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Honda Ridgeline

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Honda Ridgeline
2024 Honda Ridgeline
Overview
ManufacturerHonda
Production2005[1] – early 2015
Mid 2016 – present
Model years2006–2014
2017–present
AssemblyCanada: Alliston, Ontario (HCM) (2004–2009)
United States: Lincoln, Alabama (HMA) (2008–2015, 2016–present)
Body and chassis
ClassMid-size pickup truck
Body style4-door pickup truck
LayoutFront-engine, four-wheel drive (2006–present)[2] as well as Front-engine, front-wheel drive (2017–2020)

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

First generation (YK1; 2006)

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Main article: Honda Ridgeline (first generation)
First-generation Honda Ridgeline

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

2014 Ridgeline RTL with tailgate swung open 80° and In-Bed Trunk open exposing spare tire service tray

The development started in 2001 with a development mule using 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, a Sport Utility Truck Concept was shown at the 2004 North American International Auto Show.[3] Later that same year, Honda unveiled a revised version 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 claim 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)

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2017 Ridgeline RTL (front-wheel drive model)
2018 Honda Ridgeline RTL-T
Main article: Honda Ridgeline (second generation)

After a one-year hiatus in Ridgeline production, the second-generation 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] used for the third-generation Honda Pilot as well as other large Honda vehicles.[15][16] Honda modified the Pilot platform, including extending the wheelbase and various parts to support hauling, towing, and off-road use.[17][18] Honda reported that 73% of the second-generation Ridgeline's components remain common with the third-generation Pilot.[17] Major changes included 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

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The design of the unibody pickup with a transverse-mounted engine and a crew-cab short-box configuration makes the Ridgeline unique.[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 described the Ridgeline "the anti-truck" and summarized their view by stating "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, an SAE trailer towing group member who was vehicle dynamics project leader on Honda's unibody Ridgeline pickup and Pilot SUV described studies of pickup usage and "found out that 84 percent of truck buyers tow 5000 pounds or less."[30]

Production and sales

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According to Honda, the Ridgeline was not designed to take sales from the traditional trucks marketed 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 3,135 50,434
2023 52,001

