2017 Honda Ridgeline Highway Towing MPG Review: How Fuel Efficient?

2017 Honda Ridgeline AWD highway towing MPG review. How efficient is the new pickup from Honda? Check it out here.

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[teknightrider]

I was just revisiting this video after watching the 2020 RAM ECO Diesel Towing MPG Test...so I thought I'd mostly copy and past my comments from that video since we have now owned the 2017 Ridgeline for 3 years now.

So again to repeat...First let me say I love you guys and your channel...I tell all kinds of people about y'all! :-)

Second, let me preface...I've personally owned 10 Trucks/SUVs in my 50 years, where we pulled a 4, 000 lb. Malibu Echelon or Malibu Response LX on a Tandem sold tube Ryan Trailer. I have always hand calculated the MPGs after every fill-up of every vehicle we've ever owned (car, truck, SUV), and if they were pulling or not. Below are the vehicles we've owned that have pulled that 4, 000 lb. setup...and they are listed sequentially in the order we'd purchased them. Plus, I listed the Average MPG's we'd get going down the highway, or pulling.

My point is this...when we had our '97 Cummins Turbo Diesel...Diesel Fuel cost WAY less than Gas. So I had it all figured out on a spreadsheet...so with the extra cost of the Cummins Diesel Engine...its break even point would be 77, 000 miles. However, what my spreadsheet could NOT tell me...was how "cheap" the Cummins felt to operate with its 36 Gallon Tank that would go 800+ miles without fail with an empty truck. Soooo compared to our 454 Suburban that averaged 9.4 MPG (just carrying itself around with a 42 Gallon tank) where a person could literally watch the fuel gauge go down. The Cummins "felt cheap" to operate (well it did until the transmission gave out at 37, 000 miles which made me afraid about how the rest of the truck was built in comparison to the awesome Cummins). ;-)

Plus, I will also note that at the time we bought our 1997 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel, my good friend was the Cummins Mechanic at the Dodge Dealership, so he had done the "110%" Tune that was possible back before all the computers. AND, also at the time, Diesel Fuel cost WAY less...AND a person did NOT have to add the Blue DEF (which a quick search online says that a person needs 1 Gallon of DEF [about $6.50 per/Gal.] or [$4.57 per/Gal in 55 Gal DEF Drum] for Every 50 Gallons of Diesel Fuel.

So many things come to mind...so where is a normal person expected to store a 55 Gal Drum? So, if it was me, I'd be buying 2.5 Gals...but anyway...so that means that not only does the Diesel Engine Option Cost WAY more...and Diesel Fuel now Costs WAY more (at least here in the NW). But then a person is also adding DEF at the ratio of 1:50 that's another cost of 13¢ to 8.3¢ for every gallon of Diesel.

As a person will see below our '97 Cummins pretty much got 22-24 everywhere it went empty and averaged 14.9 pulling 4, 000 lbs...where my wife's new 2017 Honda Ridgeline gets 26.3 on the Highway all the time...and has averaged 22.3 MPG over it's whole life...and we got 15.3 pulling the same 4, 000 lbs. BUT NOW keep in mind this is a Boat which is more aerodynamic...Yet it would seem that Diesels no longer pencil out anymore UNLESS a person has serious heavy hauling to do like 20, 000 - 30, 000 lbs, and is pulling those types of heavy weights all the time.

So a 2020 Dodge ECO Diesel in good weather gets 12.43 MPGs and on a 28 degree day the TFL team gets 11.5 MPG with a Honda Ridgeline. So again, I know the Dodge was pulling 7K and the Honda 4K...and yes I know some people need to pull more. But my point is more about the viability and "True" Cost of Diesels anymore.

So, I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer on diesel, as a person will see below...I've owned a bunch of rigs...and YES, I'm 50 now...so maybe I am old and do not want a harsh ride anymore...and I love to "borrow" my wife's Ridgeline and put it in Sand Mode where it's i-VTM4 / SH-AWD puts all the power down and rockets up to speed and around corners (it actually handles better them my car does). So for me and our much LOWER towing needs...Gas is the most practical for us (just food for thought).

New '94 Suburban 2500 454 4x4 - 9.4 MPG Normal / Pulling 8.3 MPG / Best Ever 13.1 all downhill from Lassen National Park to Redding, CA. ;-)
Used '92 F-150 4.9L Straight Six 2WD - 14.0 MPG Normal / Pulling 12.9 MPG / Best Ever 15.9
New '97 Dodge Cummins Diesel 2500 4x4 - 22-24 MPG Normal / Pulling 14.9 MPG / Best Ever 870 Miles out of 1 Tank 24.1 MPG
New '00 Toyota Tundra Access Cab 4x4 - 14.1 MPG Normal / Pulling 12.1 MPG / Best Ever 18.1
Used '99 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4x2 - 17.2 MPG Normal / Pulling 15.1 MPG / Best Ever 22.3
New '05 Tundra Double Cab 4x4 - 13.8 MPG Normal / Pulling 12.1 MPG / Best Ever 19.5
New '08 Highlander Sport AWD - 17.9 MPG Normal / Pulling 15.2 MPG / Best Ever 22.4
New '11 Tundra CrewMax 4x4 - 12.9 MPG Normal / Pulling 10.0 MPG / Best Ever 19.1
New '13 Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport 4x4 12.8 MPG Normal (VERY DISAPPOINTING) / Pulling 11.5) / Best Ever 18.5
New '17 Honda Ridgeline RTS i-VTM4 AWD - 22.3 MPG Normal Average / Pulling 15.3 MPG / Highway Ave has been 26.3 MPG

