The Crossover of Pickups Returns — Honda Ridgeline

Honda sold 520 first-gen Ridgelines from its existing inventory last year in the USA and 13,389 in the first-generation model’s last full year of sale in 2014. In December, the Pilot was named as a finalist for the 2016 North American Truck/Utility of the Year award. Most significantly, the new Ridgeline abandons the tapered rod of sheet metal that connected the roofline with the truck bed. Will that appeal to buyers in a booming midsize truck segment that now includes the redesigned Toyota Tacoma, and the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon twins? “But its looks were just a little bit odd and didn’t really resonate with people who were considering pickup trucks”.

After a rather lengthy teaser campaign, the 2017 Honda Ridgeline is finally here and will show up in public later today at the North American International Auto Show. Sales hit a high of about 51,000 in 2006, but dwindled after 2008. The all-new model is set to reach showrooms later in the year, as a 2017 model, bringing with it a fresh new look as well as technology that makes it ideal as either a lifestyle product or a workhorse.

This is the 23rd year for the honors. In fact, Honda is already working on the upgrades for the 2017 Honda Pilot.

“(They said), ‘I can’t get by the styling.’ So we changed that”, Conrad says.

Mid-size pickup trucks are one of the hottest segments in the industry. And we have improved fuel economy.

Unveiled in Detroit, the midsize pickup has a 3.5-liter, V-6 engine that’s mated to a 6-speed, automatic transmission. “We think we’ve got a better idea, a truck that uses its unibody construction and Honda packaging magic to deliver more of the things that many of today’s truck customers want and need with none of the things they don’t”. Go for the AWD system and the owner will also gain the company’s Intelligent Terrain Management with Normal, Sand, Snow, and Mud selectable modes.

Like the previous Ridgeline, the unibody platform will allow owners to enjoy the most interior cargo space of any midsize pickup and provide the widest bed for outdoor cargo – the new bed is 4 inches longer.

It does claim a payload capacity near 1,600 lbs. Compared with the Pilot, the Ridgeline’s front end is considerably more butch, with a low front bumper giving it an appropriately strong and wide visage, though stylists gratefully resisted the urge to slap on an artificially huge grille and drench the thing in cladding and chrome. The power source and audio system may come in handy the next time you throw a tailgate party.

There were also talks about Honda thinking about offering a third-row seat. (20-cm) display audio touchscreen with either Apple Car Play or Android Auto is available. Official output figures for the new Ridgeline were not released.

Conrad said Honda isn’t providing any sales expectations other than to exceed previous sales numbers.

The new truck will be built at Honda’s plant in Lincoln, Alabama, alongside the Pilot SUV.

Estimated of 55 auto journalists from the USA and Canada ballot on victors from the list of finalists.