Road Test
Wrap-Up
How It Drove
Inside the Cabin
Summing Up
Changes to the Ridgeline Since 2006
Ups and Downs
Recalls and Problem History
Dealer Service Reviews
What Consumers Say
Why We Bought It
At the 2005 North American International Auto Show, a trustworthy source overheard Bob Lutz, General Motors' venerable vice chairman, discussing the new 2006 Honda Ridgeline pickup truck. Lutz, it seems, was quite intrigued by the package.
While few of our staffers boast resumés that rival Lutz's automotive curriculum vitae, like Lutz, we are savvy enough to recognize a compelling package when we see one. And while GM's vice chairman is limited to the confines of the Silverado/Sierra twins and the Chevrolet Avalanche, there are no GM ties to bind us. We immediately phoned our local Honda dealer of choice, Goudy Honda in Alhambra, California, and put down a deposit.
What we got was a bright silver 2006 Ridgeline RTL with a moonroof and XM radio. MSRP for our Ridgeline was $33,155 and Edmunds.com True Market Value (TMV®) pricing put it at $33,038 in April 2005 when we took delivery. The Ridgeline was popular at launch, so a price just slightly less than sticker is normal. Today's TMV on the same 2006 Honda Ridgeline has dropped to $29,111, even though the MSRP has climbed to $33,190.
How It Drove
The Honda Ridgeline's carlike handling comes courtesy of its four-wheel independent suspension, and its dual personality is perfect for most families. Editorial Director Kevin Smith said, "If people suddenly become realistic about what they need in a truck, this one would put a lot of others out of business. It's a people-hauler, but you can also load up tons of stuff when you need to."
Road Test Editor Brian Moody spent several weekends using the Honda to run back and forth to Home Depot, and he, too, became a Ridgeline fan. "I'm really starting to like this truck," he says. "Its usefulness, flexibility and comfort have made me think this might be the perfect vehicle for a middle-class homeowner. I can easily use it every day and pretend it's a nice big sedan. But on those rare occasions I need a truck, it works for that, too."
Kelly Toepke, manager of vehicle testing, is also a card-carrying member of the Ridgeline fan club. As a working mother with a 60-mile daily commute, Kelly was pleased with the Ridgeline's manageable size and plentiful interior storage space.
"This is the minivan of trucks," she said, "and I know minivans. The Ridgeline is easy to get in and out of, there are storage compartments galore, and the seats are mounted nice and high for visibility. Yet the Ridgeline still fits easily into my low-clearance garage. This truck avoids everything I disliked about our long-term Nissan Titan."
Despite our overall satisfaction with the Honda, the Ridgeline is a multitasker, and few items that are built to cover so many bases do it perfectly. "Outward visibility, especially to the rear quarters, is awful," said Kevin. Brian confirmed this by saying, "Every time I change lanes I get this 'uh-oh' feeling in my stomach. The mirrors and side windows are plenty big but that rear-most pillar creates a huge blind spot."
Inside Line Editor in Chief Rich Homan also found fault with the Ridgeline's poor rear visibility, plus its huge turning radius. "One of the clearest signs of an enlightened urban truck is how easy it is to maneuver in and out of parking spaces," said Rich. "This is not an enlightened urban truck."
One incident that led us to question the Ridgeline's adeptness as a true truck involved its ability to withstand off-road use. Senior Consumer Advice Editor Phil Reed took the truck camping in Death Valley, California, and was disappointed with the outcome. The road to the campsite was a long, but relatively flat stretch that seemed well within the Ridgeline's capabilities. Its surface was rough washboard but certainly nothing that couldn't be handled at modest speeds by a modern truck. "I adjusted my speed to minimize vibration and eventually settled between 10 and 15 mph. I held my speed down and steered around the worst of the holes and ruts."
Unfortunately, his tame driving didn't render the Ridgeline damage-free. On the return trip, Phil realized that the Ridgeline seemed to be handling a bit strange, and took it directly to the dealer. A check revealed that all four struts were blown out and needed to be replaced. According to the dealer the repair didn't qualify for warranty work, but nonetheless, Honda agreed to cover the repair as a "one-time, good-faith" gesture. Needless to say, had they not done this our faith in the Ridgeline and Honda's willingness to stand by it would not have been good.
Honda later sent us a letter letting us know that their engineers had examined the damaged struts and concluded that we must have driven at very high speeds for an extended period of time to cause that kind of damage. "We would welcome the opportunity to have you test the Ridgeline against other competitor(s) on the same course that you drove," concluded the letter. With that in mind we traced Phil's Death Valley route in our long-term Toyota Tacoma crew cab. It's equipped with the TRD Sport package designed to give it improved performance on the road without degrading its off-road capability. We drove the exact same route at varying speeds and experienced no damage of any kind. Given the fact that Toyota has been building trucks for decades, we weren't all that surprised.
