Next-gen Honda hybrids launching 2027
Honda Motor Company announced at its Tochigi Proving Ground that it will officially debut its next-generation hybrid-electric vehicles (EV) as early as 2027.
This is part of the carmaker’s stronger push into electrification, particularly with the global debut of two battery EVs at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, namely the Honda SUPER-ONE Prototype and the Honda 0 a (Zero Alpha). Honda aims to achieve carbon neutrality for all its products and corporate activities worldwide by 2050.
Kenichiro Hayashi, Honda Motor Company vice president and head of the company’s development transformation unit, said in a speech that the carmaker will distinguish itself in the electrified era by emphasizing the “joy of driving,” whether in battery EV or hybrid EV models.
New Civic, CR-V?
Perhaps the most important model in this lineup is the “Next-Generation Mid-Size Platform” that will be expected to underpin the upcoming Civic and Accord sedans, as well as the new CR-V compact crossover (the company is aiming for 60-percent parts commonality across all models).
Hayashi said the new platform is not only more rigid than the current-generation model, but also 90 kilograms lighter. Honda likewise engineered more flex in the front end for improved tire contact in cornering, without sacrificing crash safety or long-term chassis durability.
Other innovations include a new 2.0-liter, direct-injection, inline-4 gasoline engine that is mated to a new transmission that incorporates Honda’s S+ Shift technology. The latter simulates the upshifts and heel-toe downshifts of a manual-transmission car to provide a more stimulating driving experience.
The battery pack has also been moved directly in front of the rear axle to improve weight distribution, while technologies like Motion Management System and pitch control are expected to provide smoother cornering performance.
Hayashi said the Next-Generation Mid-Size Platform will be launched in 2027 – given that its development mule at the Proving Ground is left-hand drive, the production model will likely debut first in the United States.
Big V6 hybrid
Another model that is slated for launch in 2027 is the “Next-Generation Large-Size Platform,” which Hayashi said is primarily designed for the North American market.
This will likely underpin the next-generation Passport and Pilot crossovers and the upcoming Ridgeline unibody pick-up truck. One of the biggest changes is the development of a new V6 gasoline engine that will be mated to a new battery pack and electric motor.
Hayashi said this electrified powerplant will reduce fuel consumption by over 30 percent compared to current engines, along with providing an over 10-percent improvement in full-throttle acceleration. A new transmission will not only incorporate S+ Shift, but also a direct-coupled gear for improved towing capacity.
As of press time, the Ridgeline is powered by a 3.5-liter, single-cam, 24-valve V6 gasoline engine producing 280 horsepower and 355 Newton-meters of torque. All variants have a maximum towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms.
Meanwhile, the Passport and Pilot are both powered by a twin-cam 3.5-liter V6 with 285 horsepower and 355 Newton-meters of torque. The front-wheel-drive Pilot has a maximum towing capacity of 1,588 kilograms, while the Passport and all-wheel-drive Pilot can tow up to 2,268 kilograms.
