Honda Ridgeline Pros and Cons: What To Know When Weighing Your Decision
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The Honda Ridgeline is one of the most unique vehicles on the market, offering a combination of a car and a truck. It’s for a specific audience, and most who have it in their driveway love it. However, it’s far from a perfect vehicle. There are some downsides to consider before determining if it’s the best choice.
Are you seriously considering an investment in a used or new Honda Ridgeline? If so, it’s critical to look at the Honda Ridgeline pros and cons. Let’s go over the benefits and drawbacks to help make it much easier to determine if the Ridgeline is for you or if it’s a waste of time and money.
What We Love: Honda Ridgeline Pros
It’s impossible to make a valid selection without looking at the Honda Ridgeline pros and cons. We’re going to check out the benefits first.
Unique Cargo Box Below the Bed
One of the perks of the Honda Ridgeline is a unique cargo box that sits below the bed, allowing for more room in the back of the vehicle. It offers decent weatherproof storage for those who want to keep machinery and tools safe if dangerous weather conditions could harm items in the back of the truck.
The base of the bed is around three feet off the ground, so it isn’t too tricky for the average person to put items inside the Honda Ridgeline cargo box. The cargo box can’t carry massive items inside, but it offers additional storage in a truck with a bed that isn’t the biggest on the market.
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Plenty of Room Inside
One of the most enticing features of the Honda Ridgeline is how roomy and comfortable the interior is. There are some plastic accents inside, but everything else is an upgrade on other items you would typically see in a mid-size vehicle selection. There are fold-down armrests in the front seats and far more legroom for passengers in the back compared to the competition.
The rear seats can split 60⁄40 and flip up to provide room for items in the back of the Ridgeline. Not only is it comfortable for passengers, but it’s also great if you need to store extensive items inside for a long trip.
Drives Like a Car
The Honda Ridgeline might look like a truck, but the driving experience is close to a traditional car. It’s far more comfortable and will absorb the typical shocks and blows from uneven portions of the road to keep people and cargo in one piece. It responds very well to a push on the gas, unlike many truck competitors.
The coil-sprung independent suspension is one of the factors that allows the Honda Ridgeline to act like a car. It won’t lean in corners or jolt over bumps, favoring a more balanced experience many will enjoy.
Two-Way Tailgate Design
Finally, we love the addition of a two-way tailgate system to the Honda Ridgeline. The tailgate can open the traditional way by swinging at the bottom, but it can also open to the side like a door for specific loading opportunities that might be trickier to accomplish if the door is folded down.
The two-way design will reduce back strain and make it far easier to determine the best way to put items inside your trunk. It’s a unique thing and something so rare in a world of trucks simply built to power forward against all odds.
What We Dislike: Honda Ridgeline Cons
On the opposite end of the Honda Ridgeline pros and cons are the drawbacks. This can be a serious struggle for drivers.
Lower Towing Capacity
Since the Honda Ridgeline has a unique design, it doesn’t have as much towing capacity as competing trucks. According to hondaofmentor.com, a typical Honda Ridgeline can tow about 5,000 pounds. While this number is decent, other cars can handle 7,000+ pounds with ease, some even cracking into the five-digit numbers.
A lower towing capacity isn’t too big of a problem, but it will limit what you can do with your truck. It isn’t for heavy-duty like other popular selections like the Dodge RAM 1500.
Not a Traditional Truck
As mentioned many times, the Honda Ridgeline isn’t a traditional truck. It does have a bed, but many people would instead put it in the category of a crossover SUV with a unique unibody design and self-sufficient suspension to help the truck drive more like a car.
Although many enjoy the one-of-a-kind shape of the Ridgeline, others might be disappointed that it isn’t a traditional truck. It’s far more limited in what it can do with a singular 5.3-foot bed length. There are limitations to the truck portion of the Ridgeline.
THE MOST RELIABLE YEAR FOR THE HONDA RIDGELINE
When buying used, you’re probably asking which is the Honda Ridgeline’s most reliable year. We go through all generations of the Honda Ridgeline and pick out some of the most reliable years for buying a used truck and which ones should be avoided.
Not For Off-Roading
Most trucks have at least a trim that will allow the driver to take a more off-road approach. This statement doesn’t apply to the Honda Ridgeline. There is no option for an off-roading truck, and it only clears the ground at 7.6 inches. Taking it on rocky terrain could destroy the undercarriage of the car.
Of course, the Ridgeline does come with all-wheel-drive and available Intelligent Traction Management, so it seems like it should be able to take on the dirt road. It’s not for those who like to take the path less traveled.
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Should You Buy a Honda Ridgeline?
We’ve gone through several prominent Honda Ridgeline pros and cons in detail - now what? Is it a good idea to purchase a Ridgeline or to keep it at an arm’s length away?
If you want a heavy-duty truck, you won’t find it in the Honda Ridgeline. It isn’t made to fit into this category and doesn’t try to be. Instead, the Ridgeline is an excellent choice for those who want a smooth ride and decent capability on the road.
Keep away from 2006, 2007, 2008, 2017, and 2019 years for the Honda Ridgeline. They have substantial issues that will cost more than they are worth.
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