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A Special Review of the 2017 Honda Ridgeline.
http://automobiles.honda.com/ridgeline/
IN A NUTSHELL: Not a heavy-duty pick-up truck by any means, but extremely well-built, with some clever features, and does what it was designed to do very well.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier (Ford will also introduce a new mid-size Ranger pickup within the next year or so). However, all of the rest of these mid-size trucks are traditional body-on-frame design and RWD in base form, which differs markedly from the Ridgeline. The Ridgeline has no direct American-market competitors.
OVERVIEW:
As a special appreciation for, and in memory of, the excellent work and service our pastor, a military Chaplain, has given to our congregation during his term, I'm going to take the time to do a special full-review of the latest, second-generation Honda Ridgeline pick-up (totally redesigned for 2017), as he prepares to leave for another assignment. He himself has been blessed with a new 2017 Ridgeline (all-black inside and out, which matches his clerical garb perfectly LOL). We wish him the best of luck on his new assignment (actually a retirement...he's going back to a civilian pastorship)....and, of course, the best of luck with his (almost) brand-new truck. The son of one of my neighbors, who plays in a band and does gigs locally here in the D.C. area, has an older, first-generation Ridgeline which he loves.....he uses it to haul musical equipment (instruments, amps, hook-ups, etc...), around the area. His mom also loves it...more so than her own Acura TSX compact sedan.
Honda's first-generation Ridgeline was introduced for the 2005 model year as a different kind of mid-size pick-up......in automotive terms, it is officially classed as an SUT (Sport-Utility-Truck). The Ridgeline differed sharply from traditional pick-up body-on-frame designs, their boxed-steel outer-frame and cross members, and bolted or welded-on bodies and beds. The Ridgeline, instead, used a one-piece unibody (bed and cabin included) sand incorporated a built-in boxed frame and cross members under it.....more or less combining the best of both worlds. Instead of the virtually-unversal (for pick-ups) rear-driveshaft and one-piece live-axle/differential in the rear, the Ridgeline used an independent rear suspension (IRS), which gave it a better ride/handling combination than traditional pick-ups. Like many cars and crossover SUVs of the period, the 3.5L V6 engine was mounted transversely (sideways) under the hood, and drove the front wheels, with a rather mechanically complex (due to the transverse layout) All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system as optional. Interesting, considering that Honda's older ads used to say......"We make it Simple" LOL. A number of truck-enthusiasts and purists made fun of, and looked down on, the original Ridgeline, noting that its payload and tow-ratings could not compete with the big-boy trucks from Ford, Chevy/GMC, Dodge/Ram, Toyota, and Nissan. They noted its short bed length, odd looks in combining the bed with the rest of the body in one piece, and relative lack of off-road capability, accusing it of not being a "real" truck. This, IMO, was at least partially unfair...it was never intended to haul the kind of 30,000 lb. loads that a dual-rear-axle, Cummins-Diesel F-350 or 3500-series truck does, nor even that of a typical half-ton or three-quarter-ton-rated truck. It was designed to do one thing, and it did it superbly well....combine a reasonable amount of utility, payload/towing, comfort, roominess, refinement, and reliability into one mid-sized package. The bed was on the short side because of the four standard-size doors and plush, roomy (by pickup standards) rear-seat area. A number of clever features were incorporated into the design, including outside, lockable, weather-proof compartments built into the sides and under the bed. Some of the early early versions (I don't remember exactly which years) also had a dual-action tailgate, similar to the one Ford used back in the 1960s and 70s on some of its station wagons, which, depending on how you were parked and what kind of load you were dealing with, allowed the gate to either swing down in a traditional manner or off to the side. And, of course, being a Honda product, with Honda's long tradition of quality and of its vehicles coming from the factory assembled like Swiss Watches, it was reliable, although some cracks have been recently been noted in the quality-armor of Honda's newer vehicles.
Anyhow, the First-generation Ridgeline remained in production until 2014, when it was dropped (partly from low sales) and put on hold pending a total redesign...no 2015 or 2016 models were sold, at least in the American market. Now, for the 2017 model year, comes an all-new and reworked Ridgeline. The basic overall layout (transverse V6 engine, front or all-wheel-drive, combination unibody and built-in ladder-frame, roomy rear seat with four full doors, and independent rear suspension remains, as does more or less similar payload/towing capacities as before. Many new safety features, of course, have been added, and the unibody frame has been strengthened with new alloys. But, in a nod to the enthusiasts and purists, the overall styling has been altered to be more like a traditional mid-size pick-up, and the truck has lost the former odd appearance aft of the B and C-pillars. So we'll see how the new one stands up to public scrutiny, though, of course, there's the old axiom that you can't please everyone.
For 2017, the all-new Ridgeline comes in seven different trim versions. There is the RT ($29,475), RTS ($31,515), Sport ($33,015), RTL ($33,780), RTL-T ($35,980), RTL-E ($41,470), and, of course, the one our pastor liked.....the Black Edition ($42,970). All versions share the same 3.5L V6 engine of 280 HP and 262 ft-lbs. of torque and a 6-speed Sport-Shift automatic transmission. RTL-E and Black Editions come with standard all-wheel-drive (AWD)....it is optional on the others, where front-wheel-drive (FWD) is standard. RTL-E and Black Editions also come with a standard heavy-duty transmission cooler, an option on the others. For the rest of the equipment-details, see the attached web-site above.
