The Next-Gen Honda Ridgeline Could Be Honda’s Biggest Surprise Yet

Honda revised their large platform a few years ago, and gave us the Acura MDX/Honda Pilot and, more recently, the new Honda Passport. And yet, the Ridgeline pickup wasn’t invited to the party.

Now we hear about a new large platform for 2027 that includes a new V6 Hybrid powertrain. Something is planned for the next-generation Acura MDX as well as the Pilot. As soon as next year. But again, what about a new Ridgeline?

The current generation came out in 2016. It is quite old and still shares its interior with the previous generation Passport and Pilot. A 10 year old interior. The Honda Ridgeline still has a very smooth ride and still is a very comfortable pickup. It almost rides like a luxury car. But the second generation design is much more conservative than the first one was. And that more “truck-like” design never translated into a huge bump in sales. Although numbers have actually been holding pretty steady with over 48,000 of them sold last year.

There is no doubt the Ridgeline is due for a redesign if Honda wants to keep it around. It shares so much with the Passport I do not expect a possible next generation to ever be as cool or original as the first one. Which of course, wasn’t for everyone, but the current one doesn’t seem to be either.

And yet, this could be exactly where Honda surprises everyone. The brand has been quietly refining its latest interiors and hybrid systems, and a redesigned Ridgeline could benefit from both in a big way. Imagine a more premium cabin inspired by the latest Passport, combined with the new V6 hybrid powertrain delivering better fuel economy than rivals like the Toyota Tacoma. That alone could give Honda a unique edge in a crowded segment.

At the same time, Honda could finally lean back into what made the Ridgeline different in the first place. Features like the in-bed trunk and dual-action tailgate are still unmatched, and doubling down on that kind of smart functionality would make the truck stand out again. Instead of chasing traditional pickups, Honda has an opportunity to redefine what a modern, everyday pickup should be.

Maybe turn the Ridgeline into the more refined, actiivity pickup it was alwasy supposed to be. Instead of trying too hard to be a truck.

The illustration above could be pretty close to what a new Honda Ridgeline might look like. If Honda went chose a more conservative route. Assuming they are actually working on a new one…