Mud, sand, dirt, rocky terrain and snow. Venture out whole-heartedly on any of these paths, beaten or otherwise, in the all-new TrailSport trim of the Ridgeline. For 2024, Honda has boosted its midsize pickup’s offering with an off-road-tuned suspension, steel underbody armor and all-terrain tires. The result is a truck that ensures confidence and poise on the road or in tough terrain.
Once again, the single crew cab pickup shares its powertrain with the Pilot SUV: 3.5-liter V-6 engine doles out 280 horsepower @ 6000 rpm and 262 pounds-feet of torque @ 4700 rpm. Honda’s exclusive Intelligent Variable Torque Management AWD adjusts torque, so the Ridgeline stays the course under imperfect weather/road conditions. A Variable Cylinder Management, which operates in three- or four-cylinder modes, ensures fewer trips to the gas station. You can count on the 9-speed auto gearbox for smooth and effortless shifts. Tow and payload capacities are 5,000 and 1,521 pounds respectively.
It isn’t just the power train and transmission that makes a lasting impression with Ridgeline. Up front, LED headlights flank a distinct mesh grille that hosts the familiar Honda and orange TrailSport emblems. Our test drive was painted in a newly introduced Diffused Sky Blue shared with the Pilot SUV. The orange theme continues in the roomy cabin with coral color sprinkled generously on the ambient lights, and stitching on the steering wheel, seats and door panels. You would be remiss to notice the TrailSport logo on front seat headrests and floor mats too! The 9-inch touch infotainment and 7-inch digital instrument cluster (though speedometer is physical) are standouts. Storage space is abundant with bins and cubicles throughout as well as a cavernous center-console area. There also is a massive lockable in-bed trunk (7.3 cubic feet), which touts a 5-foot-long bed capable of carrying 4-by-8 plywood sheets. The dual-action tailgate is simple to lower and raise for easy access to in-bed trunk or cargo. Or lay it flat to haul a motor bike. Lest we forget, the 60/40 rear seat folds to load up belongings for a weeklong trip. Other niceties include tri-zone auto a/c, tilt/telescopic leather steering wheel, power moon roof and rear window, push-button start, and 10-way power driver and four-way front-passenger heated seats.
Dual front and side airbags, side curtain airbag with rollover sensor, vehicle stability assist with traction control, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution, multiview rear camera, side-impact door beams, front-seat active head restraints, electric parking brake, tire pressure monitoring system and daytime running lights are standard. Adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation brake, lane keep assist/departure warning, blind spot info with cross traffic monitor and more come at no cost with Honda Sensing.
Why should you buy the Ridgeline? Well, it’s not a full-size pickup but serves the purpose of one with notable cargo and towing capability, while delivering a civilized and decent ride on the highway or city streets. And now the launch of the TrailSport trim makes the calling from the rugged trails more irresistible than before!