2014 Honda Ridgeline

It’s a Best Buy because:

Ridgeline offers the best comfort, convenience, and driving dynamics of any small pickup.

But…

There’s only one body style and one drivetrain, and starting prices are high.

Worth noting:

It’s the only compact pickup offering all-wheel drive rather than part-time 4WD.

What Is It?

Ridgeline is Honda’s entry in the compact-pickup market. While other entrants offer a complex mish-mash of cab configurations, bed lengths, and features, Ridgeline is simplicity itself. There’s only one body style (4-door crew cab), one bed length (5 feet), one engine (a 250-horsepower 3.5-liter V6), one transmission (automatic), one drive-wheel configuration (all-wheel drive), and four trim levels with no factory options. Instead of the body-on-frame construction used by the other compact pickups, Ridgeline employs a car-type unibody design. The pickup bed sports a lockable under-floor “trunk,” similar in concept to the under-floor storage bins you find on many SUVs. The tailgate can drop down like on a regular truck, but it can also swing to the side, giving easier access to the aforementioned trunk.

What’s New?

A topline Special Edition model, with a standard navigation system and unique appearance features such as black-trimmed 18-inch wheels, is added to the Ridgeline lineup for 2014.

Fuel Economy

EPA estimated fuel economy is 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway on the recommended regular-grade gasoline. In Consumer Guide® testing, we averaged 16.2-18.3 mpg.

Value in Class

Ridgeline blends pickup-truck utility with carlike civility in a solid, sensible package. The light-duty design won’t suit hardcore truckers but should meet the needs of families and recreational users. Innovative pickup features, such as the lockable in-bed “trunk” and two-mode tailgate, and Honda’s solid reputation for reliability make the Ridgeline a “must see” in its class.

none