What an absolute crying shame !
No real updates after all the hype , speculation, and suggestions from loyal Ridgeline owners and people looking to purchase.
Like a cold slap in the face of reality, Honda is once again dragging it's feet on things that could take the great Ridgeline , and make it even better. Things Honda already has in other vehicles .
I'll never understand why Honda takes so long for updates, when other car companies like the Korean twins can and do make significant changes,even total redesigns on three year cycles, and minor accessory changes yearly.
The point is, and I don't speak for everyone, but some people shop for a replacement vehicle when their old one is wearing out, or has issues, and hold off buying when they find something they like, but doesn't quite have something they really want or need. But they can't wait for over a year or two. They have to buy sooner than later, and if they do buy the existing model with old tech, or a couple things that desperately need updated, they are not happy customers, and find other things they don't like which becomes a focus. True, no one is fully 100 percent happy with a new purchase, after the either wears off and a few months go by, and the new Larger Payments become a reality.
Reading these forums gives one hope and a sense the manufacturer may listen and pay attention to loyal owners input, about their discussed vehicle. Sort of like a huge focus group, telling the manufacturer, this is what we want, or need, or would make this vehicle great, even better than now and improve sales.
Guess that's not the case with Honda?
The Ridgeline is desirable in its current form , but could be Stellar with a few modern changes.
From my reading this forum , owners input tell me Reliability is NOT what some would expect of Honda with things like having to change transmission fluid FAR more often than other brands, to prevent problems same with rear differential fluids. Some manufacturers recommend only 100k mile changes and the vehicles do just fine. Timing belts rather than a chain and good tensioner system , while somewhat quieter , are a maintenance hastle. Over complicated systems such as cylinder deactivation are expensive time bombs , for the sake of economy they don't actually deliver.
Those items, may be an engineers dream, but for owners , they can turn into an expensive nightmare.
I'll end my opinion post, saying I'm deeply disappointed in Hondas lack of update for the Ridgeline, which happens to be my number one choice for replacing my current vehicle. The current model and it seems for two more model years, is okay, however the price increases on the already high priced Ridgeline (class comparative) and not even a simple update like a 360 degree camera option, are leaving me in the hold on to the old vehicle a while longer and see what other manufacturers do this next model year category...
The 2026 is not even on lots yet and already, we are theorizing about the G3. Not a good look for Honda.
