You have 227k on a 2006 Honda Ridgeline ? I had one for 7 years without any problem. I bought a travel trailer and the Ridgeline's wheelbase was long enough to control the trailer. I trailer my Ridgeline on a F-150.
I had that engine in a Honda Odyssey. It was very reliable, and mine went 350,000 miles before I traded it. Oil changes every 6000 miles using Mobil 1, and then every 100,000 miles it needed spark plugs, water pump, and timing belt. 10/10 would buy another vehicle that had the same engine.
I’m on my second Ridgeline (‘23 RTL-e) and love it. As many folks have commented, the tailgate does lock. Also, you don’t have to hit the door handle button to lock the doors, you just have to walk away and all doors (including the tailgate) lock. I very much like the old school engine. Reliable as any vehicle ever made, all mechanics can easily work on it, parts can be bought anywhere and runs on regular gas. I test drove pretty much all the competitors and ended up right back where I started with my second Ridgeline, Honda has made something very special and unique. Oh, don’t forget about the resale value on these, spectacular (and insurance is cheap).
You'd be surprised alot of people turned away or returned there Ridgelines cause of that trunk lock..... Most dealers don't know that this is a setting to enable.....
One of the first things I figured out in the infotainment was setting it to lock automatically with the doors, always spend some time learning the infotainment in new cars, just how they work now.
I was a over twenty-year Toyota truck owner both Tacoma and Tundra and I needed the size when I was young to haul and tow heavy loads. My Wife was always afraid to drive the big trucks at least for a small woman it was big and when I was gone it was an issue. We are 75 years young and felt we needed something she could drive and we don't haul or tow heavy loads. We wanted the new safety features i.e. lane tracer etc. We looked at the new Tacomas first then we looked and drove everything else in mid-size pickup and the Ridgeline she just loved since it drove like a car. We bought the 2024 Ridgeline Black Edition and so far love it. I was one of those guys that always put down the "toy trucks" but now I am a believer at the stage of my life. I always thought the tailgate opening was a gimmick but it is one of the best features and we use it more than the other drop down opening. Outstanding review as always but the Black Edition would have shown all the bells and whistles available. I was a mechanic (old school) for cars, trucks, heavy equipment both gas and diesel as well as a shop owner for a few years. The trade wasn't very well respected as some of the other trades which never sat well with me. I am happy to see that skilled, knowledgeable and articulate technicians like yourself are doing UA-cam videos to change that frame of mind. Many folks do not realize the complexity of auto maintenance and repair. You have to be an expert in so many different fields mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, air conditioning, structural and computers. To be a Master Technician like yourself takes many hours of study and hands on experience along with cuts, bruises and burns. The training and learning never stops since the manufacturers are changing design, functionality and parts almost every year. Bless you Sir and please keep up the good work.
As a Ridgeline owner, this is the review I've been waiting for. Best mechanic on UA-cam giving me the nilly dilly. Love it! Just want to say, the Tailgate door is lockable through the infotainment system settings. You can enable/disable it in there since the 2020 model year. Locks/unlocks with the keyfob when activated. Also as for VCM, not too enthused about it but there are 3rd party solutions to permanently disable VCM. Personally I hate auto stop/start more than VCM, but I will be looking to disable both soon through the aftermarket.
@@rebeltuba9422most bedcovers require you to be able to access the underside of the bedcover to open them. so the locking tailgate locks access to open the bed cover
S-VCM installed and drives way better. Holds the gears longer, no shutter at really low speeds. Accelerates from a stop much faster with lighter pedal. Isn't constantly search for gears on the highway. This truck was built to run on 6 cylinders all the time.
I’m glad he didn’t point anything out that was too bad. I like this better than the Tacoma since I’m 6’4” and have two kids. Feel like it’s the perfect truck for my family and I haven’t heard of any really problems with this generation ridgeline that’s been in place since 2017.? I’m very happy with my decision. It’s funny my kids this it’s a badass truck😂. Makes me laugh
Mine is 16 yrd old 2009 honda pilot owned it since brandnew it has VCM.I changed oil every 4k miles or every 6 months whatever comes first, transmission oil every 30k miles.Still runs like a clock no oil consumption. It depends how you maintain a car for its reliability.
I’ve had my RTL-E for 4 years and now have 60,000 miles with zero problems. Old school works perfectly for me. I live in upstate NY and from November to April we can have snow most any day. The VTM-4 all wheel drive system works better in the snow than any car or truck around.
