2020 Honda Ridgeline Type R Specs, Release Date

Honda waited so long to introduce the Civic Type R to the US market. When it finally happened, every fan of the performance-oriented sport compact Civic was thrilled with the capability and efficiency of this car. But, all of a sudden, the Japanese company stops with that trend and left with only one Type R badge vehicle.

Today, the automotive industry is full of high-performance pickups. We think that a serious brand like Honda must take part in that race. And which truck could be more suitable to carry the famous red badge than the 2020 Ridgeline Type R? The upcoming vehicle will bring a 450 hp turbocharged V6 engine, redesigned exterior to fit the name and very comfortable interior.

This review is based on the info we gather from different sources and reports. We still wait for the official announcement and the release date from Honda HQ.

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Exterior

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline Type R is a truly performance-oriented vehicle. With that in mind, expect to see improved aerodynamics and cooling features. Besides the functionality, these features will help to distinguish Type R from the regular Ridgeline. The intakes, fins, and vents will be installed in a similar way as those on the Civic Type R.

The front grille and bumper borrow some of the design cues from the compact sibling as well. The three-section lower grill and the blacked-out upper grille will be the main focal points of the front side. Moreover, the hood comes with a scoop for cooling the backside of the V6 powertrain, just like on the Civic model.

Below you’ll find a carbon fiber aero bits – side sills, diffuser outback, and the front chin splitter. Of course, the recognizable red accent color dominates the wheels and badges. The Typer R offers low-profile summer rubber, and light-weight 19-, and 20-inches alloy wheels that will fit the massive disc brakes. Of course, any Ridgeline comes with a practical cargo bed, in-bed trunk, and two-way tailgate.

Interior

The biggest difference between the regular Ridgeline and the Type R is a brand-new gauge cluster with a larger tachometer and a couple of auxiliary gauges, like pressure or oil temperature. Oh, and a lot of red accents all over the cabin. As you can expect, the cabin offers enough space to accommodate passengers and any kind of gear.

Furthermore, the Typer R includes heavily bolstered front seats, covered with a mixture of suede, mesh, and leather. The back seats will remain pretty much the same. The only innovation for the back is black leather with red contrast stitching. But, the back seats of the Ridgeline are famous for its amazing comfort and support, even for the adults. If if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right?

But, the company must address the gearshift issue. The automatic gearbox is not the option. “Hell no!”, to quote one of the fans from the forum. We assume that the upcoming Type R will have a six-speed manual transmission and a clutch pedal. The revamped center console offers enough space to take in the manual shift lever, without breaking the interior design.

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2020 Honda Ridgeline Type R Specs

We come to the most important part of this review – the engine room. 2020 Honda Ridgeline Type R comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine. However, the company will probably boost this unit, to gain more power and efficiency. The standard 3.5-liter unit makes 280 hp and 262 pound-feet of torque.

That good enough for the standard Ridgeline. But the Type R needs more than that. According to some reports, Honda will turbocharge the drivetrain, providing more air intake, while the upgraded direct-injection fuel system spurt more 91-octane into the cylinders.

Also, the improved VTEC system will increase the power in the unit’s upper register. With this setup, we assume that Typer R will get around 450 hp and 420 lb-ft of power. On top of that, the Japanese carmaker will probably keep the all-wheel-drive system, and modify it to handle the additional power.

The Ridgeline’s AWD has a computer-controlled wet clutch-pack system, that turns power to whichever wheel with traction. So, we assume the active torque vectoring can’t be far away. The expected 0-60 mph acceleration should match the Civic’s 4.9 seconds. Yet, the maximum speed will be less than 170 mph, because of additional drag.

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2020 Honda Ridgeline Type R Release Date and Price

2020 Honda Ridgeline Typer R comes with a higher price than its Civic sibling. The forthcoming pickup truck will cost roughly around $6,500 more than the most expensive Civic – the Black Edition. The 2017 version of the Black Edition starts at $43,200. With that in mind, we assume that Type R will go with the price just under $50K.

The projected price seems reasonable, taking into account the 450-hp engine, AWD system, and other excellent features. Also, most of the full-size trucks beat that price without delivering anything special. The release date of the new model is still unknown. Actually, the majority of the info is still in the form of scrimpy reports from the company and rumors.

The regular version of Ridgeline will go into production by the end of the following year. So, we can expect that the Type R will make a debut shortly after that.

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