The New Ridgeline’s Production Begins, but do Truck Buyers Care?

Honda revealed the new Ridgeline to mixed reactions as some loved its innovative features and others just couldn’t get past its crossover-with-a-bed construction. Today, Honda has announced that production of the Ridgeline has kicked off in its Alabama plant, but will buyers be any more interested in it than they were the previous generation.

Buyers were very confused by the original Ridgeline, as no one really knew whether it was a crossover with a bed or a truck with a unibody. Technically, it was both and neither, which led to few buyers warming up to it. Though we were all hoping for a true midsize pickup from Honda, the new Ridgeline fills this same slot as it still has a unibody setup and a transverse-mounted engine, giving it the same old crossover feel. Making matters worse is the fact that all-wheel drive is no longer standard, leaving the base model with front-wheel drive.

While its powertrain fails the truck test, it does have some endearing qualities for truck shoppers, like its 4-foot-wide flat loading floor and respectable 1,600-pound payload capacity (Honda estimated). However, towing will likely be just as limited as the last-gen Ridgeline, which could haul a maximum of just 5,000 pounds. If true, the latter will be a thorn in the Ridgeline’s side as it is 1,500 pounds less than the Frontier and 2,000 pounds less than the Colorado and Canyon twins.

2017 Honda Ridgeline (Credit: © Honda)

There is a slot for the Ridgeline, though, as its features and smoother-than-average ride may draw in crossover buyers who would prefer a bed to an enclosed cargo area. What’s more, features like its two-way opening tailgate, in-bed lockable storage, in-bed audio system, and a 400-watt in-bed power inverter are also easy sells to crossover buyers.

So, will the Ridgeline sell well relative to other midsize pickups? No, it will sell just a fraction of what the Canyon, Colorado, and Frontier will. With that said, considering all the bits it shares with the hotter-selling Honda Pilot, Honda shouldn’t need to sell too many to make a profit.