Driving Impressions

The Honda Ridgeline is a relatively heavy vehicle with its four doors, five seats, all-wheel-drive system and independent front and rear suspension, but the V6 engine is low-down powerful, gutsy and flexible, without the thrashiness of some V6s. The transmission upshifting and downshifting was instantaneous, decisive, and nearly imperceptible. ABS brakes were sure stoppers in an unladen condition with one passenger. The incredibly high stiffness and strength of this body and chassis combination and the isolation of the drivetrain and suspension from the cab make the Ridgeline a joy to drive. It is quieter and more refined than all of the major competition, all of which we drove on the same day over the same course, without a lot of jarring inputs reaching the driver's seat or fingertips. Independent suspension front and rear is an industry first in this segment, and the ride over choppy surfaces or off-road is excellent. The stiffness of the body and chassis contributed to crisp, sure handling over twisty two-lane roads in San Diego County. The combination of all-wheel-drive and the industry's only vehicle stability system on a midsize truck lets the driver fly around corners with abandon. It felt lighter on its feet than the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Toyota Tundra TRD, and Chevy Colorado.

Final Word

The new Honda Ridgeline borders on the revolutionary, from its dramatic new look to its tailgate and storage innovations to its combination of body-on-frame isolation and unibody stiffness, all at very reasonable prices. We'd like to have more power, but we found little here not to like, bizarre front-end styling aside. Honda says it will have 50,000 of these to sell over the next 12 months, and we say you'd better hurry. For those contemplating a family recreation or commuting pickup truck for the first time, this one goes to the top of the shopping list. New Car Test Drive correspondent Jim McCraw filed this report from San Diego.