The Honda Ridgeline has always been one of the strangest — and most interesting — trucks in America. It has never tried to play by the same rules as the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger or Chevrolet Colorado, and that has always been both its biggest strength and its biggest problem. But now, with the current truck approaching a full decade on sale, Honda appears to be preparing a much bigger rethink of the Ridgeline than many expected.

The pickup is reportedly headed for a significant update before the end of the decade, one that could include fresh styling, a revised V6 engine and a more modern interior while still keeping the unibody formula that has always set it apart from the rest of the midsize truck market. If that happens, Honda will not just be refreshing an aging truck. It will be trying to protect one of the most unusual products in its U.S. lineup at a time when the entire segment has moved on around it.

Honda’s Ridgeline appears to be heading toward a major late-decade update as the brand looks to keep its unibody pickup relevant in a much tougher midsize truck segment.

The Ridgeline Is Due For More Than A Normal Refresh

Honda’s current Ridgeline dates back to the 2017 model year, which makes it one of the oldest trucks in the midsize segment. While the pickup has received updates over the years — including the addition of the TrailSport trim — it still faces a market now crowded with fresher and more aggressive rivals. The latest Tacoma, Ranger, Colorado and Frontier all bring newer platforms, newer interiors or more specialized off-road identities, while the Ridgeline continues to lean on comfort, practicality and its SUV-like driving manners.

That formula still has value, but it also means Honda can no longer get away with a light cosmetic refresh. If the Ridgeline is going to stay relevant in the next phase of the midsize truck market, it needs a more substantial rethink — not necessarily a completely new generation, but something big enough to make buyers look at it differently again.

Honda May Be Setting Up A Bigger Ridgeline Reset

The most interesting part of the Ridgeline story right now is that it may not simply roll into another model year with a few tweaks.

Reports suggest Honda could pause Ridgeline production before bringing the truck back later in the decade with a much more heavily updated package. That would give the company room to revise styling, update the powertrain and reposition the truck for a market that has become far more competitive than it was when the current Ridgeline first launched.

And that is where this story becomes more interesting than a routine “next model preview.” If Honda really is preparing a deeper overhaul rather than a normal facelift, then the next Ridgeline could end up feeling like a soft reboot of the truck rather than just a tidy refresh.

The next Ridgeline is expected to keep its unibody roots, but it may return with more aggressive styling and a much more up-to-date truck presence.

Expect A Tougher Look And A More Modern V6

The next big Ridgeline update is expected to keep the current platform rather than moving to an all-new architecture, but the truck may still look quite different when it returns.

The strongest clue is Honda’s recent design direction with the Passport and Pilot, both of which have moved toward a squarer, tougher and more upright visual identity. If the Ridgeline borrows heavily from that design language, it could finally get the more truck-like presence that many buyers have long wanted from Honda’s pickup. That alone would matter, because one of the Ridgeline’s biggest weaknesses has never really been its packaging or practicality — it has been the fact that it often looked too soft compared with the rest of the segment.

Under the hood, the expectation is that Honda will also move the truck to an updated V6 setup, likely tied to the newer engine family already used in the Passport and Pilot. That change would not just be about adding a few horsepower. It would also help the Ridgeline meet newer emissions requirements and modernize one of the oldest parts of the truck’s package. Reports also suggest Honda could finally replace the current nine-speed automatic with the newer 10-speed unit used elsewhere in its SUV lineup.

The Ridgeline Still Has One Big Advantage No One Else Really Matches

What makes the Ridgeline worth watching is that, even in its current form, it still offers something the rest of the midsize truck segment does not.

Unlike its body-on-frame rivals, the Ridgeline uses a unibody platform, which gives it a much smoother ride, better everyday refinement and a more crossover-like personality than the typical midsize pickup. For buyers who do not need hardcore rock-crawling credentials or maximum towing bragging rights, that formula remains genuinely appealing. It is one of the few trucks in America that has always made more sense for people who use a pickup as an everyday vehicle first and a workhorse second.

That is why Honda should not try to turn the Ridgeline into a Tacoma clone. The smarter move is to modernize the truck while keeping the things that have always made it different: the comfortable cabin, the clever packaging, the in-bed trunk, the dual-action tailgate and the SUV-like drivability that no other midsize pickup really replicates.

Honda Has A Chance To Make The Ridgeline Matter Again

The Ridgeline does not need to become the toughest truck in the class to be relevant. But it does need to feel fresh, intentional and competitive in a segment that no longer leaves much room for aging outliers.

If Honda gives the truck a tougher design, a more current powertrain and a better cabin while preserving the Ridgeline’s everyday strengths, the next big update could do more than just extend the pickup’s life. It could finally sharpen the Ridgeline’s identity at a moment when more buyers might actually be ready for a truck that prioritizes comfort and usability over old-school pickup theater.

If Honda updates the Ridgeline’s design, V6 and cabin while keeping its everyday usability intact, the truck could become much more compelling again.

That is why this is a story worth watching now. The Ridgeline may not be due for a full next-generation reinvention just yet, but it increasingly looks like Honda knows the truck cannot stay the way it is for much longer. And if the upcoming update is as substantial as expected, the next Ridgeline could be one of the most important course corrections Honda makes in the U.S. market before the decade is out.