The Honda Ridgeline is preparing to take one of the most important steps in its history. The Japanese brand confirmed that it is already developing the third generation of its midsize pickup, a model that has built its identity precisely by doing things differently from its rivals.
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The announcement clears up one of the big doubts surrounding the model and anticipates a renewal that will arrive in the next two years. Honda has also already shown a first image of the truck, although it still keeps a good part of its features under wraps.
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The silhouette allows us to identify a four-door body, but also reveals a more muscular stance. Honda announced that it will have an “even more robust design,” a description that fits with the turn that the company has been giving to its SUVs.
An inspiration that could come from the Passport
The new Honda Passport may be one of the keys to understanding where the Ridgeline will go. The midsize SUV received a major facelift and now sports a squarer image, a larger grille, and a much more adventurous personality.
That same recipe could be transferred to the pickup. A Ridgeline with a more elevated and sharp appearance would have a better case to visually compete with models like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado and Nissan Frontier.
There is also the possibility that Honda will reinforce the presence of the TrailSport name. This variant already has a space within the brand's SUVs and could fit very well with a Ridgeline that seeks to attract more attention off the asphalt.
A pickup that always played different
The Ridgeline was not born to copy traditional pickups. Since its appearance approximately two decades ago, Honda has opted for a monocoque construction derived from the architecture used in its SUVs, instead of the traditional spar chassis that dominates among its main competitors.
This formula has very clear consequences. The truck can offer a more comfortable ride on the road and behavior more similar to that of an SUV, something that has been one of its main arguments compared to other options in the segment.
There is also a practical detail that has become one of its hallmarks. The Ridgeline features a hidden storage compartment under the cargo area, a solution that Honda could retain in the new generation.
Production will continue in the United States
The change of generation will not mean a departure from North America either. Honda confirmed that the new Ridgeline will continue to be manufactured in the United States, specifically at the Alabama plant.
The facility also produces other important models for the company, such as the Pilot, Passport and Odyssey. In this way, Honda will maintain the manufacturing of a pickup truck in the United States that has one of its main audiences in that market.
The transition will begin to take shape before the end of the year. Honda plans to end production of the 2026 Ridgeline to prepare the assembly line that will receive the third generation.
The new Ridgeline points towards 2028
We still need to know practically everything related to the mechanical section, the versions, the equipment and the capabilities of the new pickup. Honda has also not revealed an exact date for its official presentation.
What is clear is that the premiere will occur within the next two years. By calendar, that opens the door for the third generation to end up arriving as a 2028 model.
The wait will serve to see how far Honda wants to take a pickup that never sought to compete under the same rules as its rivals. Now, with a much stronger image as a priority, the Ridgeline could retain its practical and comfortable character, but with enough visual arguments to be noticed much more in the American market.