As usual, when possible, for the static (non-test-drive) review, I sat in and examined several different interiors. For the test-drive itself, I selected an AWD RT-L model without options that seemed reasonably priced for the level of standard equipment, a version that would probably appeal to a fairly wide range of those who would be interested in a Ridgeline. It was quite a pleasant test-drive.....one of the best I've had in a pick-up truck short of a recent Dodge Ram 1500. Details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2017 Honda Ridgeline AWD RT-L
BASE PRICE: $35,580
OPTIONS: None
DESTINATION/FREIGHT CHARGE: $900 (not bad for a vehicle the size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $36,480
DRIVETRAIN: Transversely-mounted 3.5L V6, 280 HP @ 6000 RPM, Torque 262 ft-lbs. @ 4700 RPM, 6-speed automatic transmission, Variable-Torque-Management all-wheel-drive (AWD) system.
EPA MILEAGE RATINGS: 18 City, 25 Highway, 21 Combined
(Not great numbers compared to econo-cars, but OK for an AWD midsize truck)
TOWING CAPACITY: 5000 lbs.
EXTERIOR COLOR: Modern Steel Metallic (a medium-to-dark gray)
INTERIOR: Black Leather
PLUSSES:
Car-like ride comfort.
Reasonably powerful V6 engine.
Smooth, seamless transmssion.
Effective wind and road noise isolation by truck standards.
Swiss-Watch assembly quality (though long-term Honda reliability may be declining).
Excellent paint job (minus the color choice).
(Mostly) durable and rock-solid hardware inside and out.
Well-designed protection from corrosion and lower-body paint damage.
Lightweight aluminium hood relatively easy to raise /lower, even with the manual prop-rod.
More-conventional truck styling should appeal to more buyers this time.
Relatively easy entry/exit for many persons.
Cleverly-designed rear compartments and dual-action tailgate.
Plain-looking but durable interior trim materials.
Solid, bank-vault thuds from door-closings.
Simple, relatively easy-to-use buttons/controls (except for the video-screen).
Durable seat upholstery, both for cloth and leather.
Inward-folding rear seat for added (indoor) cargo storage.
Good headroom, front and rear, for big (6' 2") persons my size.
Temporary spare tire relatively easy to access (by truck standards).
MINUSES:
Has a long record of rejection by the truck-community (hopefully that will change with the new version).
Questionable depreciation from lack of demand.
Relatively slow steering response...but not bad by truck standards.
Somewhat jumpy throttle in first gear from rest.
Spongy-feeling brake pedal not well-located for large feet.
Limited bed length for loads....the optional extender helps some.
Rear seats could use some more padding.
Video screen electronic finger-slide controls (on some versions) awkward to use.
Odd-looking (IMO) primary/secondary gauge panel.
Independent rear suspension means more expensive 4-wheel alignments instead of front-only.
Absurd interior/exterior color choice on some versions.
No body-side moldings for ding-protection.
Poorly-designed oil-filler spout.
Battery somewhat difficult to service or replace.
EXTERIOR:
Though the overall shape and side-profile of the Ridgeline is new and noticeably different this year, it has the thick upper-grille chrome bar, moderately-sized trapezoidal-shaped grille, and tapered, moderate-sweep headlights that clearly identify it as a member of the current Honda family. Gone is the odd sweep-down, one-piece look to the bed-rails, replaced by a much more conventional horizontal look to the bed-sides and rear car. This, of course, was a major attempt on the part of the designers to try and make the styling of the new version appeal to more potential buyers (and more to truck-lovers) than the former version did. It DOES, in fact, look more like a conventional four-door, Crew-Cab pickup, though the (roughly) same unibody/enclosed frame construction and IRS remains underneath. I liked the band of dark gray (black?) vinyl body-cladding that surrounds the entire lower side of the vehicle, helping to protect the paint from dings and damage from tire-thrown road debris. The cladding goes up and inside all four wheel wells, and the inside of the wells are further insulated and protected from corrosive agents by inner-liners. It seems well-protected against salt damage.....much the same way my former Subaru Outback was. The large gaps in the wells for the wheels (which are sometimes criticized by those enthusiasts who like the "Big Wheel" look), in fact, make it simple to get a hose up inside of them and get the wells thoroughly cleaned out after mud or snow packs in. The relatively high-profile tires, at least on the sample I test-drove, also provide excellent ride comfort by truck standards.....more on that later.
The sheet metal seems quite solid by today's standards (except for the hood, which I'll get to below), and all four doors open and shut with a bank-vault-like thud.....a tremendous improvement over the thin-feeling, tinny doors on the latest Tacoma (I'm not knocking the Tacoma, as it is quite a good and reliable truck in a number of ways, but door-solidness and some of the interior materials don't seem quite up to snuff). The paint job, as usual by Honda standards, is quite well-done, though not quite to the mirror-like level of, say, an Audi or Lexus. But almost everything on the truck outside, in typical Honda fashion, has that Swiss-Watch solid and precise feel to it, coming from the factory, that Honda is famous for. The only thing I could find with even a hint of loose or imprecise feel to it was the swing/fold operation for the outside dual side-mirror housings....something that a number of automakers seem to letting up on with their newest designs.
