2011 Honda Ridgeline EX-L Review

The Ridgeline is the workhorse of Honda’s broad lineup of vehicles. It’s an innovative pickup truck that takes a less rugged approach to versatility without sacrificing a roomy 4-door cabin or four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction. This rig remains unchanged for 2011 having undergone significant updates in 2009.

Ridgeline: A different pickup line
The Ridgeline is a 4WD crew-cab pickup truck for people who don’t want a 4WD crew-cab pickup truck. That statement may not make the best sense but it’s meant to illustrate the attraction the Ridgeline has to the “less typical” pickup buyer.

The Ridgeline remains unchanged for 2011 having undergone significant updates in 2009. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com)

Pickup buyers intending to address more traditional truck needs, such as towing and heavy hauling, likely visualize themselves behind the wheel of a Ford, RAM or Chevy/GM product, and that’s all good. They shouldn’t however overlook Honda’s entry into this highly contested field; the capability of the Ridgeline may surprise them.

Less surprised but more informed on the Ridgeline’s attributes will be those non-traditional truck buyers that see it as a more versatile alternative to the SUV/crossover segment. The presence of a pickup box rather than an internal cargo bay provides them with unlimited cargo possibilities that include weekend-handyman needs such as topsoil, building materials, appliances and what-have-you.

During the week, the Ridgeline can serve as the family’s grocery-getter and kid transporter. Unlike its SUV cousin, the Honda Pilot, the Ridgeline is limited to five occupants—and therein is the rub. If third-row seating is a “must,” then so is the Pilot.

V6 power is plenty adequate
Assuming the non-traditional pickup buyer doesn’t require the towing capability of a locomotive or a payload capacity similar to that of a gravel barge, the 3.5-litre 24-valve SOHC V6 engine does a fine job of empowering Ridgeline drivers. My about-town average fuel economy was in the 15L/100km range.

The presence of a pickup box rather than an internal cargo bay provides them with unlimited cargo possibilities. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com)