Is the New Honda Ridgeline a Real Truck? I Take It Up the World's Toughest Towing Test to Find Out! 

Great video guys 👍

I've been a truck guy for 30 years, and I can say that's a good little truck. It ain't a superduty, but it's not trying to be. Different tool for different job.

Just bought one yesterday..... Been researching for months.... This checks all the boxes for my needs..... If I need to tow I will buy the appropriate rig..... For everyday this is it.

I owned a Tacoma. Now I’m on my second Ridgeline. Just got the 2023. Very comfortable. I like the push button transmission. After a long trip, you’re not exhausted, compared to riding a on frame truck. Fits all my needs. Much more comfortable than the Tacoma. Both are great trucks.

I never knew Honda made a truck but when I took the leap to but my first Honda Ridgeline it was the best decision I made. It is a really good family truck and well recommend!

I love mine. So far I’ve used it to help people move dressers, office table, couches and random stuff. Call it what you want but it’s perfect for me because it’s also my daily.

I purchased a 2020 Ridgeline RTL-E last August when car dealers were struggling. I saved $5K off MSRP, which is excellent pricing for one of these. I love the truck. It's great on gas (for a truck), quiet, comfortable, easy to drive, easy to park and really useful for my 'Johnny Homeowner' needs. I shopped all the mid-size trucks and this one came out on top when you factored price, features, reliability and usefulness. No regrets.

I like the Ridgeline. It's a great little truck but those wheel flares on the HPD model are hideous in my opinion.

My hunting buddies own these truck. One is a 2007 and the other a 2008. Both are bulletproof and they still look great. They still have a good resell value making them very cheap to own long term. Overall great quality.

Great father / son review. You guys have a great relationship! I LOVE this truck and would love to own one someday soon

I purchased a 2021 Honda Ridgeline about 3 weeks ago. I have owed Ford, Dodge and Chevy 1/2 ton pickup trucks all of which had quality issues. For what I asked of a pickup truck, the Ridgeline seems to be the best truck I have ever owned. Time will tell its quality. I don't tow a trailer or boat so that is not important to me. The trunk in the bed is amazing, I use it all the time. The ride quality is outstanding. Fit and finish is top shelf. FL's review is very accurate.

In June I purchased a 2020 RTL-E, I living in the suburbs of Boston, I do not towing anything, and as there is no off roading this is the perfect truck for me. Had I known they would have changed the frontend and added the volume knob , I might have waited, but beyond that I am very happy. Real world MPG (using the truck) is 18 to 19 MPG

It's honestly the truck I would need as a suburbanite. Fits in the garage easily, works in the winter well, hauls the family and my projects from Menards/Home Depot/Lowes, and tows the boat. Just haven't loved the looks, but with this redesign, I'm interested.

I’ve had my 2019 RTL AWD for 20k now. I’ve previously owned a Frontier, 2 Tacomas, and a Colorado. By far, the Ridgeline is better by far than the other midsized trucks for daily life. I know it doesn’t have a low range or massive toe capacity. I know it’s limitations. I also know it has great power when needed (only midsize truck that will run with it is a Ranger) it does great in snow, and gets roughly 21mpg daily driving while using remote start. I have seen as high as 28 on a trip. Others are more capable, but paying 40k for a daily driver to beat up off road doesn’t make sense. SxS or older Jeep/Tacomas are perfect for that.

The Ridgeline is definitely underrated. Granted it's not for everyone but for 95% it's a perfect midsized truck

Hey TFL, the Ridgeline is capable of carrying a fullsize spare tire. Honda recommends such when towing in case of a flat tire. It gets mounted in the bed. Google it or check the owner's manual.

I used to absolutely hate the Ridgeline when based on the van but after watching this I think it has come a long way and isn't too bad

Just traded my 17 ridgeline for the 21 black edition. Couldn’t be happier. The 9 speed is butter and comes with a trans cooler and awd standard finally. Has tons of upgrades like locking tailgate and 2 position memory seats. The black leather with red stitching and red led accents was basically designed for me and the headlights and fog lights are led standard and look sharp.

I am that real truck guy and I think this thing is a real truck and definitely serves a purpose.