About 2 months ago bought a 18 RTL-E, with 72K mi. Clean car fax, & all maintenance records, one owner. Fits all my wants and needs, I'm very happy with it. 3rd Honda vehicle. Also in central NY 👍
My 2015 GMC Sierra Z71 Crew 4x4 with AutoTrac and Hill decent controll can forge thru 2' or more of snow any day of the week. With 4 low and a G80 limited slip posi, I go where few can.
I bought a 2023 Ridgeline. In the cars menu, you can select the tailgate to lock automatically. Immediately , I bypassed the cylinder deactivation and start stop. Because I don't need 10k of towing. The Ridgeline is more than enough of a truck.
I have a 22 Tacoma and my friend recently bought a 18 Ridgeline. His Ridgeline is way nicer than my Tacoma. It's much more comfortable, smoother, and roomier inside. That flip up back seat makes for a far more useable rear space for hauling things inside the cab, and the back seat can actually carry 3 full size adult men. The rear trunk area under the bed floor is a very useful space and the spare tire on the drawer slide is a really nice touch and keeps the tire nice and clean. It can carry a 1500 lb. payload just like my Tacoma can, and the two way tailgate makes it super easy to load and unload. The Ridgeline is all the truck most people need and is far more practical than many. I had no idea until he got his what a nice truck they are.
Bought a 2019 Sport, 5 years ago. Pulls my 3600lb GeoPro trailer fine. Has the shift knob and no button to push that prevents the engine turning off at stop lights! Owned alot of trucks, this by far is the best one yet. The swing gate and rear trunk are next level useful on trips.
There are a couple of fixes for your major concerns on this engine. Use CRC intake valve cleaner before every oil change to keep the carbon build up to a minimum. There's a module you can install to disable VCM. Great review!
Again, I know it’s not the standard content from this channel, but I would love to see you guys do a Honda Element video: a 2003-2011 review, why you think it was discontinued, your opinion on Honda’s recent patents, and what you think would make a successful revival.
My recently retired parents love theirs. They traded in my dad's old early 2000's Ford Ranger. They use it for a grocery getter, and the back door feature is perfect for them. It also gets around on the snow and ice. I've never been in a vehicle that grips as well as this thing does on ice. It felt like a giant cat gripping all around. It is amazing for that. Here in Montana, we need that for the wintertime.
I believe that the rear tailgate does have a locking feature that is similar, if not the same as that on my Santa Cruz. Lock the vehicle and the tailgate also locks. If the key fob is out of range of the vehicle, the doors and tailgate remain locked. Try that and see if the tailgate remains locked.
@@ctbale1 If you press the lock button on the fob, and the fob is still in the vicinity of the RIdgeline, the doors will lock but the tailgate will not lock. Same should be true for the "door" feature of the tailgate. What I'm saying is that you should lock the doors with the fob as normal and then walk away from the vehicle with the fob so you're out of range for the operation of the fob lock/unlock button. Leave the fob inside the house after you lock the doors and then go outside to the vehicle. All the doors and the tailgate latches should be locked. This is how it works on my Santa Cruz, and I'll bet it works like this on the Ridgeline as well. If you have one, try it and let us know. The trunk inside the bed has a separate lock assembly that is key activated, not fob activated. So it needs to be locked and unlocked manually.
I have a 2017 and it’s a great vehicle. Speakers and power outlet in the bed. Comfortable to drive on long trips, good power and 24 mpg. We have 100k miles and have no issues with anything. Good design and lots of useful storage space.
I have a 2023 Ridgeline. The tailgate locks when you lock the doors. I love the vehicle. Comfortable on longer trips. I plan on installing a VCM deactivator when the warranty over.
I've read that it doesn't affect warranty. I was planning on getting one and installing it day one. If it's an issue I think they're easy to take off no?
You nailed the segment comments - I need a truck 3-4 times a year. I want something I can use to bring home furniture or sheets of plywood with. I need something I can throw my bike into without worrying about dirtying the interior, or to help a friend move... I don't need a truck. I need a car with a bed. I've been eying the ridgeline for a while... Just trying to justify the price when I only need it 3-4 times per year!
@@coreyisabigpushover cabin space is significantly more cramped on the frontier, and construction materials don't fit in a frontier bed. Ride quality is significantly worse, and gas mileage is probably 20% worse or more.
I only really need a pickup bed 3-4x per year much like you. I rent or borrow a utility trailer that I hitch to my rx. I use a hitch mounted bike carrier as well.I even tow a boat. Hard to justify buying a pickup.
I was actually looking for this video from Car Care Nut weeks ago. Now he finally released one. Thank you! I have a 2019 with 100k miles and still runs great. All maintenance schedules followed.
