Honda Chooses Ridgeline for All-New 4-Door 4WD Truck Name

Ridgeline Might Appear like a Chopped Pilot but It Actually Hauls a Half-Ton Payload

Almost a year after Hondas SUT (Sport Utility Truck) Concept debuted in Detroit the Japanese brand has given its production version a name. The 4-door, 4WD midsize pickup truck is to be called "Ridgeline" when it becomes available across the country next spring.

And what does Ridgeline mean? Just like it sounds, its "a line marking or following a ridge top", or so says the Merriam-Webster dictionary. The road getting there would need to be light-duty in order for Hondas new truck to make it, but bushwhacking isnt what it was designed for.

Rather, Honda is about to offer something entirely new, a car-based pickup truck designed more for urban use than roughing it up country. The benefit to Ridgeline buyers is similar exterior hauling characteristics to a conventional open bed truck, but the driving dynamics, integrated cab and cargo box styling, and interior packaging of monocoque architecture.

American Honda chose the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas to announce the new name and show an updated prototype, featuring a new paint scheme, modified suspension and unique wheel and tire package. The production Ridgeline will make its world debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2005, and its Canadian debut at the Montreal International Auto Show during the same month.

But is the Ridgeline only about pickup truck styling and light-duty hauling? Not at all, says Honda. It can actually manage true half-ton payloads, thanks to a fully integrated, closed-box frame. This gives it much greater body rigidity than conventional pickup trucks, while still featuring a 5-foot bed.

Smartly, Honda designed the Ridgeline to carry what to many would be the ultimate load of cargo, two of the Japanese brands largest off-road motorcycles, the CRF450.

The Ridgeline sports a large cabin, ideal for families not needing the third row of seats the brands Pilot SUV offers, and alternatively needing exterior cargo capacity. Ridgeline is based off of the Pilot actually, which itself comes from Honda Odyssey lineage, and like the popular SUV and minivan the new pickup is stowable in an average size garage.

Whats under the hood? Just like the Pilot and Odyssey, Ridgeline sports Hondas high-output 3.5-liter V6, mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission. The connection to all four wheels comes via a fully automatic 4-wheel drive system, ideal for heavy rain and snow, but once again not designed for treacherous terrain.

Standard safety features include 4-wheel anti-lock brakes, side curtain airbags and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control.

Expect more Ridgeline details in January, just after the new Honda officially debuts at the 2005 North American International Auto Show and 2005 Montreal International Auto Show.