An icy blue pickup truck was parked on the streets of Manhattan on a rainy day. I got into the SUV-type vehicle with a large bed, full of expectations – the car did not disappoint.
I drove Honda’s new SportTrail trim in the Ridgeline pickup series. It’s the more robust version of the cozy work tool.
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The Ridgeline is not a standard midsize pickup truck.
Most pickups are built body-on-frame, mounting a separate body on a rigid ladder-shaped chassis.
The resulting truck gets a muscular, taut ride that feels more comfortable on off-road tracks and gravel construction sites than in grocery store parking lots.
Honda has capitalized on the growing segment of new vehicle buyers who use their pickup trucks as daily drivers. He built a Swiss Army knife vehicle, capable of tackling different terrains.
The Ridgeline operates on similar foundations as the Odyssey minivan, giving the truck a truck-like ride and SUV-like smoothness over potholes.
Traversing the narrow streets of New York City was a breeze in the pickup. Guiding the pickup through double-parked cars and rows of tourists on bikes was simple.
The pickup has a torque vectoring all-wheel drive system that sends more power to the outside wheels during cornering.
Drivers can turn the truck quickly.
But this year, Honda has produced a more rugged option for drivers hoping to take their trucks away from the suburban sprawl.
New for 2024 is the TrailSport trim. Previously, the Ridgeline offered the same chassis options on all trucks.
The TrailSport is the “more off-road” version of the truck, Honda said. It adds an off-road-tuned suspension, skinny tires, and a steel underbody.
Despite the robust additions, the truck maintains its daily modes of transport.
The Ridgeline also features surprising interior versatility and legroom.
Rear seat passengers get 36.7 inches of space between the rear seat and front seats.
A six-foot passenger I carried in the vehicle called his time in the back seat “extremely comfortable.”
If drivers do not have rear seat occupants and require more storage, the seats can be raised and retracted into the rear wall of the cabin.
Honda said the extra space allows drivers to store bicycle-sized objects in the second row.
Honda Ridgeline Review
Ben Shimkus, automotive reporter for The US Sun, drove the Honda Ridgeline for a weekend. Here are his thoughts on the pickup.
Drivers looking for a capable off-road truck with calm vibrations on pavement need look no further than the Ridgeline.
The pickup is comfortable on city streets, with ample legroom and storage capacity.
Drivers can also expect standard Honda practicality and resale value.
The biggest criticism of the truck is its social acceptance in the trucking world.
Truck purists tend not to give flowers to the pickup. I think it’s a shame.
Here are the specs for our Ridgeline TrailSport:
- $46,375 MSRP plus destination charge
- 18 mpg city – 23 mpg highway – 20 mpg overall (although our truck exceeded those numbers)
- 280 horsepower V-6
- Active safety features including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and blind spot monitoring
- Huge storage and new technologies in infotainment and instrument cluster
The new Ridgelines also have a treasure trove of new technologies in the cabin.
Active safety features including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and blind spot monitoring guide safe driving.
This year’s larger infotainment screen has updated maps and faster processing speeds. The truck keeps its Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless.
Some drivers will love the truck’s versatility – count me as one of those people.
However, truck purists laughed at the pickup’s familiar ways.
“I can do a lot of things wrong, but at least I don’t drive a Honda Ridgeline,” said one truck enthusiast he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
If drivers ignore the hate on social media, they might get a truck that is comfortable and saves money.
Including destination fees, Ridgeline TrailSport buyers are looking to shell out just over $46,000 for pickup.
The Ridgeline is one of the best performing vehicles on the market in terms of resale value.
The pickup is expected to depreciate just 29% in five years of ownership, according to car edge.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