Great video as usual TFL Truck...sure appreciate all you guys do!!! (wish I had a job like that) :-) Anyway, my latest pulling experience was a 2,109.2 mile drive from Michigan to Oregon w/a new Venture RV Sonic travel trailer (4,150 lbs. NOT counting people or gear). Where our 2017 Ridgeline 6-Speed AWD RTS averaged for the entire trip 10.19 MPG (always calculated at the pump). Worst tank was 7.11 MPG...best tank was 12.66 MPG going at least the speed limit or about 5 or a lil' more over...and after looking at elevation charts later and the Apple Watch Compass/Elevation App while on the road there and back…it's pretty much all uphill from Nebraska heading west (not to mention lots of head winds heading from the East to the West Coast). ;-) So, now that we are home in the Willamette Valley our two (2) short trips w/out mountain passes have averaged a much better 12.86 MPG and the other trip was 13.53 MPG (I calculate all fuel ups at the pump w/all my vehicles...just one of my perfectionist anal things I do). ;-) So, read on for details of the setup and/or more info on weights, towing equipment, brake controller and mirrors. Along with my personal observations of how it pulls compared to our past nine (9) trucks and body on frame SUVs (so not counting an ’07 RAV4 V6 that never pulled anything or the ’08 Highlander that did pull some)…that would make 11 Trucks and SUVs that we've personally owned in the past. First, kind of funny or y'all might just laugh at me with the 10.19 MPG...but the whole time we were driving I kept thinking these MPG's are just horrid...I thought it was simply terrible. I really did, because I've always just pulled Malibu Competition Ski Boats in the past (keep in mind I'm NOT talking WakeSetters...I'm talking lots of lighter tandem full tube quality Ryan or Extreme Trailers with camping gear, firewood and a Malibu Echelon or Response LX that weighed in between 4,000 lbs. and up to 4,700 lbs.). Anyway, back to our Ridgeline and new travel trailer (basically an un-aerodynamic brick on wheels). It was only after we got back home in Oregon that I learned from other friends with Travel Trailers that 10.19 MPG is actually pretty good (I guess). One friend get's 7.9 to 8.2 MPG w/his new Titan and the other gets 7.1 to 7.9 w/his RAM 1500...both of them pulling very similarly sized and weighted travel trailers (a lighter Jayco and Lance). So, they made me feel better...they both actually thought I was joking because I was complaining about my MPG's (ha ha live and learn). ;-) The Ridgeline... Our Ridgeline is again a 2017 RTS AWD 6-speed w/Michelin Defender LTX M/S (that I swapped out when it was brand new). The Travel Trailer... Is a Venture RV Sonic 200VLM travel trailer at 4,150 lbs.; Tonge Weight 350 lbs; w/a tandem axle (23'-4"L x 10'-8"H x 8'-2"W including the awning). What we had with us... We had three (3) adults and I'm 6'-5" 295 lbs., so I'm in the NO small man category all by myself ha ha ;-) All our gear, tools and bags were in the cab, bed, and "bed trunk" under a SofTopper Canopy (best canopy of any we've had w/our other 9 Trucks and body on frame SUVs (again not counting 2 more, a Highlander and RAV4 V6). I used our Rock Tamer Mad Flap System (I've had on every truck we've ever owned, only when pulling…I remember once years ago having to drive in the night through 50 miles of fresh asphalt w/“pinging asphalt” under the fenders…the next morning NOT a SINGLE sling of tar was on boat or trailer at the time…so I LOVE Rock Tamers). Okay rabbit trail over…back to the list…I researched and bought the Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch (best WDH system I could research and it did NOT disappoint...it did NOT bounce or "creak" at all). I'd never had a WDH, because again all we'd ever pulled in the past was Malibu Competition Ski Boats and box trailers (like U-hauls) w/surge brakes w/our past 9 trucks and body on frame SUVs. I also installed a REDARC Tow-Pro Elite Brake Controller in the Ridgeline (it was super easy as the Ridgeline is already pre-wired). So it was plug and play, super clean, and NO box hanging down to look ugly or whack a person's knees on. I'd also bought extended strap on mirrors...BUT I keep forgetting the Ridgeline’s width is literally within 1 inch of the width of our previous '92 Ford F-150, Tundra's, Suburban, Cummins Turbo Diesel...so I actually took the extended strap on mirrors OFF after about 200 miles of towing...it was WAY better to just use the stock mirrors and add a nice Pilot Automotive MI-007 3.75” x 2.5” Blind Spot Mirror/Spotter Mirror. So, going with the stock mirrors and spotter mirrors stuck in the bottom middle...I could see down the Fog Line and down both sides just fine. Then later after the trip at home I bought a Furrion RV Backup Vision S 5 inch display w/Wireless Camera (which was also plug and play w/the Sonic travel trailer). How did it pull compared to our past 9 trucks and body on frame SUVs (again not counting 2 more the '07 RAV4 V6 or the '08 Highland which the Highlander did pull the Malibu Response LX). Well, it pulled like a dream to be very honest. At no time did we feel unsafe or underpowered in traffic around Chicago (which driving there is much crazier than LA in my humble opinion). ;-) Freeways were tore up across the nation in many places...with lots of construction with weaving around tight cones, crossing over freeway medians. Even with strong cross and head winds with us heading from East to the West Coast. It really all felt GREAT. The Ridgeline doesn't really squat bad with any surge braked trailer we'd put on it in the past...like the worst squatter we had was the '08 Highlander and the '13 Tacoma TRD Sport (which we got air bags for the Taco). But still this was the first trailer we'd pulled where the manufacture specifically suggests using a Weight Distribution Hitch (WDH)...so I'd also have to say the Andersen Hitches are fantastic quality with totally different engineering than other WDH. Andersen's Manual states that other trucks "anti-sway electronics" can actually be counter productive to how the Andersen System works...but for us in the Ridgeline it was ROCK solid...there was NO bouncing with big dips in construction at highway speeds...it was super easy to backup...and there was NO noise from the trailer through the Unibody of the Ridgeline...it was VERY impressive and I would not hesitate to pull that trailer anywhere. The way the Honda/Acura i-VTM4 / SH-AWD puts all the power down and torque vectors around corners...it is actually quite a different towing experience how it “pivots” which is a GOOD thing. Well, hope my novel might help others out there...I continue to be very pleasantly surprised at how well the Honda Ridgeline does 95% of what a person needs and wants day in and day out. Those Honda engineers are very smart and it shows. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised as I think Honda makes some of the best Off-Road ATVs and bikes, too…they just have a great all around value that is HUGE...again, just my 2 1/2 cents. :-)

Love that color . Have a gen 1 and still love it!

Ridgeline is the only midsize that can haul a full sheet (or 17, done it many times) of plywood between the wheel wells. When it comes to "trucking" things around, it's the best midsize option.

I have a 2014 Honda Ridgeline. I've had it for 4 years and am very happy with it. I tow my Yanmar backhoe with it with no problem. There is something I don't like about it. I'm waiting for it to break down and be unreliable so that I can buy a new Ridgline. This could be years of waiting. Love the video! Great job!

I’ve had multiple Honda and Acura’s with Vtec, and it’s a hair raising sensation when it hits. Had an integra with a Type R ECU that caused the Vtec to engage somewhere around 3000rpm and a cold air intake.When the Vtec kicked in on that car, not only could you hear that beautiful sound, but it was a considerable difference in the acceleration. The ridge line looks really nice, not in love with the plastic fender flares, but overall it looks really nice.

Lol busting that 60mph limit Andre's rolling his eyes at you!

I have been shopping around the midsized segment for a month or so to replace my 170k 2006 GMC canyon. I looked at basically everything else, and the Ridgeline was not on my radar at all. I have a friend at work that has a first gen RL, and he loves it. With the new front end on the 2021s, I thought I would actually take a look. One is now parked in my driveway. For what I WANT out of a truck, it is perfect, and none of the others come close. YMMV.

The Ridgeline actually has a fully boxed frame. Unlike other trucks the body is welded to the frame rather than bolted on.

I'm a general contractor, I have a transit and a 95 gmc dually, however my 17 ridgeline is my favorite truck!

The fuel economy is similar to what I obtain towing a 3100lb 19' camper with my '08 G1 Ridgeline. I have no complaints! I've also been forced to execute a panic abrupt lane change while towing the camper at 65mph and it performed like a champ without stabilizer bars!

I own a '18 ridgeline and used it to pull a car& trailer near 5k lbs across the country. The ridgeline did well passing other vehicles when needed and pulled effortlessly when cruising. The rear sagged about an inch but every truck does when you tow.

You also getting legendary Honda long-term reliability that is up there with Toyota. Would you trust the Jeep gladiator to make it 300,000 miles without major repairs?

I owned a Black Edition Ridgeline when they first came out. Now I have an F-250 diesel/Tremor/Platinum. The Ridgeline was far more enjoyable to own and use daily. Such a great truck. But I tow heavy stuff now, so I need the big truck. I get so many “bro your truck is awesome!” comments on my F-250. People are dumb. 😂

Been on the road many times. Watching this video, I can almost sense my ears popping.