I bought one in May, traded in a 2010 sierra hd. I am 6'7" and this might not be nearly as roomy, obviously, but I have to say FOR ME this actually checked just about all the boxes. I am very surprised and pleased with it. Still has plenty of room for the family. I'd get another, just have to accept the truck that it is and is not.
Thank you for this info. Im cross shopping this with a Frontier (wanna keep in the N/A V6 engine range) and when he said the tail gate can't be locked I'm like...what??? Why, Honda? And it instantly reminded me of 4Runners without fuel cap locks. Don't know why these engineers would keep it like that.
Shallow bed , low loading bed height, low door entrance height, drives like a car, very comfortable. A lot of pluses for older drivers, or those not wanting a rough riding regular truck.
I was planning on buying the 2024 Tacoma until I saw the price 😂 I bought the outgoing 2023 Honda Ridgeline RTL HPD for 38500. 15,000 cheaper than the equivalent Tacoma limited. The trunk, tailgate, and the rear seats are the best. The tailgate is lockable. You have to go to the vehicle settings and tell it Yes to lock. You can open and lock with the key fob. It's cool idea.😊
@@wt9653 No to you peasant 🤣 use minimum 5w30 minimum because 0w20 thins out not ONLY because of direct injection, but because in the Honda vehicle manual it says to use 5w30 for towing and high rpm use
Thank you once again for a great review! I appreciate you taking time of your busy schedule on giving us professional feedback on vehicles we love! God bless you and your family.
The tailgate most certainly is lockable, as others have commented, it's in your settings on the radio head unit. I leave mine off though. For Cylinder de-activation, I'll probably end up adding the S-VCM modification to remove that. And to my awareness, these engines really like to be revved out (I hit Vtec pretty frequently) which is supposed to help with carbon buildup on valves, although I have nothing to back that up. Great video!
Revving the engine may minimize carbon on the underside of valves, but it won’t do anything for the intake side. Only regular solvent treatments will work for that. Also, direct injection of fuel results in more dilution of oil with unburned gasoline, which means more frequent oil changes are required. Revving the engine can make this worse.
@@ctbale1 They both lock. The trunk behaves the same as the doors do, but the tailgate is a setting in the radio to determine whether or not it locks/unlocks with your keyfob. I found it kind of annoying to have the tailgate locked because I often have to get stuff in or out of the bed and leave my keys in my house, and started to get annoyed whenever I'd have to go back inside to get them just to open the tailgate
@20:00 the tailgate is lockable. It has a power locking feature which locks and unlocks with the central locking system. It can however be disabled in the infotainment settings, which it is by factory default. The trunk can also be disabled thru the switch in the glove box.
Just imagine the looks I get when I show up to the horse show in my ridgeline towing a little 2 horse straight load trailer with my daughters horse in it. lol. I've owned half a dozen 1/2 ton american trucks in the last 20 years, every single one needed more repairs than they should have.. Love my ridgeline for my every other weekend towing needs and a smooth comfortable ride for the other 90% of the time.
I've been thinking about buying one of these and the fact that it is "old school" is what I find appealing about it. The only two things that bother me are the start stop feature and the cylinder deactivation system. I know that it's not complicated to disable the start stop feature, but I wonder how complicated it is to permanently disable the cylinder deactivation system. If I could do it, I would buy me one of these things.
The paddle shifters are actually very very useful for a car with button transmission. I use it almost daily when I am about to overtake someone.... I put it in sport and drop down a gear or two and pin the gas and it actually helps. It is obviously not made for using it like a sports car but the paddle shifters actually serve a good purpose.
We had a 2019 RTL-E. After 60,000 miles traded it in for a Honda Pilot. Overall good vehicle. It had recalls for hood latch and truck bed latch. Another big recall on Fuel pump that is major work, we did not get it done. Another recall that was also Fuel pump related which prevented you from taking it to auto car washes (at least that was Honda guidance). Things that went wrong: latch inside that holds rear seat in upright position broke. Dealer fixed under warranty but was not easy. Transmission (we had the six speed) started slipping. We had not changed trans fluid. It was at 55,000 miles. Dealer recommended changing fluid, we did and that fixed it. One night my wife said engine is not turning off. It was actually the fan. I had to unplug fuse and replace next day. Overall we were pleased. Excellent interior. Excellent engine.
I had a 2007 Ridgeline, sold it last year with 200k city miles (not hwy) on it. It was a great truck for my property management business and just general daily driving. I remodeled three (personal) homes with it, and countless rentals. Being able to pick up sheets of plywood or Sheetrock flat in the bed was pretty awesome.
