The long awaited new generation of the Honda Ridgeline is back and fully updated. The 2019 Ridgeline uses a unibody design thanks to Honda’s latest crossover platform, and it shares a lot of its underpinnings and structure with Honda’s larger SUV, the 2019 Honda Pilot. This makes the 2019 Ridgeline not your typical truck and it doesn’t really compete directly with the rest of the midsize segment trucks. It’s far too car-like and refined to be a utilitarian only vehicle like other rival trucks.
The 2019 Ridgeline hits the perfect sweet spot, as many people don’t have a need for a rugged workhorse, and instead would do better with a vehicle which is more comfortable, a good daily driver yet still provides the cargo delivery potential of a pickup truck. By offering all of that, the 2019 Honda Ridgeline is in a way the greatest threat to the classic pickup truck as we know it.
EXTERIOR DESIGN
The 2019 Ridgeline’s exterior design has come a long way since its first introduction in 2006. The front end is sleeker and much more aerodynamic, while the cab sits more upright and the cargo bed is slightly boxier. The resemblance to the 2019 Honda Pilot is unquestionable, yet it’s still different in a lot of aspects.
The front fascia has adopted Honda’s new design language, taking more of the reserved, conservative side of the look compared with the Honda Civic. The front end showcases more traditional projector-style headlights, LED running lights and fog lights. The doors on the side are thick and rugged and have upright openings and high window lines. An accent line runs from the front end to the rear via the door handles, giving the truck some character and breaking apart the visually simple and minimal design. The back follows very much the same concept with a flat-looking tailgate, simple chrome badges and elegant accent strips.
The tailgate features an innovative dual-action element, where it can open like a conventional tailgate, pivoting down, or like a barn door, swinging out wide. The cargo bed is more than ready for light-duty work, but for the heavier duty things, it doesn’t compete as well with larger trucks. The walls however are almost fully vertical, with small wheel wells which give way for a lot of cargo space.
INTERIOR COMFORT
The interior cabin of the 2019 Honda Ridgeline is much more closely related to the 2019 Pilot than the exterior. The same flowing, elegant dash design can be seen, but with a few small differences like the gear selector. The Pilot’s push-buttons have been replaced with a traditional shifter stick for the Ridgeline.
Everything is intuitive and ergonomic, especially the eight-inch infotainment touchscreen which features an entire row of touch buttons on the left side. With USB, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, there’s a variety of ways the driver can connect with the Ridgeline. The instrument cluster offers two smaller analog gauges for the tachometer, and temperature, with a huge central display with a dedicated speedometer.
Legroom and headroom is more than adequate, especially in the front row. The rear seats offer ample amount of space for three people to sit across without too much trouble. Even though it’s by no means a large pickup, it still offers remarkable space for the rear passengers. For convenience, the 60/40 split rear bench folds completely against the back wall with just a single lever pull.
ENGINE AND DRIVE
The hood of the 2019 Ridgeline hides a familiar sight – Honda’s 3.5L i-VTEC V6 coming straight from the Pilot. While the engine is by now well-known and somewhat of an icon, for this generation it receives a well needed upgrade in the form of direct fuel injection, a 30hp increase and a 15 lb-ft of torque bump. This results in a powerplant delivering 280hp and 262 lb-ft of torque.
As always with Honda, it’s not purely about power or speed. The engine offers a 60-degree V layout, made from an aluminum alloy with iron cylinder liners. The high-strength steel crankshaft and forged steel connecting rods make sure the engine is as reliable as any other Honda unit. The V6 can shut off three of its cylinders if it detects that it can run on the remaining three leading to impressive fuel consumption savings.
Then there’s Honda’s i-VTEC with a two-stage Variable Cylinder Management system. Controlling the overhead camshaft, lift profile, manipulating the valve timing and the lift duration of the valves, it’s able to set a low lift, short timing map below 5,350 rpm for increased efficiency and reduced fuel consumption. Above that, the timing changes, as does the long-duration profile, letting more air into the cylinders.
Power is delivered to the front-wheels via Honda’s six-speed automatic transmission or you can upgrade to the AWD system using an i-VTM4 torque vectoring transfer case along with the Intelligent Terrain Management which offers four modes for different terrain and weather. The system works front to rear and left to right, giving amazing traction under any circumstances.
Overall, the 2019 Honda Ridgeline drives more like a car than a truck, has plenty of power, precise steering and handling, leading to an overall smooth, reassured and sporty drive. Not to discourage its uses as a pickup truck, the AWD Ridgelines can tow 5,000 lbs while FWD versions still manage a respectable 3,500 lbs.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The 2019 Honda Ridgeline is a rare pickup truck that delivers something than many of its so-called competition can’t – a smooth and refined driving experience. It’s one of a handful of trucks offering genuine towing and hauling capabilities while maintaining car-like drivability. If you need a light-duty workhorse capable of going off-road, managing snow and rain easily but don’t want to sacrifice reliability, comfort and refinement, the 2019 Honda Ridgeline is the perfect choice!
