2017 Honda Ridgeline Preview
New for 2017
The Ridgeline is completely new for 2017.
The Total Package
Pickup trucks are rugged and practical, but they also have a reputation for being somewhat crude. In that light, a vehicle that could combine the capability of a traditional pickup with the refinement and fuel efficiency of a car or crossover would be quite a package. That’s what you get with the 2017 Honda Ridgeline.
Unveiled in January at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, the 2017 Ridgeline is Honda’s second-generation midsize truck. Unlike every other truck of comparable size, it’s based off a stiffer unibody platform. It also employs powertrain and technology features from Honda’s passenger cars, making for an experience that’s unlike anything you’re likely to encounter in a truck. If you spend most of your time on pavement, but still need a pickup, the Ridgeline is the perfect choice.
Powertrains and Performance
The Ridgeline makes do with a single powertrain option, but it provides all of the capability a truck buyer could want, and a level of refinement not seen in most trucks. A direct-injected i-VTEC V6 engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, giving the Ridgeline best-in-class acceleration, Honda says. The carmaker also claims its latest truck will achieve best-in-class EPA-rated fuel economy, although official numbers haven’t been released yet.
Most trucks come standard with rear-wheel drive, meaning drivers have their hands full on slippery roads. In contrast, the Ridgeline comes standard with front-wheel drive, offering the secure handling of one of Honda’s passenger cars. Also available is an all-wheel drive system with Honda’s i-VTM4 torque vectoring, which channels torque side to side for better performance. It includes Intelligent Terrain Management with Normal, Sand, Snow, and Mud modes.
The Ridgeline has a different drivetrain than many other trucks, but the differences run deeper. Unlike traditional trucks, the Honda is based on a car-like unibody. This provides inherently greater structural rigidity than the alternative body-on-frame setup. Along with a sophisticated independent suspension system, that gives the Ridgeline a more refined ride quality, more precise handling, and a quieter cabin than if Honda had built it the old-fashioned way.
Features and Trims
The 2017 Honda Ridgeline is a midsize pickup truck offered solely with a four-door, five-seat crew cab. Pricing information will be released closer to the redesigned model’s launch this spring.
A full list of standard equipment and trim levels will become available when the Ridgeline arrives in showrooms, but it’s already apparent that the Honda truck will be well equipped. Available features will include a 60/40 split-folding second-row bench, leather trim, tri-zone automatic climate control, pushbutton start, a TFT gauge-cluster display, and a Display Audio system with 8.0-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ capability.
Design
To emphasize its car-like construction and road manners, Honda gave the Ridgeline exterior styling that’s quite different from what you get on other trucks.
The upright cab and clear separation of the bed give the 2017 model a more conventional silhouette than the last Ridgeline, but the overall look is almost more like a crossover than a pickup truck. In fact, the front fascia looks like it was taken straight off Honda’s Pilot crossover. Honda definitely deserves some points for trying something different in a segment with very rigid styling conventions.
Function wasn’t sacrificed to form, though. The Ridgeline is still a pickup through and through, with lots of features meant to make hauling stuff easier. That includes a lockable in-bed trunk with a drain plug for easier cleaning, as well as a dual-action tailgate. It’s hinged at both the bottom and along the left side, so it can open either down or to the side.
The bed also has 350-pound tie-down cleats, and available 400-watt power inverter, and even its own sound system. It uses six “exciters” in the bed walls to do the job of conventional speakers, and should make the Ridgeline a hit at tailgate parties. The bed itself is 5.0 feet wide and 5.0 feet, 4.0 inches long, allowing for a 4.0-foot-wide flat space between the wheel wells. Payload is estimated at around 1,600 pounds.
Safety
The list of safety equipment on the 2017 Honda Ridgeline includes anti-lock brakes, stability and traction controls, a multi-angle rearview camera, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, Honda’s Road Departure Mitigation and Collision Mitigation Braking systems, and a full array of airbags.
Bottom Line
The 2017 Honda Ridgeline is a different kind of truck, one that delivers serious truck-like performance but in a much more refined package.
Be sure to contact us online or visit Hall Honda Virginia Beach to be among the first to test drive the all-new 2017 Honda Ridgeline.
Image: Honda