[Danke]

However, you'd think Honda would mention something about a G3

 

[CNC1]

I wish Honda would do something more serious as far as making a Ridgeline more capable. The payload is fine, and trailer towing is not far off the small BOF trucks. They don't seem to care about one of the bigger problems we have. Outdated electronics and lack of ground clearance. I'm not talking about off roading, we don't have much more than a car in clearance under the truck. Subaru has models with more than we have. Just putting a decal on something doesn't make it better without any modifications. Keep in mind to get some of these features the price will go into the $60k range. I really don't see a lot of future in Ridgelines as they are now, far too many younger folks that want the "off road" or "overlander" look even most never do either.

 

[Sparkland]

When they know, we will know. . I am not sure Honda even knows at this late date what they will do with the 2026 Ridgeline.

 

[RossoRidgeline]

I wish Honda would do something more serious as far as making a Ridgeline more capable. The payload is fine, and trailer towing is not far off the small BOF trucks. They don't seem to care about one of the bigger problems we have. Outdated electronics and lack of ground clearance. I'm not talking about off roading, we don't have much more than a car in clearance under the truck. Subaru has models with more than we have. Just putting a decal on something doesn't make it better without any modifications. Keep in mind to get some of these features the price will go into the $60k range. I really don't see a lot of future in Ridgelines as they are now, far too many younger folks that want the "off road" or "overlander" look even most never do either.

I know there are some younger people drawn to the RL on this forum. But the majority of us are retired or counting the days until retirement. We don‘t want off road features and now Honda knows that. The glut of RL Trailsports last fall showed that even a few minor off road tweaks did not draw in a wave of new buyers or get existing ones to say “Gee! I better trade for that off road RL I have always wanted.”

Then again now every brand has a rock, forest, or water themed trim aimed at navigating off pavement. Adding an inch or two of clearance to the TS may be necessary to compete with them. Have the engine and power train default into a mud sport mode that makes the engine rumble and burn more gas.

 

[Bruce64]

Most of the time off road capable means big loud howler tires and rougher ride along with garish (imo) decals.

I understand there is a market for vehicles with those things but I'd be very surprised if a significant number of potential Ridgeline buyers fit the segment.

The first generation made an 8 year run before Honda decided the market wasn't enough to continue production. The second generation is at 8 years now. I have to wonder if most of the RL customers already have one?

I could see Honda trying to brand a Nissan Navarra as a Honda. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Navara

Rebranding doesn't usually work but it doesn't stop executives from thinking that buyers won't notice the difference.

Edit: The Nissan reference came from the rumor/discussion that the RL might be produced by Nissan in the future.

 

[longboat]

Honda can do a spinoff Trailsport lineup that are just re-badged Nissans (Frontier, Xterra, Armada), and leave the Ridgeline and Pilot alone for those who want practicality.

 

[wjfyfe]

Honda can do a spinoff Trailsport lineup that are just re-badged Nissans (Frontier, Xterra, Armada), and leave the Ridgeline and Pilot alone for those who want practicality.

Perfect! 👍
Bill

 

[Snooky]

Please for the old folks, what is BOF

 

[wjfyfe]

Please for the old folks, what is BOF

This old man has been guessing built-on-frame?
Bill

 

[Bill_R]

Please for the old folks, what is BOF

Body on frame!

 

[Sparkland]

Body on frame!

Higher towing capacity with a rougher ride.

 

[markk53]

I wish Honda would do something more serious as far as making a Ridgeline more capable. The payload is fine, and trailer towing is not far off the small BOF trucks. They don't seem to care about one of the bigger problems we have. Outdated electronics and lack of ground clearance. I'm not talking about off roading, we don't have much more than a car in clearance under the truck. Subaru has models with more than we have. Just putting a decal on something doesn't make it better without any modifications. Keep in mind to get some of these features the price will go into the $60k range. I really don't see a lot of future in Ridgelines as they are now, far too many younger folks that want the "off road" or "overlander" look even most never do either.

I didn't buy a Ridgeline to go off roading, if I was going to do that it would probably have been a low priced used truck to beat up. I wouldn't be grinding a $50,000 truck against trees and rocks, beating the under carriage up. So ground clearance wouldn't mean a thing. Heck fifteen years ago I bought a 1996 Ranger and proceeded to lower it with a 3/4 drop to make the bed more accessible and be able to load a motorcycle myself. I wouldn't even attempt to load a bike into the stock sitting Ridgeline, much less any of those ego feeder masculine grill trucks that have a front end that looks like the rear of a fork lift. The front of the Ridgeline has more in common with the big real 18 wheelers than any of the rest. The semis have slope nosed grills and hoods to gain mpg, so the real real trucks are a lot more like the earlier gen 2 than any of the ego feeders.

I also don't "play with the infotainment" so I didn't really care about that. Want to play games stay home. I drive the vehicle and other than displaying what song is playing on my flash drive, I don't use any of it, I'm driving... you know, that thing where a person actually keeps the vehicle on the road, as opposed to letting the vehicle drive them. The Ridgeline is functional and apparently not just for me, but for around 4000 new buyers per month. I don't need audiophile radio performance and the rest of the cab is better than most all others.

I see a future that has been averaging 45,000 vehicles strong per year and only a fool would give up that many sales a year that is consistent.

Yes, Honda should continue with a soon to be done redesign, but should keep it on the same lines. They could build a new BOF truck and call it "Pike's Peak" or something, maybe end the Ridgeline Trailsport name tag and just make a Honda Trailsport.

Imagine if Honda quit building the Civic (1972 on) when they started making the Accord in 1976. Where do you think Honda would be now if they'd "offed" the Civic?

