In 2005 the Honda Ridgeline was presented as an alternative to regular midsize pickups, with a spacious cabin and confident on-road handling due to its unibody construction, but still offering a 1554 pound payload capacity and the ability to swallow dirt bikes or watercraft. More than an attempt at an Accord El Camino, the V-6 powered Ridgeline was praised for its performance and clever packaging, eventually becoming Motor Trend's 2006 Truck of the Year.
Yet despite its accolades the Ridgeline has never really caught on with buyers, and many have been left wondering why. Is it that pickup owners prefer body-on-frame construction? Or in an age of $4/gallon gas is the Honda's 255 horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 too thirsty, managing only 15/20 mpg? Analysts can no doubt come up with dozens of theories, but maybe the biggest issue is staring them right in the face -- for all its comfort and convenience, the truck's styling may be just too, well, unusual for some people.
Now Honda is giving its pickup a midlife freshening, and recent spy shots indicate it will include a (very) slight styling upgrade. That said, all the previous elements that made the Ridgeline unique remain the same, including the squared-off wheel arches, massive C-pillars, and oddly-angled cargo bed walls. However for 2009 the truck gains a family resemblance to the new Pilot SUV via a similar grille, which also blends more smoothly into the headlights. Daytime-running lights and foglamps are integrated into the front bumper, and the tail lamps are now entirely red except for their backup signals. In addition... er, actually that's about it. From the photos it's impossible to see if the interior is new, and as of yet there's no word on whether Honda plans any changes to the truck's powertrain.
With full-size pickup sales falling and many automakers quickly cutting production, the time would finally seem to be right for a smaller, somewhat more frugal truck that still offers much of the same hauling capabilities. Whether Honda's changes will be enough to convince shoppers to take a second look, however, is hard to say.
Stay tuned for our first drive of the 2009 Honda Pilot coming in early August.
Source: KGP Photography