I just traded my Tacoma TRD off-road for a Trailsport and I couldn’t be happier, I didn’t realize how bad the Tacoma was for every day driving until I drove the Ridgeline.
Thanks so much for the comment & feedback! I really appreciate the honesty, I think there’s a lot of people that just “right off” the Ridgeline. With that said, I had the same experience where all I had driven were Ridgelines & then I tried a Tacoma once and couldn’t believe the ride was that bad! I’ll see if I can do a review of one someday.
Ha! I just traded a TRD Sport for a Black edition, though I originally put a deposit down on the TrailSport, all they had was the bright blue that i initially loved but ultimately decided against.
In what way(s) do you like the Trailsport more than the Tacoma? Are there any aspects of the Tacoma (good and bad) that you miss now that you have the Trailsport? How do you use a vehicle like the Tacoma and the Trailsport as a truck? Thanks in advance for your responses!
@@richarde1355 to start I don’t tow or do any off-road driving just daily driving and carry stuff for work and occasionally collect wood for firewood for my wood stove. Trailsport is a excellent daily driver, quite,comfortable, great on the highway, interior space is bigger, a backseat that can actually hold adults, storage under the backseat and the icing on the cake is the trunk. The bad, another inch of ground clearance would be nice as long as it didn’t mess with the ride and handling and if the bed was an inch deeper other than that it’s perfect. Tacoma: you feel like you can drive over anything, looks awesome. The bad, engine is loud, transmission hunting gears, especially on the highway on hills, you feel every bump in the road, the backseat is for children, I don’t know if it was just mine but it took a long time for it to get warm in cold weather my 2016 and 2021 were both the same, it would take 20 minutes + for it to blow hot air, 10 minutes in the Ridgeline and it’s blowing hot.
I own a BE , purchased 4 months ago, previous drive was a 2012 F150. The truck’s simple, lean lines really stand out over the competition’s chunky, plastic looking trims. Love the sound of the doors closing…sounds like my Mercedes. The understated, classy interior is comfortable and airy. Towing is more than adequate for 90% of what you would likely need. All wheel drive is automatic and smart…just drive and go. Totally under rated and overlooked. A real sleeper truck!
Thanks for the comment & detailed feedback! Interesting perspective, especially with you coming from an F150! Definitely agree that the Ridgeline is a real sleeper truck! Let us know if you want to see other trucks or cars on the channel!
Just purchased the same Ridgeline 24 Black edition, downsized from a 2010 F150 with 173k miles. Purchased the B/E to get the ventilated front seats due to living in South Ga with 8 months of 90 plus heat. The VERY underrated and overlooked Truck ride is smooth, and handles great only thing I would add would be 360 Cameras if you are not a serious off-roader this is a perfect Truck. Thanks for the review
Thanks for the comment and feedback! Yeah I totally agree with you and think the 360 camera would be a nice addition. Let us know if you’d like to see other trims or trucks reviewed!
Just bought the 2024 black edition in the same color. Traded and changed the stock tires to Goodyear Wrangler Steadfast HT, put a Truxedo Pro X15 roll up bed cover on and threw some Weathertech mats in. Great Vehicle!
Great review! I just ordered the Black Edition, I loved it over the Tacoma. I have been in a Tacoma for a long time but, activities have changed with age, now I just want to get to golf courses in comfort.
Wow! Thanks a lot for the nice comment and great feedback! What color Ridgeline did you order? What did you like most and least about your Tacoma? Hope you subscribed and come back for more!
@@Drive_Culture I ordered it in white, the seats and driving position was the first thing that made me switch. I love Tacomas, been driving them for 22 years but as I get older the sitting position doesn’t feel to good. This vehicle is comfortable, has enough power for me and the bed is perfect enough for a new tv or some weekend shrubs for the backyard. I can’t wait for it to arrive next week.
I have a 2024 Black Edition and I really like it. I traded in a 2016 Tacoma TRD Sport. The Honda is so much nicer to drive. The seats are a lot better and the technology is a big upgrade.
I bought the exact same truck. It is so much better than my 2016 Tacoma TRD Sport that I traded in. The only thing I dont love is the gloss black around the gear selector. I will probably get it wrapped.