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Williams, Evan (3 November 2016). "Honda Celebrates 30 Years of Canadian Production". Autotrader.ca. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  2. ^ Beresford, Colin (14 January 2021). "2021 Honda Ridgeline Gets $350 Price Hike, Drops Front-Wheel Drive". Car and Driver. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "2006 Honda Ridgeline Press Kit, Canadian version". Honda Canada Finance (Press release). 22 March 2005. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b "2017 Honda Ridgeline Press Kit". American Honda (Press release). 9 May 2016. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Honda Ridgeline Prices, Reviews, and Pictures". Edmunds.com. 2020-01-17. Archived from the original on 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
  6. ^ a b "Honda Ridgeline Truck Unveiled at 2005 North American International Auto Show, All-new 4WD Honda truck will debut as 2006 model". hondanews.com (Press release). January 10, 2005. Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  7. ^ Newbury, Stephen (2007). The Car Design Yearbook. Merrell Publishers. ISBN 9781858942865. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Rothfeder, Jeffrey (2015) [1st published 2014]. Driving Honda: Inside the World's Most Innovative Car Company. ISBN 9780141970769. Archived from the original on 2016-05-03. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  9. ^ Truett, Richard (13 June 2005). "Crafting a pickup: Ex-GM engineer designed Ridgeline the Honda way". Autoweek. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  10. ^ 50 Years of American Dreams, The Challenging Spirit (page 151) Archived 2019-10-20 at the Wayback Machine, Honda North America, dated June 2009, last accessed October 20, 2019
  11. ^ "Honda Names All-New 4-Door 4WD Truck 'Ridgeline'". Honda Media Newsroom (Press release). November 2, 2004. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Honda 2023 Digital FactBook". Honda Corporate News (Press release). 14 July 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  13. ^ Honda 2019 Digital FactBook Archived 2019-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, Honda News & Views, dated 17 July 2019, last accessed 17 July 2019
  14. ^ a b "2017 Honda Ridgeline Press Kit (complete document)" (Press release). American Honda. 9 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-07-28. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  15. ^ 2017-2018 Honda Ridgeline, Honda's pickup for the non-pickup types Archived 2022-03-19 at the Wayback Machine, TopSpeed.com, by Mark McNabb, dated 24 July 2017, last accessed 2 March 2019
  16. ^ 2019 Honda Passport already rolling off the assembly line in Alabama Archived 2019-03-06 at the Wayback Machine, c/net, by Andrew Krok, dated 7 December 2018, last accessed 2 March 2019
  17. ^ a b c d e Steve Behm, Principal Underbody Design Engineer, 2017 Honda Ridgeline Body Development Leader, Honda R&D Americas (17 May 2017). "Great Designs in Steel, The 2017 Honda Ridgeline". autosteel.org. Archived from the original on 2018-05-28. Retrieved 28 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ a b 2017 Honda Ridgeline Review, the cool stuff with Tips & Tricks. HondaPro Jason (YouTube channel). 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-02-15. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  19. ^ 2017 Honda Ridgeline First Drive Review Archived 2020-09-23 at the Wayback Machine Car and Driver, by Jared Gall, dated 9 May 2016, last accessed 21 July 2019
  20. ^ Honda Ridgeline Carries Over for 2019 With 2 Minor Upgrades Archived 2018-11-09 at the Wayback Machine, TorqueNews, by Parks McCants, dated 5 March 2018, last accessed 9 November 2018
  21. ^ Mid-Size Trucks Don't Need Frames Archived 2016-09-06 at the Wayback Machine, Jalopnik, by David Tracy, dated 25 August 2016, last accessed 5 September 2016
  22. ^ Honda Ridgeline Pickup Truck Makes Canadian Debut in Montreal Archived 2022-03-19 at the Wayback Machine, Auto123.com, dated 13 January 2005, last accessed 8 March 2019
  23. ^ 2017 Honda Ridgeline Named North American Truck of the Year in Detroit Archived 2018-01-11 at the Wayback Machine, The News Wheel, dated 10 January 2017, last accessed 8 March 2019
  24. ^ 2017 Honda Ridgeline Only Pickup Truck to Achieve Top Safety Pick+ Rating Archived 2019-02-20 at the Wayback Machine, The News Wheel, dated 8 December 2016, last accessed 14 March 2019
  25. ^ What's Going on With the Honda Ridgeline? Archived 2014-06-18 at the Wayback Machine, PickupTrucks.com, by Mark Williams, dated 8 October 2011, last accessed 12 November 2016
  26. ^ In The Driver's Seat of the 2008 Honda Ridgeline Archived 2016-04-19 at the Wayback Machine, YouTube, by The Driver’s Seat TV, dated 12 June 2008, last accessed 3 June 2019
  27. ^ 2017 Honda Ridgeline Still Won’t Get Respect But Should Archived 2016-10-09 at the Wayback Machine, Gearheads.org, last accessed 7 October 2016
  28. ^ 2019 Ford Ranger vs. 2020 Jeep Gladiator vs. 2019 Chevrolet Colorado vs. 2019 Honda Ridgeline Archived 2019-08-11 at the Wayback Machine, Car and Driver, by Jared Gall, dated 1 May 2019, last accessed 24 August 2019
  29. ^ a b Medium Done Well: Mid-Size Pickups Ranked-#1 Honda Ridgeline Archived 2016-09-01 at the Wayback Machine, Car and Driver, last accessed 15 August 2016
  30. ^ "The Numbers Game: How Truck Makers Determine Towing Capacity - Consumer Feature". Truck Trend. 2009-08-29. Archived from the original on 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  31. ^ "Honda re-thinks the pickup: the Ridgeline comes closer to merging the virtues of both cars and pickup trucks than any other vehicle. Honda calls it the first next-generation pickup, but will others follow its lead?". 1 April 2005. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  32. ^ Honda 2018 Digital FactBook Archived 2019-04-16 at the Wayback Machine, Honda News & Views, dated 31 July 2018, last accessed 1 August 2018
