2023 Honda Ridgeline Crew Cab

　　

2023 Honda Ridgeline Review

byMichael CantuCorrespondent

　　Michael Cantu has worked in the automotive industry since 2014. He has written over 800 car-related articles and tested and reviewed over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Michael is a contributor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Digital Trends and InsideEVs. Michael was featured on a few InsideEVs YouTube channel videos on the topic of electric vehicles. Michael was a MotorTrend Car of the Year judge for 2019 and was a driver in MotorTrend's World's Greatest Drag Races 7 & 8.

　　, rating written byMichael CantuReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　Which one of these midsize trucks isn't like the others? Well, if you picked the 2023 Honda Ridgeline out of our imagined lineup, you'd get the answer right. Unlike rival trucks that are based on a traditional body-on-frame design, the Ridgeline is built more like a crossover SUV with its unibody construction and independent rear suspension. Going this route gives the Ridgeline a distinct advantage in comfort but holds it back when it comes to maximum towing capacity and off-road performance. As such, the appeal of the Ridgeline largely depends on what you're looking for out of your next truck.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Sport 4dr Crew Cab AWD 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 $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$185/mo  for Ridgeline Sport

　　Ridgeline Sport

　　Sport 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $38,800 MSRPRTL 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) (Most Popular) - $41,780 MSRPRTL-E 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $44,730 MSRPBlack Edition 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $46,230 MSRP

　　vs

　　$233/mo

　　Avg. Large Truck

　　The Ridgeline has a few other appealing attributes. It has lots of interior room and storage, a handy lockable in-bed trunk, and a clever tailgate that opens down or swings open to the side. It also offers plenty of traction thanks to its standard all-wheel-drive system and the V6 engine provides quick acceleration.

　　We like the Honda Ridgeline a lot. It's been sitting on top of our midsize truck rankings for a while. If you prefer a more traditional truck, check out the Toyota Tacoma or Nissan Frontier. But the Ridgeline also competes against two other unibody trucks that are a little smaller. The Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick recently hit the market and are solid rivals. For an in-depth review, be sure to read our test team's Expert Rating of the Ridgeline below.

　　

What's it like to live with?

It's been a few years since we had a 2017 Honda Ridgeline in for our long-term test. The current Ridgeline has been updated since then, but it's basically the same truck underneath and belongs to the same generation as the 2017 model. So much of what we said still applies. Check out our long-term test of the 2017 Honda Ridgeline here.

　　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

　　8.5

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.5/10

　　How does the Ridgeline drive? Many benefits come with the Ridgeline's unibody chassis, fully independent suspension and a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. Steering and handling are unrivaled among midsize pickups — this is where the benefits of being a car-based truck shine through.

　　We like how the 3.5-liter V6 and nine-speed automatic work together. The Ridgeline accelerates smoothly and has plenty of passing power on the highway. At our test track, the Ridgeline went from 0 to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, which is a quick time for a midsize truck.

　　The catch: Off-road potential is limited. The Ridgeline is like a crossover SUV in this regard and lacks the underbody clearance, wheel articulation and low-range gearing that allows other 4WD pickups to venture into rockier territory. That said, the Ridgeline performs better with its independent rear suspension on washboard dirt roads than your typical solid-axle truck.

　　

Comfort

9.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Ridgeline? The Ridgeline has the best ride comfort in the midsize pickup class. It easily absorbs bumps in the road and feels stable and composed around turns. The front seats have thin-yet-supportive padding that provides good long-distance comfort. The cushions are broad enough to accommodate larger folks, and effective side bolsters help keep drivers with narrower frames from sliding around.

　　Noise and vibration are kept to a minimum in the cabin. The exception is the surprisingly playful and grunty V6, which you'll hear when you mat the gas. Automatic tri-zone climate control is standard across the range, and it cools and heats the cabin well. RTL and above models get heated front seats that work quickly.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below