Should the next Honda Ridgeline look like the new Passport?

Honda hasn’t confirmed if a third-generation Ridgeline is in development or when it will be available

This year, Honda launched the 2026 Passport, which is significantly different 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 the real question is: Could Honda’s midsize Ridgeline pickup benefit from a similar transformation? We think so, and these renderings only prove it.

The current second-generation Ridgeline was launched in 2017, and while it remains one of the more compelling options in the midsize pickup market, 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 of keeping it relevant, but now, the Ridgeline is starting to feel like that guy still wearing a band T-shirt from a concert he attended five years ago—comfortable, but in desperate need of an update. At this point, a redesign is actually long overdue.

That’s where digital artist Theottle comes in. To give us an idea of ​​what the redesigned Ridgeline will look like, Theottle replaced the new Passport’s front and rear fascias and transplanted them to a Honda pickup. The results were surprisingly good.

We think the front end is particularly fitting for the Ridgeline, thanks to the small black grille, rugged-looking silver lower bumper, black elements, and bright red tow hooks. Not only does it look sleeker than the existing Ridgeline, but we’re sure the boxier shape will appeal to a wide range of buyers despite its softer unibody underpinnings.

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The changes made to the rear end are more subtle, but that’s not surprising since there’s only so much you can do with the design of a pickup’s rear end unless you go the Tesla route and completely rethink the way the car is designed. The new Passport’s taillights are a little squarer than those on the Ridgeline, nicely complementing the wider changes made up front.

It’s unclear when Honda will be ready to launch the third-generation Ridgeline. The existing model was recently updated late last year, and if a third-generation launch is indeed a possibility, it could build on the outgoing model with better off-road capabilities and new powertrains. Fingers crossed it takes some cues from the SUV’s more powerful front end, because frankly, the Ridgeline could really use a little more muscle.