  33. ^ Honda Appeals After Chile Disqualifies Pickup for Tax Credit Archived 2017-02-13 at the Wayback Machine, Bloomberg BNA, by Tom Azzopardi, dated 19 January 2017, last accessed 12 February 2017
  34. ^ 2017 Honda Ridgeline sales show good momentum for August Archived 2016-09-03 at the Wayback Machine, TorqueNews.com, by Parks McCants, dated 1 September 2016, last accessed 3 September 2016
  35. ^ Trucks Drive New Records and Acura Turns a Corner as American Honda Posts December Sales Increase Archived 2019-01-04 at the Wayback Machine, Hondanews.com, dated 3 January 2019, last accessed 3 January 2019
  36. ^ AD #2493 – FCA Retools Engine Plant for Jeeps, Mid-Size Pickup Segment Soars, How the Jeep Gladiator Got Its Name Archived 2018-12-29 at the Wayback Machine, Autoline TV, dated 7 December 2018, last accessed 28 December 2018
  37. ^ Honda Ridgeline Sales Figures Archived 2018-01-08 at the Wayback Machine, GoodCarBadCar, last accessed February 3, 2019 (Note: 2016 sales numbers include a few Gen1 Ridgeline sales—three in the US and eight in Canada—that were taken into account when posting the sales figures for this article. Additionally, February 2012 sales figures on GoodCarBadCar's website are in error, according to Honda's press release Archived 2019-06-06 at the Wayback Machine, and have been adjusted accordingly.)
  38. ^ a b c d e Honda 2017 Digital FactBook Archived 2019-01-05 at the Wayback Machine, Hondanews.com, dated 22 May 2017, last accessed 5 January 2019
  39. ^ Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, 2006 Best New Pick-up Archived 2015-10-05 at the Wayback Machine, Previous Winners (Vehicle Comparisons)/Canadian Car of the Year, last accessed 11 October 2015
  40. ^ Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, 2006 Canadian Truck of the Year Archived 2015-10-05 at the Wayback Machine, Previous Winners (Vehicle Comparisons)/Canadian Car of the Year, last accessed 11 October 2015
  41. ^ 2006 Honda Ridgeline RTS, First Place: Do-It-All Compact Pickups Archived 2016-11-27 at the Wayback Machine, Car & Driver, by Larry Webster, dated June 2005, last accessed 26 November 2016
  42. ^ Unique and Highly Capable Honda Ridgeline Named to Car and Driver Magazine List of the 2018 10Best Trucks and SUVs Archived 2018-03-06 at the Wayback Machine, Hondanews.com, dated 10 January 2018, last accessed 5 March 2018
  43. ^ Honda Ridgeline Named to Car and Driver Magazine List of the 2019 10Best Trucks and SUVs Archived 2019-01-19 at the Wayback Machine, Hondanews.com, dated 16 January 2019, last accessed 19 January 2019
  44. ^ a b c d 2006–2007 Honda Award List Archived 2022-03-19 at the Wayback Machine, hondanews.com, dated 29 August 2006, last accessed 6 August 2017
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  46. ^ Honda CR-V and Ridgeline J.D. Power & Associates “2017 APEAL Award” Winners; Honda Brand Places Highly in APEAL Study Rankings Archived 2017-08-27 at the Wayback Machine, Honda Media Newsroom, dated 23 August 2017, last accessed 26 August 2017
  47. ^ Honda Accord and Ridgeline Named as J.D. Power & Associates "2018 APEAL Award" Winners with CR-V and Odyssey Also Highly Ranked Archived 2018-08-02 at the Wayback Machine, hondanews.com, dated 27 July 2018, last accessed 1 August 2018
  48. ^ San Antonio Auto Show Green Car Awards Archived 2018-07-28 at the Wayback Machine, Green Car Journal, dated 15 November 2016, last accessed 28 July 2018
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  50. ^ 2019 Honda Ridgeline Best Buy Review Archived 2018-12-09 at the Wayback Machine, Consumer Guide Automotive, last accessed 8 December 2018
  51. ^ 2017 Best Resale Value Awards: Top Ten Cars Archived 2018-01-08 at the Wayback Machine, Kelley Blue Book, last accessed 7 January 2018
  52. ^ 2018 Best Resale Value Awards: Top Ten Cars Archived 2018-01-08 at the Wayback Machine, Kelley Blue Book, last accessed 3 February 2018
  53. ^ 2019 Best Resale Value Awards: Top Ten Cars Archived 2018-01-08 at the Wayback Machine, Kelley Blue Book, last accessed 23 January 2019
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  55. ^ Seven Honda Vehicles Earn Multiple Women’s Choice Awards Archived 2018-07-15 at the Wayback Machine, hondanews.com, dated 29 November 2017, last accessed 15 July 2018
  56. ^ 35th-Anniversary Innovation Awards Gala, "License To Thrill" Archived 2017-11-03 at the Wayback Machine, Automotive Plastics News, dated January 2006 (Volume 35, Issue 2), last accessed 26 November 2016
  57. ^ Top Safety Picks, Large pickup (go to "Other years" and select the one you want to view) Archived 2019-06-29 at the Wayback Machine, IIHS.org, last accessed 29 June 2019
  58. ^ Honda Ridgeline Grabs First-Ever Baja 1000 Win Archived 2015-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, PickupTrucks.com, by Mike Levine, dated 22 November 2008, last accessed 20 September 2015
  59. ^ Honda Ridgeline Wins Again at Baja Archived 2015-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, Honda News & Views, dated 23 November 2010, last accessed 20 September 2015
  60. ^ Honda Ridgeline Baja Race Truck Conquers Baja 1000 Archived 2016-01-29 at the Wayback Machine, Hondanews.com, dated 22 November 2015, last accessed 27 November 2015
  61. ^ Honda Ridgeline Baja Race Truck Takes Class Victory at Baja 500 Archived 2017-11-07 at the Wayback Machine, hondanews.com, dated 7 June 2016, last accessed 5 November 2017
  62. ^ Honda Picks Up a 2018 Baja 500 Class Win With Ridgeline Archived 2018-06-24 at the Wayback Machine, PickupTrucks.com, by Mark Williams, dated 15 June 2018, last accessed 23 June 2018
  63. ^ New Ridgeline Baja Race Truck Debuts With Baja 500 Victory Archived 2022-03-19 at the Wayback Machine, hondanews.com, dated 2 June 2019
  64. ^ The Longest-Lasting Cars to Reach 200,000 Miles and Beyond Archived 2019-05-24 at the Wayback Machine, iSeeCars.com, by Julie Blackley, last accessed 8 March 2019
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