Honda is giving us a refreshed version of the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid. News of this upcoming release has put smiles on a lot of faces. The biggest news would be the fact that the new Ridgeline would be powered by a hybrid system. This in turn will improve fuel economy by far, save the environment and also save you some money in the long run.
Even though hybrid and electric vehicles can cost a bit more than regular vehicles, they can save a lot of money on fuel in the future. So that is always something to think about, and also you are doing the planet a favor. Not to mention numerous tax breaks and government help if you opt for a hybrid or electric vehicle.
The new 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid will compete in the category of a midsize truck and the competition is fierce there. So keep an eye out for upcoming refreshments and how they will fare against the likes of Ford Ranger Hybrid, Toyota Tacoma Hybrid, and Hyundai Santa Cruz Hybrid.
Let us dive deep into design changes and tweaks for the upcoming Ridgeline.
Interior
There are some big moves on the inside of the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid and we welcome it with arms widespread. Most of the design ideas and the styling are from a Pilot SUV. And this is good because most SUVs look like a car not like a working horses that pickups mostly are.
So it is quite refreshing to put stylish and dazzling details inside of a truck. The new Ridgeline will be able to seat five people comfortably. There will be plenty of legroom and headroom. Although inside feels snuggled and you are surrounded by interior details you won’t feel like you need to get out. You can almost forget that you are in a truck that is supposed to go to work. The seats are amazing, they will be heated and ventilated. This is a big plus and we cannot stress enough how much this improves the quality of life.
Trucks are supposed to be driven for long periods of time and making passengers and the driver comfortable is a top priority. There will be a choice of upholstery. Probably leather, suede, and fabric. Hopefully contrast stitching to give more details to catch the eye. Honda put an 8-inch screen in the middle of the cabin. This is just enough so the back row of passengers can enjoy whatever it is you put on there. We would prefer a bigger touchscreen but this will have to do. From here you can control most of the options and settings inside a car.
Connectivity will be great as you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with Bluetooth and wifi hotspot. It will be interesting to see if Honda puts a driver aid system in the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid. Most manufacturers are doing so because it can save lives and keeps everyone on the road safe.
Exterior
We can also see the change of pace on the exterior of the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid. Both small and big changes are happening and improving the overall design which is great. The Ridgeline looks a lot different and we mean that in a good way. We can see that the truck is less blocky, it has more angles. This makes it more ergonomic, more aggressive, and more aerodynamic. Not to mention the contemporary style that it now has.
The tailgate is upgraded and now it has even more options, which means you can extend your cargo bed, or perhaps have a picnic table on demand. Taillights got a bit of a redesign, now they are in a vertical line which looks good, to be honest. We get lightweight materials on wheels and front grille. This is done to shave off some weight.
After all, improving the power to weight ratio is sure to give better mileage and improve towing and hauling capacity. Which everyone wants of course. It will be interesting to see what kind of wheels are coming with the new 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid. Hopefully beefier ones so you can take the truck off-roading without any issues. Even Though it is a hybrid you still have an engine and you need to worry about air circulation.
Honda put a bigger front grille on the truck to improve cooling. Of course, you get better filters since nothing except air should get under the hood. Hopefully, we get a unified LED bar on top of the car to improve visibility and safety during night hours.
2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid Engine Options
Under the hood, things are becoming even more interesting for the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid. Now we get better fuel economy and also some mechanical adaptations to improve the overall build quality of the truck.
The standard powertrain is a 3.5-liter V6 engine that can produce around 280 horsepower along with 265 pound-feet of torque. We also get a 9-speed automatic transmission with four-wheel drive and this will improve stability and driveability by a lot.
The word on the street is that there will also be a 2.5 liter Atkinson inline 4 cylinder engine combined with a battery pack of 94 kWh. This will give better fuel economy and improve mileage on a single charge and fuel refill.
2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid Price and Release Date
Starting price for the new 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid is going to be around $ 32.500 for the non-hybrid version and around $ 45.000 for the Black Edition trim.
We could see the model go on sale around late 2022 or early 2023 depending on issues with the pandemic.
Can’t wait for the 2023 RL.
I have been researching for a year now, and I can see that the RL is the BEST midsize truck out there for general purpose.
Way to go Honda, it will be my very first car/truck after owing several other brands.
Cheers
Luigi
Want the Ridgeline phev!