[Stuka]

Yesterday I saw a new ridgeline with lumber racks and tool boxes. Was a bit of a strange look, but the guy was totally using it as his work truck, which was kind of cool.

[arsanzic]

I'm LMAO at all the hillbilly hate for the Ridgeline here. Faster, handles better, better gas mileage, safer, better payload capacity (than any midsize), great 4WD system, and as made in America as made in America means anymore. Chevy/Dodge/Ford are and were great, but Honda is on to something here and Ridgeline advantages are undeniable....

[chrisnatale]

I have a black edition, use it for hunting camp, use it for fire wood, good in the snow and in the mud! Nice enough if your wearing a suit and tie, NICE TRUCK! Yes I did say TRUCK!

[czellner]

I kinda like that vehicle. I know its not a "manly" "Truck", but for what I need a truck for, it's a good blend of both car comfort and truck utility.

[SkiFunk]

Great video Guys. FYI I find I get a little better MPG when towing with the eco off on my 2017 Ridgeline. Like you I found the trip computer to be off by about 1 to 1.5 mpg. Thanks for the review.

[InChristJesus]

Thanks for the video guys. I love my new Ridgeline and you guys have came through every step of the way in showing viewers how awesome this truck is.

[antiatrophy]

I towed my Arctic Cat Wildcat Sport in a 6x12 utility trailer and got 20mpg. That's my record. It took a while to find towing specs for the nissan juke but I finally found an Australian nissan brochure that specified that it can tow 1250kg. This test helps me feel a lot better about my Towing MPG with my Tacoma. Thanks for all your hard work!

[frankification]

I tow 5000 ponds all the time with my 2014 sq5 and it has absolutely no issues at all

[davidhoover]

I used to tow an 8.5 x 16 V nose trailer with a 2012 Ford Ranger 4.0 sport V6 and I got 11.5 average no matter what I did with the trailer. I calculated many tanks. At times it would weigh 5, 000lbs and I used an equalizer 6, 000lb. weight distribution hitch and agility brake controller. It was a good towing setup for a little truck.

[k.r.v.]

Hello Nathan &Andre! Thanks for a good test! That shows us we can get a DuraMax diesel GM Canyon or Colorado, for the same price as the Ridgeline, that might not be as cushy as a Ridgeline, but can tow more and haul more all the while getting better mileage and towing features standard. If you were to go with an ext cab gas Colorado, you could save a lot and still tow and haul more!

[MountainHomeSupplyCoowner]

I had one of the first gen Ridgelines and LOVED it. it sucked on gas mileage and got worse gas mileage when towing than my silverado v6...however it towed VERY well.

[holybatwingsbatman]

Nathan & Andre, Thanks for doing this! Impressive hp for a honda first off. I have a feeling a bunch of folks will buy this rig after they see Nathan and Andre towing a trailer with it. Say what you want about Honda but it seems like they're harder to kill than just about anything else on the road. Dragging a 5000 lb trailer back and forth across the mountains on a regular basis might kill it but then again it wouldn't surprise me if it stood up to that as well. I've worked on several Hondas doing brakes and clutches mainly and to look at them they seem completely underbuilt but their recipe works.

[fntony]

Previous Ridgelines and Pilots recommend Premium Fuel when towing. Earth Dreams is mostly no different and probably more in need of premium fuel under high load. Did you check to owners manual in reference to towing fuel requirements?

[redhorse]

It actually did better than I thought it would. I'd still rather have a body on frame truck for towing but the Ridgeline did well.

[johnnyBqwazy]

Was really hoping to see the Ridgeline on Goldmine hill as you note @ 3:55 for lke gauntlet & goldmine hill pop up but goes to a POS Colorado. Bummer.

[symmetry]

It is possible to tow with this kind of vehicle which is front wheel truck primarily, but front wheel will wear off faster than if it was rear wheel driven trucks. Conclusion: don't try to tow a lot. If you tow, try to do that when there are no snow.

[ridgeline]

Pickup truck - Wikipedia
A pickup truck is a light duty truck having an enclosed cab and an open cargo area with low sides and tailgate.

[MetaView]

i watched a few of your towing tests. It would be nice if you can post a summary on the screen of the recent towing test mileages for comparison.

[johnwesley]

I was waiting to see if the transmission overheated, I believe Roman had that problem when he took the Ridgeline off-road.