Honda Ridgeline production pause comes with a new U.S.-built truck promised
Honda says the Ridgeline will stop production temporarily, then return with a next-generation U.S.-built pickup likely in 2028.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
3 min read
Honda Ridgeline production pause worries got a clear answer Thursday: Honda Motor said the midsize pickup will take a temporary break later this year, then come back as a next-generation model built in the U.S.
The company said the current Ridgeline will stop production at its Alabama plant later this year. Assembly is expected to return to the same facility within two years, likely in 2028, according to CNBC.
The confirmation comes after uncertainty around the truck’s future. Automotive News had reported that a production pause could be tied to the Ridgeline not meeting California emissions rules.
Honda also released a teaser image for the next-generation Ridgeline for the U.S. market on July 23, 2026, according to CNBC.
When will the Honda Ridgeline return?
Honda said production will resume at the Alabama plant within two years after the temporary stoppage. CNBC reported that timing points to a likely return in 2028.
Lance Woelfer, vice president of auto sales at American Honda Motor, told CNBC the company wants to keep serving drivers who have stuck with the Ridgeline. He said Honda also wants the next version to bring “increased ruggedness” and “even more capability.”
Woelfer did not say whether that tougher approach means Honda will shift the Ridgeline away from its car-based construction to a more traditional truck setup known as body-on-frame.
Body-on-frame construction means the vehicle body is mounted on a separate frame, a method used by most trucks sold in the U.S. The Ridgeline has been better known for a smoother, more carlike drive than for brawny truck hardware.
Woelfer told CNBC that the Ridgeline’s past setup has been an important part of its history, but he would not discuss whether it would remain part of the truck’s future. He described the coming version as a step forward that he thinks buyers will appreciate.
Why Honda may want a tougher Ridgeline
Adding more capability could help Honda stretch the Ridgeline beyond its current audience, CNBC reported. The truck’s sales slipped about 3% in the first half of the year.
Since 2021, Honda has sold roughly 41,000 to 52,000 Ridgelines a year, according to CNBC. That keeps it far behind the Toyota Tacoma, the midsize pickup segment leader, which sold more than 270,000 units in 2025.
The Ridgeline news landed as another Honda model grabbed a bigger spotlight. CNBC reported that the Honda CR-V compact crossover led U.S. auto sales through the first half of the year for the first time.
CR-V sales rose about 6% from a year earlier, according to CNBC. The Ford F-Series pickups and Toyota RAV4 crossover, which have led sales in recent years, were dealing with production bottlenecks during the period.
For Honda, that makes the moment a little unusual: its compact crossover is out front in the broader U.S. market, while its midsize pickup is heading into a planned gap before a promised U.S.-built reboot.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.