by Dan Lyons

For years, big pickups have been the third rail of the auto market for Japanese manufacturers. Despite the size of the segment (and Ford’s F-150 is the best selling vehicle on the road, so it doesn’t get any bigger) nobody wanted to touch it. Finally, a few years back, Toyota and Nissan jumped in, leaving Honda as the last of the hold-outs. Now, Honda has taken the plunge too, with an early 2006 entry known as Ridgeline.

You might call Ridgeline’s styling “elemental”. It takes a page from the Honda Element, with a high utility, three box design. Seen side on, Ridgeline’s lines reveal a full, four door cabin, with a high-waisted short bed in back and a mildly beveled nose. And with Ridgeline, what you see is what you get. Honda honed in on a specific pickup profile that fits a good chunk of the light truck market - four doors, short box, all wheel drive - and make all their Ridgelines to that spec. No V-8, no two door, no manual transmission, no two wheel drive, no long box. It’s an interesting approach because it’s 180 degrees different from Detroit’s Big Three, who are all about choice in this segment. Buyers mix and match engines, bed lengths, cab size and options and end up with a variety of trucks. Honda’s analysis showed that a lot of their target market are current Honda owners, about 20% of which also own pickup trucks. So, many potential buyers are already devotees of Honda’s DNA, who also want or need a practical pickup.

Ridgeline’s construction is unibody, welded to a box frame. The suspension is independent front and rear – the latter a first in its segment. All Ridgelines are All Wheel Drive. Honda’s VTM-4 system is decision-free for the driver, automatically transferring up to 70% of available torque to the rear wheels as needed for max traction.

The powertrain consists of Honda’s 3.5 litre V-6, linked to a five speed automatic transmission. The six makes 255 hp, 252 lb. ft. of torque. Unofficially, Ridgeline is expected to run from 0-60 in the low eight second range. Officially, EPA expects that it will get 16 mpg’s in the city, 21 on the highway. Ridgeline is rated to tow 5,000 lb. or carry an 1,100 lb. payload. The choice of a six over an eight cylinder engine was deliberate, of course. Honda’s market research found that 84% of those who tow do so to the tune of less than 5,000 lb.

On the road, Ridgeline’s independent rear suspension makes it feel more car-like than truck-like; especially over rough roads. There is little of the bounce and jounce typical of large, heavily sprung pick’emups, and ride quality is smooth. Ridgeline is game for moderate off-road, too; enough to satisfy 98% of the world’s drivers. There’s 8.2” of ground clearance below and the AWD system can be locked for low speed, low traction situations, like snow, sand or mud. The V-6 feels right sized; pulling a load of cargo or a full load of people with no complaints, and accelerating without strain or undue noise.

Inside, Ridgeline toes the line with a car-like comfort level. There’s room for five and while three trim levels are offered – RT, RTS, RTL – the base version is well equipped. Controls are straight forward and it’s easy to get in and out of. Trucks are about cargo, and Ridgeline works overtime in ways to let you pack it in. The bed measures 5’ long; 6’5” with the tailgate dropped (or swung to the side – it will do either). The box is wider than most mid-size trucks, measuring about 4’1” between the wheel wells. It’s lined with protective plastic and sized, says Honda, large enough to hold two off-road motorcycles (they should know, they make ‘em) or one ATV. One shortcoming in back is the distribution of tie-downs. Of the six in the bed, four are up front and two in the rear – nada in between. An “In-bed trunk”; provides a lockable, 8.5 cubic foot cargo area located in the back, below the pickup box. It’s said to be large enough to swallow three sets of golf clubs or a 72 quart cooler. The rear seats in the cabin can also be folded down to gain additional inside storage.

Ridgeline - the biggest Honda ever built - is purpose-built. It’s one size fits most, and suits the needs of a large, core group of mid-size pickup buyers. Competing with trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Dodge Dakota and Ford Explorer Sport Trac, prices start at $27,700 for the RT. Honda expects to sell 50,000 Ridgelines this year. For many of those buyers, this won’t be the only Honda in the driveway, but for all of them, it’s bound to be the only one with a box on the back end. Hey Honda – what took ya?

Numbers and Dollars
2006 Honda Ridgeline RTL
MSRP: $34,640
As Tested: $35,155

Drivetrain
Engine: 3.5 litre V-6
Horsepower: 255 hp @ 5,750 rpm
Torque: 252 lb. ft. @ 4,500 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed automatic

Weights and Measures
Wheelbase: 122.0" Height: 71.2”
Length: 206.8” Weight: 4,498 lb.
Width: 76.3” Weight/power: 17.64

Chassis
Suspension: Independent front and rear
Brakes: Four wheel disc with standard four wheel ABS
Tire size: 245/65 R17

Mileage
EPA city/highway mpg - 16/21
Fuel Tank Capacity – 22.0 gallons

Warranty
3 years/36,000 miles – bumper to bumper, limited

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