Honda Ridgeline Production Paused 18 Months Until It Meets Emissions Standards: Report
Posted by drivingdotca@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 73 comments
sauceagain@reddit
who is buying these
jhowlett@reddit
Its a great option for most midsize buyers.
yobo9193@reddit
The interior space of a mid-size, with the fuel economy of a full-size, and the towing capacity of your wife’s Honda Pilot; perfect for someone who wants a bed but doesn’t want BOF jiggles
TheDistantEnd@reddit
The only thing that kills the Ridgeline for me is the fuel economy. I'm also a weirdo who likes two-door pickups, but if the Ridgeline had a hybrid powertrain and could make better economy than a Coyote F-150, I might have picked one up instead. I'll never tow five ton trailers, but if I'm paying for the same amount of gas either way...
Repulsive-Club7866@reddit
Honda said some hybrids will be new models which opens up the possibility of a new Element and a truck based on it that would rival the Maverick, RamPage, and Toyota compact pickup
StepsOnLEGO@reddit
The interior space is closer to a full size than any midsize on the market. You can comfortably fit three adults across in the back. It's 3 inches wider than a Ranger and 1.5 inches slimmer than an F-150.
jimmy-buffett@reddit
Tacoma owner here. Wife's 80+ year old dad bought a Ridgeline, because he wanted the occasional functionality of a truck without the body-on-frame ride quality (or lack thereof) and did not need 4x4 / low range (Ridgeline has AWD).
It's a lot of truck for the money, especially considering what Toyota charges for the Tacoma. For $44K he got a 4-passenger truck with a great engine, a proven drivetrain and a bed for occasional use.
These are great trucks whose main limitation is that you can't do slow offroading in them, which most people don't do with their "real trucks" anyway.
AnnoyingRingtone@reddit
I was entertaining the idea of buying a first gen until I saw that they practically start at $12k, regardless of condition. Standard V6 and AWD, good styling, quirky features, Honda reliability. Pretty good reasons to buy them. If I had $60k to spend on a light duty truck, I’d consider a new one.
sauceagain@reddit
see that’s the thing, everyone in these comments seems to want one or says how great it is yet no one buys one
SquirrelWarSurvivor@reddit
Its a pretty good option for folks who do road tripping with a lightweight camper. The unibody design is a much smoother ride than the other BOF trucks from the American companies.
SaigaExpress@reddit
I seriously considered it a few years ago, i dont have anything to tow, decent gas mileage its a sensible dd.
Toasted_Potooooooo@reddit
I love them, I would daily one because of how practical they are if they didn't average 19mpg in real world driving. Honda, get that up to ~25 combined and I'll bite.
bumphuckery@reddit
If I needed a light duty truck without the rock crawling chops and a frame you could twist like a pretzel off-road, the Ridgeline would be a great choice.
The-Ol-Razzle-Dazle@reddit
I mean they've run them in Baja races lol acting like it's some bronco sport chassis
Milk-Man75@reddit
You realize the Baja truck just shares some base motor compnents with the regular Ridgeline, right? The rest is a purpose-built race truck with a frame and a solid axle. It's like saying Camrys are a race car because Toyota built a "Camry" for NASCAR. All they share is a name.
Shmokesshweed@reddit
People who want an old design with an old engine at a high price that doesn't do many things better than most of its competitors.
CorrectCombination11@reddit
Dads
yobo9193@reddit
I’m a dad and I went with a Tacoma. I don’t know anyone who has one of these except my friends Grandpa
pedropedro1@reddit
My dad has one of the OGs versions. He’s about to hit 400k miles on it
Conscious_Candle2598@reddit
someone who wants reliability mixed with a mid-Truck.
I settled with a Ford Ranger and had non stop transmission Issues.
Stohnghost@reddit
I would buy one if I needed a truck ... That said , I just rent a truck if I need one. It's a little cheaper than a new car
rusty735@reddit
I want one personally.
I live in the burbs and having driven body on frame SUV for years would like something that handles more car like.
Do wish it would get updated with the new pilot or passport architecture.
Recoil42@reddit
Very strange, considering there are no enforced emissions standards in the US.
mgobla@reddit
Stop lying.
Recoil42@reddit
That's not a lie whatsoever. There are no enforced emissions standards in the US as of February 12, 2026. They were repealed by executive order.
TheDistantEnd@reddit
That which a pen-stroke can take away, a pen-stroke can easily put back. It would be shortsighted to design for what most are perceiving as an anomalous period in the US regulatory scenery.
Insomniax187@reddit
Automakers plan for way more than just one administration's term.
Recoil42@reddit
Weird response, my dude. This article is literally about the next eighteen months.
Insomniax187@reddit
18 months would mean the result debuts with less than year until the next election. You think they're taking 18 months to redesign a truck that could be compliant for potentially less than a year? Try again.
Recoil42@reddit
This is a suspension of production, not a delay of debut for the next generation. Read the headline.
Insomniax187@reddit
Read the ARTICLE.
Recoil42@reddit
I did. Do you understand there's a suspension of production for the next eighteen months? Do you understand there are no enforced emissions regulations in the US currently, nor will there be for at least the next eighteen months (and likely much longer)?
Insomniax187@reddit
And do you understand WHY they're pausing production and why it won't return until it has a refresh?
Professional-Buy3198@reddit
The guy behind the Wiki page of Honda Ridgeline is having a field day
TheDistantEnd@reddit
Far and away one of the most detailed Wikipedia articles I have ever seen. Guy's a champion.
mr_bots@reddit
Why would this affect the Ridgeline but not the Odyssey and MDX which are both also still running the SOHC engine?
