Nothing wrong with adding a little luxury. We should always improve our lives and way of living. Today’s vehicle have come a long way since the ‘ol Ford Model T. That being said, prices are getting way out of control.
It’s called inflation....Due partly because people want to make entry level jobs a lifetime career and then bitch they don’t make enough money to survive. When the minimum wage goes up, so does the price of everything else to compensate for it....
@@zbenkert CEOs of companies having to increase minimum wages aren't going to sit back and watch their profits go down because they have to pay their entry level employees more. They are going to hike up the prices of their goods and services. He's right, unfortunately. It's the main reason we have inflation. I am not against people making more money, but how much money should we really be paying a 17 year old working at Burger King for their first job? You should think about something before relegating it as "ignorant".
@@jlang8213 car prices are not inflated because of the minimum wage being raised lol it hasn’t been raised since 2009 federally and inflation has been decreasing since the 90s. The statement is ignorant because its using a basic economic theory out of context in order to justify underpaying people.
yeah.. I wish someone (a company) would just dumb it down, at least one model. What I would really like to see is like an electric cyber truck with the stong stainless panels-- but with NO screen, no electronic anything.. manual seats, manual windows... Nothing fancy, just a battery level gauge, temp gauge and speedometer. Done. A truck that is very strong, very simple, very durable, overbuilt where it needs to be and cut everything out that it doesn't need. I think Elon has done well in that he has probably created a new catagory of truck-- that I call a TOUGH TRUCK-- and as soon as it comes out, Ford and the others will be trying to make a tough truck of their own, with the hardened body and stainless skin. But I just wish Tesla would build us a little nokia and stop trying to be an iphone.
As a Ridgeline owner.... the HPD package looks like crap to me. On the other hand, the facelift for the new refresh looks way better than my 2018. So that's a move in the right direction toward more 'traditional' truck buyers IMO. If the paddles allow you to keep in a specific gear, that would be a nice feature. Still not a fan of push-button shifters. Not sure I'll ever be a fan of those. I'd still rather have a manual.
Same, 19 owner here. Love everything but the wheel pass through vents and HPD. Same problem with the shifter for me, and auto stop start is a big no...
If Honda shipped this thing with a manual they would have no reason at all to not bring back the accord coupe 6-6. I have a 2010 coupe 6-6. Honda really should plop the Acura turbo V6 into a new accord coupe, and give it a manual with the AWD. Thing would crap on BMWs.
I am picking up 2021 Ridgeline black edition. Made my own HPD package. Bought the front grill, badge on tailgate & graphic on side all separately. No fender flares or bronze rims.
They wouldn't look bad if they weren't as wide as they are. If they were slimmed down a little and those godawful gold rims were like a gunmetal gray or something, and maybe have a factory lift kit the HPD would be worth getting. But there is nothing "performance" about half assed cosmetics.
Agree. The part where flare angles by the front bumper does things to my OCD that makes me feel uncomfortable. Seems to me that taking it down and not leaving it angled would’ve been a bette option.
Since I know that you will use features like launch control on vehicles, I suggest you try your acceleration test with it in sand mode. It has more aggressive throttle and shift mapping, stays in vtec longer, and moves 70% of the torque to the rear. Whole different animal.
Hardest launch in the 9AT models seems to be in Normal mode and Sport, most likely because the extra torque multiplication of 1st gear is too much torque for the rear diff. It definitely launches harder than in Sand mode.
I have the 2018 ridgeline, I have owned half tons and 3/4 ton diesels. If you really need that much truck look elsewhere. However if u need a half ton and don’t tow anything u should give this a try. Best vehicle I have owned.
After waiting a million years for the frontier and never giving the Ridgeline a shot, i’ve driven the taco’s not a fan of the gear searching..i finally test drove a 21 Ridgeline black edition and sure enough its now sitting in my driveway.
Same here! Went to get a Tacoma, realized I wasn't going to take a brand new leased vehicle off road just for the fun of it. (I'll buy a used jeep for that). Drove a Ridgeline loved the ride, did some research and realized it is actually a better more capable hauler than the Tacoma equally equipped.
@@Ram14250 i love it, its responsive and comfortable, i needed a midsize that i could daily drive and park in the city (nyc) for work, so far its been awesome on gas and a pleasure to drive.
@@S42069 I million years ago I had a ’66 Ranchero. They and the El Camino were popular in their day, before they bloated, and were plenty useful. They remained popular in Australia for a long time though I think they’ve now been discontinued. But I’ve seen them driven down some pretty rough Aussie roads. I think the main issue becomes cost. A modern full sized pickup can do more, is reasonably comfortable, get decent gas mileage, and often doesn't cost a lot more. They are a bit unwieldy in a supermarket parking lot. I suspect the Ridgeline’s off road capability is about on par with an Outback’s.
If you dont need to tow more than 4000 lbs, or do serious off-roading you'd honestly be an idiot not to get a Ridgeline. Best mpg in class, best ride in class, most spacious cabin in class, excellent reliability, excellent resale, Honda quality, most usable bed, etc. etc.
@@jldude84 the ridgeline is actually the only midsize truck you can lay a 4x8 flat in the bed. Sure itll stick out about 14”, but to be fair, a 4x8 would also stick out on ALL trucks with beds < 6.5 ft
What i would like to hear in every truck review is - can you fit a sheet of drywall or plywood in bewteen the wheel base . I love that trunk in the ridgline as it makes perfect compartment for tools without having to use bed space
Yeah, unless you have something in the bed and then you can't get to the trunk. I'd rather just have a bigger bed, which should be possible in a unibody truck. But choices are good.
Not only can you fit a 4-x-8 flat between the wells, but you can fit an oversize sheet of 49-x-97" particle board. (Slightly oversize to trim to square.) Even my old Tundra couldn't do that. I do wish the bed was available in 6' length though, for camping.
Always love the TFL guys...2 Things MPGs & Sand "Launch Mode"...A) Our 2017 Ridgeline get s26.3 MPG always calculated at the pump when doing highway and drives to the mountains or beaches (but we have Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires on it too. B) Put the truck in "Sand Mode" which I call "Launch Mode" / Bat out of "He" double hockey sticks mode...it changes the truck to rear wheel bias, turns off traction control, shift points, accelerator pedal sensitivity...and it launches off the line like a Bat out of you know where...or a skat cat! :-)
THANK YOU for actually figuring out the REAL fuel economy instead of taking the (always) optimistic reading that the vehicle gives you. I can't stand when reviewers read off the number the vehicle shows you & then assume that that's the real-world fuel economy. Manufacturers LOVE that people believe the number that shows up on the screen, which is why they purposely program them to show higher than what the vehicle is actually getting. I probably wouldn't own one personally, but I think these trucks are great options for someone in the market for a comfortable midsized truck that can do Lowe's duty on the weekend & pull a boat to the ramp when they need it to! Great review man!
How's this for real-world: I took this vehicle on a road-trip between Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs. 1420 miles total and I got 25.2 MPG. To and from Colorado Springs, it was all interstate, speed limit was mostly 80 MPH. I ran cruise control set at 82 MPH and the ECON button was on. For the couple hundred miles tooling around Colorado Springs, ECON robs so much acceleration that it's just not practical. Running around town like that through a full tank of gas and no ECON button, that kind of driving gets you about 20 MPG. Aside from the sticker and whatever the dealer tells you, that's what I'm seeing real-world. My ridgeline is new, I got it a month ago.
HPD has been around since 1993. But I’m with you on the acronyms. Everybody wants one and I can’t think of a manufacturer that doesn’t have one to identify a performance model based on their own research and development teams.
I've always liked the ridgeline. People just need to put their ego aside and see that it's actually a really good truck and does like 95% of whatever they need.
It may be an ego thing for some, but a lot of people just don't like a FWD "truck" without a frame. I honestly don't understand it. The Pilot is way, way better looking, more attractive shape, and it's basically the same vehicle, so unless you regularly haul something that's TOO big for a Pilot but not too big for this (unlikely), just get a damn Pilot and stop pretending you have a truck. Or shit just get a Ranger or Tacoma or Colorado, they ALL look better than this abomination.
@@jldude84 I'm sure Honda did some sort of extra structure bracing to handle truck duties though. And having a bed is more convenient vs an suv so that's an advantage lol
@@jldude84 Preach! It shouldn’t be considered a “truck” if it has FWD and no frame- garbage structural rigidity. And it look absolutely horrible. Edit: the “gearshift” is also bad. Why would you want a button as a gearshift? Just my 2 cents.
Maybe Honda should build a true Tacoma and Ranger competitor. I am.a Toyota guy but Honda can do more. Toyota needs competition....keep making automakers improve.
it's always been a real truck; don't let bros tell you otherwise... if you want to go off-roading (not rock crawling), just swap the tires and get a lift kit instead of the hpd appearance package.
It's actually kind of a hybrid, a ladder frame with the unibody welded to it. It's pretty well engineered. But not well enough to tow as well as any other truck in its class, evidently.
@@marklion315 yeah I don't get how it can have that payload but still can't tow much. But still, in the real world it tows as much or more than a Tacoma I guess, since the Tacoma has such a small payload.
That trunk on that truck though. I'd love to have that on my truck. Finally a good place to secure things like luggage without having to have a stupid bloody topper or cover Like the passthrough for Rivan its an awesome idea more truck manufacturers should pay attention to.