If there is one significant problem on the exterior, IMO, it is the (sometimes) ridiculous paint-color choice among the various trim-versions. The Black Edition, of course (the one my pastor bought), is expected to be one color inside and out....obviously, the name signifies that. But several trim-versions offer only a choice of a darkish gray or darkish silver, with a black/gray interior, whether cloth or leather. Other versions add at least a little more rainbow-effect to the paint-choice...... white pearl, a nice dark blue, burgundy red, and/or dark forest green. Why all trim versions (except for the Black Edition, of course), don't offer the entire 5 or 6-color choice beats me....they are all built on the same assembly line, and there seems little reason for it. And, last, there is no body-side moulding to help ward off dents and dings from parking lots.
UNDERHOOD:
Unlike the rest of the sheet metal, the Ridgeline's hood appears to be made out of very light aluminum, and, for most people, can be easily lifted up and down with one hand. Instead of gas struts, a manual prop-rod, which anchors on the left, holds up the hood. I sometimes complain, in my reviews, about manual-prop-rods, but the hood is so light in this case that the rod itself is easy enough to use. Yes, Honda saved a couple of bucks in the design by not using gas struts.....but the money saved there was probably spent on the extra cost of the aluminum hood, which made the hood light and lessened the need for struts to start with. Under the hood is a thick, soft insulation pad....one of the thickest ones I've seen on a pickup. The 3.5L V6 engine, mounted transversely (sideways) generally fits in OK, but sits rather low inside the hood-compartment, which means not only a stretch for comparatively short persons over the taller-than-normal grille/front end, but also down somewhat inside when over the top. The big black plastic engine-cover (typical for many engines these days) blocks a lot of access to top-engine components. The battery is to the right, with the (+) positive terminal in reasonably good access, but with the rest of the battery covered up by what appears to be a large black piece of air-ducting. The fluid-reservoirs are generally easily accessible, as are the dipsticks. But the oil-filler-spout and cap, on the right-front side of the engine, is tilted forward at an angle, near the back side of the radiator, and mounted in a way that may (?) make it awkward for an owner or technician to try and add oil without using a fairly long narrow funnel.
INTERIOR:
Getting into the Ridgeline means that for many people (especially taller people) the seats are just about at butt-height, so it is basically a matter of just sliding one's self in, though shorter persons might (?) have to step up a little, as with many trucks. Inside the Ridgeline, though the materials used are not lavish (you generally won't confuse this interior with that of a Cadillac Escalade or Range Rover), they are quite durable-feeling and extremely well-assembled. Once again, as with the exterior, inside, you have that that "Swiss-Watch" feeling of laser-precise assembly. Dash and door-panel surfaces range from soft vinyl/rubber to hard (but durable-feeling) plastic, with a trim-stripe across the middle of the dash (I would prefer a wood-tone stripe myself, but that's not a real complaint LOL). Overhead, the sun-visors and headliner (no sunroof on this specific model) have a nice soft felt/fabric for a pleasant feel.....hard plastic sun-visors are something else that a number of automakers are now cheapening out on, even in some relatively expensive models. Because of the truck-style high, square roofline, there is plenty of headroom, both front and rear, for persons my size over six feet, though legroom in the rear, depending on where the front-seats are adjusted, can be marginal for persons that size. The front seats have a durable-feeling, high-quality grade of leather (lower-line and Sport versions use cloth seats). The seats themselves are relatively comfortable and supportive, if not quite cushy-enough for my tastes, and have number of different power-adjustments on upper-trim levels. Twin fold-down center arm rests for the driver and front passenger give somewhat of an imitation (not true) Captain's-Chair effect. In back, the twin 60/40 fold-up seats use the same leather, but, again, though not truly uncomfortable, are a little too firmly-padded for my tastes. Pull a lever on each end of the seat, and it folds up and snaps into the rear wall to provide room for cargo and packages that you want to keep inside, out of the weather, though there is also the aforementioned, weatherproof lockable compartment under the bed. A center arm rest and cupholders, if desired, fold down from the center-setback for rear-seat passengers.
On the dash, I was not a big fan of the basic style of the primary/secondary gauge-panel, which used a big digital read-out for the speedometer in the upper-center, an odd half-moon-shaped analog tachometer on the left, and smaller analog gauges on the right for coolant temperature and fuel-level. These were permanently set in the dash, and could not be adjusted, as with the multi-configurating possible with some vehicles. Honda seems to delight in doing gauge-panels that differ markedly from the norm, as with the double-tier panels that the Civic used for years and the ones on the current CR-Z hybrid. In the middle of the gauge-panel is found most of the trip-computer, tire-pressure, and distance/fuel-consumption numbers. The basic design of most of the durable and well-attached buttons/knobs is easy to use and decipher, as is with the analog stereo used on some models in the center of the upper-dash. Other versions, however, use an (IMO) awkward and difficult-to-use video-screen for the stereo, with electronic finger-slide sensors for stereo functions.....I greatly preferred the analog, button-equipped stereo. Stereo sound quality was excellent, however, on both the analog and digital/video units. The steering wheel was comfortable to hold, leather-wrapped on all the upper-trime versions, and had the usual plethora of buttons and knobs on it (in fairness to the video-stereo, BTW, some of the adjustments can be made with steering-wheel controls). The center console was somewhat on the wide side, which, to an extent, limited driver and passenger thigh-room, but not enough to be uncomfortable for most people. But the console also contained nice upholders and a sick-operating fore/aft shift-lever (no zig-zags or E-shift-bumps).
All in all, an excellent and well-assembled effort inside, though, personally, I'd dump the finger video-controls and put a little more (and softer) padding in the rear seat.
