2017 Honda Ridgeline (2nd generation)

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The SEMA show is coming up fast, and Honda is not about to miss out on the festivities. To that end, the Japanese automaker has announced a raft of customized vehicles it's bringing to the tuner expo in Vegas early next month.

Potentially one of the most enticing debuts will be the Ridgeline Desert Race Truck. Following the preview sketch (seen above) of the next-gen pickup released at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year, the new concept is set to give us an even better glimpse at the 2017 model of the four-door, short-bed crossover pickup to come. The vehicle's debut will also mark the factory's return to off-road competition, which ought to come as a welcome development for racing fans.

The Ridgeline won't be Honda's only debut at the SEMA show this year, however. There'll also be four modified versions of the HR-V compact crossover, each customized by a different American aftermarket firm, and custom takes on the CR-Z hybrid, Civic sedan, and Pilot crossover. Look for the Powersports and HPD divisions to showcase their latest at the event as well, while the Acura division does its own thing.

Honda Press Release

Honda to Showcase Ridgeline Desert Race Truck Concept, HR-V Tuner Project Program, Refreshed 2016 CR-Z and more at 2015 SEMA Show

Oct 23, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif.

- Honda Ridgeline Desert Race Truck to showcase design direction for all-new Ridgeline pickup debuting next year
- HR-V project vehicles will bring extreme performance and personality to the compact crossover segment
- Updated 2016 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe to make first appearance on North American soil
- Honda Powersports hits show floor, including Moto GP Race Replica RC213V-S, Pioneer 1000 and more
- Honda to once again host the Honda Soiree at Hakkasan Nightclub

Honda will ignite the floor at the 2015 SEMA Show with a full portfolio of performance products, including race bikes, HR-V project vehicles, and the debut of the Ridgeline Desert Race Truck. The Ridgeline Desert Race Truck will offer a first look at the styling direction of the highly anticipated 2017 Honda Ridgeline pickup. The "racing Ridgeline" also marks Honda's re-entry into Honda Performance Development (HPD)-powered factory off-road racing.

Also within the Honda display will be four Honda HR-V project vehicles, built in partnership with several highly creative U.S.-based automotive tuning houses. The refreshed 2016 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe, complete with aggressive new exterior styling details and significantly improved interior, will also be highlighted in Honda's 2015 SEMA showcase, along with an accessorized version of the all-new 2016 Honda Civic Sedan and 2016 Honda Pilot. Further demonstrating the broad range of performance products and racing activities that only Honda can boast, Honda Powersports and HPD will also showcase many of their wares, including the Pioneer 1000 Side-by-Side in matching desert race livery, the Moto GP Race Replica RC213V-S, the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing IndyCar display, and much more.

The Honda press conference will begin at 9:35 a.m. PDT on Nov. 3rd at Booth #24887 in the southeast corner of the Central Hall.

Honda will again host the Honda Soiree, this year taking place at Hakkasan Nightclub at the MGM Grand. Credentialed journalists can obtain a wristband to garner attendance at the Honda booth following the press conference.

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A new set of spy photos has given us our best look yet at the 2017 Honda Ridgeline.

Thanks to new skin tight camouflage, we have our first view of the body lines of Honda’s new small pickup. As expected, the Ridgeline has adopted a more traditional truck look with a more upright c-pillar, although a new plastic shroud can be seen around the c-pillars and rear window. This is a throwback to the previous truck’s unique “flying buttress” designed c-pillar.

Some shots of the bed reveal lighting installed in the bed walls along with what appears to be a spray-in bedlinen.

At the 2015 SEMA Show, Honda revealed the Ridgeline Baja Race Truck, saying that it would foreshadow some of the production truck’s style. Besides giving us only a slight idea of what the Ridgeline’s nose might look like, the race truck revealed information on the engine. Honda announced that the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 in the race truck would share its block, cylinder heads and crankshaft with the production truck, which mean we can expect a 3.5-liter V6 under the hood, likely without turbos.

Inside, thick camouflage covers up most of the details, though it appears that Ridgeline will get a single touchscreen in the center stack, much like the new Civic.

The 2017 Honda Ridgeline will hit dealers sometime in the first half of 2016.

[Zim]

US only release?

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More than likely.

[Zim]

awwww man

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The Honda Ridgeline is back after a short hiatus and has been revealed at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show.


For the most part, the 2017 Honda Ridgeline picks up exactly where the old truck left off, still featuring unibody construction, a 3.5-liter V6, a trunk in the bed floor and a dual-hinged tailgate that can open from the side or like a traditional truck tailgate.

The engine is now mated to a six-speed automatic rather than the old five-speed auto. Power output has not been released yet for the 2017 Ridgeline, though it will likely be close to 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, the output this 3.5-liter V6 engine holds in the new Honda Pilot. Honda says it is targeting best-in-class acceleration and fuel economy with the truck.

Both front- and all-wheel drive are available with the Ridgeline, with the new all-wheel setup using Honda’s torque vectoring system, featuring intelligent terrain management that has normal, sand, snow and mud modes.

Honda spent some time working with the bed in the truck, making it 5.4-inches wider and 4-inches longer than the previous truck to measure in at 5-feet wide and 5’4″ long. Payload capacity should sit around 1,600 pounds according to Honda, while the in-bed trunk now features a fully flat floor and a drain plug. A 400-watt AC power inverter is available in the bed as well.

But not all of the bed innovation is about work with this truck. Honda has installed the first in-bed audio system in the new Ridgeline, which uses six exciters located inside the bed walls instead of regular speakers to pump out tunes at 540 watts.

On the inside, the Ridgeline can be had with tri-zone climate control, push button start, leather-trimmed seats and an 8-inch touchscreen that is capable of running Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Honda expects top marks in NHTSA and IIHS crash testing thanks the new truck’s body structure, advanced airbags and the Honda Sensing suite of safety features, which includes forward collision warning, lane departure warning, collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation and lane keep assist. The truck also gets Honda’s LaneWatch system, which uses a camera in the passenger mirror to show the driver what is beside them.

The Ridgeline is expected to launch sometime in the first half of 2016.

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