FYI...trailer brake wiring is standard on all Ridgelines and they come from the factory with the 4 wire harness included. All you have to do is pick which controller you prefer, connect it to the wiring harness provided, and plug it into the plug under the dash by the parking brake. A 7 pin connector is standard as is the class 4 hitch.
Yes sir, it absolutely does. You can two up to 5,000lbs easily. If you need to tow more than 5,000lbs, you'd be better off with a full size truck than any midsize. But the VAST majority of truck owners never tow a single pound with their vehicles. The never take them off road. They never even max out the payload capacity. If you wanna be "a real man" and pay for a lot of capability that you don't need, then you have other choices.
I like how they complain about not having a brake controller. None of the compact trucks have them. The ranger is the only one that offers one as a dealer option.
@@ChadHargis So, your solution is two vehicles, one that can tow a small trailer and one that can tow a big trailer. My solution, just buy the one that can actually work as a proper SAFE tow vehicle in the first place!
Perfect wagon for older folks who have knee and back problems. It sits low to the ground so it's easy to get in and out. Full size trucks are massive now.
Full size 1/2 ton trucks nowadays are WAY too large for what a majority of owners use them for. I never understood the "bigger is better" mentality with trucks (with the exception of diesel trucks). The full sized trucks in the 80s-90s were just as big as today's mid size trucks and everyone faired just fine with them.
True, but something about a unibody, FWD biased "truck" with a half box just turns me off. Especially for $36k. I'd rather have a truck with a V8 and RWD biased for that much money. Especially considering options like the F-150 can get nearly the same fuel economy. I will give the win to Honda in the parking ease department though.
Agreed. I'm not sure why so many folks here seem to compare apples to oranges by conflating mid-sized vs full-size. Saying "well it wont haul 10k pounds like my F250, so it's not a truck" ;) Compare it to Taco, Ranger, Colorado/Canyon, Frontier, etc. Would they (fairly) compare any of those to 150s/1500s/Tundra, etc? If you _need_ a full-size, then go for it. Probably 80% of truck owners don't need more than what most mid-size pickups offer.
@@jeepinbanditrider you’re probably right. I was just trying to be nice to the people that get hurt feelings over the pickup they bought to compensate or because their buddy has one.
@@jldude84 I am amazed how many Tacoma’s are sold in my area. They’re priced up close to a half ton and get the same mileage. But most of the midsized are the same. These at least drive much better than the half tons. And parking isn’t an issue in ND we aren’t parking in car ramps all over.
Great except for the cladding around the wheel openings...WAY overkill to the point of ruining the otherwise clean design elements). I’d buy any trim level and add the HPD grill as an accessory (yes, you can do that).
I just bought 2021 white pearl black edition and added HPD grill, badge on tailgate and graphic. Yah didn’t like the fender flares. I also bought the black emblems to switch out on tailgate 😍
Argument is pointless, you can also buy a toyota camry for less than a c class mercedes and its larger and roomier.. different strokes for different folks.. some people dont need or want the size of a full size.
Junk. A joke. Not a real midsized truck. The 2 best midsized trucks by far are Ranger & Tacoma. Get one. I have '20 Ranger FX4 an love it! A real truck w/real strong frame.
@@TheDownbeatruler test drive a new Ranger FX4 or Tacoma TRD pro. They are 100× better. Real trucks that drive real nice & are strong! Very strong. Esp the Ranger FX4. The midsize truck leader .
@@ChinitFxt Its hideous. No truck guy ever be seen driving one of these things. Honda had a truck made by Isuzu way bk. Was better than this! EVEN a frontier is wayyyy better.
This would be a cute truck for my wife. Honestly I did not like it until I saw that tailgate open two different ways with that massive truck under the bed. That’s pretty neat gotta say.
It is neat unless you need to get at that spare tire with a load of dirt or whatever in the bed. That tailgate is awesome though and much better than the silly GMC tailgate.
@@pryme2013 Yeah I like how it opens sideways so you can get closer to the bed. Simple and smart. 36k tho. Little steep. My wife would get a lower trim 4Runner for that price.
@@pryme2013 I love the built in trunk in the bed, but yeah sadly that is the only downside to it if you had a full load in the bed, especially with something like loose gravel or mulch.
@@pryme2013 You couldn't get a load of dirt with this truck.. lol.. The tires would be dragging the fenders. But I do get your point, having anything in your bed is going to completely defeat the point of having a spare. I do like the compartment though, just should have made the spare accessible from the bottom.
The starting price is way too high on these. When I was truck shopping I originally wanted a midsized until I found out I could get a full sized for the same price (and similar MPG compared to the Tacoma).
That's why I bought an 11 yr old ridgeline. Someone else pays the depreciation. Load it full of green hard wood and haul a trailer load of green hard wood behind it. Unibody doesn't flex either. That's why it's called a unibody. 14 yrs old now and still hauling what I want to. They are trucks
I bought it last year BECAUSE I have seen how horrible the Ecobust has been and rumors are the Tundra will be a TT V6. I do not want a turbo engine. I am guessing Toyota will get it right but no thanks. I wanted the V8. I can tell you it is nearly a rocket ship. I think many who try to race me are shocked that a big red 4WD goes like a terrified rabbit.
The Ridgeline's looks are much improved; however, I still think the wheels look too small. The stock 245/60-18 tires are about 29.6" tall. These need at least 31" tires. Maybe Honda should move to 255/70-17 tires to complete the look.
Honda has definitely made some improvements to this years Ridgeline by restyling the front end. I know that there are a lot of folks who don't like this HPD package, but I personally don't mind it. While I am more of a traditional body on frame kind of truck guy, I can see that Honda already has an idea who they are marketing to and don't care if traditional "truck guys" like it or not. This has been their best effort so far and I think that they have done a decent job. Just out of curiosity, do they still have the available stereo system that uses the bed as a speaker?
I feel the HPD package would look better if they at least changed the color of the wheels. The Gold just looks too gaudy. They should also do something that improves the performance of the vehicle instead of just giving it cosmetic looks, that way they're actually giving the "P" in "HPD" some proper meaning lol. And yeah I'm pretty sure they still have the in bed audio
If how the Ridgeline is categorized matters more to you than what its capabilities are, it’s not the right truck for you. Like Honda says “it’s the thinking mans truck” i.e. simple minds need not apply.
@@frankking439 And I’m “thinking” your Ranger wouldn’t perform as well as a gladiator😂 TFL actually did a video off-roading a Gladiator, Ridgeline, and a Ranger, and the Ridgeline definitely held it’s own. However, that’s not even the point of it. I’ve driven every mid size pickup and not one of them are as practical and comfortable as the Ridgeline for daily driving. Ranger’s, Taco’s, Colorado’s, and Canyon’s have absolutely no interior space in comparison, and what’s a Frontier?
Most people never use their trucks to their full ability. They make a huge amount of compromises the whole life of the vehicle just to have a “real truck” meanwhile the ridge line is the perfect answer comfortable, efficient, RELIABLE, and still plenty capable for what the vast majority of truck owners would need. For someone like a contractor or something like that I understand needing something more stout but that is such a small percentage of who buys the fords,chevys, and rams. The ridge line is the thinking mans truck 100%
People be like "It'S a MiNiVaN wItH a BeD!" *drives their full size truck around all shiny with nothing in the bed except for a few groceries...like a minivan.*
You guys think you could load up the bed on the truck and let us know how it handles? I'm always leary of considering a vehicle for towing or hauling with something thats front wheel drive,
Isn't there a tow package that includes brake controller? edit: ah NM, looks like it's easy to install a brake controller if you have the tow package though, just connect some pigtail wires from the controller to a harness under the dash.
I WANTED A TACOMA, BUT AFTER REALIZING I DON'T OFFROAD FOR SHIT OR ENJOY CRAP FUEL ECONOMY, I FIGURED I SHOULD GET THE RIDGELINE INSTEAD! 2021 of course, because it's actually trucky-looking now.
Right? I don't understand why everybody is trying to reinvent the wheel. I could understand buttons if they saved space or added functionality, but they don't do either. I never even look at shift levers 99% of the time, but I'd be looking at those damn buttons pretty much every time I used them because every manufacturer is a little different. It's dumb, different for the sake of being different.
@@plmn93 They're trying to make everything less mechanically controlled and more by wire instead, which makes sense for trying to avoid more mechanical parts that could fail and be a headache to replace. However, electrical/wire connectivity doesnt go without its faults either. You get a loose wire or bad connector/module that can be just as expensive to fix. I personally don't mind either push button or mechanical lever control, though it is funner to change gears with a lever of sorts lol.
Steering Column shifters are the best because they free up space. Buttons are not an issue unless you test drive for a living. After 2 weeks I can do it in muscle memory the same as a leaver. If you notice each button is at a different angle to know without looking which one. I’m not a fan of the ebrake. Some things I like the leaver or petal, less to go wrong, especially in Florida with salt air.
I love my Seirra but I could see myself loving this. I don't use my Sierra like I used to and the tow and haul rating is decent for its size, whats not to like? We all screm body on frame but at the end of the day unless your actually using those tow/haul numbers there is nothing wrong with this. Heck with 4x4 its emenantly very practicle and allot better use in an urban evironment than my truck is. Getting my truck out of my parking space has always been a pain in the ass.
Been looking at all of the mid size trucks, and one of the big differentiators between Ridgeline and the others is back seat space. At some point I’m going to have child seats in the back, not to mention going out with other adult friends who I don’t want to feel cramped in the back. Ridgeline seems like the best bet among the mid sizes for interior room.
