Face Off: Honda Ridgeline HPD vs Toyota Tacoma Trail 

The trunk and tailgate are amazing. The all wheel drive with force vectoring make the ridge line handle around the corners. 9 speed auto too. Comes with composite bed, and has a high payload at 1,500 lbs. don’t forget the legendary 3.5 lt engine.

I personally don't care what other people think of the Vehicle's I drive, So when the time comes to get rid of my 1997 Z71 three door truck I will be looking for a 2021 Ridgeline, Why because it does everything I want a small truck to do things all the other brands miss By a mile. I asked ridgeline owners if they like them and haven't found a mad owner yet, So maybe a mad owner can tell me why I'm wrong 🤓.

Working at a dealership I can say we cant keep ridgelines in... In fact we have a board with about 20 people on it waiting for their ridgeline.

@@haydenmccombs5074 I would think the sales should at least double with a new good looking unit out for 2021😎👍📈

@@haydenmccombs5074 Can confirm. Waited 4 months for our 21 RTL-E.

That’s exactly what happened to me. As soon as I test drove it off the lot I walked in and said take my money lol.

I just did this as well. I test drove the Tacoma and a Frontier. The Ridgeline is so nice and comfortable.

Same thing happens to me. I test drove a 2022 Toyota Tundra. Test drove a Ridgeline black edition. I own a Ridgeline now. Won’t repeat all the Pros about this truck but I will say I’m so happy I bought a RL and wish I found one sooner. Best truck I’ve ever owned and I’ve owned all the other “trucks”

@@DasChristoff I've had them all too, from a z-71 to a Powerstroke to a Frontier to a Tundra to a Taco. Ridgeline fills the bill.

Low mileage Tacoma doesn’t exist 😂 you either gotta buy new or settle for 2 year old Tacoma with 50k+ miles lol

Very true

I'm looking to buy soon. Q for you: Reason you chose RTL-E compared to Black Edition?

@@zafarsyed6437 I honestly like pearl white with beige interior.. that combo is rare you will see black interior on the road than beige one.. it just my personal preference.. plus I likes RTLE has all the bells and whistles.. black edition is okay but didn’t like the black cloth interior.. not too bad.. I don’t like too much glossy dash because it causes sun glare.. hope I hear something from you when you got your new truck..

@@yamahaking6137 Black Edition is leather...

@@danmac4132 is it ? The one I saw it was black cloth seats

utbweiss, Yep’ 👍

that was a great comment.

Well said Ampalx.

well said! I take many trips up to our cabin in the Wind River, WY and the Tacoma is perfect for the 2 hour backroads we take to get there. Love the Honda - had an Odyssey for 11 years with the VMI wheelchair ramp system for my daughter and it was a good van for us... Test driving the Ridgeline felt very similar to the Odyssey and would have been fine had it not been for the trips off-road in the Winds as well as in the Uintahs. Tacoma is an awesome ride for the gnarly off road stuff.

2 different trucks with separate personalities & purposes… and love the absent wheel wells in the bed that take up so much room. The hide-away lockable trunk is very well thought out. Ridgeline is a gentleman’s truck NOT a journeyman’s every day tool. Apples vs oranges…

The best comment so far, people need to buy what suits their needs not people might think 🤔 of them. Once again what do you need the truck for. Two great 👍 trucks.

Congratulations, did they give you a discount ?

I what it when you're done with it, All you need to do is the oil changes, I am Not kidding That's the Color I want and will buy one as soon as my wife's 2021 Honda Civic Sport sedan is payed for 😎👍, I have a little over $10,000 left over to pay it off.

@@cB-pu5dn I got Blk edition 2 months ago, paid full msrp around 45k, only 4 in greater Seattle area at that time..none of dealers willing to even discount 1k

Thats still good 45k gives base model for the F150, Rams etc etc. They play 0 games with the price lol

I was gonna trade my Tacoma in for a Ridgeline until I learned that it's not really designed for heavy hauling/towing. Making too many trips uphill while weighed down will kill it, even though it's rated for 5,000lbs. Keeping my Tacoma.

I’ve been seeing a lot of people selling off other trucks for Ridgeline.

@@bengonzales1182 You arent representative of average trck user who doesnt tow

Sell it or trade for new facelift ridgeline. Tacos have amazing resale

​@@rxa177 LOL!

Don't forget pay load to , the honda has better payload except for the ranger.

i drive a commercial truck that can haul a 30,000 lb payload , these guys al have tiny dicks ! i actually like the look of the Ridgeline and i ma toyota fan boi

Exactly! The guys with their 40k brodozers talking about how much it could theoretically go off road and just posers. I live in northern wisconsin and if you actually offroad with your truck, you have a 10 year old beater truck.

@@jg8263 Exactly, I also live-work Central Wis, I personally don't care what Others think about a Ridgeline, I am going to buy one unless I die first, I just don't care, Everyone else can keep Posing in there So called real trucks, Don't get mad when mines still worth more then yours in about 5 Years only 😎👍.

