Let’s face it, none of us want to spend money on a truck unnecessarily. We want something that will get the job done, get us home reliably, and look good too. That’s probably why the 2022 Honda Ridgeline is winning so many awards. Now, you can add a new one to your board.
The best truck for the money.
Most truck sales average around $56,000. That’s a lot of money for five seats and a bed. The Honda Ridgeline starts at $38,800 and is a Honda-exclusive take on a pickup truck. 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 over 1,500 pounds in the bed. Those are just some of the reasons why it ranks first in U.S. News and World Report’s list of the best pickup trucks for your budget.
Is a Honda Ridgeline a good buy?
The Honda Ridgeline brings the comfort of a car, built on the same platform as the Odyssey minivan. But it’s so much more than that van. It has five comfortable seats, a 64-inch smart bed that’s longer than the beds in many full-size trucks, and in the base model it’s well-appointed. Step up to the RTL trim for around $42,000, though, and you’ll get a leather-trimmed interior, heated front seats, and more.
Unlike the big trucks from American manufacturers, it drives more like the SUV it’s based on, gets better fuel economy, and even has a trunk in the bed. While it can’t tow as much as larger trucks, its 5,000-pound capacity is enough to tow a small trailer.
The HPD package is ideal for those who want to go off-roading, or at least look like it, with flared black fenders and distinctive HPD badging on the deck. The base Sport model starts at $38,800, is well equipped, and comes with many of the things most buyers want in a truck like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, remote start, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen. The upgraded RTL and RTL-E trims add a few niceties, like heated front seats, wireless charging, upgraded audio, and a power sunroof.
Every Honda Ridgeline comes with a 280-horsepower V6 engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Ridgeline got a new rugged-looking off-road HPD package. The new $2,800 package adds bronze wheels, fenders, and more.
Is the Honda Ridgeline reliable?
The Ridgeline scores average for quality and reliability in JD Power, which tracks owner-reported faults throughout the vehicle, but scores low with the Jeep Gladiator. Overall, on RepairPal, it scores an above average 3.5 for reliability. However, that score ranks sixth among seven midsize trucks, that average across all years for Ridgelines, which Honda has built since 2006.
Which truck came in second?
The Ford Maverick bucks the trend of bigger and more expensive trucks. It does most of what the Ridgeline does, but its base price is $22,195 for 2023. The Maverick became a bestseller for Ford, outselling the Ranger in 2022. The base Maverick truck comes with one engine. hyper-efficient hybrid, while the upgraded truck has a 2.5-liter gasoline engine, and those are some of the reasons US News ranked it second.
You can order a Maverick in several different trim levels, from the base truck that has cloth seats and a radio, to a well-equipped Lariat for around $30,000. The Maverick completed 2022 by winning MotorBiscuit’s Truck of the Year award.