New Honda Ridgeline is a capable pickup with car-like advantages

2017 Honda Ridgeline is a capable pickup truck with car-like advantages (Photo: Honda)

Honda’s second-generation 2017 Ridgeline picks up right where the last one left off: a mid-size pickup with a cab that approaches full-size; a bed that carries the ubiquitous four-foot-wide sheet flat on the bed floor; and a footprint that lets it fit in a garage.

That it rides, drives and gets fuel economy like a three-row crossover makes it ideal for those who want pickup flexibility in their second car without conventional truck drawbacks.

Walkaround

Honda’s given the Ridgeline a genuine pickup look by lifting the rear end, eliminating those buttresses where the bed meets rear window, and adding a seam between the cab and bed areas—they’re two different panels, but not two separate structures like in conventional pickups.

This is countered up front by a similarly radical departure from the predecessor’s blunt front end, which is now sleek, modern, and lower. The effective frontal area hasn’t changed, but aero drag has been reduced.

With essentially the same body as a Pilot from the door-post forward, Ridgeline doesn’t look like a truck from the front. The nose is less imposing and more integrated than your typical pickup’s big-bumper-and-deep-plastic-air-dam, and its low-mounted turn signals are unique in pickups—they’re kind of in an area where typical truck owners might bash them off within weeks.

From astern the old Dodge Rampage and original Dakota come to mind, and while the lights use a similar “C” shape as Tacoma and Yukon, the signal is inside the C that houses the brake and taillight function. Front-drive Ridgelines, which don’t include a seven-pin trailer plug, are pre-wired so a plug will pop right in, no diode boxes required.

The drop-or-swing-open tailgate remains, easing access to the trunk or forward bed contents while keeping the traditional tailgate for carrying longer loads or for sitting on. The 206-litre lockable under-floor trunk holds an 82-quart cooler, golf clubs or anything else you want out of sight, and a temporary-use spare (the flat, or the spare if you want fast access, is mounted against the left forward bed).

There’s also a new side-bin, and some models come equipped with an AC outlet (it offers 400 watts parked idling, and 150 watts in motion). Constructed of sheet-molded composite, the bed material is now UV-stable; scratches won’t show easily, and you can drop a scoop of rock in it without damage. But the trickest part is the version with two sound exciters attached to the bed sides and headboard that provides outdoor audio.

Although there are minor paint and finish variances, all Ridgelines use 18-inch wheels and the same Firestone tire; there are no choices in size or tread.

Interior

Ridgeline is about 100 mm wider than any other mid-size pickup, and feels it the moment you get in. Although the Colorado and Canyon have an advantage in ultimate legroom, this feels like the most spacious, open mid-size pickup by far, and going from a dark-cabin competitor to a light grey-cabin Ridgeline could be likened to stepping out of a cave.

All in front will be familiar to any Pilot driver—only details, like a bed light switch, no rear wash-wipe, nor pushbutton nine-speed shifter, differ. And any Honda owner will acclimate to the major change from sedan to pickup, the dog-bone instrument pack that employs a purely digital speedometer rather than a massive analog display.

Seat comfort was fine for two hours, and they feel no different than the Honda Pilot chairs I’ve done twice that time in. My lanky self found adequate room in the back, behind a seat set for my driving position, and shorter pilots had no complaints, the extra width making this a far better five-person option than any mid-size pickup.

With only top trims to sample, all had a touchscreen top-center, with simple climate controls below; some switches lower left of the wheel aren’t as easy to see, and at least one of them is a press-and-hold for a second or so, which made observers wonder if I was tying my left shoelaces. In-cab storage is quite good, with lots of bins in the doors and console, though because the split-rear seat folds up to expose a big flat floor, you’ll have to pick your own bins to stow things underneath them.

Technology

Where some mid-size pickups offer blind-spot warning and others forward-collision warning, the Ridgeline’s the only one to offer both. Like competitors, the systems aren’t available on all trims, but the top Ridgeline has collision-mitigation braking; lane-keeping assist; road-departure mitigation; and active cruise control.

