I think these have aged really well considering it came out in 05 as an 06 model. I say this a lot Ik, I still think they look really good (particularly the interior).
The interior is definitely aging but if you just need a comfortable truck its not a bad choice with leather. But then again Nissan frontiers from this era were real trucks and way better for the same price. Tacomas are overhyped expensive and the American midsize trucks from this time were unreliable. So its not a bad choice.
The Maverick is eating the Ridgeline's lunch because the Ridgeline is just too expensive for what it offers. For what a new Ridgeline costs you can get a modestly-specced midsize truck if you need to do truck things, a very well equipped Maverick or Santa Cruz if you just need a bed occasionally, or a decent Pilot if you want something this size. I like how the Ridgeline looks but it's not very competitive.
@@bwofficial1776 It isn’t cheap like the Maverick, it was about the same price as a new odyssey at the time. Maverick is actually a better value and I’m saying that about an American car lol. The Ridgeline back when it came out might have been a bit expensive for what it came out (mid 2000s) but I still like it because of the sexy gorgeous looks. Tacoma at the same time period was probably a better value, but it looked ugly honestly. Ok the Ridgeline was basically a minivan disguised as a truck 😅 I’d like to note I’m not talking about now I’m talking about if it were the mid 2000s cause that’s when the ridgeline came out, the maverick truck didn’t exist then, the Chevy Colorado did but ew.
@@bwofficial1776 Ridgelines are a bigger class than a Maverick I think. The ergonomics of Honda's truck is enormous even compared to a Tacoma. Not to mention the smooth ride thanks to the unibody.
We have 326k Miles on our 2006 Pilot that has been in the family (2nd owner) since 2013 and 126k miles when it was purchased. Original engine & transmission in it still. Maintenance maintenance maintenance. That's the key. Watch the timing belt. Keep the engine oil & filter AND the transmission oil and filter changed, and they are golden. I VERY strongly want my next truck to be a Ridgline. For what I do, it will be perfect. Thanks for the fun and honest review Zack. I watch & like literally every single one of your vids.
Have a 2014 Ridgeline Sport trim I picked up a few years back from a older gentleman that just drove it to church and back and the grocery store. He babied it, It’s just about to hit 60,000 miles and I love this truck to death. Everything in this video is spot on and if your lucky to find a 1st Gen Ridge with no rust and low(ish) miles in 2023 it will be the best vehicle you ever own. On the Ridgeline Online Community guys and gals consistently have theirs 1st Gen Ridges till 250,000-300,000 miles with the right care.
Great, fair review. These are wonderful automobiles. Mine is in nearly new shape because I take care of it. 2009 with 160k. Recently moved from Appalachia to the Rockies pulling a 5,000 pound trailer. It did great, even held on steep grades in low gear with that trailer. They are tremendous in the snow, also. If you like utilitarian things, you will get along with a Ridgeline. Plus they are half the price of a similar Tacoma, because people underestimate them.
These have really grown on me. The looks aged well and its more than most people actually need in a truck. Too bad good ones are getting really hard to find for a good price.
I love my 07 Ridgeline. 234k and still kickin. All its needed is some AC leaks fixed, tuneups, fluid changes, and new radiator. Its a beast in the snow. Its my Urban use truck, and I use it alot. On the other hand I have a duramax for towing and heavy work, gets used 20% of the time. It's the right truck for so many people, it was just ahead of its time and a little bit odd shaped cause of the flying buttress.
I know right? Thank god Honda got rid of that stupid beeping like Mercedes when you put the key in the ignition. (For the latter, I don't miss them and neither should anyone else) Now I'm waiting for Ford to change their stupid key chime.
You actually SORTA can put it into 4WD (with some work and nuance). If you pull the VSA fuse, it disables the VSA’s ability to cut power to wheels that are losing traction. So when you use the VTM-4, it’s ALL power. The standard 4WD is good enough for snow, but when I’m off-road the added traction from no VSA really comes in handy
I fully agree with the final assesment of the review. I like it because it's not like a normal pickup. I don't own but I would purchase something like this. It's practical, well built and doesn't have that over the top aggressive styling of the modern traditional looking trucks. Good review.
I basically use my Odyssey as a truck at this point. We rarely ever use the third row and most of the time I use the back seats as storage. I wouldn't mind having a Ridgeline to be honest because it's basically what I wish my Odyssey was.
100% of the people i know that have pick up trucks only use them for daily city driving, my rav4 4 has seen more dirt than those truck will ever see. I am really considering a ridgeline for my next purchase, seems like a perfect mix for daily driving and light off roading
Good looking truck and great for suburban use. I like the angle where the cab meets the bed. Unfortunately these weren't trucky enough for buyers to take seriously. The Avalanche at least was based on a truck and looked the part. It's ironic that Ford can't build Mavericks fast enough because they're even less capable than this. The Ridgeline has always been expensive for what it offers so where the Maverick and Santa Cruz win is on price. I saw one of these in my office parking garage with a snorkel and stock suspension. Not really sure what they're planning on fording but hey, off-road versions of not-off-road cars are always fun.
Wished this was sold in Asian markets. It may not be as capable as most pick-up trucks, but having that unibody construction is more comfortable for daily use. Most truck owners I see on a day to day basis uses it for running errands.