Great review. Functionally it does the same thing as a “truck” and competes really well with most midsized trucks. Very reliable. What would be a vast improvement is if Honda followed the same format as the 2023 Honda Pilot Trailsport edition with the new 3.5 l v6, a slight lift to improve ground clearance, functional skid plates, 10 speed auto and the improved iVTM - 4 system which makes the Pilot Trailsport a very capable AWD vehicle.
Great review as usual! I purchased my 2024 Ridgeline TS in late March & I chose the radiant red 2 color.. the best color IMO. The tailgate is locked via the settings in the infotainment.. set to not lock by factory default. Ridgelines seem expensive to those who don’t research them.. they come with more standard equipment than any other midsize truck & are well worth the money.
You mentioned that the bed was separate front the body. This is actually an illusion. It is unibody from the cab to the bed. The designers put a fake seam and black trim to make it appear that it is 2 separated pieces , and it makes it appear like a traditional body on frame pickup truck ( but it’s not ) I think with seam it looks much better, and makes it look like a real truck
@@ctbale1 I think it's the right thing to do even if your mileage were to drop a little. I'm glad it didn't though. Cylinder deactivation is a bad idea.
You don't understand. Don't worry! He didn't mention how it works. You have to push the ECON button to enable the cylinder deactivation. Just like the start/stop button.
The ECON button doesn’t shut off the VCM, I have two of these engines. ECON schedules fuel delivery differently based on demand, it also will run the A/C in an Economy mode for better efficiency. The only way to kill VCM is to get a muzzler. These can be bought for $150-200 online and are very easy to install.
I had a ‘13 Odyssey with a VCM engine. Started to smoke on occasion on the highway and burn some oil, until I installed a VCM suppressor. It stopped the smoking, burning and actually gained 1-2 mpg. Best $100 spent.
I would take this over the 2.4L turbos Toyota is putting into everything. VCM in this particular engine can be disabled and carbon buildup from the direct injection engine is not known to be a widespread issue. Plus this truck is at the end of its current generation and so they have worked out all the kinks in it.
I find it funny when people call this truck small. It's the widest in it's class with the most passenger room and it's almost a foot longer than the compact Maverick and Sante Cruz. Best midsized truck in the market as far as versatility, practicality and comfort.
It has an electronic tailgate lock that can be enabled or disabled when the doors lock. It can also be then be disabled by a switch on the left side of the glove box.
Excellent video. I purchased a 2024 rtl . I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’m getting 25 mpg average. When I fuel up ( top off ) I pour in a small Lucas fuel injector cleaner, and pump the fuel mixing it in. For a direct injection engine it’s important to use a fuel additive. 🙏
I had a 2021 RTL-E on lease but swapped it for an Integra Type S after a severe mid-life crisis. I really wanted to keep both, but it was too expensive to maintain two vehicles. I never imagined I’d miss the Ridgeline this much. At least we still have the Odyssey for times when we need to haul big stuff. The feature I enjoyed the most was the bed trunk. If I need another vehicle in the future, the Ridgeline will be my first choice."
You really need to make sure you learn about a vehicle before you talk about it. First, this engine only runs on 6 or 3 cylinders - not 4. Honda did away with the 3-mode VCM a decade ago. Second, all 2020-2025 Ridgelines have a factory-installed tailgate lock.
I've had my 2023 RTL-E for just over a year. Love it. Drove everything...wanted a Tacoma, preferred the 2024 Canyon...then, drove a Ridgeline...big mistake, lol...very happy owner of a Ridgeline. I tow up to 3,200lb camper. Handle ice, mud, and wet roads very well. MPG is good...not great...but, Econ mode on the hwy and I have achieved 26 mpg Dallas to El Paso. I have a 2010 Honda Fit that I could not part with....best vehicle I have ever owned. My first year with the Ridgeline promises similar dependability.
Just want to say you CAN have the tailgate lock with the vehicle doors. The setting is in the infotainment vehicle lock customization settings. It is off by default. It works with the key fob and matches the vehicle lock status. The trunk also locks with proximity and key fob.
@@ctbale1the TAILGATE LOCKS. I am talking about both tailgate and trunk. Both will lock with vehicle key fob. The tailgate just needs enabled in the infotainment settings. Trunk is always enabled. I just threw in the trunk for those that didn’t know about that either. Sorry for confusion. But tailgate will physically lock electronically.
The first thing I did when I got my 2024 Trailsport was buy a bypass tool for the cylinder deactivation and the stupid auto start/stop. I did also put a 2in lift in the front and a 1 in in the back. Love the truck now and think its perfect. Honday should have atleast given the Trailsport a lift from the factory. Also the timing belt situation kind of sucks to but whatever. I plan on doing it myself when the time comes.