There are 40,000 reasons to keep the Ridgeline and a market that others are just finally recognizing, but not realizing it isn't about building cheap, it's about building quality with some luxury and refinement that isn't counted in computer function of the dash board.

Honda, build a BOF or whatever, but unless sales number averages fall off significantly, keep the Ridgeline for those who don't need increased ground clearance, audiophile high fidelity sound system, and a notepad computer on the dash. Make it for those of us who drive. Maybe even have an optional lowering kit, if a BOF is put in production.

 

[CNC1]

After running over a bag of trash at 5:00 in the morning (dark outside), cruise control set on 74, I can attest to needing more ground clearance. I WASN'T off-roading, I65 north. The guys who mow the medians put the junk in bags and leave it sit, till the next day. Someone hit one of the bags and brought it into the center lane, which I was in. It missed my front spoiler but bent the very thin driveshaft cover behind the engine. I had nowhere to go, and the car behind me lost his entire front bumper. So, everyone who upgrades the speakers, adds amps, and all the other "foolish" stuff isn't paying attention to the road? I've had several Honda and Acura cars, plus a ton of others, all with much better safety and updated features, all that cost about the same $$$$.

I've been driving and riding motorcycles for 40+ years, no tickets, no accidents, and have attended several driving schools right up the road from you at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Ran sweep in a couple of SCCA Forrest rally events in southern Ohio and do serious off roading ---on my ATV only.

 

[PracticoolTruckin]

If I wanted a Nissan Frontier I would buy a Nissan Frontier. This would be a STUPID move by Honda. Build your own truck or exit the truck market. I feel like Honda isn't putting the R&D they need to be investing in their vehicles. It's really starting to show as many of their models are starting to struggle. Honda better get their butt in gear quickly!

 

[Bruce64]

Executives get disconnected from reality. Sometimes they aren't very bright but they still think they are smarter than most. This means that they wouldn't care who made the vehicle as long as the nameplate said "Honda" so that means everyone else shops the nameplate in their minds.

20 years ago it was a phenomenon known as "branding". They really thought/think that consumers don't care about anything except the name (brand) on the product. It comes up every 20 years or so and it always fails.

I'm sure there are execs at Honda who still think the Isuzu made Passport was a great success.

 

[CNC1]

Some on here just love the Ridgeline, and I like it a lot. But not because of the name of the brand. Quite a few don't drive every day to work, or even enough to need an oil change but once a year. It could be a lot better, and even a leader but it would involve tooling and new designs which Honda doesn't seem to care about. Ask the guys with the 7-speed tranny how well it holds up, but it's a Honda. Quite a few water leaks in the cabs, and most probably don't ever look or know how to, but it's a Honda. Continuous features that don't work, auto high beams, phone chargers for quite a few years, but now I hear that is fixed. You don't need ANY of this stuff to drive it, but you do pay for it. Honda's philosophy has changed a lot from when I interviewed at Marysville OH back in the late 80's when quality was top priority. I was in that plant quite a few times working to rebuild their presses. Back then Honda meant something.

 

[Montro25]

They need to make a new Ridgeline Gen 1 comeback very offroad with real 4WD rear lock differential to compete with the Tacos!

 

[markk53]

If I wanted a Nissan Frontier I would buy a Nissan Frontier. This would be a STUPID move by Honda. Build your own truck or exit the truck market. I feel like Honda isn't putting the R&D they need to be investing in their vehicles. It's really starting to show as many of their models are starting to struggle. Honda better get their butt in gear quickly!

Which models?

 

[markk53]

Executives get disconnected from reality. Sometimes they aren't very bright but they still think they are smarter than most. This means that they wouldn't care who made the vehicle as long as the nameplate said "Honda" so that means everyone else shops the nameplate in their minds.

20 years ago it was a phenomenon known as "branding". They really thought/think that consumers don't care about anything except the name (brand) on the product. It comes up every 20 years or so and it always fails.

I'm sure there are execs at Honda who still think the Isuzu made Passport was a great success.

Is there still a Passport? If so then they must have had some success with the Isuzu/Honda. If it had failed how much would they have lost in designing the vehicle versus having a clean sheet design first time SUV fail?

Really, considering Honda has done will with their SUVs I'd say the results of the Isuzu/Honda worked pretty well for them to find a good market.

So how much would it cost in clean sheet design work to make an entirely new BOF off road oriented 4WD should it fail in the market compared to the loss if the Isuzu/Honda fails in the market?

Seems like a reasonable way to test the waters.

 

[hANNAbONE]

Honda did it before with their first Passports, using Isuzu product. It would make sense to work a deal for a more serious off road truck.

I personally think Honda should continue with the present style of Ridgeline, because if all those who bought them actually wanted a BOF or high ground clearance significantly more off road designed, they would have probably bought one of the other brands. I could have bought any of the compact to mid size trucks I wanted. Could have done a full size 4WD if I wanted. But after checking out the Honda, including a lot of they You tube evaluations and goofy ass stuff some of them said, I still bought the Honda and still have no regrets.

I think there are a lot of others who feel the same way. Really it's kind of what Honda has done before in making product that is close to each other in function, like the Civic and the Accord or the CR-V and the HR-V. Very similar in a number of ways, but each sells well, because not everyone needs or wants whatever plusses one has over the other. They know what they want. Honda should play off that with the Ridgeline and whatever BOF they might subcontract or build themselves.

The sales numbers for the Ridgelines show they sell a fair number consistently from year to year, why kill it off? Ford didn't quit building the Ranger when they built the Maverick. Chevy/GMC still built the C1500 after they built the Colorado and Canyon. If Honda wants a BOF, have at it, but keep going with the more refined looking classy Ridgeline that has the comfort, rides and handles like a good SUV, but still has the open bed.

...it seems to me that the Ridgeline is more like the old El Camino..but even better.