- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Fr
Ridgeline. Brutal pickup from Honda
Honda claims to have created this car so that fans of the brand who need a pickup could buy a Honda model. This very touching explanation, apparently, touched the hearts of motorists: in the first three years of production (2005-2007), the Ridgeline won many honorary awards in the USA and Canada, and its sales broke all records with a total of 40-50 thousand cars sold per year. In recent years, sales have barely surpassed 30 thousand units (for comparison, the sales of the competitor Toyota Tacoma reach 250 thousand units). Probably something must be done about it. Maybe the manufacturer should touch tough pickup enthusiasts again, at least by the fact that the Ridgeline is the only current body-on-frame model of Honda Motor. In 2021, the company released the second generation pickup after the restyling, which took place in the autumn of 2020. The Ridgeline is not supplied to Israel, which is a pity.
The first generation
It went on sale in March 2005. The first Honda Ridgeline was designed by engineers from the American company, Honda Research and Development (R&D). Development started in 2001, when a team of experts began experiments, wanting to create a pickup based on the first generation Acura MDX. After four years of development, the final version was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show as the Honda Sport Utility Truck Concept. A little later, Honda introduced an upgraded version and announced the official name of the car, the Ridgeline. The production version was presented at the 2005 North American International Auto Show. The first generation Ridgeline was a completely new car, with only 7% of its components used in other Honda vehicles as well. The first generation kept on being released until 2015, with the restyling taking place twice: in 2008 and 2011. As a result, the Honda Ridgeline became one of the most profitable cars for the Japanese company.
The second generation
The second generation Ridgeline went on sale in June 2016. The pickup was built on a new global platform shared with the third-generation Pilot model and other major Honda vehicles. The second Ridgeline shared 73% of its components with the Pilot SUV. However, suspension elements and other critical elements were significantly reinforced to ensure durability and success in handling and towing trailers. Compared to its predecessor, frame rigidity was 28% higher.
The car was produced in a two-cab version. The dimensions of the model were quite American-style. The pickup was 5,334 mm long, 1,996 mm wide and 1,798 mm high. The wheelbase was 3,180 mm, while the ground clearance reached 200 mm. The pickup had only one engine - a 3.5-liter petrol engine with 280 hp, coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission. There were the front- and all-wheel drive cars with the i-VTM4 system and independent rear suspension. The Honda Ridgeline had a unique feature: its trunk was located in the rear overhang under the body floor. It was a deep compartment, lockable with a key.
2019/2020 restyling
It is safe to say that the car was restyled in two stages. At the end of 2019, the Ridgeline got a 9-speed automatic transmission (the same was used on the Pilot SUV), and the list of options was expanded. In October 2020, the exterior of the car was modernized.
The image of the ‘Japanese’ is very reminiscent of other pickups popular in the USA. For this, almost the entire front end was redesigned: new headlights, bumper, radiator grille, fenders and hood. The rear end of the restyled 2020/2021 Honda Ridgeline features new exhaust pipes, which are round and no longer hidden by the bumper body kit. Just for the beauty, there is the HPD (Honda Performance Development) package, which consists of plastic wheel arch extensions, 18-inch bronze-colored alloy wheels and an original radiator grille. Plus, there are also decorative nameplates on the body.