CARGO BED:
In the rear, the roughly 5-foot-long (64") bed expands to 83" (roughly 7 feet) with the tailgate down.....a bed-extender cage to hold in long cargo with the tailgate down is a $325 accessory. The tailgate retains the aforementioned 2-way operation (up/down or left/right) of the previous-generation model. The tailgate is fairly heavy by mid-size truck standards, and, when swinging up and down, lacks the counter-balance on the mid-size Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon for easy motion, but still is not very difficult for most people of reasonable health and strength. A dark gray (almost black) high-friction bed-lining material covers the bed, side walls, and inside of the tailgate. Also, as with the former Ridgeline, clever weatherproof compartments are built-in under the regular bed and in the rear of the right side wall. Unlike many other pickups where the spare tire is mounted outside, under the rear bumper (a pain in the *** to get to), the temporary spare tire is located in a forward-well of the big under-bed lift-up-compartment, where it can be fairly easily reached from above. However, a number of other pickups give you a real spare tire (even if its tough to reach), where the Ridgeline makes do with a temporary. Large cargo hooks and tie-down points are built into the bed for use if needed.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 3.5L V6 engine with a start/stop button and your foot on the brake.....some versions have a Remote-Start feature from the key fob, though, technically, it is illegal in some states for an engine to be running with no one inside the vehicle (that part's outside the scope of this review). The V6 idles smoothly and quietly, quite refined, and remains that way, on the road, with a reasonable amount of power. Some exhaust chuffle-noise is heard upon acceleration, but, overall, it seems well-insulated (remember that thick underhood pad I mentioned above?). The engineers, though, need to work a little more on the computer-programming for the electronic throttle-response, which seems jumpy and sensitive starting out in first gear from a stop. Front-wheel-drive (FWD) models (which I did not sample) have a SNOW mode for the transmission, which, when activated, limits the amount of torque that the engine puts out...or starts the vehicle out in second gear to limit wheel-spin on slippery surfaces. The 6-speed automatic, with the aforementioned slick-operating lever, shifts smoothly and seamlessly. I can remember, years ago, when bumpy, unrefined shifts on Honda-designed automatics (especially the Accord) were commonplace, but those days are gone.
The chassis and suspension is quite well-done by truck standards.....though, of course, as mentioned before, it is not a traditional truck-frame/chassis. Steering response, as with most pickups, is a little on the slow side, but body roll seems well-controlled, especially considering he rather high center of gravity. General ride comfort, at least on the versions with the 60-series profile tires, was astoundingly good for a pickup......probably the best in the truck-market except for maybe the big full-size Dodge Ram 1500, which has a longer wheelbase than the Ridgeline and eschews the traditional pickup leaf-spring rear suspension for coil springs. Wind noise was quite well-controlled, at least at the speeds I was driving at (within legal limits), and road noise (another Honda-design bane which still plagues some of its models) was also quite low on most surfaces (perhaps because of that insulation and lining in the wheel wells I mentioned earlier). In one quick sentence, the Ridgeline basically drives like a Accord on stilts. The only thing on the road I didn't particularly care for (besides the jumpy throttle when starting up) was the way the brake pedal was designed....it had a spongy feel, wasn't particularly responsive in the first inch or two of travel, and wasn't particularly well-located, in relation to the gas pedal, for my big Size-15 Clodhopper circus-clown shoe to slide easily from gas to brake without the edge of the shoe hanging on the edge of the pedal. It wasn't unsafe...I just had to be careful when lifting your foot, that's all. I often run into that problem while test-driving many vehicles (and sometimes on my own vehicles), so I'm used to it.
THE VERDICT:
Well done, Honda. Unless one wants or needs a Macho-truck to tow a heavy boat or large trailer-home, carry large bulky cargo, or go rock-crawling off-road (in, which case, other manufacturers will be glad to take your money), the Ridgeline, most of the time, should serve the needs of the typical suburban driver/owner quite well. Its V6 has a reasonable amount of power, the powertrain operates seamlessly except for the jumpy throttle, the chassis/suspension/tires coddle you by truck standards, the handling is reasonably good, the seats are reasonably comfortable (at least up front), and, of course, you get a vehicle that is superbly assembled, and doesn't use junk-parts. The AWD system and relatively high-stance should make mincemeat of most winter driving conditions. I reviewed the latest versions of the Chevrolet Canyon and Toyota Tacoma when they first debuted (and was quite impressed with the Colorado)...but I think that this truck, for everyday driving, road-manners, and moderate-level truck duties, outdoes them both. It can tow 5000 lbs, which is not as much as larger trucks, but is still two and a half tons...no slouch. The Ridgeline, IMO, sets a benchmark in the mid-size truck class for quality (at least right from the plant), road-manners, and driving-ease. Its clever features will also come in handy.
But, as with any vehicle, all is not roses. Despite the durability and quality of the interior and exterior materials right out of the factory, Consumer Reports notes a declining long-term reliability of several Honda and Acura products in recent years. The former, first-generation Ridgeline (at least up till production stopped in 2014) had a consistently Better-than-Average reliability rating.....but that doesn't necessarily mean that the new second-generation, despite its quality control and nice materials, will follow suit long-term. Only time will tell. In the meantime, however, I can give this truck quite high marks in most categories....as stated before, I think its main problems are not serious. If it was up to me, I'd redesign the speedometer/tachometer, put a little more padding on the rear seat, dump the all-electronic video screen in the upper-trim models, and change the (ridiculous) paint/color limitations on the lower-trim versions. And that's it. Again, well-done, Honda.
And, of course, as always, Happy Car (or Rather, Truck) Shopping.
