Honda is preparing the third-generation Ridgeline pickup: more brutal design and a new engine
The third-generation Honda Ridgeline midsize pickup will enter the American market within the next two years, and it will be produced in the same place as its predecessor — at Honda’s plant in Lincoln, Alabama. Production of the second-generation Ridgeline will end late this year.
Last month, our site published a major feature on the history of the Honda Ridgeline. Here, we’ll briefly remind you that the Ridgeline is a pickup designed specifically for America, featuring a unibody construction, a naturally aspirated V6, and a fully independent suspension. The first-generation Ridgeline hit the market in 2005, and the current “second” Ridgeline has been in service since 2016. Today, it’s safe to say that the Ridgeline was ahead of its time: when it debuted, the market wasn’t ready for a pickup with car-based roots and limited off-road capability (no low-range gearing), even though the Ridgeline surpassed many body-on-frame competitors in terms of practicality and cargo capacity.
Peak sales of the Honda Ridgeline in the U.S. came in 2023 — 52,001 units were sold that year. Last year, sales totaled 48,448 units. In the first half of this year, the Ridgeline sold 23,490 units in the U.S.
2026 will be the final year of production for the second-generation Ridgeline — American Honda Motor’s press office announced this today. Thus, there will be roughly a one-year gap before the third-generation pickup debuts. The exact release date for the new Ridgeline has not yet been announced, but we believe the phrase “within two years” means it won’t go on sale before 2028. For now, here’s a look at the first teaser of the “third” Ridgeline.
As you can see, the new Ridgeline will be far more rugged and angular than the current, slightly rounded second-generation pickup. The unibody construction will most likely be retained, and the “third” Ridgeline will share its platform with the upcoming fifth-generation Honda Pilot crossover. The current “second” Ridgeline is built on the third-generation Honda Pilot platform.
There is no official information yet on the technical specifications of the new Honda Ridgeline, but American media (for example, Car and Driver magazine) have previously reported, citing insiders, that the third-generation Ridgeline will receive a hybrid powertrain based on a new V6 engine — power should be more than sufficient.
Unibody construction is no longer a death sentence for a pickup in America — this is confirmed by the very strong sales of the compact Ford Maverick pickup, which is based on the C2 platform from the discontinued European Ford Focus. In the first six months of 2026, the Ford Maverick sold 81,711 units in the U.S., and for the full year 2025, 155,051 units were sold.
We should add that in May, Honda presented a new development strategy that focuses on hybrid models, with the U.S. named a priority market. Honda’s previous strategy, oriented toward electric vehicles, failed spectacularly.
