Execs: Nice on-road journey and dealing with; modern mattress design; customary AWD
Cons: Controversial design; no cheap base fashions; restricted off-road
The Honda Ridgeline introduced one thing completely new and totally different to the pickup section earlier than different unibody vans just like the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick hit the market. Regardless of these different crossover-based vans being on sale now, the 2023 Honda Ridgeline nonetheless gives a singular proposition as the one midsize unibody pickup on the market. Its beautiful street manners could also be matched and bested by the Hyundai, however the bigger Honda gives considerably extra utility and house. Plus, its benefits over others within the highly-competitive midsize truck house stay.
No midsize pickup rides and comports itself higher on the street than the Ridgeline, making it this truck’s largest promoting level. Most vans give off the rough-and-tumble vibes when cruising round city, however within the Ridgeline, it’s so SUV-like that you could be as properly be driving a Honda Pilot with a mattress (as a result of that is mainly what it’s). The Ridgeline’s modern swing-out tailgate tech continues to be a segment-exclusive characteristic — we cherished it on our long-term Ridgeline take a look at truck. Its inside doesn’t attempt to overwhelm with rugged, tough-looking styling. As a substitute, it’s just like the family-oriented SUVs from Honda, remaining pleasantly ergonomic and stuffed with storage/cubbies. If there’s a low level to be discovered, it’s the tech contained in the Ridgeline. Honda up to date this pickup for 2021, however the infotainment and driver help tech remains to be disappointing at greatest. As for the powertrain, we like the usual 3.5-liter V6 for its throaty growl and stable energy, however want it supplied higher gasoline effectivity.
For a lot of use instances, the Ridgeline and its 5,000-pound towing capability goes to be all of the truck you want. Its all-wheel-drive system is even acceptably succesful off-road, so don’t write it off when the going will get robust. In most day-to-day use instances, you’re going to be grateful to be driving the comfortable, pleasant Ridgeline over different midsize pickups.
Inside & Know-how | Passenger & Cargo Area | Efficiency & Gas Economic system
What it is prefer to drive | Pricing & Trim Ranges | Crash Rankings & Security Options
What’s new for 2023?
Honda refreshed the Ridgeline for the 2021 mannequin 12 months, however there aren’t any main modifications made for the 2023 mannequin 12 months truck.
What are the Ridgeline’s inside and in-car expertise like?
For higher and for worse, the Ridgeline inside is copied and pasted from the Honda Pilot from the B-pillars ahead. Meaning it isn’t an particularly engaging house, and positively not one which screams “robust, enjoyable truck!” That is the “for worse” bit. For higher, the Pilot inside gives distinctive small merchandise storage, and that mainly carries over to the Ridgeline unchanged. The roomy lined middle bin is very useful for preserving even sizable objects away from prying eyes or from flying across the cabin.
However now, again to the more severe bit. The Pilot/Passport/Ridgeline’s infotainment system is the inside’s weakest attribute. Sure, it has a quantity knob now, however that is simply correcting an previous misstep. It would not change the missteps that stay: a convoluted menu construction, rudimentary navigation system (in that case geared up) and lack of bodily supporting buttons.
How huge is the Ridgeline?
On the skin, the Ridgeline is mainly the identical size and peak as different midsize crew cab pickups. Its wheelbase is not fairly as lengthy, and it has much less floor clearance (7.6 inches), but it surely’s notably wider – by a whopping 5.3 inches in comparison with the Ford Ranger. Nonetheless, the Ridgeline’s unibody “crossover” development means these comparable dimensions on the skin don’t translate into comparable measurements inside. Merely put, the Ridgeline cabin is much roomier and extra snug for passengers. You’ll be able to see this most by way of rear seat legroom, and all that further width leads to an analogous benefit in shoulder room. There’s additionally the matter of inside peak: There’s extra of it within the Ridgeline, which means the seats could be increased off the bottom (particularly in comparison with the Toyota Tacoma), leading to better consolation even when headroom is analogous.
Not like a lot of the different midsize vans, the Ridgeline doesn’t provide a smaller, “prolonged cab” physique fashion. There may be additionally just one mattress size, 5 ft 4 inches, which is in line with the quick beds that usually come customary with the crew cabs of different midsize pickups (it is also for much longer than the cargo areas of midsize SUVs). The Tacoma and Frontier could be paired with an extended mattress; the Ranger and newly-redesigned Colorado can’t.
None of these opponents, nevertheless, gives the distinctive attributes of the Ridgeline’s mattress. That begins with the intelligent Twin Motion tailgate, which drops down like regular or swings out like a door. The latter is useful for climbing into the mattress or leaning in to get one thing, and it additionally gives entry to the Ridgeline’s different distinctive characteristic: a trunk. This water-tight 7.9-cubic-foot house match three medium-sized items of bags in our baggage take a look at and has a plug within the backside to allow you to wash it out or fill it with ice to create a huge onboard cooler. Simply know that it takes quite a bit of ice to do it. Lastly, the highest two trim ranges characteristic the Truck-Mattress Audio System, which mainly turns the mattress into a large speaker. It is fairly cool.
What are the Ridgeline’s gasoline financial system and efficiency specs?
