Honda Ridgeline Teaser

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PRESS RELEASE

All-new Honda Ridgeline Pickup to Debut Within Two Years

12/10/2013 - TORRANCE, Calif.
-Design sketch reveals styling direction for Next-Gen Honda truck
-Current Ridgeline production will end mid-2014
-Sales of Ridgeline up 29 percent in 2013

An all-new Honda Ridgeline pickup truck will come to market in less than two years and, today, Honda shared a sketch expressing the new truck's styling direction. Honda also confirmed that production of the current Ridgeline (http://automobiles.honda.com/ridgeline/), built exclusively by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC, in Lincoln, Alabama, will conclude in mid-2014.

Like the innovative first-generation model that earned 2006 North American Truck of the Year and Motor Trend Truck of the Year honors after its fall 2005 debut, the next-gen Ridgeline is being designed and developed by Honda R&D Americas, Inc. at its Los Angeles and Ohio R&D centers.

The Honda Ridgeline broke new ground in the American pickup market with its unique design featuring a spacious five-passenger cabin, smooth ride and handling, and half-ton truck capability. The first truck of its kind to be built on a closed-box unibody platform, the Ridgeline introduced innovative new features to the pickup segment, such as its large In-Bed Trunk® and dual-action tailgate.

"The next generation Ridgeline will build on Honda's role in creating new value with a new take on advancing form and function in the truck segment," said Michael Accavitti, senior vice president of automobile operations for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "With a clear path forward, Ridgeline will play an even more important role in our future product portfolio and strengthen an already class-leading lineup of light trucks."

Sales of Ridgeline have enjoyed strong momentum in 2013, strengthened recently by the introduction of a new top-of-the-line Special Edition model for 2014, with sales totaling 16,160 units through the first 11 months of the year, an increase of 29 percent.

Looks like the styling will be a little more traditional at least.

Looks promising so far.

Honda Sketches Out New 2017 Ridgeline Pickup Truck in Chicago

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During its 2015 Chicago Auto Show presentation of the new 2016 Pilot mid-size crossover, Honda dropped a teaser sketch of the related, next-gen Ridgeline truck.

"The all-new truck will take the original's award-winning performance, comfort and utility to new levels with completely new styling that communicates unmistakably that it's a pickup, yet with a uniquely Honda flair," the carmaker said in a brief statement.

As with the previous Ridgeline, the new model will be based on the Pilot, keeping its four passenger doors but swapping out the rear hatch-section for a pickup truck bed.

It should get the same 3.5-liter V6 direct-injection engine as the new Pilot coupled to either a 6-speed automatic or the new 9-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

*Update: Honda said that the new Ridgeline will join their lineup "Within the next two years".

CarScoops

So, while visually the 'truck' will look much better than the current generation, underneath, it will (virtually) still be the same old Ridgeline.

Appears to be a split, french door style tailgate, a la Lincoln Blackwood.

I have zero use for Honda truck.

Zero use for any Honda.  American manufacturer cars have always been good to me.