Honda confirmed that the Honda Ridgeline will return as a third generation and said the next truck will go on sale within two years. The current Ridgeline will pause production sometime later this year, creating a gap before the successor arrives.
Eric Stafford and Honda
Eric Stafford, a Car and Driver writer, has covered Honda's pickup plans since 2016. Honda's latest step moves the Ridgeline from speculation to a named timeline: the company has released an initial teaser image and said the new truck will wear an even more rugged design.
The teaser image shows only the silhouette of a four-door pickup, but Honda also said the next Ridgeline will be built once again at its assembly plant in Alabama. The new model is being designed at Honda's studio in Southern California, while engineering is handled at the Honda Auto Development Center in Ohio.
Honda Auto Development Center in Ohio
Honda's next Ridgeline is expected to use a new hybrid V-6 powertrain with up to three electric motors. Honda said that setup should improve acceleration by over 10 percent and fuel economy by over 30 percent compared with the outgoing gas-only models.
That leaves shoppers with a short pause before the third generation reaches showrooms, and it gives current owners a clear marker: the existing truck is on the way out, while the replacement is already in development across Southern California, Ohio, and Alabama.