The spare tire in the trunk thing is such a stupid design. I realize that 90% of Ridgeline owners dont care or use it like a truck, but the whole reason for it being under the truck is so you dont have to unload your bed to change a tire, where as with this design you not only need to unload to get the tire, but it looks to be a compact spare too.
While I don't disagree with your reasoning, but it doesn't really matter for the exact reason you mentioned. If you are going to get a truck where having a regularly loaded bed prohibiting you from accessing the spare, you're not getting a Ridgeline. I wouldn't even be surprised if a cubic yard of dirt is beyond this vehicles payload capacity.
@@jlang8213 Agree. But then again you’re not getting any midsize truck if you’re hauling things regularly that are hard to unload for a blow out. Tacoma for example has a much lower payload than this Honda.
@@jlang8213 I've carried a half-yard of gravel, which is probably >1200 lbs? - but that's about as much bed payload as I would do. Google says yard of topsoil can be from 1200-2000, so you may be pushing it depending upon how moist that is. But i have also put alot of other things in the back of mine, like a pallet of 50 bags of garden soil (i think 0.75 cuft each?), as well as several trips hauling pallet full of laminate flooring.
This is not a pure Highway run, they do some City driving as well during this short Loop along with a 0 to 60 run or two... They have another area where they do Highway runs with their vehicles in "real-world" conditions..
I've got the 2010 version. The standard in this truck is better than high end in some trucks for that year. Honda engine and transmission and 300,000 KM , still going and towing like a champ, all for under $10K. I'll get the 2022 in five years when it's on discount 😎😎😎
The SavageGeese channel does that very well....the rest of their content is not everyone’s cup of tea. You’ll have to pause their video while the info card is on screen but I dig the level of detail. Side note: I can’t encourage TFL content that plays right into Tommy getting all giddy because of volume buttons.
I have a 2021 Tacoma TRD-Offroad 4x4. I mainly drive on freeways and ONLY use the 4x4 to launch my jetski. My daughter and I get motion sickness from the floaty/bouncy ride on the freeways with the stock 4600 Bilstein shocks. I thought about trading for a Ridgeline RTL for comfort and roomier cab space than the Tacoma. Or just upgrade the shocks on the Tacoma for the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo (going big) with installation and alignment for almost $2k. What do you think?
It fills a niche, which the Maverick will be in as well. For many truck users/owners, it’s more than enough, whether they want to believe it or not. 😂 I could do without the Rubbermaid containers on the sides. I wouldn’t mind seeing more low end torque for better trailer towing.
@@SlightlyDirtbag uh .. do you not see how many more colorados and canyons there out there .. hell even the slow selling ranger does better than honda .. atleast here in MI.. I guess i should say in the all around truck market honda cant hold a candle to the big 3 .. if you want to get specific to truck size , ford and gm will def outsell honda..
So even though McDonald’s sells hundreds of thousands of burgers a day compared to a Ribeye Steak at the grocery store then I guess that means something? I respect all trucks but if your going to compare them by who sells more then that’s poor analyzing.
@@Jaimeleon20 uh yea the big 3 sell more trucks then honda sells trucks. Pretty much means the big3 make better trucks than honda .. thats not a poor analyisis. Thats facts ..
Man, I am a Chevy guy but this is a great compromise! I don’t care what anybody says, this is a great looking caruck! Everybody saying you can get a diesel to get the same mpg, but new diesels are crap. All the emissions restrictions have made them horrible trucks to own.
How is the seating position for tall folks? I know it's going to be like a Pilot since that's what it is based on, but are the seats more like a Tacoma (slammed to the floor) or more like a bigger truck? I had to sell my daily driver, a 2013 Accord, because the low seats bothered my hip. I am starting to think I might want to let go of my Chevy 1500 and get one of these as long as I can get comfortable in it AND it has to fit my dual sport motorcycle in the bed tailgate up so I can still tow my pop-up camper.
@@no_goo 5 foot 4 inches actually for a ridgeline, longer than the 5 foot short options of the others and only 2 inches less than the 5 foot 6 inches option most commonly used on half ton crew cabs (the shorter short box adopted to keep length down on crew cabs). It is also 54 inches wide making it the widest bed in class and again wider than some full size configurations.
@@no_goo What kind off bike are you talking about? I put a Crf 450r in the bed of course gate down and mountain bikes gate up use a bike bed hauler. Some need the front wheel off others dont, size depending. I use SXSs, MX bikes and other toys for off road that no truck can handle so its perfect for me. 23-25 City mpgs and 27-29 Hwy. Honda RTL E 2019. The bed is 64".
Was a Subaru Baja a truck? Was the Explorer Sport Trac a truck? Who knows? Just don’t expect to use it for heavy hauling and it’s all good. Think about this..... how many full size trucks actually never haul anything. 🤷♂️
Its been out since 2006 many off road vids. Go to "Rigeline Owners Club" to look at real info on users. Its not a rock crawler. Most drive tar baby big lifted trucks that never leave the road or pull anything. I pull my SXS to do all that off road stuff.
@@SlightlyDirtbagMy old lifted RL 2006 with taller tires vs my stock 2019, I would say no to the off road travel. BUT it depends on your off road needs. I have no intention of lifting this 2019 truck as im enjoying the much better mpgs. If you want great info. on the Ridgeline "Ridgeline Owners Club" been a member for years.
@@SlightlyDirtbag "Is the new one better" have you owned a Gen 1. Wish I could help. Whats your purpose for the vehicle. Whats your idea of off road travel. I had a 06 lifted with taller tires my new 2019 is stock and does the same but have to be more careful with lines.
How do you manually control the gears? Honda did that with added features. ie the need for the paddle shifters. I'm not fond of mine, but I don't hate it. Just need to get used to it. By the way, How is this different than Dodges (Ram's) Trans dial on the dash or Fords? Not all of them come with a shifter anymore. The shifter is dying especially on trucks with more than 6 speed auto's. (2019 and older Ridgelines included).
@@Ram14250 When Honda does it the truckbros crap all over it, and as you mentioned, Ram has a dial shift and "that's okay". We'll see when the Maverick comes out how suddenly a unibody pickup is pretty cool.
None of the close ups on the badges worked out in the Honda’s favor. The ridge line chrome was crooked and the hpd badge looked sloppy up close. Looks good from afar though...
Well I guess considering we're getting a thing called the Maverick from Ford this is a real truck lol considering most real trucks never see real truck usage anyway.
The way i look at it, if it has a bed, it's a truck, regardless of 4x4 capabilities or what kind of frame it sits on. I'm not the biggest Ford fan due to my horrible luck with Rangers I've owned in the past, but i do have a 2015 escape from them with the 2.0 turbo that seems to be holding up well for the most part, so I'm still kinda skeptical lol. However i am a little curious to see what this maverick is going to offer.
I dont think the majority will ever consider the Ridgeline a REAL truck. It is a nice vehicle for what it is. It is a great alternative for people who don't need an actual truck in their daily life.
@@calholli we have paved roads and who wants to be on a dirt bike on the road with people in SUVs driving on the highway reading text messages. No thank you.
I hope everyone gives the Ford maverick the same shit they do the Ridgeline for “not being a truck”. I’ve driven a 2021 and it’s a hell of a lot better ride than my 2020 Tacoma MT. So, the question is: what makes a truck a truck? For me, it’s have a bed and an AWD/4WD system; the Ridgeline is a truck. If someone says towing makes a truck, midsize is the wrong category to begin with.
I like my "CitiTruq" as I like to call it. It's not a BroDozer "Compensator" edition. Only thing you would need a bigger truck for is if you are a tradesman or towing big (4000+) or frequently. Honestly, what I see 80% of trucks out there doing, the over-sized stuff isn't needed.
I currently own a full-size 4wd diesel truck. It is my only vehicle, so it gets used for everything. I am interested in the ridgeline as I near retirement, but I see this type of comment quite a bit....1) How do you know what that 80% of trucks are being used for the 23:59:30 hours of the day you didn't see them? 2) I'm not exactly a tradesman and don't frequently tow "big" and I really don't know what your definition of "brodozer compesator edition" is. My truck is used for everything...groceries, commuting, hardware store, towing, work(temporarily), etc... Fortunately, we (currently) don't have to prove to a committee that we meet the requirements to own the vehicles we WANT vs NEED.
@@jeffs2809 As you mentioned Jeff, it's about Want vs Need. Exactly why I didn't mention _want_ but needs. It's a free country and folks are free to drive a schoolbus around to pick up groceries if that's what they want, and can afford it. The Ridgeline is a practical choice for many folks - it may not be the desirable choice for those who want to live a "lifestyle choice".
@@jeffs2809 I'm in the same predicament. I've had trucks in the past and towed a pop up tent trailer to a fifth wheel. No longer doing that and want something comfortable to drive with a box. I'm seriously considering the Ridgeline.
I'm not "compensating" for anything and frankly that's a tired cliché. The fact is that I was able to get a full size that had a lot more space for my family, a lot more power, and a lot more capability for about the same price and only a slight penalty in efficiency. That's called value.
Not a bad vehicle for what my wife would need, but those wheels just don't work with that red paint, the shifter is just horrible, and it is expensive.
