2020 Honda Ridgeline Review

　　

2020 Honda Ridgeline Review

byRyan ZumMallenContributor

　　Ryan ZumMallen has worked in the automotive industry since 2012. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Ryan has also contributed to Road & Track, Autoweek, Trucks.com and more. In 2019, Ryan published his first book, Slow Car Fast, on the millennial generation and its unique take on modern car culture.

　　The 2020 Honda Ridgeline offers the most car-like experience in the midsize pickup truck segment. Credit goes to the Ridgeline's unibody construction, which helps it provide more noise isolation, ride comfort and interior room than its traditional truck-based rivals. You also get some cool storage tricks, such as a lockable in-bed trunk, that are exclusive to the Ridgeline.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Honda Ridgeline Sport 4dr Crew Cab SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$172/mo  for Ridgeline Sport

　　Ridgeline Sport

　　Sport 4dr Crew Cab SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $33,900 MSRPSport 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $36,140 MSRPRTL 4dr Crew Cab SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $36,670 MSRPRTL 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $38,820 MSRPRTL-E 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) (Most Popular) - $42,020 MSRPBlack Edition 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $43,520 MSRP

　　vs

　　$233/mo

　　Avg. Large Truck

　　Honda continues to offer the Ridgeline with a single engine option, a smooth-spinning 280-horsepower V6. New for 2020 is a standard nine-speed automatic transmission. It replaces the previous six-speed and promises incremental improvements in acceleration and fuel economy. Honda has also tinkered with the Ridgeline's trim levels this year. The biggest change is improved availability of the larger touchscreen that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

　　So what's not to like? Well, the big knock on the Ridgeline is that it lacks the rugged off-road ability and attitude of its rivals such as the Chevrolet Colorado, Jeep Gladiator and Toyota Tacoma. Buyers of these trucks tend to want that stuff even if they don't plan on using any of it on a regular basis, if at all. But evaluated logically, the Ridgeline is undeniably the most refined, comfortable and roomy truck of the group.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.4

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.5/10

　　How does the Ridgeline drive? The Honda Ridgeline stands apart because of its unibody chassis, fully independent suspension and torque-vectoring AWD system that improves stability on all surfaces. We like how the 3.5-liter V6 and nine-speed automatic work together. The catch: Off-road potential is limited.

　　The Ridgeline is like a crossover SUV in this regard, but with an advanced traction management system that can cope with snow, sand and dirt. Still, it lacks the underbody clearance, wheel articulation and low-range gearing that allows other 4WD pickups to venture into rockier territory. That said, the Ridgeline, with its independent rear suspension, performs better than typical solid-axle trucks on washboard dirt roads.

　　

Comfort

9.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Ridgeline? The Ridgeline is much smoother and more composed on a variety of surfaces than the competition. That's because it's the only pickup in its segment with a four-wheel independent suspension. It shrugs off bumps easily, and there's little head toss or jostling.

　　We also like the Ridgeline's seating. The front seats have a nice shape and supportive padding that provides long-distance comfort. The cushions are broad enough to accommodate larger folks, and effective bolsters prevent those with narrower frames from sliding around. The comfy rear seats are set at a pleasing angle.

　　

Interior

9.0/10

　　How’s the interior? The Ridgeline is easy to climb in and out of. Its step-up height is much lower than the Tacoma's, which makes the Ridgeline manageable for shorter folks and those with limited range of motion. Once inside, you'll find that most of the controls are easy to find and use.

　　The Ridgeline offers the driver and passengers plenty of room, particularly in interior width and rear head- and legroom. It's also pretty easy to see out of. The large windows give a good view out of the front and sides, and the blind spot isn't overly large.

　　

Technology

8.0/10

　　How’s the tech? Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard equipment. But we're not fans of the 8-inch touchscreen audio system because of its wonky volume controls. A full selection of advanced driving safety features are also standard, but execution is again lacking. Honda's forward collision warning system can be very sensitive, for example, and our test Ridgeline had many disconcerting false alarms.

　　The native voice command interface can control phone, navigation and audio. Commands need to follow certain guidelines, but some plain language commands do work. Press and hold the voice button to bypass this system and get to the much more sophisticated voice commands via your paired phone.

　　

Towing and Storage

8.5/10

　　How are the towing and storage? The Ridgeline is a solid cargo hauler inside and out. The crew cab has a longer dent-resistant bed than competitors. It also has a lockable in-bed trunk and a two-way tailgate. The bed sides are low enough to allow easy access, and it's the only midsize that can carry 4-by-8 sheets flat on the floor between the wheelwells.

　　The Ridgeline's payload rating is also very good for the class. Not quite as good is towing capacity — a maximum of 5,000 pounds with AWD. But it isn't too shabby in a truck class where heavy towing isn't a crucial purchase reason.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The Ridgeline is pretty efficient as midsize trucks go. The AWD version is rated at 21 mpg combined, and the front-wheel-drive model is good for 22 mpg combined. Pleasingly, we've found these EPA estimates to be accurate in our real-world testing.

　　

Value

8.0/10

　　Is the Ridgeline a good value? The Ridgeline is nicely trimmed inside and out. The material choices and overall design have a family-friendly sophistication that trucks, especially in the midsize arena, rarely attempt. Small panel gaps and nice-looking paint make this truck a cut above the rest.

　　Honda's no-option pricing strategy makes prices look a bit higher at first glance, but it also makes it easy to know the bottom line. Pricing is fairly competitive considering the quality offered.

　　

Wildcard

7.5/10

　　Remember the Ranchero and the El Camino? They were car-like pickups of limited utility because they were made on a station wagon chassis. The Ridgeline is much better at being a truck because it's based on a smooth-riding and capable crossover SUV chassis that gives it loads of utility.

　　The Ridgeline won't interest those looking for a rig that plays on its tough-truck image. It's more of a logical truck, a comfy truck, the kind of pickup truck buyers would be quite happy with if they focused on need instead of want. Inevitably, some will not take it seriously and will ignore the good points detailed above. That's a shame.

　　

Which Ridgeline does zzdcar recommend?

We'd opt for the RTL-E because of its long list of standard equipment, as well as features not available on lower trim levels. In this near top-level trim, all-wheel drive is standard as is an uprated audio system, navigation, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a heated steering wheel. The RTL-E also includes a blind-spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic LED headlights.

　　

2020 Honda Ridgeline models

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline is offered in four trim levels: Sport, RTL, RTL-E and Black Edition. All Ridgelines are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine (280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque) mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard on the Sport and RTL trim levels, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is an option. The other trims come standard with AWD.

　　The entry-level Sport comes with much of the same hardware and capabilities of the higher trims. Now standard for 2020 is Honda Sensing, which bundles driver aids such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation and automatic emergency braking. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard, as are cloth seats, which are unique to the Sport, and tri-zone climate control.

　　Moving up to the RTL adds creature comforts such as leather-trimmed seats, heated and power-adjustable front seats, a sunroof and a power-sliding rear window. And the step to the RTL-E brings even more, with a powerful audio system, navigation, and a truck-bed power outlet as well as blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The top-of-the-line Black Edition has the same features as the RTL-E but comes with blacked-out exterior trim and wheels plus red-accented leather seats.

　　

2020 Ridgeline Highlights

Trim: SportRTLRTL-EBlack EditionSport

　　

Base MSRP	$33,900
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$172/month
Seating	5 seats
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Max Towing Capacity	3,500 lbs.
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles