- Honda’s new hybrid V6 promises 30% better efficiency and stronger acceleration.
- The next-gen system targets midsize and large models built for North America.
- Models expected to gain it after 2027 include Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline, Odyssey.
The growing popularity of hybrids has prompted most automakers to expand their electrified lineups in North America. Honda, which already offers self-charging hybrid powertrain options in its compact lineup, is preparing to extend that approach to larger vehicles with a new hybrid V6.
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The company had previously confirmed that a large hybrid SUV is under development for the US market, part of a broader electrification strategy introduced last May. Now, during the Honda Automotive Technology Workshop, the automaker has shared new details about what will power it.
Inside the Hybrid Blueprint
At the heart of the system is a newly developed V6 engine engineered to meet increasingly strict environmental regulations. This unit will be coupled with new electric motors (up to three in all-wheel-drive versions) and a battery pack. The goal, Honda says, is to achieve strong efficiency while keeping production costs in check.
According to Honda, the powertrain promises more than a 30 percent improvement in fuel economy compared with the current internal-combustion models in the midsize and large categories.
The gains will come from upgraded hardware and a new energy management control system capable of selecting the most effective drive mode for each situation.
Honda’s Next-Gen Large-Scale Hybrid System
Alongside better efficiency, the new setup is expected to bring quicker performance. Honda projects more than a 10 percent increase in full-throttle acceleration compared with today’s non-electrified V6 models.
The company hasn’t revealed the combined power output yet, but it’s clear that both speed and economy are priorities.
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The first production model to feature the new system will be a large SUV set to arrive in 2027. Considering the timing and what’s been seen on the testing circuit, it likely points to a refreshed version of the Pilot already caught in development trials.
Further models will follow before the decade closes, including a refreshed Passport SUV and next generations of the Ridgeline pickup and Odyssey minivan.
Honda expects this new wave of hybrids to serve as a key bridge during what it calls the “transitional period leading up to the full-fledged popularization of HEVs.”
Baldauf