Honda has it pre-wired (literally just buy any aftermarket controller and it plugs in with no need to splice, located under the dash next to the e-brake pedal) rather than offering one. Probably as most of their target market is not towing a trailer large enough to need a brake controller. I do tow my 18ft bunkhouse camper with mine (2017 RTL-T), so I bought an aftermarket controller, plugged in, and away I went.
I own a 2010 RL and had a 2003 Element. Love them both. I wouldnt buy this, they soccer mom'ed it a bit too much. Maybe the next generation. A new element for sure.
@@tboy3724 what a silly statement in my opinion. And sure we are all entitled to our opinion. But Honda literally redesigned everything from the A pillar forward to make it more masculine and truck like. They succeeded. So you saying they soccer mom’ed it makes no sense at all.
@@samanthajames9773 It was said somewhat tongue and cheek. As a longtime RL owner the community at large did not take well to the pilot version of the RL when they redesigned in 2016. The newer version is far better, but it is still a pilot with a bed compared to the Original design/intent. Still a fantastic vehicle, but IMHO Honda just dropped the ball with Gen 2 in general. They could have done so much better. You can get Pilot, mini-pilot (passport), and truck bed pilot.
@dane stonebraker It’s a truck. I own a farm and grew up on a farm, and I use this like I would any other pickup truck. It just drives better than any other truck I have owned.
@@SlightlyDirtbag Insurance for a little utility trailer? Wtf? Do you live in California or something? Nobody needs insurance on a little 5x8 single axle utility trailer.
Honda should reconsider the price tag on it... Cloth seats, manual adjustments and PU steering wheel for 40k?? Tell me 30k, reserve those 40k for a more luxury equipped version and I will think about it.
Short answer... NO. Sorry, but any truck that flashes the overheating transmission/AWD light after the wheels are spinning for less than 30 seconds ain't no real truck...!
I don't think you'll ever see a trailer brake controller on a small truck like this. It doesn't make sense because any trailer that comes with brakes would be beyond the safe capabilities of this truck. I still doubt what people are doing with half ton pick-ups these days.
Agreed, at least Honda did have the courtesy to have the standard brake controller plug pre-wired right next to the e-brake pedal. If you need a controller, just buy and plug in, no splicing necessary. I did install one for my 18ft camper, but it only weighs 4100lbs fully loaded to its max capacity so honestly I would have been fine without it.
i like to think of the push button transmission as a new fangled Studebaker kind of deal. I haven't sat in the new Frontier but I think I'm leaning Frontier again. I like that the Frontier has actual knobs for fan and temp along with tuning and volume. Old school is the best school. The Honda would be great if they'd have kept a few things more simple i think.
The pushed button shift and the knobless radio are livable but the tiny push button hvac controls are a different story. You always need to look longer each time you use it to find those little buttons. Not very safe if you live in a wet/cold climates when your windshield and windows fogs up and on stop and go traffic.
According to consumer reports they gave the ram 1500 the highest rating of all full sized trucks but gave it a score of 68, but gave the ridgeline and the gladiator top scores, listed the problem with the ram is reliability, but the gladiator has the same power trains offered in the ram (engines and trans) I didn't test drive a ridgeline but I'm sure I would've liked it, it just didn't fit my towing needs
you should compete with the toyota tacoma trd sport and see what the difference between those trucks cause obviously honda put HPD to compete with its competitor toyota so please do a video of competing with the tacoma.
The new look of the Ridgeline is awesome looking, however this HPD model should not have been made lol. Gold rims look like shit and fender flares are way too wide. Get rid of those and it doesn't look half bad
Nothing wrong with adding a little luxury. We should always improve our lives and way of living. Today’s vehicle have come a long way since the ‘ol Ford Model T. That being said, prices are getting way out of control.
It’s called inflation....Due partly because people want to make entry level jobs a lifetime career and then bitch they don’t make enough money to survive. When the minimum wage goes up, so does the price of everything else to compensate for it....
@@chaosseat what an ignorant statement
@@zbenkert CEOs of companies having to increase minimum wages aren't going to sit back and watch their profits go down because they have to pay their entry level employees more. They are going to hike up the prices of their goods and services. He's right, unfortunately. It's the main reason we have inflation. I am not against people making more money, but how much money should we really be paying a 17 year old working at Burger King for their first job?
You should think about something before relegating it as "ignorant".
@@jlang8213 car prices are not inflated because of the minimum wage being raised lol it hasn’t been raised since 2009 federally and inflation has been decreasing since the 90s. The statement is ignorant because its using a basic economic theory out of context in order to justify underpaying people.
yeah.. I wish someone (a company) would just dumb it down, at least one model. What I would really like to see is like an electric cyber truck with the stong stainless panels-- but with NO screen, no electronic anything.. manual seats, manual windows... Nothing fancy, just a battery level gauge, temp gauge and speedometer. Done. A truck that is very strong, very simple, very durable, overbuilt where it needs to be and cut everything out that it doesn't need. I think Elon has done well in that he has probably created a new catagory of truck-- that I call a TOUGH TRUCK-- and as soon as it comes out, Ford and the others will be trying to make a tough truck of their own, with the hardened body and stainless skin. But I just wish Tesla would build us a little nokia and stop trying to be an iphone.
LOL - the tailgate opens in many many ways .... well 2 ways
It swings both ways
@@collingodbey3737 that's what she said
Thats twice as many as other trucks
@@collingodbey3737 that one comes with the HPV package
This guy isn’t very smart
As a Ridgeline owner.... the HPD package looks like crap to me.
On the other hand, the facelift for the new refresh looks way better than my 2018. So that's a move in the right direction toward more 'traditional' truck buyers IMO.
If the paddles allow you to keep in a specific gear, that would be a nice feature.
Still not a fan of push-button shifters. Not sure I'll ever be a fan of those. I'd still rather have a manual.
Same, 19 owner here. Love everything but the wheel pass through vents and HPD. Same problem with the shifter for me, and auto stop start is a big no...
If Honda shipped this thing with a manual they would have no reason at all to not bring back the accord coupe 6-6. I have a 2010 coupe 6-6. Honda really should plop the Acura turbo V6 into a new accord coupe, and give it a manual with the AWD.
Thing would crap on BMWs.
And call it a Type R
I like the Ridgeline, but that HPD package I could do without. Those fender flares look weird IMHO.
They're so grotesque. I also think it's weird how the front edge of the hood sticks up over the grille. Looks like someone with an overbite.
I am picking up 2021 Ridgeline black edition. Made my own HPD package. Bought the front grill, badge on tailgate & graphic on side all separately. No fender flares or bronze rims.
They wouldn't look bad if they weren't as wide as they are. If they were slimmed down a little and those godawful gold rims were like a gunmetal gray or something, and maybe have a factory lift kit the HPD would be worth getting. But there is nothing "performance" about half assed cosmetics.
@@coytus94 I had the JSPORT 1.5 Leveling kit put on mine at dealership. Then they change tires from 245 to 265 on factory rims.
Agree. The part where flare angles by the front bumper does things to my OCD that makes me feel uncomfortable. Seems to me that taking it down and not leaving it angled would’ve been a bette option.
HPD= stickers and gold rims
I know RIGHT! Like boy...those wheels are really adding to the performance! Horsepower? Naw...why would we add power on the "performance" edition?
Yeah, $2000 for stickers and fancy rims.
Rolling Stones ;)
Don't forget the absurdly stupid exaggerated plastic fender flares for no reason other than to make it look like a Subie Baja wannabe.
@@jldude84 flares look like new 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness
Since I know that you will use features like launch control on vehicles, I suggest you try your acceleration test with it in sand mode. It has more aggressive throttle and shift mapping, stays in vtec longer, and moves 70% of the torque to the rear. Whole different animal.
Totally agree in my 2017
Hardest launch in the 9AT models seems to be in Normal mode and Sport, most likely because the extra torque multiplication of 1st gear is too much torque for the rear diff.
It definitely launches harder than in Sand mode.
@@owequitit mine is a 17 with the 6 speed, so thanks for the info as my new 21 with the 9 arrives at the dealership next month.
I have the 2018 ridgeline, I have owned half tons and 3/4 ton diesels. If you really need that much truck look elsewhere. However if u need a half ton and don’t tow anything u should give this a try. Best vehicle I have owned.
After waiting a million years for the frontier and never giving the Ridgeline a shot, i’ve driven the taco’s not a fan of the gear searching..i finally test drove a 21 Ridgeline black edition and sure enough its now sitting in my driveway.
How has your Ridgeline been? I have the Passport (same platform) and love it. Quit, quick and roomy / comfortable!
Same here! Went to get a Tacoma, realized I wasn't going to take a brand new leased vehicle off road just for the fun of it. (I'll buy a used jeep for that). Drove a Ridgeline loved the ride, did some research and realized it is actually a better more capable hauler than the Tacoma equally equipped.
@@Ram14250 i love it, its responsive and comfortable, i needed a midsize that i could daily drive and park in the city (nyc) for work, so far its been awesome on gas and a pleasure to drive.
So... you were looking for a car with a utility bed... not a truck.
@@S42069 I million years ago I had a ’66 Ranchero. They and the El Camino were popular in their day, before they bloated, and were plenty useful. They remained popular in Australia for a long time though I think they’ve now been discontinued. But I’ve seen them driven down some pretty rough Aussie roads. I think the main issue becomes cost. A modern full sized pickup can do more, is reasonably comfortable, get decent gas mileage, and often doesn't cost a lot more. They are a bit unwieldy in a supermarket parking lot. I suspect the Ridgeline’s off road capability is about on par with an Outback’s.
