Spy Shots: The 2017 Honda Ridgeline gets spied for the first time

Not too long ago, some spy shot photographers were able to capture what appears to be a new 2017 Honda Ridgeline test mule in the works, which can only mean that Honda’s going to continue producing their one and only pickup.

Though with what the spy photos are revealing, it appears there will be some significant changes with the new Ridgeline.

The current and first generation of Ridgeline was often criticized by hardcore pickup truck enthusiasts and lovers for “not being a true pickup,” with its unibody construction. However, this really didn’t make the Ridgeline any less capable of being a light-duty pickup truck since it was built on the same platform as the Honda Pilot. It still could go off road and haul some things, but obviously not to the level of a full-sized light-duty truck like a Ford F150.

This in turn kept it from being a serious sales success, though it was still bought by a wide range of buyers. Additionally, it sold enough to keep Honda interested in the pickup truck game, to the point where they’re going to make a second generation.

From what we can see with the new spy shots, it looks like the new Ridgeline could ditch its current unibody construction for a more traditional body-on-frame setup, boosting its capability as a hauler and off-roader. This could be observed from the more pronounced and longer bed, which trumps the size of the current Ridgeline’s bed.

But judging by its overall footprint and size, it may not exactly be built to compete with the full-size light-duty truck segment, like the Ford F150, Dodge Ram and GM Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra cousins. Rather, it could compete with the midsize crowd, consisting of the new Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.

Not much else is known, but given the new Ridgeline is anticipated for a 2017 launch, we can expect more info to surface sometime next year.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: WCF

Chris Chin

Chris Chin is the Editor-In-Chief of egmCarTech and is a regular contributor to Automobile Magazine.

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