New Honda pickup on the way in two years

Honda is planning to pick up where the Ridgeline ends.

The minivan-based pickup is scheduled to go out of production in 2014, but the automaker reconfirmed today that its replacement will be in showrooms within two years.

Details on the new Ridgeline were not revealed, but Honda did release a silhouette, which appears to have more of a traditional pickup truck profile than the current four-door vehicle, with its distinctive flying buttress-style rear roof pillars and sloping bed sides.

The unibody Ridgeline first went on sale in 2006, earning North American Truck of the Year honors thanks in part to its unique design and features that include a dual-action tailgate and a locking storage compartment under the bed floor. American Honda senior vice president of automobile operations Mike Acavitti said in press release that the new Ridgeline “will build on Honda's role in creating new value with a new take on advancing form and function in the truck segment.”

Sales of the Ridgeline collapsed during the economic downturn from a high of over 50,000 in 2006 to less than 10,000 in 2011. Just 16,160 have been sold so far this year, compared to146,724 Toyota Tacomas, the top-seller in the midsize pickup segment.

The new Ridgeline will have even more competition than the Tacoma to worry about by the time it arrives, as the recently introduced 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups are set to hit the road next fall.

In the meantime, Honda is sending the current Ridgeline on its way with a Special Edition model for 2014 that comes fully loaded and features unique wheels, a black trim package and navigation for $38,335.