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2006 Honda Ridgeline: In a Class by Itself
Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament Funkadelic and OutKast
are just a few examples of groups that make music based on feelings
and influences. What we love most about these groups is that a style
of one song or album may be totally different from the next. We never
know exactly what to expect from them, but we know it will be true
and genuine. The same goes with Honda. Whether rolling out mainstream
vehicles like the Accord, socially conscious works like the Insight,
or diverse statements like the Element, at the end of the day Honda
quality and responsibility remain. As such, I had positive expectations
of the 2006 Honda Ridgeline even before driving it. Like going to
see any Denzel flick, the Ridgeline didn’t let me down.
Don’t let the small size fool you. The Ridgeline is all truck.
Able to fit in a typical garage, the Ridgeline has capabilities competitive
with full size pickups. The Ridgeline is Honda’s first truck,
and features a well laid out cabin. Be mindful though that this is
a truck and you won’t find luxurious creature comforts here.
You will, however, find an impressive number of safety and convenience
features that all come standard on the Ridgeline. One interior feature
of note is the large door handles which are actually modeled after
power tool grips. The handles looked strange until I quickly grew
accustomed and found myself holding them periodically for stability
when riding. Ultimately they make a useful addition to the vehicle
and a simple way to manipulate the doors. Good thought went into
the rear seats as well, which provide car-like comfort and fold in
a 60/40 split. Even when the rear seats are up, innovative storage
under the Ridgeline’s rear bench seat provides additional cargo
space.
Exterior styling of the Ridgeline is bold yet functional. Angled
lines, a rectangular grille and headlamps, and sloping rear “C” pillar
make up its aggressive yet modern look. The rear features a 5’ x
4’1’’ dent and chip resistant composite bed, which
extends to 6’5’’ with the rear gate down. Need
to haul 4’x8’ sheets of plywood or drywall? Not a problem
with the Ridgeline, as the wheelhouses have been engineered to maximize
cargo hauling. Honda also configured the bed to accommodate other
Honda products. The Ridgeline can hold two CRF450R’s (Honda’s
largest off-road motorcycles) or one full size Honda ATV. Six heavy-duty
tie down cleats and four lights in the rear add to the ease of loading
the bed.
 
 
The Ridgeline breaks new ground in many ways. It
has a lockable 8.5 cubic foot trunk, which is located under the Ridgeline’s
bed floor. Capable of holding three golf bags (or a large cooler)
and the spare tire, the in-bed trunk comes complete with a water
drain for easy cleaning and a seal which was engineered to keep water
and grime out in the first place. Since it would be hard to load
the trunk with the rear gate down in conventional pickup configuration,
Honda constructed the gate to open out as well. Now that’s
good thinking.
To motivate the Ridgeline, Honda has equipped it with their 255-horsepower
3.5-liter SOHC VTEC V6. With 252 pound-feet of torque, this powerplant
has been supplemented with a high capacity radiator, dual high-power
cooling fans, and heavy duty power steering and transmission coolers
enabling it to tow 5000 pounds with two passengers and 175 pounds
of cargo in the bed. By itself, the Ridgeline has a total vehicle
payload of 1550 pounds (greater that the Ford F-150). Under normally
weighted conditions the Ridgeline gets 16 mpg city and 21 mpg highway.
It also meets Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standards.
Driving the Ridgeline exceeded my expectations. The
truck handled remarkably well and has the responsiveness and agility
of an Accord.
Medium-duty off-road rated, the Ridgeline made small work of 28-degree
soft hills and several off-road (including water based) challenges.
Whether fully weighted down or towing at full capacity, the Ridgeline
was solid, predictable and fun to drive.
Like Mike Tyson in his prime, the Ridgeline is built like a rock.
It is an innovative and capable pickup whose practicality will cater
to most. Key standard features for the Ridgeline include: VTM-4 (Variable
Torque Management) four-wheel drive system, Vehicle Stability Assist
with traction control, front, side and side curtain airbags with
rollover sensors, CD stereo, and automatic heated windshield wiper
zone. XM Satellite Radio, moonroof, and Honda’s satellite navigation
system with voice recognition are among significant options. Coming
to dealer showrooms this March, the Ridgeline will be available in
three trim levels (RT, RTS and luxury RTL). MSRP for the Ridgeline
starts at $27,700 for the very well equipped RT, and rises to $31,490
for the RTL.
The Ridgeline is a purpose-built truck that is very
stable and forgiving. Typically, it should provide everything most
of us would need a truck for, while holding back on the things we
don’t. Safety features abound in the Ridgeline, and they all
come as standard equipment from the base RT on up. So unless you
are a general contractor or a U.S. Park Ranger, the Ridgeline is
plenty, and then some. Add to that the fact that it is actually fun
to drive, carries a great deal of stuff inside and out, and is family
friendly, we at Automotive Rhythms highly recommend the Ridgeline.
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