Thanks for the comment and feedback! It really is a good truck, so I think you’ll be pleased. I totally understand about the piano black, I’m sure there’s already existing vinyl overlays or you could get it customed wrapped!
I have a 2021 tundra trd pro. I’m really considering the black edition or trail sport edition. Since I messed my knee up sometimes a big step to get into or out of my truck it hard . My wife has a pilot and it’s so much easier to get into. I had an 07 and that in bed trunk the Ridgelines have is awesome. I miss that.I’ve had jeeps , tacomas , tundras. That trunk is something I constantly miss having. Great review.
Thanks for the comment & detailed feedback! I’ll work on doing a Ridgeline TrailSport review soon. Let us know if you’d like to see other trims or trucks on the channel!
I just purchased this exact truck, same color and all. I wish Honda offered the black edition in a nice gray color (not the blue gray which I do not like), but I absolutely love that Ridgeline so far. I've owned 3 midsize truck previously and this is the best of the bunch, by far...love the back seat. I does all the truck things I need it to do and it's actually nice to drive. The upgrades for 2024 are all nice additions, particularly the stamped tailgate, updated grill and undated infotainment and other interior bits. That said, I am a bit concerned about VCM causing problems over time, but I will likely install a defeat device to eliminate that problem. I also wish they would have made the red accent lighting a bit brighter, you can barely see it even at night. Overall, this is a great truck that would be perfect for most truck buyers if they could admit they really don't need anything more rugged.
@@Drive_Culture Colorado, Tacoma and 2 Frontiers. My fav of these was the 2nd gen Frontier, great little truck. I absolutely hated my 2019 Tacoma, which was the worst driving vehicle I've ever owned. I will never understand why that truck has such a cult-like following.
Yeah, I wish the red lighting was brighter and in more places. My brother has a Mercedes and the lighting is so much better and you can change the colors. But it cost about 100k so it makes sense.
My '24 BE RL HAS the in-bed speakers. It's one of the neat little "quirks" towards leaning me towards this vehicle. My Dad has a '23 RTL-E RL and he likes it. He REALLY likes the new center console in the '24 vs. the "minivan" armrests in the '23. I had a '19 Passport Elite and a '21 Passport Elite. I liked the Passport for many reasons but moved to the RL.
Thanks a lot for the comment & feedback! What color Ridgeline do you have now? Let us know if there any other trims or vehicles you’d like to see on the channel!
I spent three years at the NY Auto show asking Honda to ditch the mini van armrest in the Ridgeline because that are useless for a big dude. They finally listened!!
Having watched Videos and reviews of all the Mid Size Trucks in the market, i think the Ridgeline stands out for several reasons, but could use a few things to make it Literally the Perfect Mid size Truck. First it absolutely needs a 360 camera system. Second the Infotainment system needs to be at least 10 inches, but DON'T stick it on top of the dash like other copycats, just make it bigger and lessen the angle a slight bit. Move the air vents out just a bit in the center. Honda, for gosh sake make a HYBRID version available! People will hate me for this, but i dont care. Four cylinder, Hybrid ( NOT PLUG IN HYBRID) with something sround a 2.5 L engine with the 9 speed transmission, don't change to a cvt. Use the Hybrid to get better fuel Economy. Target 30 MPG combined. And do not do what Toyota did and put the battery under the back seat ruening ALL the in cabin storage, the Battery goes under the truck between the center Frame. Keep the bed the same, with the same in bed storage! Keep using 18" wheels. Everything else is just about perfect. Do the above for 2025, and ill get a Black Edition Hybrid in a heartbeat ! I know everyone loves the V6, but everyday driving ,which people do the most, needs way better Economy. Come on Honda, you can do it !
Wow! Thanks for the comment and the super detailed feedback! I agree with a lot of your points and hybrids are definitely becoming more popular, so that’s not a bad recommendation either!
Good review, I subscribed but please as a truck guy please DON’T call trucks a car it really stands out. Look forward to seeing your reviews in the future.
