There is no fairness in this world, only a collective allowance for a generalized unfairness. The Honda Ridgeline is a truck I’ve long enjoyed driving. It’s neither too big nor too small. It handles well and provides good visibility. For the size, it’s relatively efficient. Honda has to stop building for emissions at the same time that Ram is bringing back a bunch of V8-powered trucks.
What’s the deal? I’ll use The Morning Dump to explore this bit of what may seem like unfairness. Volvo has been on the bad end of a lot of sudden government policy changes its leadership probably views as unfair, so it’s a relief that the automaker will at least get some allowance to sell cars in spite of its Chinese ownership. This is less of an issue in Europe, where Chinese automakers continue to grow at a rapid pace.
That’s all heavy, so I want to end on one of the best-looking Ford GT40s I’ve ever seen, which is for sale.
Not Everyone Is Free Of The Consequences Of California Emissions
This should go without saying, but as a truck-pilled Texan I am quite glad to see the return of the V8 across the Ram lineup. That’s not a slight against the Hurricane Six, it’s just that I think people should have the choice of a loud, fun, capable V8.
People also should have the choice of a V6-powered Honda Ridgeline, which for the vast majority of people is probably the more sensible option. I’ve put a ton of miles on Ridgelines and I’ve always liked them. These are basically unibody/truck versions of the same platform that underpins the Pilot and Passport, albeit with the older version of the engine and a different transmission. You get the advantage of a bed in a vehicle that’s way more crossover-feeling and comfortable. Given my general thriftiness, the more affordable Maverick does something similar for a much lower price, but the Ridgeline has its specific charms as well.
Because the world is a zany and contradictory place, Ram is able to sell both the Hemi V8-powered Ram 1500 and the new Hellcat-powered Rumble Bee, as well as the supercharged Ram TRX. The TRX and Hemi V8 1500 are for sale now, and the Rumble Bee is eventually coming. You know what’s reportedly going to go away for a while? The Ridgeline.
By comparison, the current inline-six RHO gets 15 MPG combined, the TRX gets 12 MPG combined, and the Ridgeline gets 21 MPG. I’m sure the Rumble Bee will get something like 0.00008 MPG the way I’d drive it. While this isn’t an exact 1-for-1 for emissions, this basically tracks with the greenhouse gas emissions of each. So would you believe that the Ridgeline is the truck that’s going away for emissions reasons? What’s happening here?
Honda is the most California of automakers and sells a lot of vehicles in the state. It’s also one of a half dozen automakers that had to make individual deals with the California Air Resources Board over its past emissions violations. While the Trump Administration has pulled the penalties for violating fuel economy regulations at the national level and is also trying to remove California’s ability to set its own standards, the existing deals these automakers made with the State of California remain in place.
According to Automotive News, quoting “people with knowledge of the [Ridgeline] plan,” the current V6 in the Ridgeline wouldn’t meet emissions regulations, so it’s going on hiatus while the company retools to create a highly refreshed version to holdover until the new, larger hybrid architecture arrives:
Honda is one of six automakers still obligated to improve vehicle efficiency under California rules through the 2026 model year despite the Trump administration’s moves to reduce environmental regulations.
[…]
The Ridgeline’s impending hiatus stems from Honda’s strategic pivot away from an ambitious electric vehicle strategy.
Debate over the Ridgeline’s future direction, combined with heavy resources previously dedicated to EV development, contributed to the need for an 18-month production gap, one of the people said.
Supplier-related constraints further complicated Honda’s ability to maintain continuous production during the transition to an updated model.
The story goes on to say that Pilot and Passport production should increase to make up for the loss of Ridgeline inventory.
Honda hasn’t confirmed the reporting, but also hasn’t denied it. So what about Ram? Curiously, Stellantis is also one of the automakers who has a deal with the California Air Resources Board. Its deal runs through MY2026 as well, and many of these new, high-performance trucks are 2027 or later, so that’s possibly a way the company gets around the deal. Plus, Ram could easily not sell in California and be happy shoveling trucks to other states, whereas that’s a harder pill to swallow for Honda. Plus, the Ridgeline isn’t a huge seller in general, so it just doesn’t make sense.
