Honda confirms next-gen Ridgeline pickup production in US; CR-V leads H1 sales

• Honda announced a new version of its Ridgeline pickup truck is coming after production of the current model ends later this year.
• The future of the midsize pickup truck had been uncertain, and the automaker confirmed there will be a temporary production stoppage.
• Meanwhile, Honda's CR-V compact crossover led U.S. auto sales through the first half of the year for the first time ever.

2026 Honda Ridgeline pickup truck — Courtesy Honda

Honda Motor on Thursday confirmed that a next-generation model of its Ridgeline pickup truck will be produced in the U.S. following a temporary production stoppage later this year.

The future of the midsize pickup truck has been in flux amid reports that there could be a production pause due to the vehicle not meeting California emissions regulations.

The Japanese automaker said Thursday that there will be a temporary production stoppage for the pickup truck later this year at the Alabama plant that produces the vehicle. Assembly is expected to return to the facility within two years, likely in 2028.

"The goal is to continue to serve those customers who've been loyal to the Ridgeline," Lance Woelfer, vice president of auto sales at American Honda Motor, told CNBC. "But one of the things that we want to bring forward in the future is increased ruggedness of that vehicle, even more capability."

Woelfer declined to comment on whether the more rugged capability will include the vehicle moving from a car-based production process to a more traditional truck assembly, known as "body-on-frame," which is how most trucks are built in the U.S.

Honda on July 23, 2026, released a teaser image of its next-generation Ridgeline pickup truck for the U.S. market.

Courtesy Honda

"That's been an important part of its history. Whether or not it's part of its future, I won't get into that," Woelfer said. "This is a step forward for the Ridgeline that I think everybody will appreciate."

Expanding the capability of the Ridgeline, which is more known for smooth driving than ruggedness, could help broaden the vehicle's buyer base.

Sales of the Ridgeline were down about 3% during the first half of the year. The company has sold between roughly 41,000 and 52,000 Ridgelines annually since 2021. That compares to more than 270,000 units sold of the segment-leading Toyota Tacoma in 2025.

Honda's confirmation of the new pickup comes as its CR-V compact crossover led U.S. auto sales through the first half of the year for the first time ever.

CR-V sales increased roughly 6% compared to last year, as the Ford F-Series pickups and Toyota RAV4 crossover — which have led sales in recent years — dealt with production bottlenecks.

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