Truck manufacturers are working very hard to set themselves apart in a very crowded industry. For several years, it was the tailgate wars, as well as trying to have the highest towing capacity. Honda may have just succeeded with one overlooked area on the Ridgeline. 

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline is the only truck in its segment that has an unibody construction. It has a 3.5-liter V6 engine that can generate 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque on the base trim. The Ridgeline comes with a max towing capacity of 5,000 lbs and 1,583 lbs max payload. 

The Ridgeline is equipped with a nine-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive comes standard. It has a smooth ride, and plenty of space for passengers in the back, making it a solid choice for families.

The bed length is 64.0 inches, and it has a ground clearance of 7.6 inches. The Ridgeline is not exactly the optimal off-road vehicle, but it can manage some lighter trails.

A rearview camera, lane departure warning accident avoidance system, and lane keep assist come standard. As for the base Sport trim, Honda has added an 8.0-inch infotainment screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and USB connection.

Even though the Toyota Tacoma is a favorite amongst many critics, U.S. News is a huge fan of the 2023 Honda Ridgeline and thinks it’s a fantastic investment for anyone shopping around for a truck. With a starting price of $38,800, it’s very hard to argue with that logic.

No other truck has an in-bed trunk

One of the biggest drags about owning a truck is that there’s no real space to lock your items unless you place them inside. The Ridgeline is changing things up with an in-bed trunk that is lockable.

So what’s an in-bed trunk? It’s exactly what it sounds like. When you open the dual-action tailgate, you have access to a trunk that is located just beneath the trunk bed. 

It’s not exactly huge, as there’s only 7.3 cu-ft. Still, that’s enough room for smaller items like groceries, sleeping bags, or carry-on luggage.

What really sets the Honda Ridgeline’s trunk apart from other vehicles is that it has a drain plug. This allows you to use it as an ice cooler. It also makes it incredibly easy to clean the trunk out.

As an extra security measure, the tailgate is also lockable. Honda has an available hard truck bed cover that allows you to add even more items to the truck bed, and then lock them securely in. This is two layers of protection between your belongings and anyone passing by.

The Honda Ridgeline is rapidly growing in popularity

Data from GoodCarBadCar reveals that more buyers are turning to the Honda Ridgeline for their trucking needs. In July 2023, it saw a 3.86% increase from the same time period in 2022. The year-to-date sales are even more impressive, as the Ridgeline’s sales have grown 32.70%.

The second quarter of 2023 has also shown a major increase in sales. In Q2 2022, the Ridgeline sold 10,608 vehicles. That’s rather impressive, but Q2 2023 knocked this out of the water. A total of 14,512 vehicles were sold this year.

March was the highest-selling month for the Ridgeline so far, and sales have been decreasing since. Even so, the sales numbers in total are on the rise, which shows that consumers are taking note of Honda’s efforts to make the Ridgeline stand out from the competition. It’s unclear if the Ridgeline trunk is the reason for the increase in sales, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.