This review really put black edition over the trailsport and at the top my midsize shopping list rn, 10mo left on my Integra lease but life calls for a truck next. You’re probably going to be 2 for 2 with me after this review. btw pointing out that rear pwr window sealed it for me. Thanks again 👍
Thanks for the comment & feedback! It’s been a while since I’ve driven a Tacoma, but I was amazed at how different the ride was from a Ridgeline. I’ll have to try to do a review on a Tacoma someday!
I bought mine about 2 months ago and did a little bit of customizing. I put small pinstripes, PPF on the front end along with a bugshield, and put some inserts into the tailgate letters. (It won't let me upload a picture of the tailgate. 😢)
@@Drive_Culture You're welcome for the comment and feedback. It's exactly like the one you reviewed (the white exterior). I did an American Flag theme for the inserts. I have had a TON of people complimenting the way it looks too. I have about 3100 miles on it and am now getting better MPGs, around 21.2 on the digital dash display, and am hoping it continues to go up!
Really wish they'd get rid of the gloss, black plastic around the cupholders. I appreciate the addition of the ventilated seats but I wish they'd update to the same interior styling of the new Pilot. The interior feels like it's still stuck in the 20teens. Agree with another poster too about making the bed a little deeper. I'd like two more inches on the depth and two more inches on the length.
the Black Edition should have really included ACC with stop and go, front center parking sensors, front passenger seat height adjustment, acoustic glass for the front driver and passenger windows, 360 camera or at least a front camera, hill descent control.. In the next generation i hope they increase the ride height to be over 8 inches, make the cargo bed deeper to at least 20inches. also get us 1-3inches in more rear leg room . all this would make it the perfect ridgeline or really a perfect truck
Thanks for the detailed comment and feedback! One could definitely wish for all of these awesome features to be added, the question is who much more would people be willing to pay?
@@Drive_Culture i guess what bothers me is that these options can be found in their other vehicles.. a lot of their parts and tech are shared across the line..they have a giant parts bin to share from.. for example a CRV has hill descent control across all trims but there is no hill descent in the BE RL thats ridiculous.. why are the two front center parking sensors not avail on the BE RL but they are on the Pilot? the pricing are close enough and overlap.. did you know that prior to this year vented seats were avail on canadian model and not the USA model.. why.. we make the ridgeline here in the USA.. dont get me wrong i like my 24 BE but i think they half ass it on the options list.. you can get 360 cam on a crappy Frontier.. for whatever reason they hold back on those features and i think thats a flaw.
I agree with a lot of those as well. I would like to say... another 2 inches in rear leg space would be amazing as well as another 3 inches in bed length (so a total of 5 inches longer), a couple extra inches in bed depth, a flat rear floor instead of them sticking up, Maybe some other things, but that's all for now lol
Thanks for the review. I’ve been keeping my eye on the Ridgeline to see what updates they do to it. The 10sp gearbox would have been great. Also, I’m a big fan of the Acura infotainment in the MDX and TLX with the touchpad and wish the Ridgeline and Pilot got them, though I understand keeping it inline with the other Honda products. The new tailgate is nice. Wish they would have kept the bed speaker system, even if just on the black edition and trail sport. One thing I wish the Ridgeline had is a roll down rear glass like the old del Sol amd Toyota 4runner.
Thanks for the comment & detailed feedback! I agree with all of your points. Would you want the entire rear glass to go down? As you may know, the center section opens up, wasn’t sure if you think having a bigger opening is best.
Thanks for the comment. Yeah this is just a mid cycle refresh, so changing the entire front end was likely not an option. What other things would you like to see updated?
Thanks for the comment & feedback! Yeah I’m with you, don’t get why the Ridgeline has so much hate. I think it’s mostly from people immediately rejecting its styling & from those who have driven one. Yes, I drove a Tacoma a few years ago for comparison, and I couldn’t believe how harsh the ride was! Let me know if you’d like to see more Ridgeline trims or a Tacoma on the channel.
I love my Ridgeline. You don't work for Honda/Acura still??? Tell them they need hybrid option and trailsport as good or better than pilot trailsport edition. Also all Acura lineup needs hybrid like RLX hybrid including new prelude and Acura version of hrv
Thanks for the comment & detailed feedback! Yes, I still work for them, but this is my private channel and is not affiliated with American Honda Motor.
