San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Honda’s 2019 Ridgeline midsize pickup offers SUV comfort, starting at $29,990
Honda reintroduced its Ridgeline midsize pickup to its U.S. vehicle lineup for 2017, and it moves into the 2019 model year with a starting price of $29,990 (plus $995 freight).
With its rebirth two years ago, the Ridgeline got a complete makeover, new technology, improved fuel economy and the honor of being chosen the 2017 Truck of the Year at the Detroit auto show.
For 2019, Ridgeline prices range from the $29,990 for the entry level RT two-wheel-drive model to $44,415 for the all-wheel-drive Black Edition, loaded with just about every option available.
Before it was re-introduced for 2017, the Ridgeline had been out of the Honda lineup since the 2014 model year. The newest version brought back most of the characteristics of the original Ridgeline, including four doors and a choice between front- and all-wheel drive.
Added were such premium features as standard LED taillights, and available LED projector-beam headlights and LED daytime running lights.
Four front-drive and five allwheel-drive versions are offered for 2019. Besides the RT, other two-wheel-drive versions are the Sport ($33,390), RTL ($34,870) and RTL-T ($37,000),
For 2019, the lowest-priced all-wheel-drive model is the Sport ($35,290), followed by the RTL
($36,770); RTL-T ($38.900); RTL-E ($41,920); and the Black Edition. The RTL-E and Black Edition come only with all-wheel drive.
The 2019 models are now available at dealerships nationwide. All trim levels now include a second USB port, while RTL and RTL-T models add a power sliding rear window and moon roof.
Exterior colors available include Modern Steel Metallic, White Diamond Pearl, Lunar Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl,
Obsidian Blue Pearl, Deep Scarlet Pearl and Forest Mist Metallic. The base RT comes only in Modern Steel or Lunar Silver.
The Ridgeline is similar in construction to the Honda Pilot – essentially a Pilot with the thirdrow seat and cargo area converted into a pickup cargo bed. Its interior appointments and other features are like those of the current generation of the Pilot.
The truck seats up to five people comfortably, with two bucket seats up front and a three-person bench
in the rear. It has a 5-foot, 4-inch cargo bed.
Honda gave the new Ridgeline a more upscale interior, using high-quality, soft-touch materials throughout. Some of the new features include LED map lights. Other standard or optional amenities include a 4.2-inch color display and available heated front seats and steering wheel.
Based on Honda’s global light truck architecture, the Ridgeline is a unibody vehicle – essentially a crossover pickup – with
Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering safety body structure.
It includes fully independent front and rear suspensions with Amplitude Reactive Dampers, proving vastly improved ride comfort and handling compared with a conventional body-on-frame truck such as the Toyota Tacoma or Nissan Frontier.
Under the hood of all models is a more powerful and fuel-efficient direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6 engine, cranking out 280 horsepower and
262 foot-pounds of torque. It’s connected to a six-speed automatic transmission with a wider gear-ratio spread.
A new Intelligent Variable Torque Management system with torque vectoring comes with all-wheel drive models, Honda says it’s “the most advanced [all-wheel drive] technology in the midsize truck class,” which “results in class-leading
EPA fuel economy ratings, along with superior all-weather traction and handling capability and robust medium-duty off-road performance.
EPA ratings for front-drive Ridgeline models are 19 mpg city/26 highway/22 combined. For all-wheel-drive versions, the ratings are 18/25/21.
The all-wheel drive is not designed for serious off-road mud, sand and trail driving, however, as it does not have low-range gearing necessary for extreme four-wheeldrive operation on steep, rough or slippery surfaces.
Honda says the Ridgeline also offers consumers more choices than ever before including a new eight-inch Display Audio touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility; the newest Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System; threezone automatic climate control (front driver/ passenger and rear seat), keyless entry and pushbutton with remote engine start; a power/sliding rear window; and a multiangle rearview camera system. A Class III towing hitch is standard, and AWD models have a seven-pin wiring connector.
Among standard safety features are four-channel, four-wheel antilock disc brakes with brake assist and hill-start assist; electronic stability control with traction control; Trailer Stability Assist;
Agile Handling Assist; dual-stage, multiplethreshold front air bags; driver and frontpassenger side air bags; side-curtain air bags for all four outboard seating positions; and a new Tire Pressure Monitoring System with real-time display of individual tire pressures.
The cargo bed is 3.9 inches longer than the previous generation’s, and has a classleading overall payload capacity of 1,584 pounds, Honda says. The bed extends to nearly 8 feet long with the load-supporting dual-action tailgate lowered.
The bed is 60 inches wide, except between the rear wheel wells, where it’s 50 inches wide. It’s capable of hauling heavy objects. There are eight tie-down cleats, each rated to secure 350 pounds, Honda says.
It has a lockable 7.3 cubic-foot trunk, under the rear of the cargo bed, and a unique tailgate that will swing down like that of a conventional pickup, or open to the side to get it completely out of the way when loading or unloading the trunk.
One of the most-stylish and carlike pickups on the market, the Ridgeline can accommodate the family quite comfortably, while also bringing along luggage secured in the trunk, and cool stuff riding in the bed – such as ATVs, kayaks, motorcycles and other sports or camping equipment.
Available advanced safety features include the Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation and Adaptive Cruise Control.
Depending on the trim level, the
Ridgeline also can be equipped with Honda LaneWatch, Rear Cross Traffic Monitor and a blind-spot information system. All models have the rearview camera system.
Because it is essentially an American truck, the new Ridgeline was designed and developed in Honda’s Los Angeles design studio and Raymond, Ohio, new model development center. It’s assembled at the Honda plant in Lincoln, Alabama.
The automotive columns of G. Chambers Williams III have appeared regularly in the Express-News since 2000. Contact him at chambers@auto-writer.com or on Twitter @gchambers3.
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