2017 Honda Ridgeline Ultimate Tailgate Party Platform

The bullet points: Short story, for 2017 Honda presents a Ridgeline pickup with unparalleled interior comfort, highway road manors, exceptional active and passive safety features as well as the largest cab and widest truck bed in the midsize truck segment. And then there’s the personal connectivity and entertainment side of Ridgeline, something that we didn’t see coming.

Let’s start with the nuts and bolts of Ridgeline

While there may be little surprise as to Ridgeline’s powertrain for we that follow Honda, there is one big one. For the first time, Ridgeline will be available in a FWD (front-wheel-drive) only platform.

This makes sense for buyers living in the Sun Belt, opens the window to street customization of Ridgeline, (Dubs anyone?) while lowing the base MSRP portal for Honda fans wishing to secure a midsize pickup within the brand, a genius marketing move on behalf of the Honda powers to be.

2017 Honda Ridgeline shares specifications with 2016 Pilot

As predicted by Torque News and others during the Ridgeline regeneration process, Ridgeline will share the same mechanically bulletproof 3.5 Liter direct injected V6 and 6 speed automatic transmission with 2016 Pilot. Initially, there will be no 9-speed automatic transmission option, in my opinion, a good thing.

Ridgeline off road

For Ridgeline buyers looking to off-road activity, superior traction in mud, snow, sand, etc, 2017 Ridgeline 4WD will feature the 1-VTM4 4WD system with dial-a-ride Terrain Management ™ featured in 2016 Pilot Elite.

Although as of this posting Honda has not released specifications for 2017 Ridgeline, looking to the pre-production Detroit Show Ridgeline, we anticipate sufficient (mild) off road ground clearance for the 4WD model, with the option of a relatively easy lift as demonstrated by the Baja 1000 prepared Honda Pilot support vehicle..

Largest cab, widest truck bed, hidden trunk, magic tailgate, split rear bench, entertainment system

for 2017, Honda Ridgeline comes to market with a larger cab, greater leg and headroom in the second row, a 40/60 split rear bench for hauling taller, longer items, a dual-directional tailgate, hidden lockable truck-bed trunk, and the option of the industry's only built in truck bed entertainment system.

This is where that “ultimate tailgate party” thing comes into play

For 2017, Honda fans willing to write the check can opt for a bed-wall-integrated 600 watt stereo system. Need more power? Look to Ridgeline’s available 400 watt power inverter for 110 volt power tool, drink blending and game side flat screen television powering requirements. Combine this with Ridgelines ultimate ice chest, the hidden trunk, and let the ultimate tailgate party or camping trip begin.

Detroit tease

In true auto manufacturer fashion, Honda’s reveal of the 2017 Ridgeline Pickup comes with little to no specifications. No worries, looking to 2016 Honda Pilot we know what Ridgeline will do, what fuel economy to anticipate, and a possible price point.

We further know that Ridgeline must be priced right to effectively compete within the expanding midsize truck segment. With that said, i’ll walk out onto a proverbial ledge here.

I predict that Ridgeline will come to market with a combined MPG of 24+, and a base MSRP shadowing Pilot’s $30,145. with a fully loaded 4WD Elite approaching the $42,000 mark. I may be a bit conservative on the fully loaded build out. We’ll know more by mid year 2016.