Volvo Can Sell Cars With Chinese-Developed Software In The United States
Volvo is very much a Chinese-owned company under Geely ownership, and one area where Volvo seems to hope to compete is on software. Concerned about security and industrial policy, the Biden Administration basically knocked down all Chinese-built cars. While that policy remains in place, the government can give waivers to automakers and a case-by-case basis, which is what seems to have happened with Volvo.
Volvo Cars has been granted a specific authorization from the Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services under the “Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain: Connected Vehicles” rule in the United States.
Under the rule Volvo Car USA was required to follow a process with the US Department of Commerce to obtain a specific authorization for the continued import and sale of connected cars in the US. The process is carried out on a case-by-case basis and the issuance of a specific authorization follows constructive discussions with the US Department of Commerce and other US officials regarding Volvo Cars’ governance, technology and data security.
Reading between the lines, Volvo’s CEO last week told The Autopian that both the XC60 and a three-row vehicle was going to get produced in South Carolina. This administration is big on investment in the US, so you can imagine how that conversation went.
European Car Sales Rise 4.2% As Chinese Automakers, Hybrids Soar
Even with higher fuel prices, the EU saw a 4.2% year-over-year rise in car sales, led by hybrids and Chinese automakers. According to the ACEA, new EU car registrations were 38.2% hybrid, 22.5% gas, 19.7% BEV, 9.6% PHEV, and just 7.7% diesel. Nearly every major automaker was either positive or, at least, low single-digit negative.
The fastest growing automakers were almost all Chinese, with Geely growing 9.1% and supplanting Ford on the list of the ten largest in Europe (EU + UK + EFTA). SAIC grew by 35.3%, BYD by 114.5%, and Chery by 323.3%. Leapmotor was up by a whopping 403.7%.
For traditional-ish automakers, Tesla finally saw a bump by 46.5% year-over-year, but the company was in the middle of transitioning to a new Model Y last year and otherwise had an awful 2025 as Europeans decided they didn’t want to deal with CEO Elon Musk’s nonsense. I’ll be watching sales in June to see how much has changed for the American automaker.
Maybe The Prettiest GT40 Ever Built Is Up For Sale
Things I am a sucker for:
- Le Mans anything
- Ford GT40s
- Soft greens
- Items related to race car driver Innes Ireland
This 1965 Ford GT40, for sale by Broad Arrow Private Sales, is basically the perfect mix of all of these proclivities.
Chassis P1006 was one of 56 GT40 MK. 1 racing cars produced for the 1965 World Sportscar Championship. It was delivered new in June 1965 to Ford Advanced Vehicles finished in Linden Green with white stripes and as the first car to sport the MK. 1 front panel, the distinct “Le Mans” nose featured in some way on all subsequent GT models. One of six GT40s in Ford’s lineup at the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans, P1006 was piloted by 1961 U.S Formula One Grand Prix winner Innes Ireland and 1961 British Touring Car Championship winner Sir John Whitmore, who managed the tenth fastest time in practice.
The 1965 race was sort of a disaster for Ford, and set into motion a lot of what you see in the Ford v Ferrari film. Who cares? This car, in Linden Green (Tree Green), is phenomenal. I named my black, super basic stickshift Ford Escort “Innes” after the racecar driver (who is actually Scottish) so, given a few extra million dollars sitting around, I’d definitely consider this.
What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD
Given enough time, I may do every song from the new Kacey Musgraves album here, but for the moment let’s enjoy “Dry Spell” and the equally enjoyable, quietly hilarious video that goes along with it.
The Big Question
What’s your favorite non-body-on-frame truck?
Top shot: Stellantis/Honda
Shame about the Ridgeline. I am curious what is different about its version of the V6 that precludes its sales.
