Honda. Well known for Civic, Accord, and CR-V but not... pickups. This is the Ridgeline, the second generation in fact. The first one, that ended production in 2014 had a, let’s say, unconventional look to it. The design is far more conservative now, the least macho of anything I can think of with a bed. (ON CAMERA) Because it’s not a full-sized pickup, it’s natural to lump Ridgeline in with Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma and the GM twins GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado. But it’s a little like comparing apples to pairs. Thought I was going to say oranges didn’t you? The competition uses body-on-frame chassis’ and solid rear axels. Ridgeline is unit-body with an independent rear suspension, sharing an architecture with Pilot. Ridgeline’s control arms, hubs, and struts are strengthened. The Honda is less hearty than the others, but few owners tax their trucks. My situation is typical- This garage door needs a ride to the dump and a light remodel of my office means this workbench is going with it. It’s no sweat for Ridgeline with its built-in bed liner. The tailgate opens in the traditional sense or, on my second trip to the paint store for a color less garish, just like a door. Max towing is 5,000 pounds with all wheel drive, a ton less than Colorado. GFX- 2WD Ridgeline can tow 3,500 pounds Payload capacity is 1,584 pounds (SOUND UP CAR TAKES OFF) (ON CAMERA) Ridgeline’s big advantage is drivability, the ride quality is even smoother than the well-regarded Colorado, defiantly better than Tacoma. GFX- AWD Ridgelines have torque-vectoring, overdriving the rear wheels for improved handling characteristics. (ON CAMERA) One thing to consider if you’re thinking of the two-wheel drive Ridgeline, it’s front-wheel drive. A 3.5-liter V6 provides 280 horsepower (SOUND UP) and 262 pound-feet of torque. (SOUND UP). The six-speed gearbox has no manual mode. Use low or lock fourth into place. Even with Ridgeline’s different modes, go with Tacoma for severe off- roading. Acceleration? (ON CAMERA) It can scoot. O-60 happening in under seven seconds, according to the seat of my Levi’s. That’s definitely quicker than the outgoing model. GFX- AWD Ridgeline is E.P.A. rated at 18 city / 25 hwy Fuel economy is best-in-class by one mile-per-gallon over comparable GM and Toyota trucks, four higher than the Nissan. Ridgeline is quiet and comfortable, not surprising considering it’s architecture. (ON CAMERA) This is a little bit of a stretch but because Ridgeline is built on a unit-body platform, you might think of it as a modern day El Camino, one with more seats. The interior, that’s roomier than other midsized trucks, looks and functions much the same as Pilot. Like the exterior, the vibe is suburbia not rodeo. There’s help when hooking up a trailer solo. Plenty of places to stash things too, the center console is huge. This fancy RTL-E model stickers for about 42 grand ($42,270) with adaptive cruise control and loads of safety and comfort features. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto too. The user interface is straightforward but Honda, a volume knob would be sooo much better. The rear seat is raised up for visibility and fine for average adults. Cushions swing upward to carry large things that could be stolen from the bed. (ON CAMERA) The outgoing Ridgeline had a very unique feature and it remains. The bed has a trunk. It keeps my gear out of site, the space saver spare is easy to get at. A drain means it can be filled with ice and used as cooler. Beverages and valuables are safe. The lid (SOUND UP) locks with the fob. Tie downs and lighting? Check. No toehold in the bumper though and the unique tailgate (SOUND UP) is not dampened. The bed is five feet four inches long, larger than the outgoing Ridgeline. Standard sheets of plywood fit between the fenders. (ON CAMERA) I will say the load floor is a little on the high side. Another trick feature, there’s an available exterior audio system. (MUSIC SOUND UP) You gotta have country music, it’s a pickup. Oh and it doesn’t use speakers. “Exciters” vibrate the bed walls for decent sound, it’s not for audiophiles. I powered my electric chainsaw here to cut up the garage door, then listened to the audio system while loading my dump run. Rejecting brawny design and marketing, this Honda is the thinking person’s pickup. Smart people think twice before telling friends they have one. (SOUND UP) Half the stuff I’m hauling (SOUND UP) is not mine. (SOUND UP) Roomy and comfortable, Ridgeline excels at doing the kind of chores people really do. Now if it could help reattach my downspouts.