2017 rtl-t owner here: thank you for an honest review, which most won't give this truck. I grew up in half tons and learned to drive in them, but this tows my 18ft camper (4200lbs fully loaded) and is an amazing daily vehicle for my family. In the last 2 weeks, 2 coworkers have decided to buy them after borrowing mine, one is trading an f150, the other one a titan. For reference, we live in northern Wisconsin and this thing dominates normal trucks in snow if you upgrade the tires.

Some funny moments! 12:29, "certainly haven't been hunting for gears..." followed immediately by a downshift. At 5:50, "in a world where everything's going digital and haptic, it's nice to have analog and real," but at 7:05, has to wait 9 seconds and close the door to make the dash enter the desired mode. Just giving you guys a good-natured hard time. I really like your reviews and channel. (And I bought a Ridgeline.)

This really shows the difference that wind resistance can make. My father tows a 4000lb+ R-Pod with his 2019 Ridgeline (AWD) and gets around 15mpg every time.

I don’t think the independent suspension thing is the issue it used to be. Tfl loves the defender and it’s unibody with independent suspension. People who buy American trucks love the Tahoe and expedition and they are independent suspension. I think the only reason people don’t like the Honda more than they do is the dudes who buy American pickups have simply decided it’s weak looking and not a truck. Honda didn’t help matters. My tundra is quite a bit burlier than this thing. Beyond its image none of the complaints hold any water.

Don’t let Andre know you tried to maintain 65 up his 60mph Ike Gauntlet!

Love your content, love the trucks, won't be able to own one but still I watch your video and I am from India 🙏😁

Love my 2020 black edition. Gets good gas mileage, have hauled tile, plywood, landscaping material, and refrigerators with it. Holds as many people as my Accord did, and you have a box! Great all around truck for 95 percent of people.

truck or not, the Ridgeline has outsold the redesigned titan!!!

I may be a complete weirdo but I really like the new Ridgelines. They are super nice. I used to hate on them because they aren't a "real" truck, but I like them

It has a bed and a hitch receiver - it’s a truck. And for most people, it’s all the truck they need.

Yesterday the speed limit on the Ike was 60 mph, when I climbed it.

I never regretted buying my 2019 Ridgeline. I got it to haul my Polaris RZR Trail S ATV (1,340 lbs) using a Triton FIT12-72 aluminum trailer. This truck has no problem hauling it. One thing I like about Honda is that the driver controls are well marked (Heat, A/C, Seat Heater,...) and the controls are large enough so you don't fumble around looking for the control. I've seen other trucks with so many small buttons with very small lettering making it difficult to use. A BIG CON for this truck is the rear doors don't open up very wide, a real pain when you have to load a large object. I love the trunk in the bed, large, waterproof and easy to reach into and can hold a ton of stuff. The bed of my truck is also a speaker that the radio plays through, I've used it a few times, I can take it or leave it.

Honda service advisor here. Most of the Ridgelines that come through my service drive are owned by grumpy old men.

FYI...integrated trailer brake controller wiring is included. You simply have to purchase the controller of your choice. The wiring harness is in the glove compartment and the plug is under the dash by the parking brake.

This truck is totally transformed when you put the Traxda 3.5” lift on it. If you search YT, there’s a silver non-HPD one reviewed that looks great. It would’ve been a serious contender if it came from the factory that way...

this truck is my short list for my next vehicle. was just waiting for a towing review, thanks guys! Should handle my little 3500lbs Travel trailer just fine.

This was a great video (partly because I agree with your assessment). My Ridge is a 2006 model. The only actual repair was to the A/C but I do keep up with maintenance. I live in PA, which is definitely a "salt state," but the truck has no rust. It's great in snow, but I don't do serious off-roading. I've been retired for 10 years and don't drive as much as I used to do. I plan to keep it...

If most people are really honest about what they need a truck for, the Ridgeline checks all the boxes. Not all of us tow a heavy trailer. I'm really interested in this truck. My Cadillac lease is up this year and I'm really thinking about a Ridgeline.

Not sure about those enormous fender flares, but other than that it looks nice.

Having background with similar toys, once a guy adds 10 gallons of extra fuel cans, 10 gal of drinking water, camp stuff, gear, firewood on the trailer, tables under the UTV, weight can really get up there for sure. Makes me glad I listened to this channel choosing the 2021 GMC AT-4 Canyon V-6. I do appreciate the Ridgeline in many many ways. Good looking is but one ☝️

Wish manufactures could cool it on head rests that angle so far forward.