Very good video honesty you are really detailed that definitely is a beautiful truck that you have I will take that over any truck on the market today I own a Honda Civic myself beautiful car rides nice reliable I have no complaints best three things I believe Honda should change leather seats I have them in my Civic don't like them I never have and I never will I think you should give you the option in the Black Edition to get material seats or leather seats when you go to the high your trims and Honda automatically give you leather I think they should give you the option not everybody likes leather second is the digital transmission selector absolutely horrible and you have the cup holders on the other side if you grab your drink and you spilled a little bit it goes into the buttons or if you have too much liquid in your drink and it spells it can go into the buttons it just to me makes the truck look cheaper cheaper quality they should definitely bring back the shifter it looks better it will last longer then switches and you don't have to worry about any liquid don't know what Honda was thinking and the push button start absolutely terrible I don't like those at all we have been known to have problems when it's really really cold they just don't bring enough juice to the starter to get it going where I live we get cold Winters plus the push button vehicles much easier to steal Honda needs to go back to the key why are they fixing things that are not broken the key is tried and true transmission selector that is a stick is tried and true so why change something that works if Honda can fix these three things they will have 100% the perfect truck the competition as well close their doors but until they fix these things it is still a good truck it's just not quite there yet awesome video keep up the good work maybe if enough people complain about these things they will change it back see you on the next video😊
Thanks so much for the detailed comment & feedback! There’s a lot to digest here, but I get you about the seat materials. If you don’t want leather, what would you want instead? Just plain fabric? Definitely keep the feedback coming on future videos too! 👍🏾
I have a leased 2023 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E.., it starting to have few quirks but I like it. The " 24 " has that name plate in the back but I wish that part was "' Black-Clad " instead. Stands out more then the back just being " stamped ".
@MeltingRubberZ28 The automatic "high beams" sometimes don't work that you have to turn them in manually ..., the "information" board you have to sometimes also have to keep pressing for content to come on & very confusing trying to figure out how to turn on the "blower" for heat/air for back seat passengers.
Just traded my 2018 RTL-E for the 2024 Black Edition. I miss the in-bed speakers and wish Honda didn’t get rid of them. However, the new interior is awesome! Great review.
I used the speakers almost weekly. I guess now I’ll just use a portable speaker. I got the 2024 in white. Mine also came with the tailgate letters colored in black. I think it looks sharp.
I find with my ‘22 Ridgeline that the way it handles the adaptive cruise control, with distance management is pretty abrupt and annoyingly too distant from other vehicles even in its closest setting. It invites too many people to cut in front, which makes the truck drastically and suddenly slow down, then it’s slow to recover back to its set speed. No reviewers seem to cover this function, has it improved?
@@Drive_Culture yeah I'm in the market for a mid size pickup. I've been a honda guy for a long time. I would love to see honda be more competitive in their features for this truck. For 46k i can get a fully loaded chevy colorado z71 BUT it only comes with a turbo 4 cylinder which I do not trust.
@@Drive_Culture yea no biggie dude, i had a 2020 ridgeline, then went to a taco, now currently in a new pro4x, the ridgeline has them beat for interior space.
I really like the instrument cluster, snappier info, and console - but pissed they discontinued the RTL-E trim. That what the best option IMO. I have a 2021 White Tan Leather RTL-E and the new Trailsport trim is a joke. You lose the ability for light colored interiors and some great features like the in bed audio. Thankfully I own my 2021 RTE-E outright but I am pissed I cannot trade in for something similar. I can not stand black interiors.!!!
Ah good old Honda, treating the Ridgeline with all the handmedown tech and parts. One day Honda will treat the Ridgeline like a truck it actually wants to sell.
I for one am waiting for the “real” refresh as well. Love the comment. In particular I want the better adaptive cruise control, lane keep, better instrument cluster, 10spd, better steering wheel and the 10 spd.
Thanks for responding. I hope you are able to convince them to go back to Mr Honda philosophy in a modern present and future including hybrid vehicles offering on all models, performance hybrid, hydrogen powered technologies and for God sake hybrid hrv version in Acura lineup is needed with not just efficiency but powerful. Thanks for your time and I enjoy watching your channel. 48 years old Honda fan from 5 years old.