Those top trims also add watts and speakers to sound systems, more powerful USB ports, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (I tested it plug-and-play with an iPhone, and heard no complaints from Android owners), navigation, HD radio, SMS functions, bed audio and so on. All of that proves useful, though some touchscreen functions do make me wish for a basic round knob.

Driving

It’s often been said of impressive new trucks that they ride like a car, until the person saying that rides in a new car and finds that, no, pickups don’t ride like cars. The Ridgeline doesn’t change that, but it comes closer to driving like a car than any other pickup.

Although most dimensions are similar to other crew cab short-bed mid-sizes and empty weight’s in the same range, the Ridgeline feels lighter. I credit its use of a single structure construction rather than the usual frame and two body sections, and its lack of any singularly heavy piece – like others’ solid rear axles – underneath.

Ride quality empty is clearly best-in-class; at moderate trailer weights, it’s still better, though by a smaller margin, and steering effort and directional stability are both very good. Ultimate cornering limits depend a lot on tires and Ridgeline is respectable, but the more sophisticated rear suspension and lower center of gravity makes transitions better.

All-wheel drives have 15mm more ground clearance, an advantage available elsewhere only by fitting taller tires, and one that doesn’t noticeably affect handling. The only chink in the driving is U-turns, which take more space than any other mid-size crew cab short bed, or a Ram full-size.

The least-capable Ridgeline will carry about 658 kg [1,450 lbs] in people and cargo, superior to many mid-sizes, and not far from the best’s 720 kg [1,587 lbs]. All-wheel drives tow 2,272 kg [5,000 lbs] (max tongue 272 kg [600 lbs]), and front drives 1,591 kg [3,500 lbs] (190 [420 lbs])—both of those for vehicles with two people (140 kg total [310 lbs]) and 50 kg [110 bs] of gear and towing hardware on board. Trailer stability assist is standard and there’s no weight-distributing hitch requirement, but you will need a controller for electric trailer brakes.

The 3.5-litre direct-injection V6 makes 290 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, both peaking at 4700 revs or higher; at around 5400 rpm, the VTEC does its thing and the engine takes on a noticeable snarl. In all-wheel-drive the Ridgeline had no trouble keeping up with, and often getting a gap on, a V6 Tacoma or Colorado; no front-drive units were available to see how two wheels cope with that power.

A six-speed automatic is the only transmission offered and the marriage is quite good, but there were many hills and occasions I’d prefer more choices than D, D4 or L. Estimates are 13.1 and 9.4 L/100 km for an all-wheel drive.

All-wheel drive has no low-range gearing but this pickup isn’t meant for scraping along the rocks or dragging over downed trees. It normally runs in front-drive for fuel economy but sends up to 70 percent of available output rearward as needed, and rear power I apportioned individually left and right. Since the rear gearing is 2.7 percent taller than the front, the rear drive helps the Ridgeline change direction better under throttle and the entire system is transparent to the driver and fully automatic. All you do is switch between normal and snow modes in front-drivers and those plus mud and sand in all-wheel-drives.

And it’s quiet, with minimal noise coming from either end, even with the rear window open. In a closed-windows impromptu drag race I heard the Colorado’s exhaust over the Ridgeline’s engine. As I suggested, except for that big turning circle, you’ll think you’re driving a crossover.

Value

We only had U.S. pricing to go by, but generally speaking, Ridgeline is in a similar situation as Nissan’s Titan XD. Only by payload does it clearly fit one class of pickup, but we think there is some value here because it offers things no other pickup does, should be as fuel-efficient and reliable as any gasoline pickup, and it may well cost less to insure in light of its safety systems.

Conclusion

The Ridgeline isn’t for the lumber-yard-every-day guy, hot-shots, or most independent contractors. It’s for those people who occasionally need to carry home an appliance, pull the outboard boat or lighter travel trailer, and otherwise need only a second family car that won’t gobble gasoline. It does that extremely well, and since it fits in a garage, it’ll be longer before your friends call to borrow it for their own appliance delivery or dorm-furnishing run.