Congratulations, 2022 Honda Ridgeline, you are not alone. The Ridgeline has been the one pickup within the U.S. market that used crossover structure, granting it unmatched inside house, dealing with and trip consolation for a midsize pickup. In fact, it additionally granted it endless guffaws and eye rolls from the vast majority of the truck-buying inhabitants who do not view it as a truck. Apart from the shortage of conventional body-on-frame structure (it is constructed on the identical car-like crossover platform of the Honda Pilot), it might probably solely tow 5,000 kilos, has minimal floor clearance and just one cab/mattress/powertrain mixture. Sure, it seems a bit extra macho after final 12 months’s styling replace, however we doubt many minds have been modified.
Not less than not but, as a result of the introduction of the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick might simply result in a wider acceptance of the crossover pickup idea Honda has been attempting to make a factor for 2 Ridgeline generations. They too have the identical benefits of the Ridgeline – and comparable demerits – however they’re additionally significantly smaller. So though this pair of compact crossover pickups may be thought of alternate options, the Ridgeline stays the one midsize crossover pickup. Guess it is nonetheless alone in spite of everything.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it’s like to drive | Pricing & Features | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What’s new for 2022?
After important updates a 12 months in the past, which you’ll examine in last year’s Ridgeline review, there aren’t any modifications for 2022 apart from the choice of Sonic Grey Pearl painted added beginning in December.
What are the Ridgeline inside and in-car expertise like?
For higher and for worse, the Ridgeline inside is copied and pasted from the Honda Pilot from the B-pillars ahead. Meaning it isn’t an particularly engaging house, and positively not one which screams “powerful, enjoyable truck!” Then once more, it isn’t as if the Ford Ranger or Chevy Colorado do this, both. That is the “for worse” bit. For higher, the Pilot interior offers exceptional small item storage, and that mainly carries over to the Ridgeline unchanged. The roomy coated heart bin is particularly useful for maintaining even sizable gadgets away from prying eyes or from flying across the cabin.
However now, again to the more serious bit. The Pilot/Passport/Ridgeline’s infotainment system is the inside’s weakest attribute. Sure, it gained a quantity knob final 12 months, however that is simply correcting a misstep. It would not change the missteps that stay: a convoluted menu construction, rudimentary navigation system (in that case outfitted) and lack of bodily supporting buttons.
How massive is the Ridgeline?
On the surface, the Ridgeline is mainly the identical size and peak as different midsize crew cab pickups. Its wheelbase is not fairly as lengthy, and it has much less floor clearance (7.6 inches), but it surely’s notably wider – by a whopping 5.3 inches in comparison with the Ford Ranger. Nonetheless, the Ridgeline’s unibody “crossover” building means these comparable dimensions on the surface don’t translate into comparable measurements inside. Merely put, the Ridgeline cabin is much roomier and extra snug for passengers. You’ll be able to see this most by way of rear seat legroom, and all that further width ends in the same benefit in shoulder room. There’s additionally the matter of inside peak: There’s extra of it within the Ridgeline, which means the seats may be increased off the bottom (particularly in comparison with the Toyota Tacoma), leading to larger consolation even when headroom is comparable.
In contrast to a lot of the different midsize vans, the Ridgeline doesn’t supply a smaller, “prolonged cab” physique type. There may be additionally just one mattress size, 5 ft 4 inches, which is in step with the quick beds that sometimes come commonplace with the crew cabs of different midsize pickups (it is also for much longer than the cargo areas of midsize SUVs). The Tacoma and Colorado/Canyon crew cabs alternately may be paired with an extended mattress; the Ranger can’t.
None of these rivals, nevertheless, provides the distinctive attributes of the Ridgeline’s mattress. That begins with the intelligent Twin Motion tailgate, which drops down like regular or swings out like a door. The latter is useful for climbing into the mattress or leaning in to get one thing, and it additionally offers entry to the Ridgeline’s different distinctive function: a trunk. This water-tight 7.9-cubic-foot space fit three medium-sized pieces of luggage in our luggage test and has a plug within the backside to allow you to wash it out or fill it with ice to create a big onboard cooler. Simply know that it takes rather a lot of ice to do it. Lastly, the highest two trim ranges function the Truck-Mattress Audio System, which mainly turns the mattress into an enormous speaker. It is fairly cool.
What are the Ridgeline gasoline economic system and efficiency specs?
The Ridgeline certain retains issues easy by providing just one powertrain and drivetrain mixture: a 3.5-liter V6 that sends 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque by a nine-speed computerized to a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. You need rear-wheel drive? Too dangerous, the Ridgeline is predicated on a front-wheel-drive platform. You need front-wheel drive? No, in fact you do not. You are not alone, Honda discontinued that choice final 12 months.
