Honda Ridgeline HPD | A Truck We Love To Hate

We review the 2021 Honda HPD Ridgeline to discuss what HPD is and where the truck exists in the current market. While we look at a lower trim level HPD the $40,000 price of this does not show everything possible here. Those fans of the Honda design will rave about it, yet traditional truck owners will complain it ain't the real deal. Would you choose the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, or Chevy Colorado?

#honda #ridgeline #trucks

Index:
00:00 Intro
00:20 Interior Impressions and Audio Test
2:48 Mechanical Impressions and HPD Talk
6:27 Driving Impressions
10:36 Final Thoughts

[bikebudha]

In the past two weeks I've been able to sit in a Tacoma, Frontier, Maverick, Santa Cruz, a Bronco (the big one), and a Ridgeline. I only test drove the Ridgeline because each of the other vehicles had a fatal flaw (for my useage). Tacoma had terrible ergonomics, seat is too close to the floor which makes your legs stick out straight when seated + you are so low in the cab you don't have good visibility out of the cab. The Frontier, while the new style looks great, still felt like an 'old' truck. And the interior was rather small. It would work, but I'm looking for 'good', not 'will work'. The Maverick looked nice, had a really cool interior, but was pretty tight on the inside. And while the inside looked cool, it was 100% plastic. The Santa Cruz, man, that bed is tiny. To the point of being useless. The Bronco, what can be said. It's a dam cool SUV. It looked cool, you felt cool just sitting in it, but at the end of the day - no bed, so it was out.
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I have to say, the interior of the Ridgeline blows the competition away, if on nothing else, the shear volume of space. It's just wide. The seats are roomy, the headroom is to the moon (I'm 6'-4'). Legroom is good. THE TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL ACTUAL COMES BACK FAR ENOUGH to accommodate my long legs with the seat pushed aaaalll the way back. The armrest, magical. By comparison, all the other vehicles (except the Bronco) felt like I was in a sardine can (not that that are way too small, but BY COMPARISON... they are tiny).
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And what is a pickup truck really all about? The bed. At the end of the day, how functional is the bed? That's really what you get a pickup for. The Ridgeline wins here too*. And the bed is noticeably wider AND the wheel wells DO NOT project up - meaning the WHOLE bed is flat. Then add in the door swing tailgate + the giant lockable trunk... Just wow. Only the Frontier and Tacoma offer something that the Ridgeline doesn't. That's a full 6' bed. To get it on the Frontier, you have to drop down to an extend cab. You can get a 6' bed on a crew cab with the Tacoma, but it's a reeeeally long truck.
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I did not test drive the other trucks so I can't speak to how they drive. But I did drive the Ridgeline. I've been in a Ford Ranger for the past 20 years. So the 'driving dynamic bar was low' for me. Still, super smooth, super quiet, plenty of pep, handled well, smoothed out very rough pavement. I should note, I use my Ranger as a truck on a weekly basis. Mostly for hauling my bicycle to trailheads, but also for Home depot runs, dump runs, grocery store runs, general shopping, etc. I also just seem to need a truck pretty often. This last week I had to move my work office. Two trips, but hauled what I needed. I can say, without a doubt, that the Ridgeline could have done just as well hauling everything I've ever hauled over the last 20 years - but it would have been soooo much more comfortable...
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I had posted a comment here a few months ago about the Ridgeline being too expensive. But after cross shopping, I have found it's actually pretty competitive. The big reason is there is no 'base trim' on the Ridgeline. There are only 3 real trims on the Ridgeline, but really the only difference is a few amenities. The 2nd tier adds leather, a sunroof, and a couple more safety features. The top trim adds a few more 'fancy pants' options. They all have the same engine, transmission, awd system, i.e. they hall have the same bones. Whereas the competition's 'base trim' truly knocks off huge chunk's of what you get. 4x2 instead of 4x4. 4 cylinders instead of 6. Solid plastic interiors. I found when you spec the competition to the same level of features, the Ridgeline is 'right in there'. A little more expensive than some, a little less than others.
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The Ridgeline will be my next truck.
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Too be honest, I wasn't looking for the Ridgeline. I had, like many, discounted it as 'not a real truck'. I had wanted to get a truck with a manual (because I've never not had a stick - yes, my first Ranger had a stick, as does the one I own now). So the Tacoma was the only truck to offer a stick but once I realized the Tacoma was a terrible 'fit', I opened up my search to trucks with an automatic. I looked at the Sants Cruz, because it was 'new' and 'hot'. While it was too small, it did put the thought of 'well, the Ridgeline is a bigger version might as well give it a look'. So glad I did.

