What The Next-Generation Honda Ridgeline Mid-Size Pickup Desperately Needs

Any idea when the new 2020 Ridgeline will arrive?

Ridgeline needs push button shifting like the Pilot & better MPG.
Besides that...it’s a Beautiful Truck.

Offered in a package with better clearance, a more rugged suspension, and a more aggressive stance and styling? Yes. Throw in better mileage and increased towing capacity for icing. The current iteration is so far from this point, however, that it seems highly unlikely without yet another complete redesign.
Honda would have to first adopt a “me too” position and decide they want to complete with Toyota and Jeep on volume and possibly Subaru on the more niche outdoorsy buyer. To date, it’s pretty clear they’ve never really been worried about either of these buyers with the Ridgeline name.

The Ridgeline continues to feel like a science experiment to me. It tried to woo the construction worker with the first generation (remember the interior controls designed to be used with gloves on?) and then suburban homeowner dads with the second. Maybe the next generation, if there is one, will finally go after the leisure outdoors crowd. Then maybe learnings from the first three generations will lead to something that ticks all the boxes for most mid-sized truck buyers. I wonder if both Honda and the buying public will have the patience to wait that long.

Sure would buy a genuine offroad Ridgeline. Make that and the back doors open to a wider angle and I'm there. Give me cooler color options and we need to be able to accessorize. I'd love that.

Disagreeing with a few things said in this piece.

1.ridgeline sales are not underperforming. They sell every vehicle they make and meet their own expectations. I've read they dont want to allocate manufacturing time away from pilots and odysseys which is one reason why they dont make a lot to begin with.

2. I get this is torquenews.com but the average ridgeline owner is just not going offroading. And if they invested heavily into a TRD style package and all the money to build that community, it still wouldnt perform as well as a yota in that space. So why bother? Could they benefit from toughening up the front end appearance? Yes. But you're basically asking why a Corolla SE cant handle like a Golf R. The ridgeline is the best choice for soccer dads and boomers, and they aren't going to substantially change that just because some want to look like they can offroad in it.

I've been waiting since 2016. I'm not going to wait beyond 2020. Rear doors and mileage were deal-breakers. Also want a hybrid and safety package in all trims too. Who would buy it on resale in 5 years without those? Looks aren't important but performance matters.

More POWER, TOWING, and rugged good looks!!! It's Honda's only truck, make the damn thing a truck!

I own the 2017 Ridgeline. Bob is correct the rear doors are easy to fix yourself. Look it up on Youtube. Not sure why Honda doesn't correct the rear doors themself. The Ridgeline is super comfortable, quiet and gets 27 mpg on the highway. It's been a great truck to haul and trailer motorcycles. But, they do need to toughen up the look with air vents, etc. I would buy it in a R model that we keep getting teased about, but I doubt that will ever happen.

I would buy one in a minute if only:
POWER FOLDING SIDE MIRRORS
LOCKING TAILGATE

I own a 2017 Ridgeline RTL-E and I'm definitely that suburban dad they were targeting. I haul home improvement stiff, furniture, and tow my pontoon. I have used the in bed power outlet to run my kids baseball pitching machine, and I've even used rhtt at outlet and the in-bed speakers for running a TV tailgating. It's a jackknife of a truck that rides more like a SUV. That said, it's not pretty and certainly not rugged. Also, the MPGs are horrible. I get 21 combined on average. If they offered a hybrid that still towed 5000 lbs and got 30mpg, I'd trade mine in immediately. They really should invest more in the truck. I think there's a huge market for midsize and even compact trucks that get great mileage and decent towing.

I would buy it if they got rid of the VCM. I have a 2005 Odyssey and never liked the shudder it made when it kicked in.

I’ve owned a ‘19 RTL-E for the past 11 months and would likely not buy into a ruggedized Ridgeline. Would probably just buy a Taco TRD Off-Road instead. The current Ridgeline checks all the right boxes for me. There are fixes or at least workarounds for most annoyances.

This is actually really great info... I'm in the market for a truck and i'm a bit frustrated with current options. Up until rumors of a Ridgeline hybrid came out... I was really just waiting for news on the new hybrid F-150 or Tundra. I need something that can haul a mountain bike, some weekend warrior stuff...occasional furniture etc., No need for a heavy duty hauler or insane off road capabilities.

From the look of things, if the Ridgeline can improve the following in 2020, I'm in.

- Toughen up the front end
- Hybrid powertrain with 30+ MPG combined
- Locking Tailgate
- Improve the infotainment (larger screen, easier interface)
- Back doors seem to be an easy fix... I understand it can be corrected, but Honda should really just do that themselves
- Love the Black edition but not the red stitching - minor thing (i'm being picky at this point), but if they offer a Hybrid, maybe change the contrast color to blue or all black?

I will buy the Ridgeline hybrid when it comes out

I have a 2017 ridgeline and it is good for what I need. Hauls motorcycles in the bed or trailers, hauls leaves, logs, junk for the dump. Handles off-road fine, if I need to really go fast off road I’ll take a dirt bike and have more fun. Size is good for garage so you can open doors and fit in easier. Full size pickups are just too big. The infotainment system is the weakest point, needs dials for volume, bass, treble and balance. Needs easier method to save map locations and map system never understands what I say. Locking tailgate would be nice. There is a pungent glue smell in the trunk it has that never goes away. Nice to hear rear doors can be made to open wider. It doesn’t rust in the Minnesota winters where they use salt, unlike US trucks that always rust around wheel wells and other places. Handles great in snow with AWD system and even power slides around corners as if rear wheel drive. I like mine. Very comfortable and quiet ride. Would be nice if it had a tougher looking front end, but, I don’t see it when I drive. The engine works smooth and has plenty of power, I’ve pulled a large pontoon boat easily. 21 mpg in city and 27 mpg highway is fine by me and better than a big powerful truck mpg that I rarely need the power for. I don’t think I would pay much more for an off road version, it probably would be a rougher ride, but would pay a couple thousand more for items I listed for improvements. Hybrid would be nice if power was equal or better, hard to justify much more cost if gas price stays down. Maybe $5000 more. All electric would be interesting if range was 300 miles.