This is the moment fans have been waiting for — Honda has finally said it out loud: a third-generation Ridgeline is really happening. No more facelifts, no half-measures. The new pickup is expected within two years, but there's a catch — production of the current model will stop in the second half of 2026 while the Alabama plant gets retooled. Between the old Ridgeline and the new one, there could be an unsettling stretch with no truck at all.
The first teaser already speaks for itself. A more upright hood, a vertical front end, a boxier silhouette — Honda promises “an even more rugged design and capability.” What's underneath is still a mystery, though: no word on the engine, transmission, platform, or cargo specs. Even a switch to body-on-frame construction is unconfirmed — every Ridgeline generation so far has used unibody architecture.
The hardware is what will really decide whether this is a genuine leap or just a fresh coat of paint. The current Ridgeline runs on a 3.5-liter V6 making 280 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and can tow up to 2,268 kg. Industry outlets have speculated the old engine might not survive future emissions rules — though Honda itself has never officially confirmed that as the reason for the production halt.
So why change the look at all? The numbers tell the story, and they're not pretty. Honda sold just 48,448 Ridgelines in the US in 2025 — nearly 5.7 times fewer than the Toyota Tacoma. Honda isn't ditching its quirky, practical concept, but it's clearly trying to close the visual gap between the Ridgeline and America's mainstream pickups.
The “Honda Ridgeline 2029” name floating around is just a media placeholder for now. Honda has only committed to a two-year window, so the next things to watch for are the exact reveal date and the powertrain. The automaker's corporate roadmap already includes major hybrid models with a new V6 by 2029 — though the Ridgeline isn't named directly in that plan. Coincidence? Maybe. But the timing is awfully convenient.
