New 2024 Honda Ridgeline Review: Mid-Size Adventure Pickup Truck

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2024 Honda Ridgeline the last Honda Ridgeline received a major refresh in 2021, adding a more rugged styling, revised gears, and a tougher-looking HPD package.

It now carries over to 2023 with no changes, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to this midsize truck; we appreciate Ridgeline’s friendly attitude on the road and thoughtful packaging.

The Honda Ridgeline 2023 competes most directly with other midsize trucks including the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevrolet Colorado.

The Honda Ridgeline is the truck most people need. In addition to slick features like the trunk in the bed that doubles as a cooler, its unibody construction allows for crossover-like handling and ride quality.

These characteristics are aided by a completely independent suspension. The Ridgeline also returns decent fuel economy and fast acceleration.

However, the picture isn’t perfect with the 2023 Ridgeline. We’ve criticized the Ridgeline for its limited towing capacity and off-road capability.

While the updated exterior design looks tougher than before, it doesn’t appear to be enough to sway buyers looking for a vehicle that looks like a more traditional pickup.

All told, the Ridgeline remains a solid choice for those who need a pickup that puts daily drivability ahead of its class-leading capabilities.

The Honda Ridgeline 2023 still does most of the stuff a regular truck does without sacrificing ride comfort and dynamics.

2024 Honda Ridgeline Review

The Honda Ridgeline remains fresh from a significant update for the 2024 model. The recent reboot gives the Honda midsize pickup a squarer and more truck-like exterior, a new and improved infotainment system, and makes all-wheel-drive (AWD) standard in every trim.

2024 Honda Ridgeline

What hasn’t changed is this balancing act that Honda manages between being a hard-working utility vehicle and a car-like conveyance that’s easy to drive and ultra-smooth. The 280-horsepower V6 and 9-speed automatic transmission fit perfectly and provide more than enough grunt for your driving needs.

The Ridgeline’s towing capacity is a respectable 5,000 pounds. While it won’t fit full-size trucks like the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ford F-150, it may be fine for the average recreational truck buyer.

From behind the wheel, the Ridgeline is as tame to drive as the family-friendly Honda Accord sedan. Part of the reason is that it uses a unit-body design — the same basic Ridgeline structure that can be found in the Honda Pilot SUV.

This helps explain why the Ridgeline feels so light on the feet, even compared to smaller trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier, and Chevrolet Colorado.

In general, these and other pickup trucks use a body-on-frame chassis design. While it’s a little dated, it provides added strength for towing and hauling, or for off-road cruising.

With flip-up rear seats, hidden luggage in the cargo bed, and a dual-action tailgate, the Ridgeline provides all sorts of smart storage options. The tailgate is especially useful, as it folds down like a regular tailgate, or swings out and sideways if you need to reach further into the bed.

What’s not to like? Well, the starting price of the Ridgeline is around $38,000. All trims are equipped with Honda Sensing’s full suite of active safety features, along with comfort and touch technologies such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, remote start, keyless entry, and tri-zone climate control.

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2024 Honda Ridgeline Redesign

For the 2024 model year, there have been significant revisions to the Ridgeline. First and foremost, there’s the redesigned exterior, which includes a new square nose, updated LED headlights and fog lamps, new alloy wheels, and many other minor changes.

Wireless charging and a physical volume knob have been added to the interior, which is one of the most comfortable in its class. There are also new trim details and enhanced contrast stitching on the seats.

Traditional body-on-frame pickups, competent in both haulage and off-road, are too saturated in this mid-size car market.

When it comes to getting around the city in a roomy and economical vehicle, the Honda Ridgeline is a great choice. Luxury features can be found on the more expensive models, but we feel that the RTL offers the best overall value.

2024 Honda Ridgeline Interior

The interior is spacious for passengers in the front and rear seats and the 5-foot bed can be extended to almost 7 feet with the tailgate folded down.

The bed holds 33.9 cubic feet of cargo which is on the side of the smaller segment. Each Ridgeline has in-bed luggage as well, which offers an additional 7.3 cubic feet of storage. In our tests, this was enough to swallow two generators or a full set of golf clubs.

The pilot is friendly to the driver and passengers. A tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel is standard, and it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position. Getting in and out is a breeze thanks to the wide-open doors and a larger cabin than other mid-range competitors.

From the driver’s seat, visibility is wide and the new square hood helps you better locate the front of the truck. The large rear window helps you see what’s in the bed or car behind you. A backup camera with a relatively high resolution is standard.

The Ridgeline’s standard 8-inch touchscreen is attractive and easy to use and gets the much-needed volume knob this year. Voice control requires relatively specific commands but otherwise works well.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard across the range and can also be accessed via voice control. However, the seven-speaker stereo could be better. This resulted in significant distortion at full volume in our tests.

Most Ridgeline driver aids are standard, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, and lane guard assistance. Blind-spot monitoring is the only optional safety feature.

We would have given Ridgeline a higher score in this category if some systems were not so sensitive. Forward collision warning systems, in particular, can be very zealous in issuing warnings.

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Honda Ridgeline MPG

A 3.5-liter V-6 engine producing 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque powers all 2023 Honda Ridgelines.

2024 Honda Ridgeline

Honda equipped the nine-speed drive system and all-wheel drive in each truck as well. In the 2021 model year, Honda shortened the Ridgeline gear, allowing for a fast 6.3-second 0-60 mph sprint. The EPA rates the 2022 Honda Ridgeline at 18/24 mpg city/highway.

Honda Ridgeline Engine

Both horsepower (280) and torque (260) can be produced by the Honda Ridgeline 2024 when powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 (262 lb-feet) engine.

The Honda Ridgeline 2024 can pull 5,000 pounds and carry 1,583 pounds with this engine. All versions are equipped with AWD and a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

The Ridgeline’s smooth ride is unmatched among pickup trucks. To cover the quarter mile in 15.6 seconds, the Ridgeline must accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds. There is also a lower weight, which improves maneuverability and handling.
Honda Ridgeline price and release date in 2024

2024 Honda Ridgeline Price

We expect the base Honda Ridgeline 2023 to have a starting price of around $38,000 and at the top end of the Ridgeline range, you can expect to pay around $45,000.

2024 Honda Ridgeline Release Date

The new 2024 Honda CR-V release date is expected in the summer of 2023. For the 2024 CR-V Hybrid it is also expected to have a release date later in 2023.