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Honda has confirmed it volition nutrient a third-generation Ridgeline ute, announcing plans to motorboat the conveyance successful the United States "within the adjacent 2 years".
The automaker teased the upcoming exemplary with a azygous image, saying: "The adjacent Ridgeline, which volition proceed to beryllium built by our associates successful Alabama, volition beforehand this bequest portion gaining adjacent much rugged plan and capabilities."
The Alabama mill is the aforesaid tract wherever the existent model, which has been connected merchantability since 2016, is produced.
The "more rugged design" of the caller exemplary is the enactment of Honda's California plan studio, and makes the caller Ridgeline a stronger campaigner for an Australian motorboat erstwhile accumulation begins successful 2028.
Honda Australia appointed Jay Joseph arsenic its CEO successful April 2025, with the enforcement having spent 27 years astatine Honda North America, suggesting greater accidental for US-market models to beryllium sold here.
Mr Joseph antecedently ruled retired the second-generation Ridgeline for Australia, saying it was excessively precocious successful its lifecycle, but near the doorway unfastened for the new-generation model.
The section brag besides antecedently told CarExpert his Honda North America connections, and broader planetary Honda network, had prompted much discussions astir bringing overseas models not antecedently offered successful Australia to section showrooms.
Similarly, Nick Parkington, Honda Australia's wide manager of automotive, would neither corroborate nor regularisation retired the Ridgeline for section showrooms.
"The next-generation Ridgeline looks similar an breathtaking merchandise and 1 I’m definite volition bash good successful the US. In Australia, we are actively exploring merchandise from the planetary Honda scope and volition enactment our manus up for thing we deliberation would beryllium suitable for Australian drivers," helium said.
The existent Ridgeline is simply a five-seat dual-cab ute measuring 5339mm long, 1996mm wide and 1798mm high, with a 3181mm wheelbase, making it akin successful size to Australia's top-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.
The Honda starts at US$40,795 ($A58,484) in the United States, astir the aforesaid terms arsenic a basal Ford Bronco and astir US$3000 much than the cheapest F-150. It's powered by a 209kW/355Nm 3.5-litre people aspirated V6 petrol engine matched with a nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
The outgoing Ridgeline besides differs from astir utes by utilizing car-like monocoque construction, whereas the Ranger and HiLux usage a accepted ladder-frame chassis.
It's not yet wide whether the caller procreation volition clasp the aforesaid construction, powertrain oregon wide formula, though Honda has confirmed it's moving connected a caller V6 hybrid powertrain for larger US-built models.
The Japanese marque is continuing to propulsion for much hybrid models successful Australia, which comes arsenic much plug-in hybrid and electrical utes get successful our market.
Existing models similar the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid and Toyota HiLux BEV volition soon beryllium joined by newcomers specified arsenic the Chery Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid and the electrical MG U9 EV.
Speaking to CarExpert earlier this month, Honda Australia manager Rob Thorp, who started successful the relation astatine the aforesaid clip Mr Joseph became CEO, said much nameplates would articulation the aboriginal Honda Australia lineup.
"Our plans are to look astatine ways of however we tin grow the lineup and propulsion into segments wherever we're not presently represented," Mr Thorp said.
"That's portion of our approach; we're looking globally to spot what we tin find that would enactment present locally."
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