After the struts were replaced, the Honda Ridgeline took some heat from editorial staffers for not being a "real truck" with body-on-frame construction, or a V8 engine for that matter. However, while our photographer, Scott Jacobs, was cruising through California and the Southwest, he managed to get between 20 and 22 miles per gallon on his road trip. A big V8 is nice, but it's rarely going to get that kind of mileage in a pickup truck.
Couple that with the fact that the Ridgeline's sedanlike fuel economy doesn't necessarily come at the expense of power. Kelly said, "You can tell it doesn't have a V8, but that's due more to the high revs rather than lack of power. Every time I need to get into traffic quickly, the Ridgeline's 255-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 does its job."
And that type of city driving is where the Ridgeline does its best work. If you want a real truck's truck, look elsewhere, but there's no denying the Ridgeline delivers that legendary Honda reliability. Aside from the suspension repair, the only other warranty work performed on the truck was to fix a couple of adjustment knobs on the rear air-conditioning vents. They had fallen off and needed to be reinstalled.
Inside the Cabin
Our editorial camp became divided and drew a deeper line in the sand when it came to the Ridgeline's interior. Although it held up well after a year of intense use, several complaints were lodged about the placement of controls.
"This is the kind of vehicle that I would sit in at a dealership but never test-drive," said Dan Edmunds, director of automotive testing. "I don't feel at home in it. The steering wheel is way too far away. Even though I'm 6-foot-2, I still need to sit forward and peer over the top of the massive steering horn pad to see the trip odometer. The radio is too far away, and the grab handles are way too big."
Senior Content Editor Erin Riches agreed with Dan's steering wheel gripe: "I find the driver seat very comfortable, but wish the steering wheel offered telescopic adjustment. At least the center stack controls are simple and attractive, and the round display for the climate control system looks cool and is pretty easy to read. I also really enjoy the sound quality from the stereo — the bass and separation were good for listening to the new Tool album."
Actual seat comfort was less controversial. Well-padded and soft, the Ridgeline's seats were as inviting as most sedans, although the seat heaters were criticized.
"The heated seats aren't so hot. Literally," Scott Jacobs wrote in the logbook. "It's hard to tell they're even on, and there doesn't seem to be much difference between the high and low settings." Several other staffers have also commented that the seats start out with an intense heat, and quickly fade to lukewarm.
Scott was impressed by the Ridgeline's versatility. "I love the lockable and watertight cargo area in the bed. It makes the pickup function of the Ridgeline twice as useful and keeps more interior space open." Necessity demands Scott lug a lot of camera equipment around most days, so having backseats that flip up was also helpful. But after loading groceries for a family of four into the Ridgeline's in-bed "trunk," Dan had a new concern. "While I was back there, I saw where the spare was. Now I've had trucks — real trucks — before, and I've had flat tires on them before, while loaded and towing a trailer. I'd get really upset if I had to disconnect the trailer to unload the ATV to remove the gear from the trunk so I could get to the spare."
Summing Up
There's no getting around it. The Ridgeline is a controversial vehicle. Buyers who want a serious pickup truck aren't going to like it and Honda knew that much going in. The question we kept in our heads throughout the year is whether the people who are open to the idea of something different would find the Ridgeline unique and satisfying, or merely average.
After nearly 24,000 miles in the Ridgeline we would call it a good sport-utility vehicle — and an average truck. On one hand it gives you plenty of passenger space, a very functional interior and enough cargo room to get by on the weekend. It's more comfortable to drive than most other midsize trucks and won't dent your wallet as deeply as a full size. If you're realistic about your towing and hauling needs, and can do without the sound of a big V8 or real off-road ability, you'll find the Ridgeline worth the price.
True Market Value at service end: $29,111
Depreciation: $4,044 or 12% of original paid price
Final Odometer Reading: 23,937
Best Fuel Economy: 20.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 9.6 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 16.9 mpg
Total Body Repair Costs: None
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 12 months): $641.26
Additional Maintenance Costs: $686.36 (replace cracked windshield)
Warranty Repairs: 5
Non-Warranty Repairs: 1
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 3
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 6
Days Out of Service: 4
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None
Changes to the Ridgeline Since 2006
2007 — Driver-side illuminated vanity mirror has been added to all trim levels, a moonroof becomes standard on RTL trim and monotone leather interior is now available. A new RTX trim level that comes with a standard trailer hitch and other popular features has been added as well.
Ups and Downs
Ups: Even with its large turning radius, the Ridgeline still offers carlike handling combined with the versatility of a full-size pickup bed.
