The Honda Ridgeline Is Better for Off-Roading Than Expected
Trucks like mud, it’s only natural. However, the Honda Ridgeline is a bit controversial truck because some people claim that it’s not a ‘real’ truck. But the 2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport can certainly do a lot of truck things, including tackling the wild.
Is the 2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport good for off-roading?
The 2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport may not be the best off-roading truck in the world, but it has been proving its grit off the beaten path.
Critics have been driving it in the snow only to find that it can navigate deep, slippery conditions with ease, even though it doesn’t come equipped with dedicated snow tires.
It has plenty of traction, control, and power to dominate steep inclines, even when the snow surpasses the height of its bumpers.
The Ridgeline is a unibody truck, meaning the truck and frame are all one piece. Traditional trucks have a body-on-frame build, which allows for increased durability and more suspension travel.
That’s why people claim it’s not a real truck and why you don’t see many examples trying to keep up with the Toyota Tacoma in the wild. However, the Ridgeline has plenty of off-roading chops for the average driver’s needs.
The Ridgeline TrailSport is the most rugged trim level and has a 7.9-inch ground clearance. This is actually shorter than the Kia Telluride X-Pro, so that’s slightly disappointing, to be honest. But like we said, the Ridgeline isn’t the best, but better than expected.
It rides on General Grabber all-terrain tires with plenty of traction. Also, it has unique suspension tuning with updated spring rates, new stabilizer bars, and damper valve tuning to improve its performance off the pavement.
Steel skid plates protect the undercarriage and front fascia, but it doesn’t have recovery points. The AWD system can send 70% of its torque to the rear wheels.
There are off-roading modes for sand, snow, and mud that automatically adjust the throttle mapping, transmission, and torque distribution for optimal performance in various conditions.
It has an approach angle of 20.4 degrees, a 19.6-degree breakover angle, and a 19.6-degree departure angle. For comparison’s sake, the Tacoma TRD Pro has a 36.4-degree approach angle.
Also, the Ridgeline has a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. The Ridgeline might not be the top choice for rock crawling in Utah, but it can handle snow, mud, and sandy conditions.