I’ve owned both generations of the Ridgeline amongst other vehicles and the only regrets I’ve had is after I sell them/trade them in. Thinking about the new refresh version and people you don’t have to get the fender flares if you don’t like em, just get the wheels.

Will the Ford Maverick be considered a truck? If so, the Honda Ridgeline should be also.

Love my 1st Gen Ridgeline. I'm a Ridgeline only customer now because of how awesome they are!

I want one, but I will stick with the Sport trim. Excellent review guys.

I grew up in the midst of the old Ford Rangers and Datsun and Toyota 1/4 tons. Nobody complained that they weren't trucks, even though they were smaller and less capable. The Toyotas at least ran forever and were far more dependable than domestic trucks of the day. It seems to me the Ridgeline is all the truck I'm ever going to need. How many times have I hauled a load more than 5000 pounds? If I was a farmer I'd buy a Tundra, 'cos I'm going to need all the capability I can get on roads that are less than desirable. But I need a weekend hauler to get Kijiji bargains and the occasional dump run. The rest of the time I want a good looking daily driver that is comfortable, has all the bells and whistles, and gets decent gas mileage. Looks like its going to be a Ridgeline for me.

Whoa there, don’t wanna strain that minivan....

Ridgeline looks nice but I will keep my Ranger, thanks. Former three time Odyssey owner.

Sorry HPD...I’m still...STILL waiting for the Type R edition....😆

I own one of the first production runs of the original Ridgelines back when they were fugly. Tons of miles on it, not a single major issue and still a great truck. If it ever breaks down, I will give one of these new ones a try but given how solid it has been I might get another fifteen years out of it.

Ehhh it's not for me. But the scratchy hard surfaces last longer than soft trim in the scorching Florida sun!!

i just bought one. love it.

All the truck most people need 99% of the time.

Have had mine since May, where other trucks in the segment would have left me pissing blood driving over bouncy I5, this is comfortable and easy to drive. I have towed my fishing boat with it several times not a single issue. As they said in the video its the best in the segment for 95% of the people doing what they do 95% of the time.

Great test but it would be great to see a test of it towing a camper (ie trailer with large front) up the Ike as wind drag at those speeds is considerable - esp combined with 7% grade and elevation. Thank you for doing these reviews!

Best truck I’ve ever owned. Rides amazing, handles amazing and it’s quick with my street bike in the back. It also pulls my 88 4Runner on my 16ft steel deck trailer with confidence. I have a tundra but I’d rather drive my Ridgeline. Vtec sounds magnificent too.

I’m guessing the Honda is great in snow or slick roads.

I want a truck, but I’m realizing people are going to call me every time they need a truck, so now I’m thinking getting a truck might actually be the least convenient thing I could do, and renting the lowe’s truck when I need it, is actually the smartest 😆

If we can call all of the midsize trucks Trucks, this definitely fits in that category and excels in many ways, I drive my wife’s old Honda Pilot when I’m not driving my F150, it has the same drivetrain very strong powerful V6 as the Ridgeline, I use it to pull cargo trailer when needed etc

Every time I see one of these towing videos I'm left bewildered. From the guy with a 2023 Tundra getting 9.5mpg towing a 2.4k lb. bass boat from Florida to Texas -- to this thing getting 11.3mpg with a 3k lb. Honda talon. I don't think you guys hit any big mountains right before you got into UT from NV, so your results make me feel like 🤯🤯

IMO the difference between payload and towing capacity is Honda is expecting the owners to use the Ridgeline more as a people hauler and less with towing. Ridgeline is a car in truck form

Nice review for the Ridgeline. This truck could be an excellent choice for those buyers who tow smaller travel trailers if it had the trailer brake controller and a slightly larger gas tank. My 24 ft, dual axle travel trailer dry weight is 4,050 lbs. My Ram 1500 with a V-6 has a 26 gallon tank and travels about 250 miles between fill-ups (11 mpg) before getting too close to empty. Also, a select-able granny gear could be a nice option in lieu of a two speed transfer case. I hope the engineers at Honda read your reviews!

11 mpg Towing 3500 lbs, that’s extremely impressive.

I tow a 3K# boat with an MDX (basically same thing, same engine and transmission...). Every 6 months I convince myself I need a real truck, start researching, and end up convinced I'm fine. The manual (sequential) shift mode is great for towing to prevent hunting. Two bummers are the transmission unlocks then quickly re-locks a lot unless you baby the throttle on acceleration, and, while 1st gear is really low and great for towing, reverse is not, so backing a load uphill is a drag.