Having to deal with the honda dealerships is horrible...$900 for nitrogen tires, $599 for clear door edgings, and on and on...and they make you pay for these scams...keeps a lot of people from purchasing the honda brand....sad
Thanks for the comment! As you probably know, all dealerships are independent franchise stores. With that said, any and every brand has dealerships that could use improvement. I’d say, shop around or even consider out of state if your local store doesn’t meet your expectations!
@Drive_Culture ...asked on several web sites for a honda dealer that doesn't have these silly add-ons and no one replied that they knew of a honda dealer who didn't charge these fees. I'm in Montana if anyone knows of one (we have no sales tax).
Simple solution. After taking as much of their salesman's time, and any other staff like the finance manager, tell them you're not paying for add ones period ! If they don't take the charges completely off, just tell them why you're not buying and walk out ! Have a backbone ! Not putting up with dealership price gouging helps all prospective buyers ! Dealerships that do this, are not honest, and will NEVER earn my business!
@jameslester4474 ...I agree 100%. It's why I don't drive a honda now. Couldn't find an honest dealer in Montana. Found one in phoenix area, but they weren't allowed to sell the vehicle to me without tax (Montana has no sales tax)
Right, Not a Truck Yes and No, It's in fact enough truck for every day use maybe because We own a 2020 black edition, Now if I wanted-needed a Large So called truck it would have to be Diesel, It probably be A GMC Duramax Allison setup Deleted, Next choice a Big bad Cummins power RAM manual transmission if available, Deleted as well 😁.
Thanks for the comment & feedback! That would be an interesting powertrain for sure! Would you want the big touchscreen to be landscape or portrait style?
Very functional truck! If you're embedded into the Honda ecosystem, it's not a bad truck to consider! Personally, I'm a Tacoma guy, and the looks alone have an edge over Ridgeline especially the new Tacoma iforce (drool). I'm looking forward to the new Ridgeline design, I have a feeling it may be able to compete with the looks of Tacoma ;) Most trucks look exactly the same thesedays, and Ridgeline at least has some uniqueness-ish-ish :) Handling wise, I think this can compete on the streets and will be more responsive, which is where most will use this thing, but off-roading, Tacoma will need to win that ;) I can't get over the new Tacoma look and capability, but Ridgeline is making good progress! Being able to use that compartment in the back as an ice chest tho...and the way the back seats snap into place... pretty dope! (Now, where is the new Acura Pickup Type S?! Teehee)
Thanks for the detailed comment and feedback! I appreciate the honesty and transparency. Admittedly, I’ve only driven a Tacoma for a short stint, so I won’t make too many comparisons. I do like the look of their refresh, I’ll have to see if I can do a review someday soon. Thanks again, hope you stick around for the future videos!
@@Drive_Culture Yeah! If you can get the Tacoma iforce, and THEN build the new Ridgeline to have a similar level of aggressiveness, and sexy, but rugged lines.....holy. moly! Would be AMAZING! If you called it the Ridgeline Type R, I wouldn't mind that one bit!
Great video. We are buying at the end of 2024 to replace our current tow vehicle for our small camper (2900 lbs). One of the many things I like about the Ridgeline is its real world payload. Very solid for a midsize truck. So, I can tow my camper AND haul camping gear. Leaning TrailSport, but may do the Black Edition.
Thanks for the comment! This trim of Ridgeline comes standard with Honda’s torque vectoring AWD system called i-VTM4. If you’re asking whether it has a 4-High or 4-Low style drive mode, then the answer is no.
@@user-vt9ss3ft2zAWD best on the planet, it will out drive, out handle, out perform ANY mid-size pick up out there. 20 mpg city / 25 mpg highway. 3/4 ton carrying capacity. Does not pull a loaded 4 horse trailer well, but it does pull my doubt axle boat trailer well, also my single axle Oliver, loaded well. Plus you can drive it for 15 hours and not feel beat-up.
Honda builds a great vehicle. Problem is that the second generation of Ridgeline looks horrible... all trim packages. This poor "truck" looks like grandma's car. Honda best spice things up in 2025 with the ridgeline design.