If you dont need to tow more than 4000 lbs, or do serious off-roading you'd honestly be an idiot not to get a Ridgeline. Best mpg in class, best ride in class, most spacious cabin in class, excellent reliability, excellent resale, Honda quality, most usable bed, etc. etc.
Or fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the back.
@@jldude84 the ridgeline is actually the only midsize truck you can lay a 4x8 flat in the bed. Sure itll stick out about 14”, but to be fair, a 4x8 would also stick out on ALL trucks with beds < 6.5 ft
Almost 40 thousand dollars and it has manual seats? It's insane how much "base" model trucks cost now.
Personally as long as they have height adjustment I prefer manual.
"Affordable"
The base model has many standard features that are options on other manufacturers.
@@CactusJack252 But you can't option it out how you want it like other trucks. You can only buy different trim levels.
Tacoma was going the same until 2020
What i would like to hear in every truck review is - can you fit a sheet of drywall or plywood in bewteen the wheel base .
I love that trunk in the ridgline as it makes perfect compartment for tools without having to use bed space
You can fit drywall and plywood between the wheelbase on the Ridgeline, and is the only midsize where it'll actually lay flat against the bed.
Yeah, unless you have something in the bed and then you can't get to the trunk. I'd rather just have a bigger bed, which should be possible in a unibody truck. But choices are good.
Not only can you fit a 4-x-8 flat between the wells, but you can fit an oversize sheet of 49-x-97" particle board. (Slightly oversize to trim to square.) Even my old Tundra couldn't do that. I do wish the bed was available in 6' length though, for camping.
Always love the TFL guys...2 Things MPGs & Sand "Launch Mode"...A) Our 2017 Ridgeline get s26.3 MPG always calculated at the pump when doing highway and drives to the mountains or beaches (but we have Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires on it too. B) Put the truck in "Sand Mode" which I call "Launch Mode" / Bat out of "He" double hockey sticks mode...it changes the truck to rear wheel bias, turns off traction control, shift points, accelerator pedal sensitivity...and it launches off the line like a Bat out of you know where...or a skat cat! :-)
I took mine to the track and the best run was in S mode with Sand mode. Made it 91.8 mph. Time wasn’t calculated because was in a MPH event.
THANK YOU for actually figuring out the REAL fuel economy instead of taking the (always) optimistic reading that the vehicle gives you. I can't stand when reviewers read off the number the vehicle shows you & then assume that that's the real-world fuel economy. Manufacturers LOVE that people believe the number that shows up on the screen, which is why they purposely program them to show higher than what the vehicle is actually getting.
I probably wouldn't own one personally, but I think these trucks are great options for someone in the market for a comfortable midsized truck that can do Lowe's duty on the weekend & pull a boat to the ramp when they need it to! Great review man!
How's this for real-world: I took this vehicle on a road-trip between Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs. 1420 miles total and I got 25.2 MPG. To and from Colorado Springs, it was all interstate, speed limit was mostly 80 MPH. I ran cruise control set at 82 MPH and the ECON button was on. For the couple hundred miles tooling around Colorado Springs, ECON robs so much acceleration that it's just not practical. Running around town like that through a full tank of gas and no ECON button, that kind of driving gets you about 20 MPG. Aside from the sticker and whatever the dealer tells you, that's what I'm seeing real-world. My ridgeline is new, I got it a month ago.
HPD, TRD, you down with OPP damn it's hard to keep it all straight who's got what acronym nowadays.
TRD (Toyota Racing Development) has been Toyota's racing division forever. Other than HPD, i don't know what other acronyms you're referring.
Honda should have just done a Mugen addition and called it a day. Trying too hard to have a TRD esque sticker package
HPD has been around since 1993. But I’m with you on the acronyms. Everybody wants one and I can’t think of a manufacturer that doesn’t have one to identify a performance model based on their own research and development teams.
I've always liked the ridgeline. People just need to put their ego aside and see that it's actually a really good truck and does like 95% of whatever they need.
It may be an ego thing for some, but a lot of people just don't like a FWD "truck" without a frame. I honestly don't understand it. The Pilot is way, way better looking, more attractive shape, and it's basically the same vehicle, so unless you regularly haul something that's TOO big for a Pilot but not too big for this (unlikely), just get a damn Pilot and stop pretending you have a truck. Or shit just get a Ranger or Tacoma or Colorado, they ALL look better than this abomination.
@@jldude84 I'm sure Honda did some sort of extra structure bracing to handle truck duties though. And having a bed is more convenient vs an suv so that's an advantage lol
@@jldude84 Preach! It shouldn’t be considered a “truck” if it has FWD and no frame- garbage structural rigidity. And it look absolutely horrible.
Edit: the “gearshift” is also bad. Why would you want a button as a gearshift?
Just my 2 cents.
@@falconthebird5582 I think you meant the gearshit?
Maybe Honda should build a true Tacoma and Ranger competitor. I am.a Toyota guy but Honda can do more. Toyota needs competition....keep making automakers improve.
Just what i was waiting for, thank you TFL you are the best
it's always been a real truck; don't let bros tell you otherwise... if you want to go off-roading (not rock crawling), just swap the tires and get a lift kit instead of the hpd appearance package.
Its a UTE like the maverick and holden commodore
I read some time ago the under pinnings are from the van however looking at a arms for example they are beefed up but same geometry.
@White Wolf And 400-500 pounds heavier from the bracing vs the Pilot.
It's actually kind of a hybrid, a ladder frame with the unibody welded to it. It's pretty well engineered. But not well enough to tow as well as any other truck in its class, evidently.
@@plmn93 Well enough to have the highest payload i suppose
@@marklion315 yeah I don't get how it can have that payload but still can't tow much. But still, in the real world it tows as much or more than a Tacoma I guess, since the Tacoma has such a small payload.
@@plmn93 There's no ladder frame under there. It's just a long sheet metal subframe hidden behind the rocker panels.
That trunk on that truck though. I'd love to have that on my truck. Finally a good place to secure things like luggage without having to have a stupid bloody topper or cover Like the passthrough for Rivan its an awesome idea more truck manufacturers should pay attention to.
Filled with ice and your favorite beverage.
4000 lbs of gravel is going to really screw that bed up!
If you want covered storage but don’t want to deal with a pap cap or tonneau cover for some reason, then why not get an SUV?
I’d gladly sacrifice my spare tire for a trunk like that.
but is it me? or does the bed seems more shallow?
FYI...trailer brake wiring is standard on all Ridgelines and they come from the factory with the 4 wire harness included. All you have to do is pick which controller you prefer, connect it to the wiring harness provided, and plug it into the plug under the dash by the parking brake. A 7 pin connector is standard as is the class 4 hitch.
Why? It doesn't tow.
Yes sir, it absolutely does. You can two up to 5,000lbs easily. If you need to tow more than 5,000lbs, you'd be better off with a full size truck than any midsize. But the VAST majority of truck owners never tow a single pound with their vehicles. The never take them off road. They never even max out the payload capacity. If you wanna be "a real man" and pay for a lot of capability that you don't need, then you have other choices.
I like how they complain about not having a brake controller. None of the compact trucks have them. The ranger is the only one that offers one as a dealer option.
Correct. I mounted a controller in my Ridgeline just in case I ever needed it. I don't even own a trailer, but it was so easy...why not do it?
@@ChadHargis So, your solution is two vehicles, one that can tow a small trailer and one that can tow a big trailer. My solution, just buy the one that can actually work as a proper SAFE tow vehicle in the first place!
Perfect wagon for older folks who have knee and back problems. It sits low to the ground so it's easy to get in and out. Full size trucks are massive now.
Full size 1/2 ton trucks nowadays are WAY too large for what a majority of owners use them for. I never understood the "bigger is better" mentality with trucks (with the exception of diesel trucks). The full sized trucks in the 80s-90s were just as big as today's mid size trucks and everyone faired just fine with them.
It’s probably enough truck for 75% of the people that buy half ton pickups.
True, but something about a unibody, FWD biased "truck" with a half box just turns me off. Especially for $36k. I'd rather have a truck with a V8 and RWD biased for that much money. Especially considering options like the F-150 can get nearly the same fuel economy. I will give the win to Honda in the parking ease department though.
Your percentage is probably a solid 20 percent lower than it should be. Trucks are nothing but sedans with beds to most people now days.
Agreed. I'm not sure why so many folks here seem to compare apples to oranges by conflating mid-sized vs full-size. Saying "well it wont haul 10k pounds like my F250, so it's not a truck" ;)
Compare it to Taco, Ranger, Colorado/Canyon, Frontier, etc. Would they (fairly) compare any of those to 150s/1500s/Tundra, etc?
If you _need_ a full-size, then go for it. Probably 80% of truck owners don't need more than what most mid-size pickups offer.
@@jeepinbanditrider you’re probably right. I was just trying to be nice to the people that get hurt feelings over the pickup they bought to compensate or because their buddy has one.
@@jldude84 I am amazed how many Tacoma’s are sold in my area. They’re priced up close to a half ton and get the same mileage. But most of the midsized are the same. These at least drive much better than the half tons. And parking isn’t an issue in ND we aren’t parking in car ramps all over.
Great except for the cladding around the wheel openings...WAY overkill to the point of ruining the otherwise clean design elements). I’d buy any trim level and add the HPD grill as an accessory (yes, you can do that).