Someone mentioned making a stick available would boost sales. A) I doubt it; B) Manuals make meeting emissions more difficult. As it is, Honda doesn’t sell a V6 with a manual in any model anymore. I think the 2017 Accord Coupe was the last available so equipped.
And that video was about as subtle as a sledgehammer.
Honda doesn’t make a manual transmission that can stand up to the meager power produced by their V6 engines. They have always sucked at making manual transmissions and always will, as Honda uses the softest alloys they can. I have seen Civics with a blown 4 speed and 50k miles.
But at least they don’t make the Hondamatic, a two speed semiautomatic blender transmission anymore, which lasted about 30k miles between rebuilds. Now they make CVT’s that last about 47k miles that can’t be rebuilt.
Perhaps you should stick to either a cheap car or a real truck with a frame rather than the company that presses front brake rotors on to make a simple brake job cost as much as $2000…
Any vehicle that is individual or family transport that uses more than 10 litres per 100 km (which is about 23.5 MPG (US)) is totally unacceptable.
If you are applying that constraint to new vehicles, I will concede your point. Otherwise, hard disagree. I see no reason to stop driving my well cared for ’02 WJ because it gets 15 or so mpg.
You have a point there. If you don’t drive much, like only 5,000 km (roughly 3,000 miles) per year or less, I agree. Just drive your old clunker for a few more years. But if you seriously use it, get something more economical used, and sell your petrol guzzler to someone who drives less.
I mean, not driving much is our excuse for not switching to an EV.
Agree. I prefer older vehicles; but, if I drove more, it would make much more sense for me to drive a more economic vehicle. I would love to convert an old XJ to electric; that would give me the best of both worlds.
Perhaps some of us don’t want to buy overly complex hybrids that are not worth servicing after only eight to ten years of light use like the Prius…
By the way, how do you know that his car is a “clunker”???
Perhaps because you don’t know how to change a flat tire or change the oil on your Honda or Toyota…
I know how to change a tyre (not that it would help me much these days, because my current car, like most cars today, doesn’t have a spare), and I have done so at the side of the road before. I know better than to change the oil myself. It is simply not worth the time and effort to me, and I don’t want to handle toxic and environmentally highly sensitive substances if I can help it, although I know what the general process would be. If you want to, and you know what you are doing, enjoy, but please dispose of the old oil and filter in an environmentally responsible way.
That young woman is so pretty, but like so many others chasing trends (driven by insecurities?) she screwed up near perfection by getting “duck lip” inserts.
I’ll be sticking with my Subaru Baja.
But the VW ute’s are always a hard split.
See also – Holden Commodore Ute
Pickup and or Ute are the appropriate term.
VW Saveiro
Re: Volvo, does this mean we will finally get the Polestar 5 in the US? Or barring that, the next generation Polestar 2?
So, if the Ridgeline can’t be sold in California (because of lawyers), could it still be sold in the other 16 CARB states? Along with the 33 non-CARB states? Why would Honda want to abandon a proven, albeit small, market when the tooling is essentially already paid for? (Dodge couldn’t sell the Durango R/T and Hellcat in CARB states for part of this model year, but it didn’t stop them from selling it elsewhere in the country.)
These are great questions that should have been answered.
My guess is something about the design makes it a PITA to hybridize in a practical manner (either 45+ Mile Range PHEV or e-CVT regular hybrid)
Which is probably why the Santa Cruz was canceled as well.
Both, as hybrids that get above 35 MPG City, would be a ton more appealing.
Though I bet if Honda threw a Manual in the Ridgeline way more people would buy them than are currently.
Same thing for turbos.
“That’s all heavy”
“There’s that word again. “Heavy.” Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there a problem with the Earth’s gravitational pull?”
Newer: I do like the Ridgeline since it has that awesome trunk in the bed and is a reliable Honda w/ better MPG
Classic: VW Rabbit truck