For 2021, Ridgeline gets a new look, a new "Honda Performance Development" cosmetic package and retains its 1, 589-pound payload capacity and 5, 000-lb. towing talent. Photo provided by Honda
While preparing to enter year four with its second-generation model, Honda's Ridgeline pickup found itself with a PR problem: it just didn't look tough enough.
Truck buyers, it seemed, thought of this unibody, all-wheel drive, midsize pickup more as a crossover SUV with a cargo box than a truck. To wit:
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In calendar-year 2020, Ridgeline was outsold by every midsize pickup in town except the GMC Canyon. Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado and Jeep Gladiator all outsold it. Heck, more buyers even opted for the 16-year-old Nissan Frontier, whose current platform, introduced in 2005, seems old enough to worry about changes in Social Security.
Ridgeline decided it was time for some soul searching. As a result, it chose to pump up -- cosmetically, at least. The result is a 2021 Ridgeline that shows a lot more swagger as it seeks to reassert its truck cred.
Not that it lacked truck cred. With its 5, 000 pounds of towing talent, 1, 589 pounds of payload muscle and off-pavement driving modes of Snow, Mud and Sand, it was truck enough for the vast majority of midsize buyers. But, now, Ridgeline puts an exclamation point on it with its face-lifted styling and its new HPD appearance pack.
Honda Ridgeline Review
The styling is -- how can we put this? -- uh, mmmmm . . . truckier. From the A-pillar forward, everything is new, including a taller stance and a bigger, bolder, get-outta-my-way grille. Out back are a new rear bumper and big, exposed exhaust tips.
For buyers who want to go farther in order to scare the bejabbers out of that little Civic coupe ahead, Ridgeline offers the HPD pack, "Honda Performance Development" to its friends. It's a package that includes 18-inch bronze wheels, black fender flares, unique grille and, to ensure the neighbors know you sprung for the twenty-eight hundred bucks to get the package, HPD decals.
You may have noticed there is no mention of performance upgrades. That's because the HPD pack is strictly cosmetic. But we can report that Ridgeline's sissy front-wheel drive model is history. For 2021, all-wheel drive is standard, along with its driver-selectable chassis modes of Normal, Snow, Mud and Sand.
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Powering every Ridgeline, whether in Sport, RTL, RTL-E or Black Edition trim, is a 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 280 hp and 262 lb.-ft. of torque. Ridgeline's nine-speed automatic, new last year, is retained.
Inside, upgrades include contrasting stitching on seats, along with a new dash, steering-wheel and center-console appearance in Sport, RTL and RTL-E. Meanwhile, steering-wheel controls for the infotainment system, with its Apple CarPlay and Android Auto talent, are clear and concise while providing a nice tactile experience. And -- hallelujah! -- Honda has finally added a volume knob for the radio.
Every pickup has a cargo bed, of course. But Ridgeline goes one better: bunk beds! The lower berth -- a hidden cargo hold below the cargo-box floor -- is very handy as a "trunk" or, with its bottom drain, an in-bed cooler for tailgating. Also, Ridgeline's tailgate can swing right-to-left like a door or drop down in typical pickup fashion. Cool.
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On the road, pep is adequate from the V-6 and the transmission is seamless. Also, thanks to its car-style unibody, the ride is smooth, the ambience quiet and the overall experience more like a big car than a truck.
We drove a base Sport with the HPD package and, in just over 100 miles of mixed city/hwy motoring, realized 22 mpg.
Cabin room is impressive up front and good in back, where head room is great and leg room is sufficient. Also, in another truck-y perk, the rear-seat cushions flip up for in-cab vertical cargo capability.
Here's Everything We Know About The 2022 Honda Ridgeline
In the final analysis, Ridgeline remains what it's always been: a unibody, AWD pickup with light-truck capability and a car-like demeanor. But now it looks tougher.
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For 2021, Ridgeline gets a new look, a new "Honda Performance Development" cosmetic package and retains its 1, 589-pound payload capacity and 5, 000-lb. towing talent.
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An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.With the Ridgeline, Honda has evolved the concept of the pickup, creating a smart, car-based truck aimed squarely at the actual needs of most pickup owners. The original, innovative Ridgeline turned off many buyers because of its peculiar styling. The lessons have been learned. As a result, the second-generation Ridgeline looks much more conventional, while being even more sensible.
Crash and Rollover Tests IIHS Front Moderate Overlap Good IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver Good IIHS Side Crash Good NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Driver NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Passenger
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Acceleration Acceleration Acceleration tests are conducted on a smooth, flat pavement straightaway at the track. Time, speed, and distance measurements are taken with a precise GPS-based device that’s hooked to a data-logging computer.
0 to 60 mph 0 to 60 mph (sec.) The time in seconds that a vehicle takes to reach 60 mph from a standstill with the engine idling.
Braking Braking The braking rating is a composite of wet and dry stopping distances and pedal feel. Braking distance is from 60 mph, with no wheels locked.
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Emergency Handling Emergency Handling Several factors go into the rating, including the avoidance maneuver speed and confidence, as well as how the vehicle behaves when pushed to its limit.
Ride Ride Our expert judgment of how well the suspension isolates and absorbs road imperfections and how steady it keeps the body on various road surfaces.
Trunk/Cargo Area Trunk/Cargo Area Our rating is based on the amount of luggage or cargo space that a vehicle has in the trunk or cargo area.
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Fuel Economy Fuel Economy We perform our own fuel-economy tests, independent of the government's often-quoted EPA figures and the manufacturers' claims. Using a precise fuel-flow measuring device spliced into the fuel line, we run two separate circuits to represent city and highway consumption.
CR's Overall Mileage CR's Overall Mileage CR's overall mileage is a composite of measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course and highway cruising; and CR's 150-mile test trip of mixed driving, if tested. In recent road tests, we've discontinued the 150-mile trip test.
Annual Fuel Cost Annual Fuel Cost The cost and amount of fuel used in 12, 000 miles and is calculated from CR's overall mileage.
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Greenhouse Gas Greenhouse Gas The Greenhouse Gas Rating represents the amount of carbon dioxide the vehicle emits compared to other vehicles of the same model year. This score from the EPA ranges from 1 (worst) to 10 (best).
Smog Rating Smog Rating The Smog Rating represents the amount of health-damaging and smog-forming airborne pollutants the vehicle emits compared to other vehicles of the same model year. This score from the EPA ranges from 1 (worst) to 10 (best).
Reliability History Reliability History The reliability charts are based on responses on hundreds of thousands of vehicles from our latest Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles during the past 12 months that they considered serious because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime, in any of the trouble spots included in the table below. The results are presented relative to the average model that year. Extra weight is given to the more serious areas such as major engine or transmission problems. Based on this data and further analysis, we predict reliability for the latest year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year. Reliability History Reliability History The reliability charts are based on responses on hundreds of thousands of vehicles from our latest Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles during the past 12 months that they considered serious because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime, in any of the trouble spots included in the table below. The results are presented relative to the average model that year. Extra weight is given to the more serious areas such as major engine or transmission problems. Based on this data and further analysis, we predict reliability for the latest year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
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Drive System Drive System Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, four-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive components, driveline vibration, electrical failure, traction control, electronic stability control.
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