MM
http://automobiles.honda.com/ridgeline/
IN A NUTSHELL: Not a heavy-duty pick-up truck by any means, but extremely well-built, with some clever features, and does what it was designed to do very well.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier (Ford will also introduce a new mid-size Ranger pickup within the next year or so). However, all of the rest of these mid-size trucks are traditional body-on-frame design and RWD in base form, which differs markedly from the Ridgeline. The Ridgeline has no direct American-market competitors.
OVERVIEW:
As a special appreciation for, and in memory of, the excellent work and service our pastor, a military Chaplain, has given to our congregation during his term, I'm going to take the time to do a special full-review of the latest, second-generation Honda Ridgeline pick-up (totally redesigned for 2017), as he prepares to leave for another assignment. He himself has been blessed with a new 2017 Ridgeline (all-black inside and out, which matches his clerical garb perfectly LOL). We wish him the best of luck on his new assignment (actually a retirement...he's going back to a civilian pastorship)....and, of course, the best of luck with his (almost) brand-new truck. The son of one of my neighbors, who plays in a band and does gigs locally here in the D.C. area, has an older, first-generation Ridgeline which he loves.....he uses it to haul musical equipment (instruments, amps, hook-ups, etc...), around the area. His mom also loves it...more so than her own Acura TSX compact sedan.
Honda's first-generation Ridgeline was introduced for the 2005 model year as a different kind of mid-size pick-up......in automotive terms, it is officially classed as an SUT (Sport-Utility-Truck). The Ridgeline differed sharply from traditional pick-up body-on-frame designs, their boxed-steel outer-frame and cross members, and bolted or welded-on bodies and beds. The Ridgeline, instead, used a one-piece unibody (bed and cabin included) sand incorporated a built-in boxed frame and cross members under it.....more or less combining the best of both worlds. Instead of the virtually-unversal (for pick-ups) rear-driveshaft and one-piece live-axle/differential in the rear, the Ridgeline used an independent rear suspension (IRS), which gave it a better ride/handling combination than traditional pick-ups. Like many cars and crossover SUVs of the period, the 3.5L V6 engine was mounted transversely (sideways) under the hood, and drove the front wheels, with a rather mechanically complex (due to the transverse layout) All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system as optional. Interesting, considering that Honda's older ads used to say......"We make it Simple" LOL. A number of truck-enthusiasts and purists made fun of, and looked down on, the original Ridgeline, noting that its payload and tow-ratings could not compete with the big-boy trucks from Ford, Chevy/GMC, Dodge/Ram, Toyota, and Nissan. They noted its short bed length, odd looks in combining the bed with the rest of the body in one piece, and relative lack of off-road capability, accusing it of not being a "real" truck. This, IMO, was at least partially unfair...it was never intended to haul the kind of 30,000 lb. loads that a dual-rear-axle, Cummins-Diesel F-350 or 3500-series truck does, nor even that of a typical half-ton or three-quarter-ton-rated truck. It was designed to do one thing, and it did it superbly well....combine a reasonable amount of utility, payload/towing, comfort, roominess, refinement, and reliability into one mid-sized package. The bed was on the short side because of the four standard-size doors and plush, roomy (by pickup standards) rear-seat area. A number of clever features were incorporated into the design, including outside, lockable, weather-proof compartments built into the sides and under the bed. Some of the early early versions (I don't remember exactly which years) also had a dual-action tailgate, similar to the one Ford used back in the 1960s and 70s on some of its station wagons, which, depending on how you were parked and what kind of load you were dealing with, allowed the gate to either swing down in a traditional manner or off to the side. And, of course, being a Honda product, with Honda's long tradition of quality and of its vehicles coming from the factory assembled like Swiss Watches, it was reliable, although some cracks have been recently been noted in the quality-armor of Honda's newer vehicles.
Anyhow, the First-generation Ridgeline remained in production until 2014, when it was dropped (partly from low sales) and put on hold pending a total redesign...no 2015 or 2016 models were sold, at least in the American market. Now, for the 2017 model year, comes an all-new and reworked Ridgeline. The basic overall layout (transverse V6 engine, front or all-wheel-drive, combination unibody and built-in ladder-frame, roomy rear seat with four full doors, and independent rear suspension remains, as does more or less similar payload/towing capacities as before. Many new safety features, of course, have been added, and the unibody frame has been strengthened with new alloys. But, in a nod to the enthusiasts and purists, the overall styling has been altered to be more like a traditional mid-size pick-up, and the truck has lost the former odd appearance aft of the B and C-pillars. So we'll see how the new one stands up to public scrutiny, though, of course, there's the old axiom that you can't please everyone.
For 2017, the all-new Ridgeline comes in seven different trim versions. There is the RT ($29,475), RTS ($31,515), Sport ($33,015), RTL ($33,780), RTL-T ($35,980), RTL-E ($41,470), and, of course, the one our pastor liked.....the Black Edition ($42,970). All versions share the same 3.5L V6 engine of 280 HP and 262 ft-lbs. of torque and a 6-speed Sport-Shift automatic transmission. RTL-E and Black Editions come with standard all-wheel-drive (AWD)....it is optional on the others, where front-wheel-drive (FWD) is standard. RTL-E and Black Editions also come with a standard heavy-duty transmission cooler, an option on the others. For the rest of the equipment-details, see the attached web-site above.
