Teresa’s View
When Honda decided to develop its first pickup, the company took the opportunity to make some changes to the format. The result is the Ridgeline, a remarkably comfortable, practical and, yes, innovative truck.
Unlike other trucks, the cab and bed of the midsize Ridgeline are fabricated as one piece, giving the truck a distinctive profile and 20 times the torsional rigidity of traditional body-on-frame rigs. The innovative design also allows for the spacious crew cab and 5-foot bed to fit within a footprint the size of a compact truck.
The dent- and rust-resistant composite bed liner is said to stand up to truck-style beatings better than the more common steel versions. The tailgate goes both ways – folding down or swinging open to the side. Under the bed liner is a double-secret, locking, all-weather compartment that is said to be roomy enough for a 72-quart cooler, three sets of golf bags or a combination of the two. Four lights in the bed area help illuminate the dark.
A 3.5-liter V-6 engine delivers 247-horsepower – enough to rate a 5,000-pound towing capacity, which is not fabulous, but Honda says it’s good enough to manage the kind of towing asked of most pickups. All models come ready to tow. Four-wheel drive is standard, though off-roading is of the medium-duty variety.
Refinement and handling performance – words not generally associated with a truck – are impressive thanks, in part, to its independent front and rear suspension.
Fuel economy is a weak 16 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway due to the heft of the truck.
For all the Ridgeline has going for it, I am disappointed with the interior appointments. The fake metal trim on the Ridgeline is just plain ugly. And whose decision was it to super-size the door handles? Bleck.
What Is It?: The all-new Ridgeline was introduced as a 2006 model last spring. Honda offers the four-door, five-passenger, midsize pickup truck in three well-equipped trims: the base RT, middle-of-the-road RTS and well-appointed RTL. Prices start at $27K.
Gadget Rating: 7.5 out of 10. The Ridgeline gets an above average rating for its prodigious features list. The RT starts with air conditioning, a power sliding rear window, six-speaker audio system with CD player, plus cruise control and power windows and door locks.
Safety: The Ridgeline offers the most comprehensive list of standard safety features in its class, including anti-lock brakes with electronic brake assist, vehicle stability assist with traction control and a full complement of airbags. In fact, the Ridgeline is the first four-door pickup to receive a full five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for its performance in both frontal and side impact crash tests. It also received the best rollover resistance rating of any pickup the agency has tested.