EPA-estimated fuel economy is eighteen mpg metropolis, 24 mpg freeway and 21 mpg mixed. Contemplating the crossover structure, nine-speed computerized and Honda’s repute, you may in all probability be shocked to listen to that mixed estimate is definitely 1 mpg worse than a Ford Ranger 4×4 and the identical as a Ford F-150 4×4 with the two.7-liter turbo V6.
What is the Ridgeline prefer to drive?
The Ridgeline has no doubt the smoothest trip and finest on-road dealing with of any midsize pickup. It even has a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, which shunts energy to every rear wheel to enhance dealing with and traction. Principally, the Ridgeline drives extra like a crossover than a body-on-frame truck – as a result of that is precisely what it’s. The trip is a little bit firmer than a Pilot or Passport’s, and with the HPD Efficiency package deal’s all-terrain tires, there’s extra vibration felt by the wheel and fewer steering precision. However, each Ridgeline is a really civilized pickup to drive.
There are, in fact, downsides. Its 7.6 inches of floor clearance is not even excessive for a crossover, and though its all-wheel-drive system, off-road driving modes and HPD package deal upgrades make it surprisingly succesful off the crushed path, it can also’t contact even the extra primary variations of the Ranger and Tacoma. Its towing capability of 5,000 kilos can also be fairly weak (the Ranger, Colorado/Canyon, Tacoma and Jeep Gladiator are throughout 7,000), however its payload of 1,583 kilos is corresponding to all however the best-in-class Ranger.
What different Honda Ridgeline evaluations can I learn?
2021 Honda Ridgeline First Drive
In our first drive of the revised 2021 Ridgeline, we dive extra deeply into the modifications and get an opportunity to drive it off highway.
2020 Honda Ridgeline Road Test
We really use the Ridgeline for a very good, old style truck exercise: hauling mulch.
Long-Term Honda Ridgeline Test
We examined a Ridgeline for a complete 12 months, and though there have been some updates since then, our impressions (and fondness for it) stay broadly the identical.
2018 Honda Ridgeline and Airstream Basecamp X | A match made in Michigan
We take our long-term Ridgeline on an extended, chilly weekend journey with a mini Airstream
How a lot is the 2022 Ridgeline value and what options can be found?
Pricing begins at $38,115, together with the $1,225 vacation spot cost, for the bottom Sport trim stage. That is significantly greater than different midsize pickups, however do not forget that the Ridgeline comes commonplace with key parts which might be non-compulsory on different vans: a crew cab, a V6 engine and all-wheel drive.
It additionally has extra commonplace gear. This contains 18-inch alloy wheels, the Twin Motion tailgate and mattress trunk, computerized LED headlights, LED foglights, mattress lights, rear privateness glass, a multi-angle parking digital camera, a full suite of accident avoidance tech (see Security part), adaptive cruise management, proximity entry and keyless begin, tri-zone computerized local weather management, a height-adjustable driver seat, material upholstery, a 60/40-split again seat with flip-up seat bottoms, an 8-inch touchscreen, two USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a seven-speaker sound system.
We had been completely nice with this ample quantity of kit within the Sport we examined, nevertheless, the RTL’s energy entrance seats, blind-spot warning system, power-sliding rear window and leather-wrapped steering wheel would in all probability make the value premium acceptable for a lot of.
The highest two trim ranges are mainly the identical, besides the Black Version fees you $1,500 for blacked out wheels and trim items, and particular inside accents. Notable gear upgrades embrace parking sensors, a truck mattress energy outlet, the truck-bed audio system, a heated steering wheel, wi-fi telephone charging and built-in navigation.
The HPD (Honda Efficiency Bundle) is accessible on each trim stage and features a distinctive grille and fender flares, HPD stickers, and 18-inch “bronze alloy wheels” which might be completely extra gold than bronze. It prices $2,800. You’ll be able to see the distinction between it and an everyday Ridgeline beneath, and browse extra about it in our Ridgeline HPD Package Driveway Test.
All costs beneath embrace the vacation spot cost of $1,225.
Sport: $38,115
RTL: $41,095
RTL-E: $44,045
Black Version: $45,545
What are the Ridgeline security scores and driver help options?
Each 2022 Ridgeline contains ahead collision warning, computerized emergency braking, lane-keeping help, and adaptive cruise management with steering help. Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning are on all however the base Sport. Though it is commendable that these options are commonplace, they’re among the oldest and least refined in the marketplace. Adaptive cruise management tends to brake an excessive amount of, accelerates again in control too slowly, and the steering help pales compared to that supplied by different manufacturers.
The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration gave the Ridgeline 5 out of 5 stars for general, frontal and facet crash safety. No different midsize truck can match this. The Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security gave it the best-possible ranking of “Good” in all crash tests however the latest small overlap entrance: passenger-side check the place it received a second-best “Acceptable.” The ahead collision prevention system additionally received a ranking of excellent, however the headlights received a third-best/second-worst rating of “Marginal.”