Love this truck! My white pearl black edition Ridgeline coming in a couple days 😁 dealership putting Jsport leveling kit and putting Firestone 265 tires. Trading in my Volvo XC60 Rdesign. Ridgeline be more roomier in driver seat.

Love my 21 RTLE.

I think this is a perfect all round vehicle, for light duty.

I had an 06 ridgeline hauling 6500 lbs it could take off like I wasn’t hauling anything but on the interstate it would run at 3 and 4 thousand rpm and I got 10 and 11 mpg when hauling 22 mpg normally

I think they are under appreciated because the had an incredibly rough start. The early Ridgeline's were junkers so the foundation they built on made truck people look the other way.

Dudes with squatted trucks usually are the ones saying the Ridgeline isn’t a truck as if they can tow anything or use their truck beds 😂😂😂

A great "Ol Man man" truck for me, comfy ride a must esp for those with lower back issues and hauling precious cargo like the grandkids. My issue with the Ridgeline is, it appears I need to get a "Gofundme" started,lol!!

A performance package that doesn't actually add performance? 👍

Those fender flares are so grotesque, ughhh

Styling FINALLY got it right! It took several attempts, but this one looks good. VTEC wont let ya down. I bet that engine could do that all day. For most folks…ALL the truck you’ll ever need.

Something like this with full time 4x4 makes a lot of sense. It's silly, when good full time 4x4 systems have existed for decades, that they're not included in more vehicles.

These are nice. It fits everything I need.

It looks nice, was far as the 5,000 lbs limit, that covers a lot, most boats under 20' come in under 5000 lbs so it covers it. The value proposition for this would be primarily the ride. As compared to a full size crew cab the cabin space is cramped. My experience is while full size trucks appear huge in an urban environment, when you get out some place where all you have is what fits in your truck, they start to look much smaller.

Love our '17 Ridgeline tows our Casita travel trailer nicely with plenty of power. Never been a fan of gold wheels, would look much better blacked out.

When I was in the market last year, the lack of low range gearing, rear lockers and towing capacity took this one off my list. Otherwise this is nice little truck. I got a Colorado Z71 instead and don’t regret it.

It probably is a better choice for 75% of personal 1/2 ton owners for daily driving and Home Depot trips and used within its limitations it’s awesome. I’m surprised they haven’t gone to a hybrid system w rear electric driven wheels but maybe next gen.

Life hack, I tow once or twice a month at most for work and personal. We sold our diesel truck and got a penske/enterprise account. Whenever I need to pull something I just grab a brand new f350 dually or ram 3500 from the rental place. $60 unlimited miles. I drive a 20' Honda civic Si now which cost me half (in some cases a Third!) of what the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton trucks cost. Plus I have a 6 speed manual and adaptive cruise control, best of both worlds. PS: This comment was for those people who need capability but don't want to drive a large truck day in day out. You save a lot of money not driving a truck.

The new ridgeline looks 100x better than the last one. I’d never buy one but I like it’s features.

One of my biggest concerns was that I needed to tow over 4500 lbs and have AWD or 4WD. Also I wanted a reliable car. I test drove a ton of small trucks and some have very disappointing tow capacities. Also a lot of SUVs have small tow cpacities. The Honda was just enough although I do wish it was a tad higher. It also drives SO much better than every other truck I drove. No road noise or crazy shaking. It feels tight and well built. That said I did drive more than one RL and the one I bought felt better than an older one. Anyway it's a great truck. I think it's a real truck. It does more real truck things than a Maverick or Gladiator and the inside trunk compartment is awesome.

Good job, making me look twice at the ridgeline, and I agree it can do what the average homeowners would use a truck for. I like ford but not a fan of the Ego/boost system "turbo" just one more expensive thing to break, long life is for me. My 1985 ford van with the inline 300 6 cylinder had 490,000 miles on it when I sold it & the new owner drove it away.

I was driving on I-35 near New Braunfels , Tx. And saw on a u-haul car trailer a CTS Caddie sedan. Over 5000 lbs by a lot behind a late model Ridgeline. Trailer 2,200 plus 4,000 ish Caddie.

This truck fits my needs more than anything. I don’t tow. I will have something on the bed of the truck every once in awhile. The other mid size trucks I just don’t trust long term except the Tacoma. The Tacoma v6 feels a lot slower to me though.

As I'm watching this....the cruise control comment matches my experience with the Acura MDX we used to have. It was slow to react and it felt like it was dropping out of overdrive to build speed back up. If you were driving without cruise, it was fine.