I just bought 2021 white pearl black edition and added HPD grill, badge on tailgate and graphic. Yah didn’t like the fender flares. I also bought the black emblems to switch out on tailgate 😍
You can get a 2021 Titan S or SV with a V8 and 9 speed transmission for the same price. That includes a 5yr/100k warranty.
So what, go for it.
Don't get a stinking nissan. Hard to get parts
Argument is pointless, you can also buy a toyota camry for less than a c class mercedes and its larger and roomier.. different strokes for different folks.. some people dont need or want the size of a full size.
Will it have the same quality as Honda?
@@mikefoehr235 I used to drive a Nissan. Then I found a job. 😃
I can only wait for the same questions and comments when the Ford Maverick comes out.... 😩
And the Santa Cruz.
Just like what happened to SUVs in the 90s/00s now maufacturers will get women into crossover "trucks"
Don’t hold your breath. The haters will disappear cause of the emblem on the hood....
@@jiggingjerks the difference is that ford has a ton of experience in making pickups.
@@tomjahn6896 They also have a lot of experience in repairing them too because of how many break down lol.
Those fender flares are ridiculous. They look like they are some sort of universal-trim-to-fit from JC Whitney.
I like them
Junk. A joke. Not a real midsized truck. The 2 best midsized trucks by far are Ranger & Tacoma. Get one. I have '20 Ranger FX4 an love it! A real truck w/real strong frame.
@@TheDownbeatruler test drive a new Ranger FX4 or Tacoma TRD pro. They are 100× better. Real trucks that drive real nice & are strong! Very strong. Esp the Ranger FX4. The midsize truck leader .
The trim is off the Honda Element
@@ChinitFxt Its hideous. No truck guy ever be seen driving one of these things. Honda had a truck made by Isuzu way bk. Was better than this! EVEN a frontier is wayyyy better.
Good for residential work, not a real truck for anyone commercial
This would be a cute truck for my wife. Honestly I did not like it until I saw that tailgate open two different ways with that massive truck under the bed. That’s pretty neat gotta say.
It is neat unless you need to get at that spare tire with a load of dirt or whatever in the bed. That tailgate is awesome though and much better than the silly GMC tailgate.
@@pryme2013 Yeah I like how it opens sideways so you can get closer to the bed. Simple and smart. 36k tho. Little steep. My wife would get a lower trim 4Runner for that price.
@@pryme2013 I love the built in trunk in the bed, but yeah sadly that is the only downside to it if you had a full load in the bed, especially with something like loose gravel or mulch.
@@pryme2013 You couldn't get a load of dirt with this truck.. lol.. The tires would be dragging the fenders. But I do get your point, having anything in your bed is going to completely defeat the point of having a spare. I do like the compartment though, just should have made the spare accessible from the bottom.
@@calholli correct, the trunk is cool but tire should have been underneath...I mean its not even a full size spare.
The starting price is way too high on these. When I was truck shopping I originally wanted a midsized until I found out I could get a full sized for the same price (and similar MPG compared to the Tacoma).
Agreed. I like the Ridgeline but the starting price is way too high.
Yep same here. Not much downside to a full size if it fits where you park it.
@Name` Da'jew I got my Tundra TRD OFF ROAD for $51. It is harder on gas but not awful. I get 13.5 litres per 100 at 100 km/hr.
That's why I bought an 11 yr old ridgeline. Someone else pays the depreciation. Load it full of green hard wood and haul a trailer load of green hard wood behind it. Unibody doesn't flex either. That's why it's called a unibody. 14 yrs old now and still hauling what I want to. They are trucks
I bought it last year BECAUSE I have seen how horrible the Ecobust has been and rumors are the Tundra will be a TT V6. I do not want a turbo engine. I am guessing Toyota will get it right but no thanks. I wanted the V8. I can tell you it is nearly a rocket ship. I think many who try to race me are shocked that a big red 4WD goes like a terrified rabbit.
The Ridgeline's looks are much improved; however, I still think the wheels look too small. The stock 245/60-18 tires are about 29.6" tall. These need at least 31" tires. Maybe Honda should move to 255/70-17 tires to complete the look.
Dealership putting a Jsport leveling kit on my 2021 Ridgeline this week and changing tires from 245 to 265 on stock rims.
@@Jeff-or6em excellent! Do you know what the aspect ratio will be? 265/60-18 is a 30.5” tall tire. 265/65-18 is 31.5” tall.
@@brianaustin1328 265/60-18
@@Jeff-or6em should be an improvement and look good too! Good luck!
Honda has definitely made some improvements to this years Ridgeline by restyling the front end. I know that there are a lot of folks who don't like this HPD package, but I personally don't mind it. While I am more of a traditional body on frame kind of truck guy, I can see that Honda already has an idea who they are marketing to and don't care if traditional "truck guys" like it or not. This has been their best effort so far and I think that they have done a decent job. Just out of curiosity, do they still have the available stereo system that uses the bed as a speaker?
Yep.
I feel the HPD package would look better if they at least changed the color of the wheels. The Gold just looks too gaudy. They should also do something that improves the performance of the vehicle instead of just giving it cosmetic looks, that way they're actually giving the "P" in "HPD" some proper meaning lol. And yeah I'm pretty sure they still have the in bed audio
@@coytus94 Black wheels, please.
If how the Ridgeline is categorized matters more to you than what its capabilities are, it’s not the right truck for you. Like Honda says “it’s the thinking mans truck” i.e. simple minds need not apply.
Take it out on the trails. I'm "thinking" it won't perform as well as my Ranger.
@@frankking439 And I’m “thinking” your Ranger wouldn’t perform as well as a gladiator😂 TFL actually did a video off-roading a Gladiator, Ridgeline, and a Ranger, and the Ridgeline definitely held it’s own. However, that’s not even the point of it. I’ve driven every mid size pickup and not one of them are as practical and comfortable as the Ridgeline for daily driving. Ranger’s, Taco’s, Colorado’s, and Canyon’s have absolutely no interior space in comparison, and what’s a Frontier?
ruclips.net/video/JNds1cHbO2k/видео.html
Most people never use their trucks to their full ability. They make a huge amount of compromises the whole life of the vehicle just to have a “real truck” meanwhile the ridge line is the perfect answer comfortable, efficient, RELIABLE, and still plenty capable for what the vast majority of truck owners would need. For someone like a contractor or something like that I understand needing something more stout but that is such a small percentage of who buys the fords,chevys, and rams. The ridge line is the thinking mans truck 100%
I prefer the styling of the previous version
People be like "It'S a MiNiVaN wItH a BeD!"
*drives their full size truck around all shiny with nothing in the bed except for a few groceries...like a minivan.*
Still real, better trucks vs fake truck.
If youre into cars, buy the weakest car. If you like crossovers, get the crappiest one...
ruclips.net/video/JNds1cHbO2k/видео.html
Good test here. Very well done Andre. Neat truck. Going to call this Andre Tuesday.
Are we still on this truck or no truck? Who cares?? It's an awesome, well built vehicle...call it whatever the frig ya want...
You guys think you could load up the bed on the truck and let us know how it handles? I'm always leary of considering a vehicle for towing or hauling with something thats front wheel drive,
Comes standard AWD now.
Funny how the people who hate the RL 1. can’t seem to stop talking about them 2. continue to watch RL videos 3. Have never driven a RL. 🤦♂️
Isn't there a tow package that includes brake controller? edit: ah NM, looks like it's easy to install a brake controller if you have the tow package though, just connect some pigtail wires from the controller to a harness under the dash.
I have the exact same truck in my carport. I just got it two weeks ago.
Nice
I WANTED A TACOMA, BUT AFTER REALIZING I DON'T OFFROAD FOR SHIT OR ENJOY CRAP FUEL ECONOMY, I FIGURED I SHOULD GET THE RIDGELINE INSTEAD! 2021 of course, because it's actually trucky-looking now.
Those weird shifter buttons would annoy the heck out of me. Would rather have just have a leaver.
Right? I don't understand why everybody is trying to reinvent the wheel. I could understand buttons if they saved space or added functionality, but they don't do either. I never even look at shift levers 99% of the time, but I'd be looking at those damn buttons pretty much every time I used them because every manufacturer is a little different. It's dumb, different for the sake of being different.
@@plmn93 They're trying to make everything less mechanically controlled and more by wire instead, which makes sense for trying to avoid more mechanical parts that could fail and be a headache to replace. However, electrical/wire connectivity doesnt go without its faults either. You get a loose wire or bad connector/module that can be just as expensive to fix. I personally don't mind either push button or mechanical lever control, though it is funner to change gears with a lever of sorts lol.
@@coytus94 Modern levers are not mechanical. They're just big switches. No more or less reliable than buttons.
Steering Column shifters are the best because they free up space. Buttons are not an issue unless you test drive for a living. After 2 weeks I can do it in muscle memory the same as a leaver. If you notice each button is at a different angle to know without looking which one. I’m not a fan of the ebrake. Some things I like the leaver or petal, less to go wrong, especially in Florida with salt air.
Looks like you’re on the 119 diagonal!!! What loop are you driving? Looks like Boulder/Niwot/longmont? I have this exact vehicle! Aloha from Greeley!
I love my Seirra but I could see myself loving this. I don't use my Sierra like I used to and the tow and haul rating is decent for its size, whats not to like? We all screm body on frame but at the end of the day unless your actually using those tow/haul numbers there is nothing wrong with this. Heck with 4x4 its emenantly very practicle and allot better use in an urban evironment than my truck is. Getting my truck out of my parking space has always been a pain in the ass.