Hardly anyone? Tons of people take there 40-60k trucks and jeeps off road and "overlanding"

@@canyonero2050 I bought a 2021 Tacoma and I drove it off the lot straight to a trail to see what it can do stock lol

@@jg8263 Dude, maybe in Wisconsin but not here in Utah and Wyoming

That's the key! Change the timing belt every 100K on Hondas and Toyotas and they keep running 🙂

if it was called a ford f-100, it would have a full frame, making it a real truck and not just a wanna be

@@billw8476 lol

@@billw8476 this guys parents are bro and sis

Come on Frank, you're a Honda salesman.

It is roomier. I was going to dump my Tundra and go mid size. The Taco, at that time did not have a leather seating option. The cabin was cramped and rose like crap. I bought a new(then) ‘13 RTL…..top of the line and haven’t looked back.

I think anything has better acceleration than a Tacoma, lol. They're known for being gutless.

Naa..

@@svtrader there are a lot of honda salespeople on this thread. js............

Also great in city if you need to make a hard 90 across heavy oncoming traffic. I enjoy it on a lot of forest roads here in northern Wisconsin, as you can take them at a good clip without fear of the rear breaking loose and spinning you into a ditch like in my friend's Ranger.

Or how good mine is in the snow. I won't go rock crawling with it, but I will take this over any other mid size truck in the snow.

The Honda AWD system is so amazing to drive. Amazing in all conditions.

Yeah the 4wd in the taco is such a dinosaur.

Test drive the Honda you will never think about the taco ever again lol.

What do you have now?

I have recently purchased Honda Ridgeline RTLE I’m pretty damn satisfied with the truck .. thank god I didn’t buy anything else..

Aaron what lift did you buy? How much was installation? Any change in ride quality?

@@brianscheuring4642 I got the traxda 2 inch front 1 inch rear lift kit. About $250 for kit. I installed myself. Rides pretty much the same.

@@aaronrepper7649 Thanks, after the install do you like the height adjustment or you think you should of went a little higher?

@@brianscheuring4642 2 inch is good in front maybe 1.5 or 2 in rear would be good, also put on 265/60/18 tires Wich add a little more hight

@@aaronrepper7649 do the tires rub when the steering wheel is at full lock? I'm just curious

Hmm I’ve never considered driving out of the area where I live to get better pricing and choices. I’m actively looking for a Ridgeline in Southern California. I think I’ll follow your lead on this and cast the net wider! Thx!

@@emilcasas2707 It’s always worked out for me. Even if I had to go like 100 miles. The sweet spot I’ve found are the towns that are medium size have the best dealer ships. The big city dealerships have no real incentive to negotiate or eliminate premiums because they get so much business and the small town dealers want to make as much as they can due to the lack of local competition and customer traffic. So those in betweener type medium size town dealers are usually more willing to negotiate and get your business. But yeah shop around and turn them against each other…I always do and it never fails trust me. Anyway good luck, you’ll love the Ridgeline it’s really a great all purpose vehicle.

The Ridgeline has "Snow" "Mud" "Gravel" and "Normal" modes. It also has an "Eco" button and a "Sport" mode, that really gives it a kick when your want to get up to speed while merging on the freeway.

Did the height modification impact your mileage much?

Unlikely it ever will. It's a North American only product.

Also can you get a full size spare in on that ridgeline?

Deal breaker. And in the review, the Tacoma was hard to stop.

Same here, probably a deal breaker as well.

Drum brakes don’t bother me. My first car was a 1970 Ford Maverick with drums on all four corners. The way I see it, I’m paying half as much for a brake job since drums long outlast discs.

Bought a ridgeline

@C. JR Beware of the Gen 3 Hemi. Poor design of the top end led to issues that launch lifters. Sometimes at 50 to 60k miles!

But if you know you know. They're selling every one of them they can build.

Who’s really off-roading $40,000 trucks?

@@voltecrules624 lol just 40,000 ones that were meant for off-roading that definitely not Honda ridgeline

CarPlay helps with that.

Yeah I have a ‘21 Odyssey and I never use the infotainment, only CarPlay. And it works great

What makes it outdated?

Tacoma is only good offroad. It sucks at carrying or towing.

