Is Honda Ridgeline the Mid-Size Truck You're Looking For?

Whether the latest model or used, the Honda Ridgeline has been praised by many drivers and critics. Many drivers appreciate its dependability and versatility, shown through its comfortable ride, spacious interior, and impressive performance. Its various features and excellent fuel economy make it suitable for those looking for a mid-size truck.

Let's find out what makes it so special and why you have to consider purchasing this mid-size pickup.

Jam-packed with features

The Honda Ridgeline offers a fusion of car and pickup attributes. It has a unique construction that provides the comfort of a car and the utility of a pickup with its truck bed. This mid-size pickup is a 5-seater vehicle that comes in four trim levels, such as the following:

• Sport: For less than forty-thousand bucks, you can drive home the Sport trim level of the Ridgeline. It has all the basic features, but the audio system in the truck bed is not included. It has a trademarked Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistive technologies. However, it lacks the blind spot information system (BSI) with a cross-traffic monitor, and auto high-beam headlights are omitted.

• RTL: It has all the basic features, including heated fronts and a leather-trimmed interior. The audio system in the truck bed is not yet included. However, the auto high-beam headlights are not included in the driver-assistive tech.
• RTL-E: The most popular trim with a price starting at $45,365. It comes with a 3.5L V6 engine and all-wheel drive. It comes with the complete trademarked Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistive tech system.
• Black Edition: For drivers who want an all-black exterior, this trim level is perfect for you. It has all the impressive features, Honda Sensing technologies with all the active, passive, and driver-assistive tech.

The Ridgeline is designed with a dual-action tailgate that allows you to open the tailgate in a conventional lowered way or swing it open like a regular door. It lets you open the door in whatever way you please to help you get the items in and out of the truck bed. You can also lock and unlock the tailgate automatically along with the doors.

Moreover, the truck has an in-bed trunk space where you can place various items to protect them from changing weather, dust, and dirt. It also has a lift-up rear seat with under-seat storage, which you can use to store small items. You cannot always find these handy features in most pickup trucks in the market.

Drivers cannot tow heavy trailers or do extreme off-roading such as rock crawling with the Honda Ridgeline. However, this medium pickup is perfect for anyone who wants a comfortable vehicle, especially for daily driving in major cities or streets. You can get the package with a nice set of truck tires and bronze wheels.

Impressive ratings

Consumer Reports (CR), a trusted American nonprofit organization, is dedicated to consumer-oriented research, independent product testing, consumer advocacy, etc. Different truck models have undergone rigorous testing to create an annual list of recommended ones that pass the evaluation. From all the pickup models competing in the mid-size truck segment, Consumer Reports gave a stellar rating to the 2022 Honda Ridgeline as the best mid-size truck.

Honda's mid-size pickup is one of the three models recommended by CR. It also scored far higher than its rivals. It garnered a score nearly 10 points higher than the second placer Ford Maverick. Its high score is attributed to its excellent fuel economy, spacious and comfortable cabin, and great ride quality.

The organization recommended the past several model years, including the models from 2006 through 2014. Ridgeline's first-generation challenged various traditional pickup trucks of the time, such as the popular American Ford F-series trucks.

Year after year, the automaker seems to be working at improving and making minor adjustments and changes to make its famous pickup even better. Many truck buyers considering buying a used vehicle might have put the Ridgeline at the top of their list. The 2021 model placed first amongst the rated pickup trucks with the highest overall score of 80 out of 100.

CR's ratings show how great the Honda Ridgeline is. A lot of would-be truck buyers trust its ratings and recommendations. If you are still undecided, perhaps their rating will help you make up your mind.

High scores

Over the years, the Honda Ridgeline has consistently earned high remarks in its reliability reports. It has built a reputation of being a dependable and competent pickup that can get the job done without constantly requiring costly repairs.

Moreover, iSeeCars conducted a study on Ridgeline and gave it an overall quality score of 9.0. It is a full half-point higher than Toyota Tacoma. For a used Ridgeline, the reliability rating is at 8.6, along with a good retained value score of 8.4. It also got a perfect safety score of 10.

One of the truck's best parts is its fuel economy. It is especially beneficial since fuel prices continue to surge. You can still get efficient fuel economy even if you buy a used Honda Ridgeline. For the 2021 model, the MPG rating is 18 in the city and 24 on the highway. The V-6 engine of the Ridgeline is matched with an automatic transmission.

Due to its unibody construction, the truck is fuel-efficient. It also makes the vehicle comfortable and still able to retain its ruggedness, just like other SUVs. Additionally, this contributes to the pickup's underrated image.

Built a reputation for reliability

When it comes to hauling, Ridgeline is not at par with the payload and towing ratings of Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and other larger pickup models. However, it is a reliable truck for daily driving. The consistently strong predicted reliability rating also distinguishes it from its competitors.

Honda Ridgeline is not only favored by Consumer Reports because other critics such as Edmunds, World Report, and U.S. News complimented the vehicle. Automotive magazines like Cars.com, TFLtruck, and iSeeCars were also impressed by its reliability.

Each year, Consumer Reports gather detailed sets of data from its members. It helps the organization create detailed reliability histories to check the reliability over the average of a particular year's model. The predicted reliability also shows the consumers whether a specific model has fewer or more problems.

Reliability is one of the crucial information for people shopping for used vehicles. The overall reliability scores of a certain truck provide a summary that makes it easier to make quick comparisons. The scores can also help consumers determine what vehicle to consider or pass on.

Conclusion

If you're considering a used truck, the Honda Ridgeline should definitely be at the top of your list. You can add some new upgrades to increase its functionality and look. If you want a Black Edition trim, putting on a new set of Toyo tires makes it look more aggressive.

May it be brand-new or used, Honda's famous medium-size Ridgeline is outstanding because it has been consistently rated as reliable. It's not as potent as the payload and towing capacity you can get from some trucks on the market. Still, it makes up for its impressive features, safety tech, fuel efficiency, and overall quality.