Downs: Can't handle off-roading and the interior falls short of Honda's typical ergonomic modern car successes.
The Bottom Line: Honda deserves ingenuity kudos for the Ridgeline, but falls short of solid execution.
Recalls and Problem History
Recalls: None
Problem History:
- All four struts blew out on a dirt road, front-passenger seatbelt trim broke off, loose security light on driver door and poor windshield seal caused hissing noise at speed.
The struts were replaced under a one-time "goodwill repair." The rest was repaired at no cost under warranty.- Two adjustment knobs for the rear air-conditioning vents fell off and were reinstalled.
Dealer Service Reviews
Honda of Santa Monica, Santa Monica, California
May 2005
All four struts were replaced. Service advisor Vallarie seemed a little wary of our warranty claim at first, but is able to facilitate the "goodwill repair."
November 2005
Our first visit to the dealer since the strut issue. Vallarie is still cautious, but warming up, and our first routine service is completed within a couple of hours.
January 2006
We have a few broken interior pieces replaced. Vallarie no longer hides when she sees us coming.
May 2006
Vallarie and Edmunds' Vehicle Testing Assistant Mike Schmidt are now old friends. She happily schedules our 25,000-mile service and we receive top-notch service.
Miller Honda, Culver City, California
June 2005
After receiving the new struts, our Ridgeline needed an alignment, which Honda of Santa Monica could not perform since the model was so new and they didn't have the necessary specs yet. Miller Honda already had the setup, so we took the Ridgeline there. The service manager had already been apprised of our situation, yet still welcomed us with open arms.
What Consumers Say
"A lot has been said about the poor gas mileage of the Ridgeline. I have found this not to be true. In city driving (stop and go) I have been getting between 16 and 17.5 mpg. I just took it on a short road trip of 130 miles at the posted speed limit and got 23.76 mpg. I made it a point to fill it to the top on both fuel refills. I am very pleased with the mileage, XM radio, and the in-bed trunk. Also the large amount of storage space and the leather heated seats." — jon, May 24, 2006
"I love my new Ridgeline. Comfort and utility with Honda quality, there is just no comparison to other vehicles. (Especially since it's Honda's only truck.) The interior is surprisingly roomy. I can have 3 children's seats in the back and two adults in the front with plenty of legroom. The sound system is very good and I'm enjoying the XM radio and CD changer that came with the vehicle. The ride is a lot more like a car than a truck; broad wheelbase and low COG make for low body roll. The 244-hp engine is very peppy and responsive. Innovative storage inside and out, 2-way bed door, in bed trunk (You must see if you haven't), under rear-seat cargo tray and adjustable console between front seats. The optional bed extender is a must-have with three positions, and it also creates a basket in the front or rear of the bed. Running boards are also a must-have for kids; the high clearance makes it hard for kids to climb in without it. Controls are comfortable and intelligent, instruments are well lit. The composite lining in the bed gets scuffed easily, a better lining is in order. I got the optional backup sensors and I'm glad I did. Rear blind spots are big due to the design, those sensors should be standard, or even a rearview camera. The sensors have saved me two times in the four months I've had it." — Brett0769, May 23, 2006
"I just bought this truck…my first. I was impressed with the luxurious, carlike ride and side airbags being standard. The in-bed trunk is huge and holds tons of stuff. Totally love this truck, didn't want to go the SUV route again. I added the optional 'tonneau' cover across the bed to give it additional covered storage. In bed trunk, safety features, unique body design, luxurious car feel OK, my biggest beef is that the optional tonneau cover weighs a ton to open, and kills my back! No lightweight can own this car; pulling heavy items out of the trunk isn't easy either. Also, the tonneau cover is not removable so you lose much vertical cargo space if you get it." — Diane, April 30, 2006
"Have had no trouble except for engine light coming on. This is after the Check Gas Cap warning scrolls across for two start-ups, then the third is the engine light. It is now in the shop to hopefully fix it. Great driver and passenger room. Leather package is surprisingly comfortable, as I was not a big fan of leather. Backseat seatbelts are hard!!! Very difficult to put 3 boosters in the back, as the snap is mounted to a stiff post that snaps back into the seat. This is a terrific nuisance! Cannot buy belt extenders to make this flexible." — loon, April, 21, 2006
"What a perfect vehicle. It handles so well, has get-up-and-go, has room for everything and is fun to drive. Honda did a great job. Considering it is the first model year, it sure is well thought out. I used to drive a '93 Accord DX coupe. What a step up in every way, except gas mileage. I highly recommend this vehicle. I'm really picky, too. Handling. Safety. Utility." — JohnMcA, February, 2006
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