Here's a startling statistic:
The Honda Ridgeline is in its 20th model year.
I know, right? Doesn't seem possible, but the first Ridgeline was a 2005 model.
The first-generation Ridgeline was so unlike the rest of the mid-size pickup trucks for sale in America that very few knew what to make of it, apart from Car and Driver, which declared it the winner of a five-truck comparison test in June of '05.
That big win from the big buff book didn't really move the sales needle.
In 2017, Honda made the Ridgeline more...trucklike. And still....it was a tough sell in the by-then booming world of mid-size pickups.
For 2024, the Ridgeline's been refreshed. That means styling updates including a great big "RIDGELINE" embossed in the tailgate, just like the other guys.
The power still comes from a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter VTEC V6 engine with variable cylinder management. The transmission is still a nine-speed automatic, and torque-vectoring all-wheel drive is standard.
That sounds like a fairly pedestrian powertrain (apart from the AWD, it's the same as the Odyssey minivan, which gets an extra gear), but it's no slouch, with 0-60 times in the low 6s. And the EPA fuel economy average of 20 mpg combined city/highway (18 city/23 highway) isn't too shabby, either.
Intelligent traction management, four-wheel disc brakes and a four-wheel independent transmission come standard.
Trailsports, like our tester, have a new off-road tuned suspension, a steel underbody protection that shields its oil pan from sharp rocks and other off-road hazards, and for the first time, all-terrain tires---standard General Grabber™ A/T Sport tires (245/60R18), mounted on new Pewter 18-inch wheels.
The 5.3-foot bed has 33.9 cubic feet of cargo space---not including the lockable "In-Bed Trunk", which has 7.3 cubic feet and a drain plug. Fill it with ice, load it up with beverages and after, just drain and dry. Or, y'know---use it to stash valuables.
Rear seat passengers get a decent 36.7 cubic inches of legroom.
Now standard inside the cabin are a new 7-inch digital instrument cluster, along with a new, larger 9-inch color touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility, and a faster processor for lag-free performance. Ridgeline's integrated navigation system has been simplified with new graphics and fewer menus.
For additional comfort and functionality, all 2024 Ridgelines also benefit from a new center console with a large, newly-integrated armrest and expanded storage. The center-console storage bin can now swallow a full-size tablet, and an improved storage tray ahead of the shifter is large enough to accommodate two smartphones, side by side.
Base price for the 2024 Honda Ridgeline Trailsport is $46,375 including destination. In addition to the standard features we've already talked about are a comprehensive suite of active safety features, leather-trimmed interior, including steeerring wheel (heated), a seven-speaker audio system, wireless phone charger, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, pushbutton start, tri-zone automatic climate control, driver's 10-way power seat with memory (four-way for front passenger), heated front seats, split fold-up rear seat, tilt & telescoping sterring column, power-sliding rear cabin window, illuminated visor mirrors, HomeLink, floormats, a power moonroof, front and rear parking sensors, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated windshield, LED headlights with auto high beams, LED fog lights, a dual-action tailgate, heated power door mirrors, (power folding, with turn indicators built in), rear privacy glass, a capless fuel filler, remote engine start, smart entry with security system, walk-away auto locking, an integrated Class III trailer hitch and harness, TrailSport logo seats and all-season floor mats, and orange interior lighting.
Honda's approach to pricing means there's not much available in the way of extra-cost options. In our case, $455 for the Sonic Gray Pearl paint, and that's it. Which brings the bottom line on the window sticker to $46,830.
After a strong 2023, Ridgeline sales are off so far this year---but the year to date ranking for mid-size pickups shows it outselling the GMC Canyon and the Ford Ranger.
That's progress. Despite a more mainstream look, the Ridgeline is still a very different kind of midsize pickup truck.
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