2009 Honda Ridgeline EX-L Navi Review
Trucks exist that can tow a fifty-foot boat while hauling a quad, seating five people and leaving enough room behind for a few cases of pop and some fishing gear.
The Honda Ridgeline isn’t one of these trucks– but for the day-to-day workload many pickup owners face, it offers appreciable flexibility, convenience and comfort.
Don’t expect it to haul around skids of roofing shingles or crawl down any cliffs, and you’ll likely find it an ideal tool for both the daily grind and weekend family adventures. For 2009, Honda has updated the Ridgeline with a few visual revisions and a slight gain in horsepower, too.
Truck meets minivan?
Ridgeline offers towing and payload ratings around 5,000 lbs. and 1,400 lbs. respectively, and there’s more than enough interior room for a 4-adult road trip. There are cubbies, compartments and cupholders at reach everywhere, and a massive re-configurable centre console storage bin adapts to hold just about anything.
There’s even a divided storage area built into the dashboard itself, and no less than 3 power outlets fall within reach of front-seat passengers. If you love to keep organized on the go, you’ll love this cabin.
Priced at $43,490, the loaded tester included a sunroof, upgraded stereo, Bluetooth, navigation, a backup camera, and chill-busting heated leather seats. Topped off with an auxiliary audio input and automatic climate control, no complaints arose from the level of equipment provided for the price.
Road Trip!
Honda’s engineers have worked to ensure maximum flexibility, comfort fuel efficiency for Ridgeline drivers, and an 18-hour Easter road-trip proved ideal to put their efforts to the test.
First, the rear seats flip up and out of the way to reveal a large and almost flat load-floor. Switching between 3 passengers people and, say, 1 person and a bookshelf takes just seconds. Plenty of room is available, though one passenger noted that rear seats were a touch too stiff and flat for napping on the go.
Ridgeline’s bed has a generous trunk beneath it that will readily swallow 3 or 4 pack-sacks or some luggage. It’s lockable, drainable and weather-proof, too.
The tailgate is even hinged at both the bottom and side, allowing it to open flat or to the left, depending on the task at hand. The word ‘clever’ comes up often here.
A relatively short wheelbase means Ridgeline isn’t the smoothest-riding truck on the market, though it rolls without the heavy, jiggly sensation bigger pickups exhibit on rough roads. There’s an easygoing and very car-like ride at work here, albeit a sometimes-stiff one.
Wind and road noise levels at speed are within limits, and real-world highway mileage averaged 11 to 12L / 100km, which is respectable. City mileage can jump to over 14L / 100km, partially at the hands of an aggressively-tuned five-speed automatic that’s often reluctant to shift up.
Power and traction
Ridgeline’s 3.5 liter V6 delivers a strong intake note when pushed, operates with a great deal of smoothness, and has a surprisingly pleasant sound when opened up for passing. You can even hear the VTEC system engaging at about 4,200 RPM if you keep your foot down.
The V6 is the only engine option available– so if 250 ponies aren’t enough for your driveway, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Honda’s Variable Torque Management (VTM) 4×4 system splits engine power between the axles automatically, running as a front-wheel drive until wheelspin kicks the rear axle into play. Traction is plentiful, automatic and seamless in any normal situation, though a ‘lock’ function can preemptively engage all four wheels when the going gets extra tough.
A truck for the 90 percent?
It’s all a matter of priorities, and most Ridgeline owners probably aren’t looking at much serious off-road duty anyhow.
Ultimately, this isn’t a Dodge Ram Hemi when it comes to horsepower or a Ford F150 where towing is concerned. However, if you value efficiency and versatility and you’ve got a pickup in your sights, the Ridgeline’s got you in its sights, too.
