Honda also developed a new C-pillar that can distribute loads across the unibody frame without buttressing. The second generation Ridgeline is based on what Honda calls its new 'global light truck platform.' Its unibody frame uses a modified version of the third generation Pilot's 'three-bone' spine-vs the fourвЂ“bone spine of the first generation Ridgeline-composed of aluminum, magnesium, and various composites and steels-such as a laser welded door ring made of hot-stamped ultra-high strength steel. Two months later, at the North American International Auto Show, Honda unveiled the production version of the second generation Ridgeline. In November 2015, Honda presented its new Ridgeline Baja Race Truck at the 2015 SEMA Show, giving the public some insight into the design language that would be used in the next-generation Ridgeline. Jim Loftus-the second generation Ridgeline's Performance Lead Engineer-said, 'Those things were honestly kind of 'aha' moments or big surprises to us as a project team.' So the team-lead by Large Project Leader and Chief Engineer Kerry McClure -went back and incorporated all of those messages into their next generation pickup.

According to Honda, the Ridgeline was not designed to steal sales from the more traditional trucks sold in North America, but was developed to 'give the 18% of Honda owners who also own pickups a chance to make their garages a Honda-only parking area.' Дў017 Ridgeline RTL with dualвЂ“action tailgate opened laterally 80В° and the inвЂ“bed trunk openedДЄccording to Honda's research clinics, they found that buyers made assumptions about toughness and payload based on the gaps between the tires and the truck's wheel arches, the vehicle's stance, and whether or not it had a tow hitch. After a one-year hiatus in Ridgeline production, the second generation of their mid-size truck went on sale in June 2016 as a 2017 model year vehicle. With the mixed success of the first generation Ridgeline, Honda posted 'an open letter from the company's head of truck product planning, denying rumors that the Ridgeline would be dropped and insisting that a pickup truck will remain part of the company's portfolio.' With that proclamation, Honda became committed to the development of a new Ridgeline. Adding new features, such as Honda's truck bed audio system Дespite these modifications, Honda has stated that 73% of the second generation Ridgeline's components remain common in some way with the third generation Pilot.Incorporating notable features from the first generation, such as the dualвЂ“action tailgate and inвЂ“bed trunk.

Modifying various parts to support hauling, towing, and off-road use.The second generation Ridgeline took a different approach in design from the first generation Ridgeline by sharing a slightly modified version of Honda's new 'global light truck platform' found in the third generation Honda Pilot as well as other large Honda vehicles. The Honda Ridgeline (YK2/YK3) is the second generation of pickup truck manufactured by Honda under the Ridgeline nameplate. Front-engine, front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive

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