- A boxier shape could help to broaden the appeal of the mid-size Ridgeline pickup.
- The existing Honda Ridgeline has been in production since 2017 without significant changes.
This year, Honda debuted the 2026 Passport marking a significant departure from its predecessor. With a bolder, boxier design and enhanced off-road capabilities, it shows Honda’s renewed interest in more adventurous and rugged SUVs. But here’s the real question: could Honda’s mid-size Ridgeline pickup benefit from a similar transformation? We think so, and these renderings only prove the point.
The current, second-generation Ridgeline has been around since 2017, and while it remains one of the more compelling options in the mid-size pickup segment, it’s clear that both its exterior and interior are starting to show their age.
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Honda has done a decent job keeping it relevant, but now, the Ridgeline is beginning to feel like that guy who still wears a band tee from a concert he attended five years ago—comfortable, but in desperate need of a refresh. A redesign, at this point, is practically overdue.
Here’s where digital artist Theottle comes in. To give us an idea of what a redesigned Ridgeline could look like, Theottle has swapped out the front and rear fascias of the new Passport and grafted them onto Honda’s pickup. The results are surprisingly good.
We think the front end suits the Ridgeline particularly well, thanks to the small black grille, rugged-looking silver lower bumper, black elements, and bright red tow hooks. Not only does it look more current than the existing Ridgeline, but we’re sure the boxier shape would also appeal to a broad range of buyers, despite its softer unibody underpinnings.
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The alterations made to the rear end are more subtle, but that’s no surprise, as there’s only so much you can do with the design of a pickup’s rear end, unless you’re going the Tesla route and completely rethink how cars are designed. The taillights lifted from the new Passport are a little more square than those of the Ridgeline and nicely complement the more extensive changes done upfront.
It’s currently unclear when Honda might be ready to launch a third-generation of the Ridgeline. The existing model was most recently updated late last year and if a third-gen is indeed on the cards, it could build on the outgoing model with better off-road credentials and a new powertrain. Fingers crossed that it takes some cues from the SUV’s beefier front end, because, frankly, the Ridgeline could really use a bit more muscle.