As usual, when possible, for the static (non-test-drive) review, I sat in and examined several different interiors. For the test-drive itself, I selected an AWD RT-L model without options that seemed reasonably priced for the level of standard equipment, a version that would probably appeal to a fairly wide range of those who would be interested in a Ridgeline. It was quite a pleasant test-drive.....one of the best I've had in a pick-up truck short of a recent Dodge Ram 1500. Details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2017 Honda Ridgeline AWD RT-L
BASE PRICE: $35,580
OPTIONS: None
DESTINATION/FREIGHT CHARGE: $900 (not bad for a vehicle the size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $36,480
DRIVETRAIN: Transversely-mounted 3.5L V6, 280 HP @ 6000 RPM, Torque 262 ft-lbs. @ 4700 RPM, 6-speed automatic transmission, Variable-Torque-Management all-wheel-drive (AWD) system.
EPA MILEAGE RATINGS: 18 City, 25 Highway, 21 Combined
(Not great numbers compared to econo-cars, but OK for an AWD midsize truck)
TOWING CAPACITY: 5000 lbs.
EXTERIOR COLOR: Modern Steel Metallic (a medium-to-dark gray)
INTERIOR: Black Leather
PLUSSES:
Car-like ride comfort.
Reasonably powerful V6 engine.
Smooth, seamless transmssion.
Effective wind and road noise isolation by truck standards.
Swiss-Watch assembly quality (though long-term Honda reliability may be declining).
Excellent paint job (minus the color choice).
(Mostly) durable and rock-solid hardware inside and out.
Well-designed protection from corrosion and lower-body paint damage.
Lightweight aluminium hood relatively easy to raise /lower, even with the manual prop-rod.
More-conventional truck styling should appeal to more buyers this time.
Relatively easy entry/exit for many persons.
Cleverly-designed rear compartments and dual-action tailgate.
Plain-looking but durable interior trim materials.
Solid, bank-vault thuds from door-closings.
Simple, relatively easy-to-use buttons/controls (except for the video-screen).
Durable seat upholstery, both for cloth and leather.
Inward-folding rear seat for added (indoor) cargo storage.
Good headroom, front and rear, for big (6' 2") persons my size.
Temporary spare tire relatively easy to access (by truck standards).
MINUSES:
Has a long record of rejection by the truck-community (hopefully that will change with the new version).
Questionable depreciation from lack of demand.
Relatively slow steering response...but not bad by truck standards.
Somewhat jumpy throttle in first gear from rest.
Spongy-feeling brake pedal not well-located for large feet.
Limited bed length for loads....the optional extender helps some.
Rear seats could use some more padding.
Video screen electronic finger-slide controls (on some versions) awkward to use.
Odd-looking (IMO) primary/secondary gauge panel.
Independent rear suspension means more expensive 4-wheel alignments instead of front-only.
Absurd interior/exterior color choice on some versions.
No body-side moldings for ding-protection.
Poorly-designed oil-filler spout.
Battery somewhat difficult to service or replace.
EXTERIOR:
Though the overall shape and side-profile of the Ridgeline is new and noticeably different this year, it has the thick upper-grille chrome bar, moderately-sized trapezoidal-shaped grille, and tapered, moderate-sweep headlights that clearly identify it as a member of the current Honda family. Gone is the odd sweep-down, one-piece look to the bed-rails, replaced by a much more conventional horizontal look to the bed-sides and rear car. This, of course, was a major attempt on the part of the designers to try and make the styling of the new version appeal to more potential buyers (and more to truck-lovers) than the former version did. It DOES, in fact, look more like a conventional four-door, Crew-Cab pickup, though the (roughly) same unibody/enclosed frame construction and IRS remains underneath. I liked the band of dark gray (black?) vinyl body-cladding that surrounds the entire lower side of the vehicle, helping to protect the paint from dings and damage from tire-thrown road debris. The cladding goes up and inside all four wheel wells, and the inside of the wells are further insulated and protected from corrosive agents by inner-liners. It seems well-protected against salt damage.....much the same way my former Subaru Outback was. The large gaps in the wells for the wheels (which are sometimes criticized by those enthusiasts who like the "Big Wheel" look), in fact, make it simple to get a hose up inside of them and get the wells thoroughly cleaned out after mud or snow packs in. The relatively high-profile tires, at least on the sample I test-drove, also provide excellent ride comfort by truck standards.....more on that later.
The sheet metal seems quite solid by today's standards (except for the hood, which I'll get to below), and all four doors open and shut with a bank-vault-like thud.....a tremendous improvement over the thin-feeling, tinny doors on the latest Tacoma (I'm not knocking the Tacoma, as it is quite a good and reliable truck in a number of ways, but door-solidness and some of the interior materials don't seem quite up to snuff). The paint job, as usual by Honda standards, is quite well-done, though not quite to the mirror-like level of, say, an Audi or Lexus. But almost everything on the truck outside, in typical Honda fashion, has that Swiss-Watch solid and precise feel to it, coming from the factory, that Honda is famous for. The only thing I could find with even a hint of loose or imprecise feel to it was the swing/fold operation for the outside dual side-mirror housings....something that a number of automakers seem to letting up on with their newest designs.
If there is one significant problem on the exterior, IMO, it is the (sometimes) ridiculous paint-color choice among the various trim-versions. The Black Edition, of course (the one my pastor bought), is expected to be one color inside and out....obviously, the name signifies that. But several trim-versions offer only a choice of a darkish gray or darkish silver, with a black/gray interior, whether cloth or leather. Other versions add at least a little more rainbow-effect to the paint-choice...... white pearl, a nice dark blue, burgundy red, and/or dark forest green. Why all trim versions (except for the Black Edition, of course), don't offer the entire 5 or 6-color choice beats me....they are all built on the same assembly line, and there seems little reason for it. And, last, there is no body-side moulding to help ward off dents and dings from parking lots.
