The Honda Ridgeline Continues to Be the Most Reliable Midsize Pickup Truck
While there are many great midsize pickup trucks available, it’s challenging to find one that’s very reliable. There is an exception, though. Here’s a look at the Honda Ridgeline and why it continues to be the most reliable pickup truck in its midsize class.
The midsize pickup truck class
Pickup trucks have a few class categories to choose from. Full-size pickup trucks are the most common and include well-known nameplates like the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Chevy Silverado, Nissan Titan, and Toyota Tundra. The next step up is the heavy-duty class, which consists of work trucks like the Ford F-250, Ram 2500, and GMC Sierra HD. A newly growing market in the U.S. is also the compact class of trucks, revitalized by the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz models.
The midsize pickup truck class currently includes the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Frontier, Chevy Colorado, and GMC Canyon, among others. However, many models in this category are notorious for reliability issues and persistent trips to the shop, with the Jeep Gladiator being a notorious standout. Of course, as mentioned, there’s one midsize truck with excellent reliability.
Reliability ratings of the Honda Ridgeline
The 2023 Honda Ridgeline is a high-quality, reliable, and durable pickup truck. Consumer Reports recognized these attributes in its Annual Auto Reliability Survey, which it uses to create its recommendation list. CR recommended the 2022 Honda Ridgeline, and following the results of the Auto Reliability Survey, the recommendation continues for the 2023 model year.
Consumer Reports evaluated 17 potential problem areas for the Auto Reliability Survey during the previous 12 months — with owner surveys from over 300,000 vehicles. Problem areas include paint, leaks, electrical systems, brakes, noises, and engines. The Ridgeline earned high marks for reliability in these potential problem areas, so the midsize pickup truck held on to the CR recommendation in 2023.
Two other midsize trucks scored well in the CR survey: the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma. However, both still pale in comparison to the Ridgeline. While U.S. News places the Ridgeline as the best vehicle in its class, the Ranger and Tacoma are placed at the bottom, at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.
Other expert opinions on the Honda Ridgeline
Along with the Consumer Reports recommendation due to high reliability, other car experts rank the 2023 Honda Ridgeline as the best midsize pickup truck. The Ridgeline gets some flack from “truck traditionalists” that bemoan its SUV-like unibody construction, but automotive experts love it. The unibody construction is one of the Ridgeline’s strengths, for it provides the ride comfort of an SUV — while still offering pickup truck utility and capabilities.
In its evaluation of the Ridgeline, Car and Driver highlights its “spacious cabin, comfortable ride, and weatherproof below-the-bed cargo box.” In its analysis, U.S. News states that the midsize truck has a “zippy V6 engine, spacious and upscale interior, and polished ride and handling.”
The 2023 Honda Ridgeline offers four trims: Sport, RTL, RTL-E, and Black Edition. Its starting price ranges from $38,800 MSRP for the Sport trim to $46,230 MSRP for the Black Edition trim.