Bought my 2008 new have 295K still runs great, I do have 2 areas that need rust repair and plan to look into fixing that. My tailgate had to b erepaired it was about 500.00 to fix but that door comes in handy to access the trunk
Best advice I can give anyone with this vehicle is to flush out the power steering fluid with three containers. I have a 120,000 Mile 2006 original owner being me! My truck now drives like a sports car with my steering back to its former tightness!🤔🤯🤓😎 Also check those flanges buy that Catalytic converter underneath the truck. They tend to go without notice.😇
Yr right too it’s a very friendly looking truck unlike the 4th Gen ram and even the newer Silverados which look somewhat intimidating. I don’t think either is bad just a different style.
the 4wd always on it's just when you press vtm button all 4 wheels 100% whereas normally power goes different wheels when needed. well 90% of vehicles usually made for coffee and soda in holders but I'm glad it take big friggin bottle i like ridgeline. I'm sure somone restored that dodge truck.
If you live in the rust belt you may not pass the most recent subframe recall on these trucks. So find a shop to put it on the lift before you bring it in for the recall. It’s the cross member in front of the gas tank. If you fail, Honda will buy it back, and they will lowball you.
9:26 It has a 5,000lb tow rating. You can definitely tow with this. Obviously you're not towing a car or something heavy but you can still tow a good amount.
I see more 1st Gen KJ Jeep Libertys than i see Ridgelines. Idk how these are still in production. I thought if sales were so low the car would be discontinued. Hell, back when they were fresh from the factory they were still one in a million on the road.
I really like these, and I'm kinda sad I didn't buy one a couple of years ago pre-covid when I was looking for a cheaper used daily. The Ridgeline ticked a ton of boxes for me.... probably the same reason I'm looking at buying a Maverick right now. I have my full-size for when I actually need to do towing, or haul big things... but 90% of the time I just need to move a lawn mower, or go pick up some mulch or gravel, or move a set of wheels and tires, or even go pick up and engine or transmission. Although my fullsize can do all that, it's cumbersome to park and maneuver when I go into town or to a city, the MPG isn't great, and it's not really that comfortable over a bunch of the rough roads I go over thanks to that durable solid axle. Back when I was looking for a daily my criteria was: some ground clearance since I live rural and deal with a lot of old washboard or mining roads, AWD/4wd preferably, and room for my stuff. I won't touch Subarus, Audi Allroad is questionable at best, and there really wasn't any car/crossover that fit my needs and budget. Started looking at trucks from the 2000's and basically came up with: 5cyl Colorado/Canyon which I liked but couldn't find one that wasn't rusted in half literally, Hated the driving/seating position of the Tacoma and they were insanely expensive, 97-04 Frontiers were nice but I literally couldn't fit in them without my head against the ceiling, and 3rd Gen Dakota which I really liked the seating position and size of but the drivetrains are terrible. The Ridgeline kinda did everything for me.... ended up with a good deal on a 3rd gen Dakota and the 4.7HO Powertech made me regret that decision (even though I liked the rest of the truck)
@@mustasheolll2020 I liked the seating position, overall interior layout, visibility and maneuverability, bed height, and lots of stuff about the Dakota... The drivetrain just didn't hold up at all and i ended up selling it in mid 2020 after owning it for a year
Nothing like Toyotas frame rusting out. Look at the wheel wells and fenders. And for some reason look at the windshield rubber surround, that rusts out easy because they used a cheap metal. Other than that, just typical vehicle rust issues with salt.
I think Honda has always made very attractive designs except their newer 2022+ models are pretty blah, also before 2005/2006 they never really looked like anything special but I don’t think I’ll fault them for that, almost every car from the early 2000s didn’t look good.
That does have some really cool features, especially the diff locks and hidden bed compartment. It's a shame they made it look so ugly and weak and that the bed is so short.
Hey this might not be the place to ask but I’ve already asked every dealer in my area and just trying to see if there’s anyone out there that is looking to sell their Ridgeline with low mileage and year 2011 or 2014 (if possible) I’ve looked online and there’s absolutely nothing hahah. (California)
It's the weather and the roads. Salt all over the roads and the snow really damages your vehicles. I moved from Illinois to LA and you see more uncommon cars because stuff lasts longer here (ex. Lancer wagon, old El Caminos, S2000s)
How come this Japanese truck doesn't get knocked for "bad build quality" for having a broken handle on the tailgate? Because it's a Honda everyone automatically assumes it's the owners (drivers) fault the handle is broken? Have you ever noticed how easy it is for everyone to criticize American vehicles? This video is a Japanese truck review, yet American build quality is mentioned in a negative context in this video. Everyone does it. One of the biggest automotive RU-vid channels does it almost on a daily basis. We all automatically make assumptions about a vehicle based on a manufacturers reputation.
American cars are pretty unreliable tho that’s literally a fact. Heck, my mom had a Maserati Levante which I know is a Italian brand but a lot of the part and tech are American and even tho we bought it new and had it for 2 years it gave us some electrical issues. But electrical issues are common on Chryslers even early 4th Gen Rams.
It Ram was so unreliable, it wouldn't be the 2nd best-selling truck brand. Hondas have issues with the suspensions breaking and the exhausts rusting out after a few years, by which point the car has gotten so cheap that it's not worth fixing.
@@bwofficial1776 Just to say, sales numbers don't necessarily mean a vehicle is long lasting, however at my workplace we had a 2003 Dodge Ram work truck with the 5.7 that was sent to hell and back and was still going down the road fine when we sold it. Had a little over 200k. The interior quality was akin to Fisher Price though.
that magnum engine will last double to quadruple of what a hi-tech aluminum sedan engine. the dodge magnum is ohv , no timing belt to replace every 80k ... my dads 94 dakota has 323k sure it has a miss but it is dead reliable. if your dodge was requiring that much oil . it had a serious leak that was ignored.