UNDERHOOD:
Unlike the rest of the sheet metal, the Ridgeline's hood appears to be made out of very light aluminum, and, for most people, can be easily lifted up and down with one hand. Instead of gas struts, a manual prop-rod, which anchors on the left, holds up the hood. I sometimes complain, in my reviews, about manual-prop-rods, but the hood is so light in this case that the rod itself is easy enough to use. Yes, Honda saved a couple of bucks in the design by not using gas struts.....but the money saved there was probably spent on the extra cost of the aluminum hood, which made the hood light and lessened the need for struts to start with. Under the hood is a thick, soft insulation pad....one of the thickest ones I've seen on a pickup. The 3.5L V6 engine, mounted transversely (sideways) generally fits in OK, but sits rather low inside the hood-compartment, which means not only a stretch for comparatively short persons over the taller-than-normal grille/front end, but also down somewhat inside when over the top. The big black plastic engine-cover (typical for many engines these days) blocks a lot of access to top-engine components. The battery is to the right, with the (+) positive terminal in reasonably good access, but with the rest of the battery covered up by what appears to be a large black piece of air-ducting. The fluid-reservoirs are generally easily accessible, as are the dipsticks. But the oil-filler-spout and cap, on the right-front side of the engine, is tilted forward at an angle, near the back side of the radiator, and mounted in a way that may (?) make it awkward for an owner or technician to try and add oil without using a fairly long narrow funnel.
INTERIOR:
Getting into the Ridgeline means that for many people (especially taller people) the seats are just about at butt-height, so it is basically a matter of just sliding one's self in, though shorter persons might (?) have to step up a little, as with many trucks. Inside the Ridgeline, though the materials used are not lavish (you generally won't confuse this interior with that of a Cadillac Escalade or Range Rover), they are quite durable-feeling and extremely well-assembled. Once again, as with the exterior, inside, you have that that "Swiss-Watch" feeling of laser-precise assembly. Dash and door-panel surfaces range from soft vinyl/rubber to hard (but durable-feeling) plastic, with a trim-stripe across the middle of the dash (I would prefer a wood-tone stripe myself, but that's not a real complaint LOL). Overhead, the sun-visors and headliner (no sunroof on this specific model) have a nice soft felt/fabric for a pleasant feel.....hard plastic sun-visors are something else that a number of automakers are now cheapening out on, even in some relatively expensive models. Because of the truck-style high, square roofline, there is plenty of headroom, both front and rear, for persons my size over six feet, though legroom in the rear, depending on where the front-seats are adjusted, can be marginal for persons that size. The front seats have a durable-feeling, high-quality grade of leather (lower-line and Sport versions use cloth seats). The seats themselves are relatively comfortable and supportive, if not quite cushy-enough for my tastes, and have number of different power-adjustments on upper-trim levels. Twin fold-down center arm rests for the driver and front passenger give somewhat of an imitation (not true) Captain's-Chair effect. In back, the twin 60/40 fold-up seats use the same leather, but, again, though not truly uncomfortable, are a little too firmly-padded for my tastes. Pull a lever on each end of the seat, and it folds up and snaps into the rear wall to provide room for cargo and packages that you want to keep inside, out of the weather, though there is also the aforementioned, weatherproof lockable compartment under the bed. A center arm rest and cupholders, if desired, fold down from the center-setback for rear-seat passengers.
On the dash, I was not a big fan of the basic style of the primary/secondary gauge-panel, which used a big digital read-out for the speedometer in the upper-center, an odd half-moon-shaped analog tachometer on the left, and smaller analog gauges on the right for coolant temperature and fuel-level. These were permanently set in the dash, and could not be adjusted, as with the multi-configurating possible with some vehicles. Honda seems to delight in doing gauge-panels that differ markedly from the norm, as with the double-tier panels that the Civic used for years and the ones on the current CR-Z hybrid. In the middle of the gauge-panel is found most of the trip-computer, tire-pressure, and distance/fuel-consumption numbers. The basic design of most of the durable and well-attached buttons/knobs is easy to use and decipher, as is with the analog stereo used on some models in the center of the upper-dash. Other versions, however, use an (IMO) awkward and difficult-to-use video-screen for the stereo, with electronic finger-slide sensors for stereo functions.....I greatly preferred the analog, button-equipped stereo. Stereo sound quality was excellent, however, on both the analog and digital/video units. The steering wheel was comfortable to hold, leather-wrapped on all the upper-trime versions, and had the usual plethora of buttons and knobs on it (in fairness to the video-stereo, BTW, some of the adjustments can be made with steering-wheel controls). The center console was somewhat on the wide side, which, to an extent, limited driver and passenger thigh-room, but not enough to be uncomfortable for most people. But the console also contained nice upholders and a sick-operating fore/aft shift-lever (no zig-zags or E-shift-bumps).
All in all, an excellent and well-assembled effort inside, though, personally, I'd dump the finger video-controls and put a little more (and softer) padding in the rear seat.
