It’s always hard to say that a new truck is a good investment. After all, they lose a LOT of their value by the time you pull one off the dealer’s lot. But not all trucks are created equal, and some just don’t last. But what about the Honda Ridgeline pickup?
Honda Ridgeline expected to get 250,000 miles
The Honda Ridgeline ranks among the best as one of the most durable trucks you can buy. In fact, this midsize truck ranks second only to the full-size Toyota Tundra giant in trucks that have a potential lifespan of 250,000 miles. according to iSeeCars, which ranks cars and trucks based on their potential lifespan, the Tundra is expected to get 256,000 miles, while the Ridgeline gets 249,000. Honda cars and trucks are known for their reliability and long life, so it makes sense that the Ridgeline would make the list.
Of course, to collect that data, that means iSeeCars had to survey a lot of people with older trucks. It’s hard to drive 250,000 miles in just a couple of years. Many of those trucks are likely to be first-generation Ridgelines, which Honda built between 2005 and 2016. Although the Ridgeline has seen some updates, in many ways it’s still the same durable truck for years.
Is a Honda Ridgeline a good buy?
According to US News and World Report, the Ridgeline is a good buy. It ranked first on that magazine’s list of the best trucks for your budget. While many trucks today, like the Toyota Tundra, can easily see sticker prices in the mid-$50,000 range, the Ridgeline starts at $38,000 and is a Honda-only take on a pickup truck.
Plus, the Honda Ridgeline tops Consumer Reports and Edmunds Best Midsize Pickup lists because it’s dependable and competent. The Honda Ridgeline unibody has a few tricks up its sleeve that make it a great pick-up truck. Its in-bed trunk provides lockable, waterproof storage in the composite bed. Its tailgate swings out like a gate or drops down like a traditional tailgate.
Like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz trucks, the Honda is based on a car-like frame. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not a truck. It can tow 5,000 pounds and hold over 1,500 pounds in the bed. But unlike other trucks, it also has a smart lockable trunk in bed that’s waterproof.
The Honda Ridgeline just does things differently
The Ridgeline is also a great truck for the daily driver, seating five in SUV comfort with standard all-wheel drive and a powerful 3.5-liter V6 that makes 280 horsepower. It’s based on a Honda Pilot SUV, and in many ways drives like a Pilot with a bed. He is also a Top Safety Pick+ at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. All of that makes him, objectively, the top pick in both rating posts.
Now, thanks to the HPD package, it also seems a bit sturdier than previous versions. Honda has done some work to update the look of the Ridgeline with an update in 2021. It added the Honda Performance Development, or HPD, appearance package that adds a blackout grille, fender flares, and bronze wheels. While that’s just an appearance package, it gives the truck bold graphics on the bed that most trucks seem to need in the rear.