@@Jazz16-we1qc he is right you don’t do the maintenance you will suffer in the end. I own every version of the 3.5 L V6 they’ve made and I put the VC muzzler on my 2008 Honda Odyssey which I still own, but my 2017 Honda Accord V6 allows you to turn the VCM on and off and I always leave it off. I also have a 2023 Acura MDX that I put the VC muzzler on and it never turns on the VCM. Once you turn that off these engines are the best V6 on the market hands-down. Between the three cars I own I have over 500,000 miles combined and they’ve been absolutely flawless.
@@SuperSnakePlissken That's good to know. I've changed my own oil on my 2022 Ridgeline every 3 or 4000 miles, did the drain and fill for trans at 30k, and then at 45k. Only removes about 1/3 of the fluid they say. Changed rear diff fluid at 20k. I change the engine filter often. I put injector cleaner in at least every 5000 miles and always use top tier fuel. Maybe the injectors will stay a little cleaner. Disabled VCM, and now it's just drive it and wait for lower gas prices, or lower interest rates and car prices, before thinking about trading it in. Changed out the crappy stock Firestone tiresfor Pirelli Scorpion AS3 Plus tires and it rides a little softer over bad roads and they are near silent.
@@Jazz16-we1qc sounds like you’re taking good care of your vehicle. One thing I would not recommend is changing your transmission fluid earlier than a recommends. There is a certain amount of buildup you actually do want inside the transmission as it gets older. Flushing it more often than it needs actually can cause your transmission to slip overtime. I believe 50,000 miles or 60,000 miles is the ideal time for transmission fluid. My 2008 Honda Odyssey has survived five kids and sits at 232,000 miles and I have only changed the transmission fluid four times. Don’t forget to do your brake fluid every three years especially if you live in a hot climate like I do here in Texas. I actually bought a tester that lets me know when there’s too much moisture in my brake fluid because it’s a big problem here in Texas because we have such huge temperature swings that fluid grabs moisture right out of the air during those temperature swings and can damage your brake system if you don’t change it regularly.
In bed trunk is no joke you can fit quite a bit of gear in there knowing it can be securely locked. Best back seat space for passengers or gear when seats folded in midsize segment. Unibody smooth, very comfortable and roomy cabin for the class, a good all-round very usable "truck" for most that don't need heavy duty capability or rock crawling! Next gen should bring more modern features, creature comforts. The bed is shallow relative to other midsizers but it's a tradeoff given the deep trunk well.
I know you own a new Tundra and don't review American cars but I'd love to see you review a F-150 with 5.0 coyote engine to see why it's been the best selling truck for so long.
Thank You for preparing this video and sharing the details, I have viewed videos on the Ridgeline and watched test drives etc. You have provided very siginificant information about the V6 engine with the verible cylendar arrangement. This is a "show stopper" for me. I was ready to buy a Honda Ridgeline until I learned more about the engine.
AMD, always enjoy your content. This was an excellent, no nonsense review 👍. Wouldn’t expect otherwise from you 😊 I’m on my second Ridgeline and very happy with it. My first was a 2017 RTL-T. It was totaled with 20K miles by a distracted driver who ran a stop 🛑 sign, hit me broad side and put me into a concrete block wall…😢 ALL airbags deployed, we walked away, no injuries. Truck took it well… I replaced it with a new, at the time, 2022. VCM is deactivated, running on all 6 cylinders. Also because of the direct injection I installed an oil catch-can. Transmission release you mentioned; you can purchase an A430 GM Shock Absorber Socket which fits perfectly on the head of that release. Anyways thanks for sharing.🙏🇺🇸
I had a 2017, first year of the reintroduced Ridgeline. In 2017 the engine didn't have cylinder deactivation and the transmission was a 6sp Honda trans. The truck handled very well - I was very surprised the 4wd system had real torque vectoring. The other thing was maintenance was a bit higher as you needed to change the diff oil every 15k miles (B3 service). The rear seat folding up with the flat floor was awesome - I could just throw my bike in the back with ease. For about the same price a mid-trim Ridgeline is a much better dollar value then a upper trim Ford Maverick.
Having kids that I travel with and my only daily drive is a 2023 toyta Tacoma, having that under bed spot and the swinging tailgate is seriously a awesome idea. You could fill that bad boy with some beers, drain it then use it for all your baby stuff if you dint have room in the cabin
Last year, my 1st gen RL blew a gasket @ 265k odometer so I sold it, picked up a Nissan Titan. In comparison, the RL did practically everything that the Titan does for MY use (daily commute and hauling random things every other week). I see myself going back to RL later on. Hope for hybrid!