TheDistantEnd@reddit
Of the three, the Ridgeline moves the fewest units, and runs on the same production line as the Pilot and Odyssey. Why keep cranking out Ridgelines when you can crank out more of your other two, more profitable vehicles?
mgobla@reddit
It doesn't, they are just making up "excuses" bc they failed to refresh the model.
Shmokesshweed@reddit
Lmao. Refresh it already. This is embarrassing.
J-RodRS@reddit
You know it’ll be 45k for the base trim with FWD when they do.
TheDistantEnd@reddit
I don't think you can get FWD-only on any Ridgeline trim anymore.
UmaThurmish@reddit
this generation has only been around for 9 years, yet somehow it feels like it's still the first generation.
funnily enough the ridgeline is selling better than ever. because everyone and their mother wants a truck these days
Shmokesshweed@reddit
Feels way older than that. Hell, it felt old when I looked at it in summer of 2021 before I ordered a Maverick.
UmaThurmish@reddit
because it looks not much different from the original ridgeline
I actually think the first gen ridgeline looks better
caverunner17@reddit
About time they bring a hybrid to that platform
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
They aren’t until the full redesign sometime next decade. It’s already been announced the V6 hybrid powertrain has been pushed out; this article is conflating the full redesign with the refresh in 2028
DocPhilMcGraw@reddit
Where did they announce that the V6 hybrid powertrain was pushed out?
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
They didn’t officially, but they did say the new large platform hybrid will debut with the next gen large platform cars. However, the Odyssey is pushed to 2030 and MDX to 2031, and Ridgeline after that. The writing is on the wall that the new powertrain is pushed as well.
DocPhilMcGraw@reddit
I don’t think that’s the case at all.
Honda invited a bunch of automotive writers to Japan back in November of last year. Honda was adamant that they expected the V6 powertrain to be ready before 2030 but after 2027.
Yes, the Odyssey and MDX are pushed back but I notice you didn’t mention the glaring omission that is the Pilot.
Plus, Honda just reaffirmed that they plan to introduce 15 new hybrids before 2030. I can’t imagine that not one or two of those would be the new V6 hybrid.
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
This news came out a couple weeks ago
narcistic_asshole@reddit
There's a couple articles that have released in the last 48 hours stating that the new hybrid system is going to be debuting next year for the 2028 model year.
The statement from 3 weeks ago is that the Odyssey, Accord and HR-V won't be recieving an update until 2030. But that doesn't mean other vehicles will be using the new hybrid system before then
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
Can you share a link to that? I haven't seen it, but it would be great news if it's true.
DocPhilMcGraw@reddit
It was a report. It wasn’t confirmed by Honda themselves. Look it up. It was a supplier memo that said they were delaying the Odyssey, Accord, HR-V, MDX, and Integra.
And again, notably absent from that list is the Pilot or Ridgeline.
But then right after that “report” was released, Honda showed off what looked like an Accord based vehicle of some sort that was part of their new 15 hybrids they plan to introduce before 2030.
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Repulsive-Club7866@reddit
It will be heavily based on the new Passport.
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
Sure, but that includes the powertrain. No hybrid until the redesign around 2032
Repulsive-Club7866@reddit
It will be the 3rd gen but just wouldn’t have a hybrid version yet
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
No it’s still the 2nd gen. Same platform as before, largely the same powertrain as before.
Repulsive-Club7866@reddit
Notice it will have the same V6 engine as the Pilot and Passport
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
That doesn’t mean the platform will be new. Are you suggesting Honda will introduce a new platform for the RL in 2028, and then immediately another new platform around 2032? I mean, Honda even said the refresh will “create the impression of a next-generation truck”, not actually be a next-generation truck.
Repulsive-Club7866@reddit
Sounds like by 2032 it will be all hybrid so 2028-2031 could be the last chance for a V6.
StepsOnLEGO@reddit
Which now have a different engine and transmission so not largely the same powertrain at all.
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
Yes, which are all based on the same platform the current truck rides on.
crunchtime100@reddit
Cars get worse and worse as reliable products to satisfy the ever moving goal posts that are “emissions standards”
bombard63@reddit
Passport styling and improved MPG could make it competitive when it returns.
T0KEN_0F_SLEEP@reddit
Big time, the passport is a very solid looking vehicle. The ridgeline currently just isn’t very appealing to look at and interior could be refreshed as well
SquirrelWarSurvivor@reddit
The old Ridgeline was was even worse with those stupid pillar wings where the cab met the bed. Its has a little too much of the Odyssey styling from the initial second gen design but its 2021 refresh is still a decent looking truck for being a light duty pavement princess (if a bit long in the design tooth).
TheBolognaPony@reddit
It's also not much more efficient than a full size truck and about on par with other midsizers. It does drive a little better than most trucks, but it's also a lot less capable. I think it is a bad tradeoff when you consider it's not priced less than those competitors either. I want to like these, but it just gives up a lot in some areas for marginal gains elsewhere all while looking doofy. At least looking like a Passport would make it look much more traditionally truck like.
rewardingsnark@reddit
Makes sense since the passport and pilot have been redone and about to receive Honda anticipated V6 hybrid setup, Odyssey too.
narcistic_asshole@reddit
So they're haulting production until they release the next gen Ridgeline with their upcoming v6 hybrid powertrain.
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
They aren’t until the full redesign sometime next decade. It’s already been announced the V6 hybrid powertrain has been pushed out; this article is conflating the full redesign with the refresh in 2028
African-Rain-Blesser@reddit
Sounds like they’re just going to drop the Y8 into it, which is a damn shame