Honda Ridgeline

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Honda Ridgeline
File:Honda Ridgeline RTL 2022.jpg
2022 Honda Ridgeline RTL
Overview
Manufacturer Honda
Production 2005[1] – early 2015
Mid 2016 – present
Model years 2006–2014
2017–present
Assembly Canada: Alliston, Ontario (HCM) (2004–2009)
United States: Lincoln, Alabama (HMA) (2008–2015, 2016–present)
Body and chassis
Class Mid-size pickup truck
Body style 4-door pickup truck
Layout Front-engine, front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive (2017–2020);
Front-engine, four-wheel drive only (2021–present)[2]

The Honda Ridgeline is a mid-size pickup truck manufactured by Honda. The Ridgeline is the only pickup truck currently produced by Honda. The Ridgeline is built using a unibody frame, a transverse-mounted engine, and is only offered in a crew–cab short-box configuration with one powertrain.[3][4][5]

First generation (YK1; 2006)

File:2012 Honda Ridgeline-Sport.png
2012 Honda Ridgeline Sport
File:2014 Honda Ridgeline RTL-Dual-action tailgate and in-bed trunk.jpg
2014 Ridgeline RTL with tailgate swung open 80° and In-Bed Trunk open exposing spare tire service tray

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The first generation Ridgeline went on sale in March 2005 as a 2006 model year vehicle.[6] According to the author of The Car Design Yearbook, the Ridgeline was "Honda's first foray into the true heartland of the American automotive way of life—the pickup truck."[7] It was designed and engineered by an engineering team from Honda R&D Americas, led by Gary Flint.[8][9] According to the author of Driving Honda, the automaker wanted to target buyers who were looking to transition out of sedans, minivans, and sport utility vehicles (SUV) into pickups.[8]

The development started in 2001 when the engineering team began experimenting with their first development mule, an extended version of a first generation Acura MDX with a competitor's pickup bed integrated into the rear structure.[10] After four years of development, the final design was revealed to the public as Honda's Sport Utility Truck Concept at the 2004 North American International Auto Show.[3] Later that same year, Honda unveiled a revised version of their pickup concept at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show and announced the official name of the vehicle, the Ridgeline.[11] The production version of the Ridgeline was unveiled the following year at the 2005 North American International Auto Show.[6]

Honda's publications state that the first generation Ridgeline shared only 7% of its components with other Honda vehicles. Its powertrain resembled the one used in the first generation Acura MDX but was "extensively calibrated and strengthened" for heavier hauling and towing duties.[3]

Production of the first generation Ridgeline ended in early 2015.[12]

Second generation (YK2/3; 2017)

File:2017 Honda Ridgeline RTL-FWD.jpg
2017 Ridgeline RTL (front-wheel drive model)

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After a one-year hiatus in Ridgeline production, the second generation of their mid-size truck went on sale in June 2016 as a 2017 model year vehicle.[13] The second generation Ridgeline took a different approach in design from the first generation Ridgeline by sharing Honda's new "global light truck platform,"[14] found in the third generation Honda Pilot as well as other large Honda vehicles.[15][16] However, Honda did have to modify the Pilot platform in order to support their second generation pickup, including extending the wheelbase and modifying various parts to support hauling, towing, and off-road use.[17][18] Despite these modifications, Honda has stated that 73% of the second generation Ridgeline's components remain common in some way with the third generation Pilot.[17]

Honda has stated that nearly every major component has been beefed up with a 17% stronger front structure, a 31% sturdier rear,[19] and 50% of the chassis' components changed or were strengthened for the second generation Ridgeline.[18][20] The second generation Ridgeline's new structure gives it an average 78 lb (35 kg) reduction in weight from the first generation pickup.[14][17] The C-pillar and rear subframe were strengthened giving the second generation 28% more torsional rigidity over the first generation Ridgeline.[17][21]

Marketing

In addition to being a unibody pickup with a transverse-mounted engine, and a crew-cab short-box configuration, Honda and some automotive journalists have described other noteworthy aspects of the Ridgeline.[3][4][22][23][24]

Some in the automotive press that have studied the first generation Ridgeline, such as PickupTrucks.com, consider it "one of those odd vehicles." They wrote, "The Ridgeline can't really do what most people who like trucks need it to do."[25] Others in the automotive press, such as The Driver's Seat TV, had differing views and call the Ridgeline, "the Swiss Army knife of trucks." They also called the Ridgeline "the anti-truck" and summarized their view by saying "the Ridgeline scores high on practicality but very low on image."[26]

Compared to the first generation Ridgeline, Honda's second generation Ridgeline has the automotive press changing its tune, yet it still has an image problem. Gearheads.org wrote the "2017 Honda Ridgeline still won’t get respect but should" stating, its "downside is going to be looks."[27] Car and Driver wrote, "The company [Honda] readily admits that the problem with the first generation pickup was that the styling was off-putting, but then it went ahead and made the next iteration of the truck just as unconventional as before."[28] "The Ridgeline’s roomy cabin, ample storage, smooth ride, and innovative touches make its rivals seem outdated. ...it not only has cargo space, but also the makings of a great tailgate party..."[29]

Karl Forster, a member of the SAE trailer towing group who was vehicle dynamics project leader on Honda's unibody Ridgeline pickup and Pilot SUV, says Honda's ratings come from actual customer usage. "We spent a fair amount of time observing and talking to light-truck customers to understand how they use and load their vehicles and how they tow trailers," he says. "For the Ridgeline, our survey found out that 84 percent of truck buyers tow 5000 pounds or less."[30]

Production and sales

According to Honda, the Ridgeline was not designed to steal sales from the more traditional trucks sold in North America, but was developed to "give the 18% of Honda owners who also own pickups a chance to make their garages a Honda-only parking area."[31] Despite the first generation Ridgeline's poor sales,[32] according to the author of Driving Honda, this mid-size pickup was one of the more profitable vehicles for Honda[8] with reported sales in over 20 countries.[33]

The second generation Ridgeline sales appeared to start strong[34] but comparing sales in the US between 2017 and 2018 shows a 12% decline overall.[35] A 2018 Autoline Daily report stated the Ridgeline is the only mid-size truck in North America whose sales are down in a market that "suggests there’s room for more players."[36]

Ridgeline sales and production[12][37]
Calendar
year
Sales Production
USA CAN
2004 199
2005 42,593 3,512 60,679
2006 50,193 4,988 56,866
2007 42,795 4,519 55,150
2008 33,875 3,987 25,264
2009 16,464 3,546 16,180
2010 16,142 3,200 20,180
2011 9,759 1,713 13,356
2012 14,068 2,226 21,361
2013 17,723 2,122 19,557
2014 13,389 1,803 10,015
2015 520 229 154
2016 23,668 2,622 34,599
2017 34,749 4,632 39,282
2018 30,592 4,094 46,123
2019 33,334 3,405 29,246
2020 32,168 3,369 34,055
2021 41,355 3,491 41,822
2022 42,762 1,206

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Awards

References

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External links