I do not like the range on this though. It needs a bigger gas tank. If I tow or haul with that i get the feeling you got to fill up every 200 miles?
BIG improvement over the previous model ...
It is the same model...
@@KapitanPisoar1 The front end was redesigned.
@@luispiros still the same model...
@@KapitanPisoar1 Bob Seger was right!
Please upload a picture of the rear camber when loaded.
If your in the payload limits it doesnt really change at all.
It squats only half an inch with 1400 lbs of brick in the back, and less with a 500 lb tongue weight trailer.
Lots of pictures out there with Ridgelines loaded up to their maximum. They do remarkably well, unlike Tacomas.
What happened to the “G” in the “RIDGELINE” emblem?
Been looking at all of the mid size trucks, and one of the big differentiators between Ridgeline and the others is back seat space. At some point I’m going to have child seats in the back, not to mention going out with other adult friends who I don’t want to feel cramped in the back.
Ridgeline seems like the best bet among the mid sizes for interior room.
The spare tire in the trunk thing is such a stupid design. I realize that 90% of Ridgeline owners dont care or use it like a truck, but the whole reason for it being under the truck is so you dont have to unload your bed to change a tire, where as with this design you not only need to unload to get the tire, but it looks to be a compact spare too.
That’s so true kinda forgot they did that.
Exactly. And when are you most likely to have a blowout? Under heavy load. Let's say you have a load of dirt or mulch etc lmao have fun.
While I don't disagree with your reasoning, but it doesn't really matter for the exact reason you mentioned. If you are going to get a truck where having a regularly loaded bed prohibiting you from accessing the spare, you're not getting a Ridgeline. I wouldn't even be surprised if a cubic yard of dirt is beyond this vehicles payload capacity.
@@jlang8213 Agree. But then again you’re not getting any midsize truck if you’re hauling things regularly that are hard to unload for a blow out. Tacoma for example has a much lower payload than this Honda.
@@jlang8213 I've carried a half-yard of gravel, which is probably >1200 lbs? - but that's about as much bed payload as I would do. Google says yard of topsoil can be from 1200-2000, so you may be pushing it depending upon how moist that is. But i have also put alot of other things in the back of mine, like a pallet of 50 bags of garden soil (i think 0.75 cuft each?), as well as several trips hauling pallet full of laminate flooring.
Why did Andre say 21 is better than 24 mpg when 21 is combined mpg and 24 is HWY mpg? did no one catch that in the edit bay?
Because he also did 2 0-60 runs in the middle of the test.
I noticed that too
This is not a pure Highway run, they do some City driving as well during this short Loop along with a 0 to 60 run or two...
They have another area where they do Highway runs with their vehicles in "real-world" conditions..
I've got the 2010 version. The standard in this truck is better than high end in some trucks for that year. Honda engine and transmission and 300,000 KM , still going and towing like a champ, all for under $10K. I'll get the 2022 in five years when it's on discount 😎😎😎
I thought the same for the 2017s but with the $10K price jump in 2021 they are still holding value well.
Andre or TFL in general, please demonstrate how a full size spare gets mounted in the bed of a Ridgeline.
I for sure thought you said HPV. Maybe an oversight lol.
Yea lol
You guys should do a video based on all the trucks base audio system for audiophiles.
The SavageGeese channel does that very well....the rest of their content is not everyone’s cup of tea. You’ll have to pause their video while the info card is on screen but I dig the level of detail.
Side note: I can’t encourage TFL content that plays right into Tommy getting all giddy because of volume buttons.
I have a 2021 Tacoma TRD-Offroad 4x4. I mainly drive on freeways and ONLY use the 4x4 to launch my jetski. My daughter and I get motion sickness from the floaty/bouncy ride on the freeways with the stock 4600 Bilstein shocks. I thought about trading for a Ridgeline RTL for comfort and roomier cab space than the Tacoma. Or just upgrade the shocks on the Tacoma for the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo (going big) with installation and alignment for almost $2k. What do you think?
wait, you're giving MPG numbers with two 0-60 sprints?!
That is what I was about to type too, like wtf this test ? This channel has been going down in quality content, meh.
I have a 2019 RTL E and get 25 to 27 hwy. load with camping gear no trailer on Eco. City 24 to 25 on Eco. Trailering SXS #3500lbs hwy 20 to 22.
It fills a niche, which the Maverick will be in as well. For many truck users/owners, it’s more than enough, whether they want to believe it or not. 😂 I could do without the Rubbermaid containers on the sides. I wouldn’t mind seeing more low end torque for better trailer towing.
I think the Mav will be significantly smaller.
@@paulh6517 yes, it will be, but same light duty niche.
7.7 seconds is quick at a mile above sea level. By comparison, the Gladiator you tested got 10.25 seconds.
ruclips.net/video/pK3AM5siS-k/видео.html
And Andre's own truck got 5.7 lol
7.7 seconds isn’t really that bad. You’re not buying a truck for drag racing.
You can call it a truck, you can say its the greatest truck ever .. doesnt matter ford gm and ram will outsell that thing anyday of the week ...
You would be wrong for the mid-size pick up market.
@@SlightlyDirtbag uh .. do you not see how many more colorados and canyons there out there .. hell even the slow selling ranger does better than honda .. atleast here in MI..
I guess i should say in the all around truck market honda cant hold a candle to the big 3 .. if you want to get specific to truck size , ford and gm will def outsell honda..
So even though McDonald’s sells hundreds of thousands of burgers a day compared to a Ribeye Steak at the grocery store then I guess that means something?
I respect all trucks but if your going to compare them by who sells more then that’s poor analyzing.
@@Jaimeleon20 uh yea the big 3 sell more trucks then honda sells trucks. Pretty much means the big3 make better trucks than honda .. thats not a poor analyisis. Thats facts ..
@@wilmarbarrick3194 eh , the big 3 could come out and say hey our trucks only last 5 years .. theyd still sell more than honda..
Man, I am a Chevy guy but this is a great compromise! I don’t care what anybody says, this is a great looking caruck! Everybody saying you can get a diesel to get the same mpg, but new diesels are crap. All the emissions restrictions have made them horrible trucks to own.
Diesels are 70,000 now
How is the seating position for tall folks? I know it's going to be like a Pilot since that's what it is based on, but are the seats more like a Tacoma (slammed to the floor) or more like a bigger truck?
I had to sell my daily driver, a 2013 Accord, because the low seats bothered my hip. I am starting to think I might want to let go of my Chevy 1500 and get one of these as long as I can get comfortable in it AND it has to fit my dual sport motorcycle in the bed tailgate up so I can still tow my pop-up camper.
Its nothing like sitting on the floor of a Taco. many people 6 feet + feel very comfy.
The seat are great,
6 foot tall here. I can sit behind my seat comfortably and it is so wide that I can easily sit between my kids two car seats in the back.
@@no_goo 5 foot 4 inches actually for a ridgeline, longer than the 5 foot short options of the others and only 2 inches less than the 5 foot 6 inches option most commonly used on half ton crew cabs (the shorter short box adopted to keep length down on crew cabs). It is also 54 inches wide making it the widest bed in class and again wider than some full size configurations.
@@no_goo What kind off bike are you talking about? I put a Crf 450r in the bed of course gate down and mountain bikes gate up use a bike bed hauler. Some need the front wheel off others dont, size depending. I use SXSs, MX bikes and other toys for off road that no truck can handle so its perfect for me. 23-25 City mpgs and 27-29 Hwy. Honda RTL E 2019. The bed is 64".
New and already improved.
Honda sure doesn't mess around with the improvements.
Was a Subaru Baja a truck? Was the Explorer Sport Trac a truck? Who knows? Just don’t expect to use it for heavy hauling and it’s all good. Think about this..... how many full size trucks actually never haul anything. 🤷♂️
Let's do some testing on how it goes off road!
If need be, throw some skid plates on it and really put it to the test!
Its been out since 2006 many off road vids. Go to "Rigeline Owners Club" to look at real info on users. Its not a rock crawler. Most drive tar baby big lifted trucks that never leave the road or pull anything. I pull my SXS to do all that off road stuff.
@@440tomcat yeah but i wanted to see if the new one is any better off road.
@@SlightlyDirtbagMy old lifted RL 2006 with taller tires vs my stock 2019, I would say no to the off road travel. BUT it depends on your off road needs. I have no intention of lifting this 2019 truck as im enjoying the much better mpgs. If you want great info. on the Ridgeline "Ridgeline Owners Club" been a member for years.
@@SlightlyDirtbag "Is the new one better" have you owned a Gen 1. Wish I could help. Whats your purpose for the vehicle. Whats your idea of off road travel. I had a 06 lifted with taller tires my new 2019 is stock and does the same but have to be more careful with lines.
At least it looks more attractive than the previous models
Thanks Andre. Great vid
That transmission control 🤢🤮
Agreed. The only thing I don't like about this truck.
its a car - what do you expect
@@SwarmAM No expectations, just a preference. It's the only thing, to my mind, that the 2017 - 2019 had over the 2020 and 2021.
How do you manually control the gears? Honda did that with added features. ie the need for the paddle shifters. I'm not fond of mine, but I don't hate it. Just need to get used to it. By the way, How is this different than Dodges (Ram's) Trans dial on the dash or Fords? Not all of them come with a shifter anymore. The shifter is dying especially on trucks with more than 6 speed auto's. (2019 and older Ridgelines included).
