All we have to go on are the images and information posted on Carscoop, but it appears the redesigned 2009 Honda Ridgeline is stepping out a bit early to what may be disinterested public. The Ridgeline for '09 gets Honda's new grille that first appeared on the '09 Pilot CUV, along with a new front bumper, headlights and all that jazz in the rear. The interior, while not all-new, gets major upgrades like a new steering wheel, gauges, and HVAC controls, as well as a Bluetooth HandsFreeLink, satellite navigation, a 115-volt power outlet and requisite jacks for the iPod and other MP3 players. According to Carscoop, Honda has largely left the Ridgeline's 3.5L VTEC V6 the same except for a new camshaft profile and better breathing practices that net a 3 horsepower bump to 250 at 5,700 RPM and a torque increase of 2 lb-ft to 247 at 4,000 RPM. New ratios in the 5-speed automatic transmission are said to take advantage of the new torque and improve acceleration.
We admit that Honda was smart not to dive head first into the full-size truck market in the U.S. like Toyota did with the Tundra, but the Ridgeline with its V6 and unit body has never enjoyed hot sales. It's both terrifically ugly and ill-suited for those super hard core tasks that, while rare, require a real rig. Nevertheless, this is Honda, a brand that really doesn't care what we think about its trucklet and will continue tweaking and perfecting it until we change our minds. Looks like that won't happen in 2009, though we're told to expect it in dealers as early as this September.
Honda has got to be happy that it has a hot selling compact car to take some of the pain out of the slowing minivan and SUV markets. Hurt by the sky-high price of gasoline, both the Odyssey and Pilot, both recently redesigned, are sitting on dealers lots longer than Honda would like. In order to match production with consumer demand, Honda will close its plant in Lincoln, Alabama for two days next month and cut second shift production at the plant every Friday in August through October. Displaced workers can choose to take either unpaid time off or use paid vacation leave. Some of that unused capacity will be taken up by the Ridgeline, which will now be assembled at the Lincoln plant instead of in Ontario where it is currently being built.
The Civic, on the other hand, will see its production boosted at the East Liberty, Ohio plant and in Alliston, Ontario, where capacity will be available due to the Ridgeline's departure. Score another point for Honda's modular manufacturing techniques.
After Honda showed its new schnoz on the redesigned Pilot, we knew what was bound to happen to the Ridgeline. And it's as unfortunate as expected. These newest spy shots show Honda's unibody pickup with a similar nose job as its fully enclosed sibling, complete with an upright grille framing an angular trim piece, and new headlamps. The only other discernable difference on the outside are redesigned taillights, and here's hoping that the interior gets some much needed material love when the new Ridgeline debuts later this year.
Honda built its state of the art Lincoln, Alabama plant to produce the Odyssey minivan and Pilot SUV, and now it's going to add the Ridgeline unit-body pickup, as well. Cost-wise, it makes a lot of sense to move Ridgeline production from Canada to Alabama, considering all three vehicles share a platform and powertrain. What's tough to understand is how Honda intends to squeeze out an additional 40,000 units from the ultra-efficient plant. The Lincoln plant is already operating 13,000 units beyond peak capacity, with its very strong minivan and SUV selling well around the country.
Lucky for Honda we're not in charge of vehicle production, and we're sure the company's many brilliant engineers know what they're doing. Now, if the Japanese automaker can get some equally talented designers to gussy up the visual train wreck that is the Ridgeline, then they'd definitely need a second manufacturing sight site.