The Ridgeline certain retains issues easy by providing just one powertrain and drivetrain mixture: a 3.5-liter V6 that sends 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque by way of a nine-speed computerized to a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. You need rear-wheel drive? Too unhealthy, the Ridgeline is predicated on a front-wheel-drive platform. You need front-wheel drive? No, in fact you do not. You are not alone, Honda discontinued that choice with its 2021 refresh
EPA-estimated gasoline financial system is eighteen mpg metropolis, 24 mpg freeway and 21 mpg mixed. Contemplating the crossover structure, nine-speed computerized and Honda’s fame, you will in all probability be shocked to listen to that mixed estimate is definitely 1 mpg worse than a Ford Ranger 4×4 and the identical as a Ford F-150 4×4 with the two.7-liter turbo V6.
What is the Ridgeline prefer to drive?
The Ridgeline has unquestionably the smoothest journey and greatest on-road dealing with of any midsize pickup. It even has a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, which shunts energy to every rear wheel to enhance dealing with and traction. Mainly, the Ridgeline drives extra like a crossover than a body-on-frame truck – as a result of that is precisely what it’s. The journey is somewhat firmer than a Pilot or Passport’s, however each Ridgeline is a really civilized pickup to drive.
There are, in fact, downsides. Its 7.6 inches of floor clearance is not even excessive for a crossover, and whereas its all-wheel-drive system, off-road driving modes and HPD bundle upgrades make it surprisingly succesful off the overwhelmed path, it could possibly’t contact even the extra primary variations of the Ranger and Tacoma. Its towing capability of 5,000 kilos can be fairly weak (the Ranger, Colorado/Canyon, Tacoma and Jeep Gladiator are throughout 7,000), however its payload of 1,583 kilos is corresponding to all however the best-in-class Ranger.
What different Honda Ridgeline evaluations can I learn?
2021 Honda Ridgeline First Drive
In our first drive of the revised 2021 Ridgeline, we dive extra deeply into the modifications and get an opportunity to drive it off street.
2020 Honda Ridgeline Street Take a look at
We really use the Ridgeline for , old school truck exercise: hauling mulch.
Lengthy-Time period Honda Ridgeline Take a look at
We examined a Ridgeline for a complete 12 months, and though there have been some updates since then, our impressions (and fondness for it) stay broadly the identical.
2018 Honda Ridgeline and Airstream Basecamp X | A match made in Michigan
We take our long-term Ridgeline on a protracted, chilly weekend journey with a mini Airstream
What’s the 2023 Ridgeline’s worth?
Pricing begins at $40,095, together with the $1,225 vacation spot cost, for the bottom Sport trim stage. That’s almost $2,000 greater than the 2022 mannequin 12 months truck’s base worth. It’s additionally significantly greater than different midsize pickups, however keep in mind that the Ridgeline comes customary with key components which are non-obligatory on different vans: a crew cab, V6 engine and all-wheel drive.
It additionally has extra customary tools. This contains 18-inch alloy wheels, the Twin Motion tailgate and mattress trunk, computerized LED headlights, LED foglights, mattress lights, rear privateness glass, a multi-angle parking digicam, a full suite of accident avoidance tech (see Security part), adaptive cruise management, proximity entry and keyless begin, tri-zone computerized local weather management, a height-adjustable driver seat, fabric upholstery, a 60/40-split again seat with flip-up seat bottoms, an 8-inch touchscreen, two USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a seven-speaker sound system.
We have been completely positive with this ample quantity of apparatus within the Sport we examined, nevertheless, the RTL’s energy entrance seats, blind-spot warning system, power-sliding rear window and leather-wrapped steering wheel would in all probability make the value premium acceptable for a lot of.
The highest two trim ranges are mainly the identical, besides the Black Version expenses you $1,500 for blacked out wheels and trim items, and particular inside accents. Notable tools upgrades embrace parking sensors, a truck mattress energy outlet, the truck-bed audio system, a heated steering wheel, wi-fi telephone charging and built-in navigation.
The HPD (Honda Efficiency Bundle) pictured above in white is accessible on each trim stage and features a distinctive grille and fender flares, HPD stickers, and 18-inch “bronze alloy wheels” which are completely extra gold than bronze. If you’d like black wheels, Honda helps you to spec these, too. It prices $2,800. You’ll be able to see the distinction between it and a daily Ridgeline beneath, and skim extra about it in our Ridgeline HPD Bundle Driveway Take a look at.
All costs beneath embrace the vacation spot cost of $1,295.
Sport: $40,095
RTL: $43,075
RTL-E: $46,025
Black Version: $47,525
What are the Ridgeline’s security scores and driver help options?
Each 2023 Ridgeline contains ahead collision warning, computerized emergency braking, lane-keeping help, and adaptive cruise management with steering help. Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning are on all however the base Sport. Though it is commendable that these options are customary, they’re a number of the oldest and least refined available on the market. Adaptive cruise management tends to brake an excessive amount of, accelerates again on top of things too slowly, and the steering help pales compared to that supplied by different manufacturers.
The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration gave the Ridgeline 5 out of 5 stars for total, frontal and aspect crash safety. No different midsize truck can match this. The Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security gave it the best-possible score of “Good” in all crash assessments however the latest small overlap entrance: passenger-side take a look at the place it received a second-best “Acceptable.” The ahead collision prevention system additionally received a score of fine, however the headlights received a third-best/second-worst rating of “Marginal.”
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