[tuckerstewart]

Ive had my Ridgeline for a year now. I live in a metro with around 1 million people, but drive to home to Montana all the time. Its perfect for me. It can carry all my junk, pull a camper with a go kart in it, carry 5 people with 5 mountain bikes, and has one of the best AWD systems I have ever used. Glad I got it.

[oliverroo]

The Ridgeline becomes cool when you stop trying to compare it to an F-150 and start thinking about it as a utility knife. I like them.

[aale]

Nothing like a coffee and a empty office to enjoy this.

[crsantin]

I’m a truck guy. I have a Ram 1500. I like the Ridgeline and would have no issue owning one. They’re cool.

[enchantingambience]

I just purchased a 2021 and loving it. I test drove all the mid-size trucks and all had there good points and bad of course. For my needs, the Ridgeline is perfect. Comfortable, practical and the build quality is just outstanding. I will say this, the independent all wheel drive is nothing to scoff at. Wow! Pretty incredible system.

[danhughes]

I love that so many "truck guys" shit on the Ridgeline, but never miss a Ridgeline video.

[jeffr]

Your final thoughts were dead balls on target. Honda engineering has so much talent on the racing side, there's no excuse why they couldn't bring more "specialness" and a decent audio system into a platform they're charging $40k for.

[Affalterbach]

Needs an Acura version to compete with Lincoln Blackwood.

[Anthony-zjsq]

Bought the Black Edition couple of months ago, I can tell you that I love driving this truck, it feels like driving SUV, spacious interior and smooth, my brother and I used to own a Tacoma and now we both a proud owners of Honda Ridgeline..

[unknownpleasures_nic]

I loved the commentary about how this will be revered in 10~20 years by car enthusiast

[rhynecars]

Keep up the "regular" car reviews. We Plebes can relate!

[realdealryan]

Easily the best handling vehicle that will tow my pontoon, carry an electric tricycle, and get 24mpg. I realize that’s a niche market

[benvu]

I owned a 2006 Ridgeline RTL for 6 years. I freaking loved it. I test drove a Tacoma and Frontier as well before buying the Ridgeline. The Honda is a far superior every day driver. I did tournament bass fishing and it could hall a 20 foot Stratos bass boat all day up hills. I took it on some dirt trails and it just left my friends Tacoma in the dust. The suspension handled the bumps and uneven dirt surface way better than a “truck”. All in all, if you want a “truck”, then go get one. If you want something like a truck but way more superior in every day driveability, then get something like the Ridgeline.

[scittw]

This seems like a practical, functional vehicle so long as you need a light duty pickup and not a towing rig. I've never really understood the hate.

[tfrogginhfroggin]

Great review! My 72 year old father recently traded a first gen for the new gen and swears by these. He gets a new Super Duty every 2-3 years for his shop, but will only commute in the Ridgeline. As he puts it, I am too old to climb in and out of a big truck and get bounced around unless I need the capacity. The ride is great, you can get a colored match cap and he tows a small fishing boat to Canada a few times a year.

[ThunderStruckMTB]

I absolutely love my Ridgeline. It's all the truck that I will ever need and drives like a luxury car the other 97% of the time. If you get it, you get it. If you don't, then there are other 'real' trucks for you studs.

[PianoBlackTrimRep.]

You did it. You crazy SOB, you did it.
Congratulations on hitting 500K subs!

[spmyvr]

Congrats on 500K! You have the best vehicle content on YouTube. Thank you for all your hard work.

[jasonyoung]

The Honda Ridgeline is the truck for someone who needs a truck but doesn't want a truck; it is the best homeowner truck, and the most honest truck in it's segment. The HPD package, to me, feels like Honda executives had a meeting and decided that because every other truck out there has an appearance package that they should have one too, because people will pay for it, and this is an easy way to dip their toes in the water.