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| Illustration By RADOVAN VARICAK |
What It Is
Honda’s second crack at the pickup market, a revived unibody mid-sizer that’s less of a raked-bedrail oddball than the original.Why It Matters
The first Ridgeline had its fans—us included—and some novel features, such as a two-way tailgate and a lockable trunk/beer cooler recessed in its bed. But it also had critics, traditionalists who insisted that trucks without separate frames are as useless as stockings without garters. A decade has now passed since that first Ridgeline launched and, with unibody crossovers having all but supplanted body-on-frame SUVs, the market might be more accepting. Honda’s beancounters are no doubt remembering the Ridgeline’s strong initial sales, before everyone including Honda lost interest in it. And they’re certainly calculating what an additional 40,000 to 50,000 annual units will add to the bottom line.Platform
A fortified version of Honda’s light-truck platform that made its debut in the 2014 Acura MDX. It also underpins Honda’s new Pilot.Powertrain
The Ridgeline will share the 2016 Pilot’s direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic, as well as its four-wheel-drive system. Output should be similar, at close to 300 horses. Cylinder deactivation will help the new truck achieve much-improved EPA numbers.Competition
While Honda sometimes acts as if it’s competing only with itself, there’s a whole world of full-size pickups as well as new mid-size models from GM, Nissan (coming), and Toyota to fend off.What Might Go Wrong
It may turn out to be a Japanese pickup. Also, truck buyers may still shun a pickup that shares its genetic material with a minivan.Estimated Arrival and Price
Fall 2016, with an MSRP starting at $30,000.Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2017-honda-ridgeline-25-cars-worth-waiting-for-feature
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