@@ctbale1 both the tailgate and the trunk lock. Once you adjust the settings on the infotainment screen every time you lock the truck with fob it will also lock the tailgate. I’ve had my 24 ridgeline for about 4 months and it does lock. In fact I set mine up in the settings to automatically lock along with truck whenever I walk away from truck with the fob in my pocket
Really glad you did this video. This vehicle is on my list and I have been doing a lot of research and now I feel very informed. The Ridgeline makes a lot of sense and is extremely practical. I have owned full sized trucks as well as traditional mid size body on frame trucks. I like the new tacoma, but the backseat is too small and that is the same for the Ranger and GM twins. Cargo capacity on this is well above most of the the competition as well. Ridgeline also happens to be a bargain when compared to its competition and that hasn't always been the case.
With my V6 Accord the VCM Is just 2 stages. Either i3 or V6. But to keep my engine from having issues down the road I got rid of cylinder deactivation. It gluts more gas but the performance is instantaneous. It’s like night and day.
I got a 2015 accord with vcm although I feel it when it’s active the car now has 244k miles and my engine doesn’t burn oil and has a smooth idle. Pretty sure Honda addressed that issue in 2013
I have a 2006 Ridgeline with just under 230k miles. I don’t have the VCM that has destroyed so many J-series engines. You are so correct it’s a basic engine and runs very smooth. Ridgeline is a smooth run vehicle. I have noticed that newer Ridgeline have less space in the back and the rear doors are half the size of the original Ridgeline. The biggest issue I have with the 1st generation Ridgeline is the transmission filter is behind the torque converter and while transmission fluid change is easy, changing the filter requires you to drop the transmission and pull the torque converter. Not so smart. I am average 15mpg on 87 octane. I had overload the truck a couple of times, turned on the VTM-4 and drove away with no hesitation. I will drive my 2006 Ridgeline until something catastrophic goes wrong.
The tailgate locks automatically with the remote proximity. If you try to open the tailgate on a locked Ridgeline with no keyfob, it won't open. This is a common overlook by even most owners, myself included. I learned about it because I was disappointed in mine as you are but another owner pointed the feature out to me and I confirmed that is the case. You don't have to do anything to lock or unlock it , it's all tied into the the main locking of the doors and proximity of the keyfob. Side note, I hate the pushbutton trans.
@@ctbale1 The tailgate does lock as I explained above and I specified the tailgate several times. He is mistaken on this point, and it often comes up in owner groups I belong to. It's not an obvious feature so it's easy to overlook. I own a '24. I thought it didn't lock also, until this was pointed out to me. I tested it, and confirmed this is the case. It locks on it's own with the doors. If you open it with the keyfob nearby, it will simply open. If doors are locked and no keyfob is nearby, it won't. There is no way to selectively lock or unlock it independently of the doors, it's all one system.
On my pilot I got a VCM disabler. It is a clever device. It caps the temperature sensor reading just below the temperature where the VCM would be able to kick on. But it has the logic to turn it off if the engine temperature gets above 190 I think. So if it’s overheating you’ll still light up the dash.
fyi on the BE Ridgeline blind spot monitoring does not work below 20mph so, be careful on your slow merges.. adaptive cruise control is not stop and go and does not work below 25mph. the front parking sensors is only one sensor in each front corner, it wont detect a parkiing pole or smaller cars.. the vented seats are not that powerful even on high mode. the passenger seat does not have height adjustment. it doesnt have hill descent control... the tailgate is lockable.
I just bought a 2025 Buick Enclave Sport Edition. The middle of 3 trim levels and most likely the best selling. Can't wait to see a review. Another awesome review. Best car reviewer on UA-cam. Very, very thorough and he's obviously is very intelligent when it comes to mechanical components. I wish he was 2:44 my mechanic. 😂
Government regulations are killing the reliability and affordability of new car powertrains. Its making it very difficult on manufacturers AND service professionals.
@@antiantiderivativeNot so. Government owns the manufacturers. Want to do business here? They get their cut via kickbacks. The government buys or nowadays tries to buy their votes with promises of money. Fact is We The People still own about 30% of GM. They’ve never fully paid back the tax dollars Obama gave them for their vote. Had he not give them money GM would be gone. There’s a reason businesses are leaving democrat states. Over regulation. I worked for a utility for 25 plus years. The governments hand is deep into regulatory control and why utilities are sky high. Democrat policies. Here in California democrats shot down two bills that would have lowered costs for the citizens. Why? Because they would have lost their kickbacks in “campaign” funding. Democrats love big government. Love controlling every aspect of every thing.