@@Ram14250 When Honda does it the truckbros crap all over it, and as you mentioned, Ram has a dial shift and "that's okay". We'll see when the Maverick comes out how suddenly a unibody pickup is pretty cool.
None of the close ups on the badges worked out in the Honda’s favor. The ridge line chrome was crooked and the hpd badge looked sloppy up close. Looks good from afar though...
Well I guess considering we're getting a thing called the Maverick from Ford this is a real truck lol considering most real trucks never see real truck usage anyway.
The way i look at it, if it has a bed, it's a truck, regardless of 4x4 capabilities or what kind of frame it sits on. I'm not the biggest Ford fan due to my horrible luck with Rangers I've owned in the past, but i do have a 2015 escape from them with the 2.0 turbo that seems to be holding up well for the most part, so I'm still kinda skeptical lol. However i am a little curious to see what this maverick is going to offer.
Digging the HPG trim. Gives it a beefier stance.
I dont think the majority will ever consider the Ridgeline a REAL truck. It is a nice vehicle for what it is. It is a great alternative for people who don't need an actual truck in their daily life.
Those gold wheels are hard on the eyes
Honestly if I was looking for a midsize I could just throw dirt bike in the back and use as a daily I’d buy the ridge line.
Just ride the dirtbike and save your money. That's what they do in India and China.
@@calholli we have paved roads and who wants to be on a dirt bike on the road with people in SUVs driving on the highway reading text messages. No thank you.
@@calholli How do you show up to the office in a suit while it's pouring rain the whole way on a bike?
@@cup_and_cone by covering with a simple trashbag style rain coat/ cover.
@@Swagalious689 Motorcycles are fun. You should try it sometime.
I hope everyone gives the Ford maverick the same shit they do the Ridgeline for “not being a truck”. I’ve driven a 2021 and it’s a hell of a lot better ride than my 2020 Tacoma MT. So, the question is: what makes a truck a truck? For me, it’s have a bed and an AWD/4WD system; the Ridgeline is a truck. If someone says towing makes a truck, midsize is the wrong category to begin with.
I like my "CitiTruq" as I like to call it. It's not a BroDozer "Compensator" edition. Only thing you would need a bigger truck for is if you are a tradesman or towing big (4000+) or frequently. Honestly, what I see 80% of trucks out there doing, the over-sized stuff isn't needed.
I currently own a full-size 4wd diesel truck. It is my only vehicle, so it gets used for everything. I am interested in the ridgeline as I near retirement, but I see this type of comment quite a bit....1) How do you know what that 80% of trucks are being used for the 23:59:30 hours of the day you didn't see them? 2) I'm not exactly a tradesman and don't frequently tow "big" and I really don't know what your definition of "brodozer compesator edition" is. My truck is used for everything...groceries, commuting, hardware store, towing, work(temporarily), etc... Fortunately, we (currently) don't have to prove to a committee that we meet the requirements to own the vehicles we WANT vs NEED.
@@jeffs2809 As you mentioned Jeff, it's about Want vs Need. Exactly why I didn't mention _want_ but needs. It's a free country and folks are free to drive a schoolbus around to pick up groceries if that's what they want, and can afford it. The Ridgeline is a practical choice for many folks - it may not be the desirable choice for those who want to live a "lifestyle choice".
@@jeffs2809
I'm in the same predicament.
I've had trucks in the past and towed a pop up tent trailer to a fifth wheel.
No longer doing that and want something comfortable to drive with a box.
I'm seriously considering the Ridgeline.
I'm not "compensating" for anything and frankly that's a tired cliché. The fact is that I was able to get a full size that had a lot more space for my family, a lot more power, and a lot more capability for about the same price and only a slight penalty in efficiency. That's called value.
Not a bad vehicle for what my wife would need, but those wheels just don't work with that red paint, the shifter is just horrible, and it is expensive.
Is the brake controller even an option? Crazy if it’s not even available.
Honda has it pre-wired (literally just buy any aftermarket controller and it plugs in with no need to splice, located under the dash next to the e-brake pedal) rather than offering one. Probably as most of their target market is not towing a trailer large enough to need a brake controller. I do tow my 18ft bunkhouse camper with mine (2017 RTL-T), so I bought an aftermarket controller, plugged in, and away I went.
That crooked "G" is killing me. Cmon
Great video, very illustrative !! Thank you
Not a truck. But I’ve got friends that own latest gen and are happy. Love my hemi tho so no Honda for me, except element reprise
I own a 2010 RL and had a 2003 Element. Love them both. I wouldnt buy this, they soccer mom'ed it a bit too much. Maybe the next generation. A new element for sure.
@@tboy3724 what a silly statement in my opinion. And sure we are all entitled to our opinion. But Honda literally redesigned everything from the A pillar forward to make it more masculine and truck like. They succeeded. So you saying they soccer mom’ed it makes no sense at all.
@@samanthajames9773 It was said somewhat tongue and cheek. As a longtime RL owner the community at large did not take well to the pilot version of the RL when they redesigned in 2016. The newer version is far better, but it is still a pilot with a bed compared to the Original design/intent. Still a fantastic vehicle, but IMHO Honda just dropped the ball with Gen 2 in general. They could have done so much better. You can get Pilot, mini-pilot (passport), and truck bed pilot.
Lol I love when the big 3 fan boys talking shitz, guarantee 99% of the big boy truck owners never tow a damn thing with it lol.
@dane stonebraker It’s a truck. I own a farm and grew up on a farm, and I use this like I would any other pickup truck. It just drives better than any other truck I have owned.
Andre, Wouldn't Honda fans be better off with a Passport and utility trailer?
now your paying insurance for a trialer and also have to have a place to store the trailer.
Just delete the trunk lid from your civic & you honda folks are golden.
Not if they want the utility of a pickup bed.
@@SlightlyDirtbag Insurance for a little utility trailer? Wtf? Do you live in California or something? Nobody needs insurance on a little 5x8 single axle utility trailer.
Honda should reconsider the price tag on it...
Cloth seats, manual adjustments and PU steering wheel for 40k?? Tell me 30k, reserve those 40k for a more luxury equipped version and I will think about it.
Short answer... NO. Sorry, but any truck that flashes the overheating transmission/AWD light after the wheels are spinning for less than 30 seconds ain't no real truck...!
Damn.. someone chopped the back off a Honda Pilot.. again!
Nope do some research.
And added 400-500 pounds of bracing for the bed strength.
I don't think you'll ever see a trailer brake controller on a small truck like this. It doesn't make sense because any trailer that comes with brakes would be beyond the safe capabilities of this truck. I still doubt what people are doing with half ton pick-ups these days.
Agreed, at least Honda did have the courtesy to have the standard brake controller plug pre-wired right next to the e-brake pedal. If you need a controller, just buy and plug in, no splicing necessary. I did install one for my 18ft camper, but it only weighs 4100lbs fully loaded to its max capacity so honestly I would have been fine without it.
Do not like the shift buttons. Honda, either put back the shift lever or move the buttons up to the dash, like the old Chryslers were.
will it fit in a standard garage??????????????????
congrats internet, you made the ridgeline into a second tacoma by complaining. good for you
Love my 2025 Ridgeline Black Edition in Sonic Gray Pearl.
i like to think of the push button transmission as a new fangled Studebaker kind of deal. I haven't sat in the new Frontier but I think I'm leaning Frontier again. I like that the Frontier has actual knobs for fan and temp along with tuning and volume. Old school is the best school. The Honda would be great if they'd have kept a few things more simple i think.
The pushed button shift and the knobless radio are livable but the tiny push button hvac controls are a different story. You always need to look longer each time you use it to find those little buttons. Not very safe if you live in a wet/cold climates when your windshield and windows fogs up and on stop and go traffic.
“If a truck can tow over 3000 lbs, I want to see a electric brake controller” - not required when many trailers have surge brakes instead.
The only trailers I've ever seen with surge breaks all say "U HAUL" on the side!
For most people this is actually the truck they should be buying. Lol
Unfortunately it costs as much as a half ton.
You did not use the ECON mode on your loop. With ECON, you will see a much higher number. I got 28.3 mpg on the highway.
The Ridgeline logo should be larger and longer in the center of the truck lid
It’s the nicest version so far it looks very nice and comfortable as basic transportation that you can throw something in the back of it
According to consumer reports they gave the ram 1500 the highest rating of all full sized trucks but gave it a score of 68, but gave the ridgeline and the gladiator top scores, listed the problem with the ram is reliability, but the gladiator has the same power trains offered in the ram (engines and trans) I didn't test drive a ridgeline but I'm sure I would've liked it, it just didn't fit my towing needs
you should compete with the toyota tacoma trd sport and see what the difference between those trucks cause obviously honda put HPD to compete with its competitor toyota so please do a video of competing with the tacoma.
First thing I thought to.
That thing is Fugly however being a Honda I'm sure it's a solid vehicle.
The new look of the Ridgeline is awesome looking, however this HPD model should not have been made lol. Gold rims look like shit and fender flares are way too wide. Get rid of those and it doesn't look half bad
This car fit with 35” tyres ? I wish it get bigger tyres and higher ground clearance #honda #ridgeline. Is there a pick up truck rules them all ?
Not a real truck but I understand why people buy and enjoy it.