We have been hearing for quite some time now that when the 2017 Honda Ridgeline makes its way out the vehicle is going to be larger and Honda have done this so as to attract more people to purchase it. Right now it hasn’t been selling all that well in the US, but if there was to be a newer and bigger version come our way that could all change.
The Ridgeline hasn’t been too popular in the US but even so Honda have not given up on the truck and they are launching the 2017 Honda Ridgeline, which is going to come onto the market much bigger and it could be tempting in the US.
We have seen some photos of the 2017 Honda Ridgeline and these showed us that the truck will be larger than the version that is out on the market right now. Some people haven’t been surprised by this as it will have the platform of the Honda Pilot.
The current and first generation of Ridgeline was often criticized by hardcore pickup truck enthusiasts and lovers for “not being a true pickup,” with its unibody construction. However, this really didn’t make the Ridgeline any less capable of being a light-duty pickup truck since it was built on the same platform as the Honda Pilot. It still could go off road and haul some things, but obviously not to the level of a full-sized light-duty truck like a Ford F150.
The 2017 Honda Ridgeline will come out with the integrated spoiler in the tailgate and we expect the fenders to have a flare. The engine in the vehicle will be the V7 3.5 litre and this is going to offer 280 horses.
But what else can we expect to see from the 2017 Honda Ridgeline? We know that Honda have chosen to offer plastic body cladding on the vehicle and we are expecting to see a design that will incorporate a spoiler into the tailgate and the fender flares are going to be more muscular.
Whether or not the 2017 Honda Ridgeline is going to have what is needed to be an enticement in the US remains to be seen.
But judging by its overall footprint and size, it may not exactly be built to compete with the full-size light-duty truck segment, like the Ford F150, Dodge Ram and GM Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra cousins. Rather, it could compete with the midsize crowd, consisting of the new Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.
Honda introduced the Ridgeline in the U.S. in 2005 with the midsize pickup truck market in mind. But Ridgeline’s structure was more that of a special utility truck with unibody styling, built on the Pilot crossover platform. Ridgeline accommodates cargo weighing 1,500 pounds, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.
Ridgeline’s best year since launch was 2006, but it’s only been downhill since then — from 2006 to 2014, sales have fallen a whopping 73%. Through June of this year, Honda sold only 534 Ridgeline units.
SOURCE: GOODCARBADCAR.NET.
What could have gone wrong with the Ridgeline? According to auto experts, lack of a much-needed facelift is part of the answer. In addition, there wasn’t much improvement on the technology and engine front.
The truck’s unibody structure was a big problem. A unibody is different from a body-on-frame structure, and the latter is a favorite with customers because of its flexibility, strength, and easy maintenance. Last but not least, the Ridgeline didn’t impress customers with its towing capacity and fuel efficiency when compared to other key players in the category.
Honda refreshed the model in 2012 for the last time and stopped production in mid-2014.
Not much else is known, but given the new Ridgeline is anticipated for a 2017 launch, we can expect more info to surface sometime next year.