You are correct. Another thing to consider is the truth of towing with these two vehicles. Tongue weight and driver weight must be subtracted from payload. So, if we assume a 10% tongue weight and 200 lb driver, a Taco towing 6500 lbs would have only about 300lbs left for payload or additional passengers, while a Ridgeline towing 5000 lbs would have around 850 lbs left. Yes, the Taco can tow more, but the Honda can haul more additional cargo at its max towing capacity. As a real world example: I own a 2020 Coleman Lantern LT 17BH camper. It has a gross weight of 3800 lbs and either of these trucks can tow it with ease. If I was going camping with my family of 4 and 2 dogs, after accounting for the camper's tongue weight and my 200 lbs, the Taco could only haul 570 lbs and the Honda 970 lbs. Now, my wife is 220, my kids 45 and 35, my dogs 35 and 40, and my generator is 100. That leaves me with a mere 95 lbs available for any and all additional packing (clothes, cooler, etc) in the Tacoma and 495 lbs available in the Honda. For my needs, the Honda would be the superior camping vehicle. Another example: the Tacoma, even without those ridiculous bed boxes, is narrower than 48 inches between the wheel wells and the tailgate opening, so I cannot run to Lowes and pick up drywall without either a trailer or awkwardly loading it at an angle and risking damage. The Honda is 52 inches between the wheel wells and 51 inches at the tailgate, so this would be a no brainer choice in hardware store runs (not to mention just being able to haul far more of it by virtue of greater payload). For this same reason, I could not haul a typical ATV (say a Polaris Sportsman) in the bed of the Tacoma, while it would fit in the Ridgeline with ease.

@@jg8263 Dude! You get it! I've tried to explain this to knuckle dragging numbskulls who love to point out the "low" tow rating on the Ridge. Half-tons are some of the worst offenders, especially the top trim Rams that have payloads similar to the Tacoma. Nevertheless, tow ratings are useless without the appropriate payload ratings. I feel like common sense shoukd tell people that 5000 lbs is probably all you should try to pull with a mid-size truck, 8000 with a half-ton, and get a 3/4 ton if you regularly need to drag closer to 9-10k or more.

@@aaronbehindbars Exactly. It's not that their F150 has 8000lbs towing AND 2000lbs payload, it has either 2000lbs of payload with no towing capacity OR 8000lbs of capacity with 1200lbs of payload (ignoring the aforementioned driver weights and such). Frankly I recommend them to check our Axleadvisor.com's awesome towing capacity database to better understand what their particular truck can in fact do.

@@aaronbehindbars In fact, here is a good example to give the knuckle draggers: 2020 F150 equipment to achieve 13,200lbs tow rating: 3.5l ecoboost, 3.55 axle ratio, SuperCrew, 156.8" wheelbase, and most importantly THE 2WD MODEL! The funny thing, one of the more popular configurations of F150: 3.3l TI-VCT V6 and 3.55 axle ratio has a max towing of...drumroll please....5000lbs, just the same as a Honda Ridgeline (and a worse payload in this configuration). Why is this model popular? Fuel economy of course, which in this configuration is basically the same as the Honda's (slightly worse, but splitting hairs close). If you are going for that fuel economy, you should buy the Honda for the superior ride and handling, better payload, and slightly better economy at that point.

@@jg8263 Yes exactly and who said the eco tech twin turbo v6 Ford was reliable, For $60,000 NO FRIGIN WAY HOSAY❗ For me it's got to be the RIDGELINE😎👍.

Likely because the SUV's referenced are derivatives downstream of the trucks (although today they all have distinct platforms from their truck counterparts). In the case of the Ridgeline, it was derived FROM the Pilot instead of the other way around. It's not a crime chap, it's the way of the world.

@@TestDrivenTV that’s technically incorrect. The Ridgeline also started off as a body-on-frame pickup. Subaru-Isuzu Automotive (SIA) in Indiana produced the “Pickup”. Honda purchased the rights to it as their 1st generation Passport, which was body-on-frame. The Pickup was transformed into the Rodeo and then repackaged as the Honda Passport. Honda in return repackaged their Odyssey as a SIA minivan offering (Oasis). Acura used the Pickup/Rodeo (Passport) body-on-frame to create a sub-frame wrapped in an unibody. The product released as the 1st generation MDX. Unlike true unibody designs, Honda’s “midsized truck lineup” actually still use the Pickup’s former body-on-frame, but instead sub-framed it within the unibody for use in the: MDX, RDX, Pilot, Ridgeline, and even the compact CR-V. Honda’s use of a sub-frame within their midsized unibody is what sets them apart. It’s also one of the reasons their midsized class has such high performing crash test ratings. This PUP design has been around since 1972, Chevrolet purchased it as well, badged as the LUV, before rebadging it as the Chevy S-10 and GMC S-15. So yes, the Ridgeline’s sub-frame shares the same platform history as the S-10 and S-15. For instance, the Isuzu’s Pickup/Rodeo max towing of 4.5k lbs is very similar to the 5k lbs max towing of today’s Ridgeline. For now, we’ll probably continue to see Honda keeping costs down by letting the Ridgeline share the Lincoln, Alabama production line with the Passport and Pilot. Especially with the government’s 40% CAFE fuel economy law dictating the direction of future vehicles. If Honda can get the Ridgeline onto it’s own production line, you’d likely see it compete off-road just like their motocross, super cross, enduro motorcycle, ATV, and side-by-side divisions.

Why don't they use them on the front?