CARGO BED:
In the rear, the roughly 5-foot-long (64") bed expands to 83" (roughly 7 feet) with the tailgate down.....a bed-extender cage to hold in long cargo with the tailgate down is a $325 accessory. The tailgate retains the aforementioned 2-way operation (up/down or left/right) of the previous-generation model. The tailgate is fairly heavy by mid-size truck standards, and, when swinging up and down, lacks the counter-balance on the mid-size Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon for easy motion, but still is not very difficult for most people of reasonable health and strength. A dark gray (almost black) high-friction bed-lining material covers the bed, side walls, and inside of the tailgate. Also, as with the former Ridgeline, clever weatherproof compartments are built-in under the regular bed and in the rear of the right side wall. Unlike many other pickups where the spare tire is mounted outside, under the rear bumper (a pain in the *** to get to), the temporary spare tire is located in a forward-well of the big under-bed lift-up-compartment, where it can be fairly easily reached from above. However, a number of other pickups give you a real spare tire (even if its tough to reach), where the Ridgeline makes do with a temporary. Large cargo hooks and tie-down points are built into the bed for use if needed.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 3.5L V6 engine with a start/stop button and your foot on the brake.....some versions have a Remote-Start feature from the key fob, though, technically, it is illegal in some states for an engine to be running with no one inside the vehicle (that part's outside the scope of this review). The V6 idles smoothly and quietly, quite refined, and remains that way, on the road, with a reasonable amount of power. Some exhaust chuffle-noise is heard upon acceleration, but, overall, it seems well-insulated (remember that thick underhood pad I mentioned above?). The engineers, though, need to work a little more on the computer-programming for the electronic throttle-response, which seems jumpy and sensitive starting out in first gear from a stop. Front-wheel-drive (FWD) models (which I did not sample) have a SNOW mode for the transmission, which, when activated, limits the amount of torque that the engine puts out...or starts the vehicle out in second gear to limit wheel-spin on slippery surfaces. The 6-speed automatic, with the aforementioned slick-operating lever, shifts smoothly and seamlessly. I can remember, years ago, when bumpy, unrefined shifts on Honda-designed automatics (especially the Accord) were commonplace, but those days are gone.
The chassis and suspension is quite well-done by truck standards.....though, of course, as mentioned before, it is not a traditional truck-frame/chassis. Steering response, as with most pickups, is a little on the slow side, but body roll seems well-controlled, especially considering he rather high center of gravity. General ride comfort, at least on the versions with the 60-series profile tires, was astoundingly good for a pickup......probably the best in the truck-market except for maybe the big full-size Dodge Ram 1500, which has a longer wheelbase than the Ridgeline and eschews the traditional pickup leaf-spring rear suspension for coil springs. Wind noise was quite well-controlled, at least at the speeds I was driving at (within legal limits), and road noise (another Honda-design bane which still plagues some of its models) was also quite low on most surfaces (perhaps because of that insulation and lining in the wheel wells I mentioned earlier). In one quick sentence, the Ridgeline basically drives like a Accord on stilts. The only thing on the road I didn't particularly care for (besides the jumpy throttle when starting up) was the way the brake pedal was designed....it had a spongy feel, wasn't particularly responsive in the first inch or two of travel, and wasn't particularly well-located, in relation to the gas pedal, for my big Size-15 Clodhopper circus-clown shoe to slide easily from gas to brake without the edge of the shoe hanging on the edge of the pedal. It wasn't unsafe...I just had to be careful when lifting your foot, that's all. I often run into that problem while test-driving many vehicles (and sometimes on my own vehicles), so I'm used to it.
THE VERDICT:
Well done, Honda. Unless one wants or needs a Macho-truck to tow a heavy boat or large trailer-home, carry large bulky cargo, or go rock-crawling off-road (in, which case, other manufacturers will be glad to take your money), the Ridgeline, most of the time, should serve the needs of the typical suburban driver/owner quite well. Its V6 has a reasonable amount of power, the powertrain operates seamlessly except for the jumpy throttle, the chassis/suspension/tires coddle you by truck standards, the handling is reasonably good, the seats are reasonably comfortable (at least up front), and, of course, you get a vehicle that is superbly assembled, and doesn't use junk-parts. The AWD system and relatively high-stance should make mincemeat of most winter driving conditions. I reviewed the latest versions of the Chevrolet Canyon and Toyota Tacoma when they first debuted (and was quite impressed with the Colorado)...but I think that this truck, for everyday driving, road-manners, and moderate-level truck duties, outdoes them both. It can tow 5000 lbs, which is not as much as larger trucks, but is still two and a half tons...no slouch. The Ridgeline, IMO, sets a benchmark in the mid-size truck class for quality (at least right from the plant), road-manners, and driving-ease. Its clever features will also come in handy.
But, as with any vehicle, all is not roses. Despite the durability and quality of the interior and exterior materials right out of the factory, Consumer Reports notes a declining long-term reliability of several Honda and Acura products in recent years. The former, first-generation Ridgeline (at least up till production stopped in 2014) had a consistently Better-than-Average reliability rating.....but that doesn't necessarily mean that the new second-generation, despite its quality control and nice materials, will follow suit long-term. Only time will tell. In the meantime, however, I can give this truck quite high marks in most categories....as stated before, I think its main problems are not serious. If it was up to me, I'd redesign the speedometer/tachometer, put a little more padding on the rear seat, dump the all-electronic video screen in the upper-trim models, and change the (ridiculous) paint/color limitations on the lower-trim versions. And that's it. Again, well-done, Honda.
And, of course, as always, Happy Car (or Rather, Truck) Shopping.
MM
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