Hino Trucks holds a strong position as one of South Africa’s leading truck brands and customers will be pleased to hear that Hino Motors in Japan will once again be putting a Hino model to the test in the 2026 Dakar Rally with Team Sugawara already confirmed for the grueling Saudi Arabia event.
The Dakar provides a high-profile proving ground where Hino’s service ethos and vehicle toughness come together under extreme conditions – a perfect showcase for local truck fleet operators seeking reliability and resilience in demanding work environments.
Hino Team Sugawara has made an early announcement confirming its entry in the 2026 Dakar Rally, which will be held in Saudi Arabia for the seventh time. The event will take place from January 3-17, 2026.
Hino has a proud history of reliability in the Dakar Rally, having contested the past 34 editions – first in Africa, then South America and now Saudi Arabia. It has been an official finisher on each occasion.
Ace drivers with expert support
Teruhito Sugawara, who drives the racing truck and is also the Team Director, announced that there will be only one truck entered in the 2026 Dakar. It will be based on the bonneted Hino 600 which finished 13th in 2025. The Hino 600 is sold only in the United States and is similar to the forward-control Hino 500 Series in terms of its powertrain and suspension.
“We are incorporating a host of improvements for 2026 based on our experience in 2025 as we aim for a high overall placing,” explains Sugawara, who has finished the past 20 rallies, first as a navigator and later as a driver. “Improvements are all aimed at improving the truck’s off-road driving performance.”
Three mechanics from Hino dealers in Japan have been selected to join the team to prepare the truck for the event and then to take part in servicing the truck during the rally.
The 2026 Dakar Rally, known as the Saudi Odyssey, will feature a route of about 8 000 km with 5 000 km being timed racing stages. The event will start and finish at Yanbu, a port on the Red Sea, with a rest day in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
There will be separate routes for motorcycles and cars in 2026 and two marathon stages where no outside assistance is permitted for servicing the competing motorcycles, cars and trucks.
Editor’s comment: Hino’s continued presence at the Dakar Rally with a 100% completion record highlights the brand’s unwavering focus on durability, performance and world-class servicing – qualities that South African fleet owners and operators rely on day in, day out.
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