Ridgeline production in Alabama will stop in the fourth quarter and resume in 2028.
Updated Ridgeline to feature revised design and emissions-compliant V6 powertrain.
Honda will increase Odyssey, Pilot and Passport production during the Ridgeline pause.
Honda will suspend production of the Ridgeline midsize pickup at its Lincoln, Alabama, assembly plant in the fourth quarter of this year, with manufacturing not scheduled to resume until the third quarter of 2028.
The pause is linked to tightening emissions requirements that the current Ridgeline configuration cannot satisfy. Honda intends to restart production with extensive updates, including revised styling, modified components, and an upgraded V6 and transmission designed to meet stricter regulatory standards. Honda’s earlier electric-vehicle development priorities and ongoing supplier constraints complicated efforts to maintain uninterrupted Ridgeline production while preparing the updated model.
The redesign is described by sources as being substantial enough to create the appearance of a next-generation product, although Honda has not publicly confirmed future Ridgeline specifications.
The production interruption is part of Honda’s recently modified product planning strategy. Following its first annual financial loss in nearly seven decades as a publicly traded company, the automaker is stretching product cycles for several core models, including the Odyssey and HR-V, while directing capital toward emissions-related upgrades and performance improvements.
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Sources familiar with Honda’s plans said the 2028 Ridgeline revision is intended to bridge the period before the arrival of a new large-vehicle hybrid architecture targeted for North American models in the early 2030s. That platform is expected to underpin future versions of the Pilot, Passport and Odyssey, using a new V6 engine, multiple electric motors and a lower-cost battery system.
The future hybrid system will improve fuel efficiency, torque delivery and towing capability. Those areas remain competitive challenges for the current unibody Ridgeline when compared with body-on-frame rivals.
During the Ridgeline hiatus, Honda plans to increase production of higher-volume vehicles at its Alabama operation. Pilot and Passport output is expected to rise by more than 10%, while Odyssey production could increase nearly 20% over approximately two years. Honda also plans to temporarily add Passport production to the Odyssey assembly line late next year.
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The Ridgeline continues to occupy a small share of the midsize pickup market. U.S. first-quarter sales reached 10,980 units, placing it ahead of only the Jeep Gladiator in the segment. Canadian sales declined 31.5% to only 581 units during the same period, while Toyota Tacoma deliveries reached 3,421.
Pricing also negatively impacts the truck’s position. The Ridgeline starts at about US$42,290 including freight, and CDN$56,325, considerably higher than many competitors, although its average transaction price remains close to the segment average. With fewer trim and configuration choices, Honda concentrates most Ridgeline sales within a narrower price band than rival midsize pickups.
Source: Automotive News