@@antiantiderivativemore government is always more bad. exactly for the reason you said, they're owned by the companies they control. if you take them out of the equation, actual capitalism can work, then the problem companies go away instead of being propped up by feds. for instance look at American car companies. some of the least reliable you can find, but also most commonly sold because of all the government money
I bought my Ridgeline the first year they came out. Now has 227k miles on it. Best vehicle I have ever owned.
You have 227k on a 2006 Honda Ridgeline ? I had one for 7 years without any problem. I bought a travel trailer and the Ridgeline's wheelbase was long enough to control the trailer. I trailer my Ridgeline on a F-150.
@@tuffr2 Yep, bought it in March 2005. Still going strong.
@@1htalp9 that is about the time I bought mine. Spring 2005.
true, " vehicle " not a truck
@@aknadiri2520 It's a Pilot with a bed and a cool trunk.
I had that engine in a Honda Odyssey. It was very reliable, and mine went 350,000 miles before I traded it. Oil changes every 6000 miles using Mobil 1, and then every 100,000 miles it needed spark plugs, water pump, and timing belt. 10/10 would buy another vehicle that had the same engine.
Nice to hear
Did you change the timing belt?
Tow 18ft deepv walleye boat plenty of torque?
@@deandesrosiers6857 The service interval of a timing belt change on my Odyssey was 100,000 miles. I had it change by the dealer at that mileage.
What year odyssey did you have. I heard some years they had problems. I would like to buy one for car camping.
I’m on my second Ridgeline (‘23 RTL-e) and love it. As many folks have commented, the tailgate does lock. Also, you don’t have to hit the door handle button to lock the doors, you just have to walk away and all doors (including the tailgate) lock. I very much like the old school engine. Reliable as any vehicle ever made, all mechanics can easily work on it, parts can be bought anywhere and runs on regular gas. I test drove pretty much all the competitors and ended up right back where I started with my second Ridgeline, Honda has made something very special and unique. Oh, don’t forget about the resale value on these, spectacular (and insurance is cheap).
Car review don’t even come CLOSED to this guy. This is a whole new level of car reviews
Doesn't get more technical than this.
Savage Geese
@@ADUSN Even SG doesn't critique the clamps use and heat exchanger loop quality. This guy is goes pretty deep sometimes.
It does have a tailgate lock apparently, standard since 2020 and can be enabled/disabled in the infotainment control thing.
If you open the glove box, there is a button on the left side just outside the box opening , so you can lock it with out the infotainment system.
You'd be surprised alot of people turned away or returned there Ridgelines cause of that trunk lock..... Most dealers don't know that this is a setting to enable.....
One of the first things I figured out in the infotainment was setting it to lock automatically with the doors, always spend some time learning the infotainment in new cars, just how they work now.
@@npfd568rc that is for the lock for the "trunk" not the tailgate
@@khap60 yup , you’re right , I looked after I wrote the comment .
Perfect truck for the weekend warrior. The functionality is hard to beat.
Yes, those pavements and curbs better watch out
I was a over twenty-year Toyota truck owner both Tacoma and Tundra and I needed the size when I was young to haul and tow heavy loads. My Wife was always afraid to drive the big trucks at least for a small woman it was big and when I was gone it was an issue. We are 75 years young and felt we needed something she could drive and we don't haul or tow heavy loads. We wanted the new safety features i.e. lane tracer etc. We looked at the new Tacomas first then we looked and drove everything else in mid-size pickup and the Ridgeline she just loved since it drove like a car. We bought the 2024 Ridgeline Black Edition and so far love it. I was one of those guys that always put down the "toy trucks" but now I am a believer at the stage of my life. I always thought the tailgate opening was a gimmick but it is one of the best features and we use it more than the other drop down opening. Outstanding review as always but the Black Edition would have shown all the bells and whistles available. I was a mechanic (old school) for cars, trucks, heavy equipment both gas and diesel as well as a shop owner for a few years. The trade wasn't very well respected as some of the other trades which never sat well with me. I am happy to see that skilled, knowledgeable and articulate technicians like yourself are doing UA-cam videos to change that frame of mind. Many folks do not realize the complexity of auto maintenance and repair. You have to be an expert in so many different fields mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, air conditioning, structural and computers. To be a Master Technician like yourself takes many hours of study and hands on experience along with cuts, bruises and burns. The training and learning never stops since the manufacturers are changing design, functionality and parts almost every year. Bless you Sir and please keep up the good work.
