazuto Koide finishing 27th and defending champion Chayapon Yotha placing 36th overall.
A rally designed to punish mistakes
The AXCR is far removed from conventional rallying. Competitors faced dense jungle, plantations with confusingly similar tracks, rocky climbs, river crossings, deep mud and slippery ruts, all while dealing with Thailand’s hot and humid conditions.
The 2026 event began in Pattaya before heading through Prachin Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet and Phitsanulok.
Heavy rain turned sections of the opening stage into water-filled tracks, while later stages introduced rocky climbs, plantation roads, irrigation canals, forests and high-speed dirt sections.
The fifth leg proved particularly important in the battle for victory, featuring narrow forest roads, twisting sections and long stretches of dirt roads alongside waterways.
The final stage added another challenge, with mountainous terrain filled with holes and deep ruts capable of destabilising even the most capable competition machines.
Taguchi builds an early lead
Taguchi started strongly in Leg 1, avoiding the navigation mistakes that caught out several competitors while taking advantage of the Triton’s ability to tackle deep water and flooded sections.
He finished the opening stage third overall before taking the fastest SS time in Leg 3, moving into the overall lead. The battle remained close initially, with Taguchi holding an advantage of just eight seconds over his nearest rival.
Rather than taking unnecessary risks, the Japanese driver and co-driver Yasui adopted a consistent approach, gradually increasing their advantage as competitors encountered problems.
By the end of Leg 5, they had extended their lead to more than five minutes. With just 58.62km of special stages remaining on the final day, the pair concentrated on bringing the Triton safely to the finish rather than risking the victory.
They eventually won the rally by 2 minutes and 25 seconds.
Triton survives the punishment
The victory underlines the importance of durability and consistency in the AXCR, where even a small mistake can cost significant time.
Koide endured a difficult opening day after getting stuck in a roadside ditch and receiving a time penalty. He recovered during the remaining stages and helped support his teammates while improving his pace.
He recorded the eighth-fastest time in SS5 and completed every special stage to finish 27th overall. Yotha, meanwhile, faced an even tougher rally after suffering a puncture during the rocky sections of Leg 2. He fought back to sixth overall in Leg 3 before another tyre change was required after contact with the right rear of his Triton during Leg 4.
Engine problems then struck during Leg 5, further compromising his result. Despite the setbacks and associated penalties, Yotha completed the rally and was classified 36th overall.
Another win for Mitsubishi
For Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, the AXCR 2026 victory is another demonstration of the Triton’s competition credentials in one of the world’s most demanding cross-country rallies.
More importantly, the result gives the team back-to-back AXCR overall victories, reinforcing Mitsubishi’s motorsport heritage while showcasing the capabilities of the Triton platform under extreme conditions.
For a pickup truck designed for markets where ruggedness remains a priority, there are few better proving grounds than 2,145km of Thai jungle, mud, rocks, water and rough terrain.
