We all know how popular SUVs are. But, if you’re looking for the real best sellers, you have to look at pickup trucks. For 2023, the #1 seller was the Ford F Series– over 750,000 sold. #2 the Chevy Silverado– 543,000, and #3 Dodge Ram – 449,000. (For those of you playing at home, #4 was the Toyota RAV4 at a commendable 443,000!)
So yes, a lot of buyers still want a truck. But a lot of them don’t want the compromises you find in the truck world, like a harsh ride, non-car-like handling. For them, the Honda Ridgeline – based on the successful PilotSUV and Odyssey Minivan might just be the ticket.
So, is this a compromise worth making? Let’s find out!
Truckin’ Good Looks
The exterior says truck, with plenty of Honda family cues.
Up front, there’s a prominent grille with large chrome “H”, while large LED headlights illuminate the way, on-road or off. A blacked-out lower fascia gives the Ridgeline a trail-ready look.
The profile is clean and modern, with a full-size 4-door body and a 5.3-foot bed, which is competitive with other make’s short bed models. With blacked out mirrors, wheel-well arches and lower panels, ruggedness is on tap. Blacked out 18-inch alloy wheels finish off the side view.
There’s no doubt what you’re driving from the rear, with R I D G E L I N E boldly stamped in the rear tailgate, while a massive lower bumper and dual exhaust pipes poking out underneath hint at the power under the hood.
Finishing off our tester was a handsome Sonic Gray Pearl paint – one of only four exteriors offered on the Black Edition. Speaking of which, the package gives extra badness to the Ridgeline, with black chrome accents on the front-grille bar, window surrounds, and rear bumper, along with the skid plate and exterior mirrors. It’s super tasteful, not overdone, and you walk away thinking “that’s one handsome truck!”
SUV Comforts
Inside is a perfect blend of truck rugged and SUV plush.
Open the door, and a wide center console sits between the front bucket seats, while the large dash and center displays create a wide feeling that serves up plenty of shoulder room.
The front seats are ultra-supportive and comfortable, made even better by being heated and cooled. The thick leather-wrapped steering wheel is heated, too, making the Ridgeline a nice place for chilly meetings.
The interior got a nice update for the 2024 model year, including a new 7-inch instrument panel, with an all-digital tach, user selectable function Honda Sensing features and vehicle information, while an analog speedometer keeps track of your progress.
The center stack includes a new, larger 9-inch color touchscreen with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a handy wireless charger on our tester. While we like to use WAZE, it is worth noting that Honda upgraded the built-in Navigation system with new graphics and fewer menus. Nice.
Under the display is a dedicated climate control system that’s quick and easy to use with a handy cubby underneath. Like many Honda and Acura products the ‘Ridge has a push-button automatic transmission, and like those other vehicles, we’d rather they give us a traditional shift lever. You do get used to it, but it feels like more work than needed.
While we’re not in love with the transmission buttons, the rest of the center console is new for 2024, with expanded storage and a large integrated armrest. Those who use their truck as their office will appreciate a new storage bin that can easily hold a full-size tablet, while the storage tray can hold two smartphones side-by-side.
The rear seats are adult-friendly, and the Ridgeline is one of the most spacious in its class. They’re also split 60/40 and flip up to create loads of space for taller items.
Of course, if you’re looking for a truck, you want the bed, and here the 5.3-foot is on par with other model’s short beds. There is no longer bed if you need more space, though. There’s some real goodness here, too – a 7.3 cubic foot, in-bed “trunk” hidden below the floor. It’s weather tight, making it a great safe space to hide gear, and you can use it as a cooler for tail-gating type events. Another plus, with loads of space between the wheel wells, a 4-foot-wide sheet will fit easily. Nice.
Designed for hard work, the bed is constructed of a glass fiber-reinforced SMC composite, so it resists dents and scratches without the need for a separate bed liner. Loading is easy too, with an innovative Dual-Action Tailgate that opens down like a typical truck tailgate but can also swing open to the side like a door.
Want more? In the down position, it extends the 5-foot, 4-inch bed to more than seven feet and can handle dynamic loads up to 300 pounds, such as a motorcycle or ATV. The tailgate inner surface even features two comfortable molded-in seats, ready for your next tailgate party. It’s clear Honda really thought about how owners use their trucks!
The Un-trucky Truck
Driving the Ridgeline is a revelation – especially if you’re used to more traditional pickups.
Since it is much closer in design to the Odyssey minivan, you’ll find a very car-like experience. Under the hood is Honda’s familiar 3.5-liter V6, in this case pumping out a strong 280 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft of torque. This is a great engine, that has a nice deep burble and pulls strongly to the redline. Also familiar is the quick-shifting 9-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. For such a large vehicle, we find the EPA combined rating of 21 mpg to be quite thrifty as well.
While that’s a great powertrain, the real differentiator from other pickups is the unibody design with a coil spring independent rear suspension. This translates into an impressively quiet and smooth ride. If you didn’t know there was a truck bed behind you, you’d swear you were in a lux SUV, which technically, you sort of are.
It makes the leaf-spring, solid axle setups of the domestic competitors feel positively ancient. Ok, so those ancient setups will let you tow more weight, but the 5,000 lb. capacity of the Ridgeline is more than enough for most of the work and toys you’ll probably want to bring.
We have good friends of the column who recently towed a good-sized trailer from Southern California all the way through the Pacific Northwest and back, and found their Ridgeline to be a super comfy, capable hauler.
Adding to the comfort, every 2025 Ridgeline features the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver assist tech, including Collision Mitigation Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist and Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation and Adaptive Cruise Control.
It’s pretty amazing – a few years back trucks were more bare-bones in the safety department, but as they became more popular and used as family vehicles, manufacturers have really stepped up their game. You don’t feel like you’re making any compromises in protecting you and your passengers.
Uncompromising Value?
Here there’s a lot of Honda friendliness, too. The line up starts with the Ridgeline Sport at $40,150, for a powerful, comfortable 5-passenger truck with loads of safety gear and best-in-class ride and handling, that’s a great deal. Those looking for a more off-road focused model should check out the Trail Sport at $45,380.
Our tester was the top of the line, luxed-out Black Edition, starting at $46,750. The sole option on our tester was Sonic Gray Pearl paint ($455). Add in $1,395 for Destination, and we rang the bell at $48,600.
If you want a more truck-like experience, we’d point you towards the all-new Toyota Tacoma, but at $53,595 it’s also a bit pricier. Value buyers looking for a more trucky truck should look at the new Nissan Frontier, priced at $46,620.
With pickup capability, and SUV-like ride and comfort, the 2025 Honda Ridgeline gives you a great truck without compromising day-to-day livability!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.