Almost every automaker now is making a truck of their own to compete with the icons like the Ford F-150, and Honda is one of them. The Honda Ridgeline is Honda’s premier mid-sized pickup truck. Here’s what MotorTrend had to say about the Ridgeline Black Edition.

Honda Ridgeline’s performance

The Ridgeline that MotorTrend tested came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that pumped out 280-hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. It has a six-speed automatic transmission and is a bit lighter compared to American-made mid-sized trucks like the Chevy Colorado or the Ford Ranger.

This was the same engine that was on the 2017 Ridgeline that MotorTrend tested, and unsurprisingly, it got a similar performance figure. MotorTrend clocked this Ridgeline going from 0 to 60 MPH in 7.2 seconds, which is almost identical to the time that the 2017 Ridgeline got. 

Compared to the Toyota Tacoma, the Ridgeline is a faster truck. However, compared to American trucks like the Colorado or the Ranger, the Ridgeline was significantly slower. In terms of weight, all four trucks were identical. However, due to the smaller size and design of the Ridgeline, Honda’s able to get the best fuel economy in its class, according to MotorTrend. 

The Ridgeline has a fuel economy of 18 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on highways. This is slightly better than the Colorado’s fuel economy but it’s significantly better than the Tacoma’s. This makes the Ridgeline a better pickup truck for commuting, but MotorTrend mentions that fuel economy isn’t that big of a deal right now due to the relatively low gas prices.

Interior and comfort

This is the area where MotorTrend really praised the Ridgeline. The Ridgeline has a unique unibody chassis design and that allows it to get a significantly better ride quality than other pickups. MotorTrend’s test drivers all praised the handling and ride comfort of the Ridgeline. They even referred to the Ridgeline’s ride quality as “car-like.” 

Furthermore, MotorTrend praised the interior looks and feel of the Ridgeline. It has a very spacious seating area as well as some generally smart design features in terms of where things are placed. However, this is also an area where MotorTrend had some critiques for Honda.

MotorTrend mentioned that the infotainment systems that Honda offers on the Ridgeline were sparse to say the least. It’s a spacious cabin area, but Honda didn’t fill that space with anything fancy. This can be an easy thing to fix, MotorTrend mentioned, but as of right now, it’s an issue that the Ridgeline has.

Is the Ridgeline practical? 

But, the main reason why drivers want a pickup truck is to do things that only trucks can do, and the Honda Ridgeline excels in this area too. The rear-seats of the Ridgeline can be folded down for cargo space, and there’s even a hidden cargo trunk in the truck bed. MotorTrend also complimented the general size of the truck bed, as well as some optional features it had, such as an in-bed speaker system.

Although the Ridgeline can’t tow as much as other similar pickups can, its payload capacity of about 1,500 lb is very good for its size. In terms of towing, MotorTrend says that the Ridgeline can tow up to 5,000 lb of cargo, which is significantly less than what the Colorado can tow. 

That said, the Ridgeline does have other nifty practical features up its sleeve. For example, on top of the in-bed trunk, the Ridgeline also has swinging tailgate doors that makes accessing the truck bed a breeze. With that said, the Ridgeline that MotorTrend tested was a nearly $45,000 truck, so it may not be representative of the more affordable trims.