The Most Underrated Truck in America According To CarBuzz: Honda Ridgeline
Industry: Transportation & Logistics
It’s time to take this truck more seriously
New York City, NY (PRUnderground) April 5th, 2021
The Honda Ridgeline has been given a facelift for 2021, and proves itself to be an excellent compromise between workhorse and lifestyle truck. CarBuzz recently reviewed the mid-size truck and found it to be one of the best in the segment.
Ride Quality
With independent rear suspension and a strengthened unibody frame, the Ridgeline rides more like an SUV than most trucks in this segment do. There is minimal body roll, good road manners in town, and precise and direct steering overall. Bumps and jostles are isolated from the cabin, and a standard all-wheel-drive and an iVTM-4AWD system with different surface modes help drivers to manage slippery surfaces with ease. It’s not sufficient for true off-roading, though it manages mild hiking trails quite well.
Interior and Cargo Capacity
Honda has done a good job with the cabin of the Ridgeline, offering a comfortable yet rugged interior that is ideal for a family. Three can be seated in the rear, and the lockable “In-Bed Trunk” is convenient for the grocery run. While the infotainment system proves to be a bit of a disappointment in terms of not being overly intuitive, it manages the basics just fine.
Versatility and Practicality
With its wide stance and wide standard bed, this Honda truck can carry four-foot-wide items with ease. The dual-action tailgate can be opened traditionally or to the side, and the 1,583-lbs payload means you can easily transport an ATV or motorcycle. Upper trims levels include an in-bed sound system that turns the Ridgeline’s bed into an outdoor speaker. The in-bed trunk can also serve as an ice-bucket, and with a 115V 150W/400W AC power outlet, tailgaters are in for a treat.
An All-Round Drivetrain
Under the hood is Honda’s proven 3.5-liter VTEXT V6 engine with 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. This is paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission, which is smooth and makes town and freeway driving a breeze. Gas mileage figures from this setup are 18/24/21 mpg city/highway/combined, according to the EPA.
A Genuine Lifestyle Truck
Many rivals in the mid-size truck segment are designed to be workhorses before anything else, and those who have adopted these as lifestyle trucks do so with the compromise of ride quality and comfort. But the Ridgeline fares well for those that can do without the full capability of a workhorse by offering enough practicality in this regard, as well as more than enough comfort from the chassis, suspension, and cabin.
Associate Editor at CarBuzz, Ian Wright, notes that even adding a genuine HPD off-road package wouldn’t result in a huge compromise for the Ridgeline. CarBuzz provides industry news and features about cars posted daily.
For more information https://carbuzz.com/features/the-honda-ridgeline-is-the-most-underrated-truck-in-america
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