Hino has once again proven its mettle in one of the most punishing motorsport arenas on the planet, marking an extraordinary 34 consecutive finishes at the Dakar Rally. The 2026 edition of the rally-raid concluded on 17 January in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, with Hino standing as the sole Asian truck in a field otherwise dominated by European manufacturers.
The 14-day challenge this year covered a grueling 7,994 km loop from Yanbu to Yanbu, with 4,840 km allocated to timed special stages. Against formidable terrain and relentless conditions, Hino finished 15th among 16 official truck finishers from an original starting grid of 45. A dramatic rollover on a sand dune during the penultimate stages cost the team more than two hours, and a punctured rear tyre just 15 km from the finish further tested their resolve. Undeterred, the crew pressed on without delay, embodying the brand’s hallmark resilience.
Team Hino Sugawara spearheaded Hino’s 2026 campaign. Team Principal Teruhito Sugawara—son of the team’s founder—recorded his 20th consecutive Dakar finish behind the wheel. Navigator Hirokazu Somemiya and technician Yuji Mochizuki completed the truck’s three-person crew, working in seamless coordination to navigate the punishing stages.
The truck itself, a four-wheel-drive racing model, is based on the bonneted Hino 600 Series designed for the North American market, though its mechanical layout closely mirrors the 500 Series sold in South Africa. Despite being a medium-sized truck with a 9-litre engine, it maintained a top-10 position for much of the rally, a testament to Hino’s engineering durability and reliability.
Makoto Wakamura, Hino’s Deputy Chief Compliance Officer, underscored the achievement at the finish line. “I’m glad the onboard crew, mechanics, and support team united to deal with setbacks, while the high skills of the mechanics selected from Hino dealers in Japan made a significant contribution to getting the truck to the end of a very tough race,” he said.
Hino’s approach to the Dakar Rally remains unique. The brand traditionally enters a single truck, emphasizing quality over quantity. In fact, Hino fielded only one entrant in 18 of the 34 rallies it has competed in since 1991. Its most dominant performance came in the 1997 rally from Dakar to Agadez and back, where three Hino trucks achieved a historic 1–2–3 finish.
Reflecting on Hino’s enduring legacy, Itumeleng Segage, General Manager of Hino South Africa, said, “We are, once again, very proud of this ongoing public display of Hino quality, durability, and reliability in this increasingly popular endurance event. These attributes are a mainstay of our ongoing sales success in South Africa, where Hino has been a competitor in the truck market since 1972.”
In the unforgiving crucible of the Dakar Rally, where machines are tested to their absolute limits, Hino’s performance in 2026 is more than a finish—it is a reaffirmation of the brand’s commitment to engineering excellence, teamwork, and the relentless pursuit of reliability on every terrain, anywhere in the world.
