Honda Ridgeline

Honda's smart pickup is built on a reinforced version of the Honda Pilot platform and looks more conventional than the previous generation. Thanks to unit-body construction and a fully independent suspension, handing approaches that of a good family sedan and the ride rivals some luxury SUVs. Clever features like a tailgate that opens downward or sideways and and lockable trunk space below the bed floor carry over from the original. Power comes from a slick 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, returning an impressive 20 mpg overall in our tests. Towing capacity is modest at 5,000 pounds, and while the bed is longer this time around, it is shallow. Front- and all-wheel-drive versions are available, as is a nine speed automatic. The quiet cabin is well-designed, with comfortable seats, but rear seat room is modest and the back doors don't open very far. The available Honda Sensing safety system includes forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Updates for 2020 include a new nine-speed automatic transmission, standard forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, and standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. The 2021 model gets a refreshed exterior and interior, standard all-wheel drive, and the updated touch-screen infotainment system with a rotary volume knob.

The Honda Ridgeline challenged pickup conventions, ranking as the best compact truck we have ever tested. Based on a beefed-up version of the same platform found in the Honda Pilot, the Ridgeline drives more like a good sedan than a lumbering beast of burden. The ride is supple and steady and handling is quite agile. Innovations included a tailgate that can open either vertically or horizontally, and a clever, weatherproof, lockable trunk beneath the bed. The standard 3.5-liter V6 engine is quiet, smooth, and responsive. But at 15 mpg overall, it's no more efficient than more capable full-size trucks. A 2009 updated added more torque. Road noise is pronounced. Roomy and nicely detailed, the crew cab is easy to access, but the lack of a telescoping steering wheel hurts the driving position. The five-foot-long cargo bed is on the short side, but is made from a composite plastic material and has no wheel arch intrusion. While not designed for serious off-roading, it proved capable in most off-road conditions. Towing capacity is 5,000 pounds and payload is 1,500 pounds. Stability control and curtain airbags were standard. With few changes over the a long model run, later years have rather dated factory audio systems.