As a Ridgeline owner, this is the review I've been waiting for. Best mechanic on UA-cam giving me the nilly dilly. Love it!
Just want to say, the Tailgate door is lockable through the infotainment system settings. You can enable/disable it in there since the 2020 model year. Locks/unlocks with the keyfob when activated.
Also as for VCM, not too enthused about it but there are 3rd party solutions to permanently disable VCM. Personally I hate auto stop/start more than VCM, but I will be looking to disable both soon through the aftermarket.
Isn't that only useful with a locking bed cover?
@@rebeltuba9422most bedcovers require you to be able to access the underside of the bedcover to open them. so the locking tailgate locks access to open the bed cover
S-VCM installed and drives way better. Holds the gears longer, no shutter at really low speeds. Accelerates from a stop much faster with lighter pedal. Isn't constantly search for gears on the highway. This truck was built to run on 6 cylinders all the time.
S-vcm is what I use. Stops the shudder. Put it on at 74miles, love it
@@ctbale1 can I ask what shudder? I feel one when accelerating between 22-28 mph on my 23 Ridge.
Just bought one a month ago and love it. Got rid of my RAV4. Can’t wait to watch this video!!
Now, how do you feel after you watch the video?
I’m glad he didn’t point anything out that was too bad. I like this better than the Tacoma since I’m 6’4” and have two kids. Feel like it’s the perfect truck for my family and I haven’t heard of any really problems with this generation ridgeline that’s been in place since 2017.? I’m very happy with my decision. It’s funny my kids this it’s a badass truck😂. Makes me laugh
@@Chris-yu5iu I did the exact same thing 😂
Mine is 16 yrd old 2009 honda pilot owned it since brandnew it has VCM.I changed oil every 4k miles or every 6 months whatever comes first, transmission oil every 30k miles.Still runs like a clock no oil consumption. It depends how you maintain a car for its reliability.
That is exactly what I want, the color, the package, everything about this truck I love. This will be my next vehicle purchase.
I’ve had my RTL-E for 4 years and now have 60,000 miles with zero problems. Old school works perfectly for me. I live in upstate NY and from November to April we can have snow most any day. The VTM-4 all wheel drive system works better in the snow than any car or truck around.
About 2 months ago bought a 18 RTL-E, with 72K mi. Clean car fax, & all maintenance records, one owner. Fits all my wants and needs, I'm very happy with it. 3rd Honda vehicle. Also in central NY 👍
My 2015 GMC Sierra Z71 Crew 4x4 with AutoTrac and Hill decent controll can forge thru 2' or more of snow any day of the week. With 4 low and a G80 limited slip posi, I go where few can.
Your Ridgeline doesn't have vtm-4 if it's 4yrs old. It has the ivtm. It's a huge difference.
I bought a 2023 Ridgeline. In the cars menu, you can select the tailgate to lock automatically. Immediately , I bypassed the cylinder deactivation and start stop. Because I don't need 10k of towing. The Ridgeline is more than enough of a truck.
Sweet its overrides
How did you bypass the cylinder deactivation and the start stop?
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
I have a 22 Tacoma and my friend recently bought a 18 Ridgeline. His Ridgeline is way nicer than my Tacoma. It's much more comfortable, smoother, and roomier inside. That flip up back seat makes for a far more useable rear space for hauling things inside the cab, and the back seat can actually carry 3 full size adult men. The rear trunk area under the bed floor is a very useful space and the spare tire on the drawer slide is a really nice touch and keeps the tire nice and clean. It can carry a 1500 lb. payload just like my Tacoma can, and the two way tailgate makes it super easy to load and unload. The Ridgeline is all the truck most people need and is far more practical than many. I had no idea until he got his what a nice truck they are.
Most important reviews by Car Care Nut, for any vehicle.
Best car reviews by far on the tube. Love the closing! May the Lord bless you and keep you too.
It's a modern day version of an El Camino and that's a good thing.
Carpet in the bed and a six-pack, you're good to go!!
Bought a 2019 Sport, 5 years ago. Pulls my 3600lb GeoPro trailer fine. Has the shift knob and no button to push that prevents the engine turning off at stop lights! Owned alot of trucks, this by far is the best one yet. The swing gate and rear trunk are next level useful on trips.
There are a couple of fixes for your major concerns on this engine. Use CRC intake valve cleaner before every oil change to keep the carbon build up to a minimum. There's a module you can install to disable VCM. Great review!
I've had my Ridgeline TrailSport for 6 months. Best Vehicle i've owned. Drives great, and has major utility.
Again, I know it’s not the standard content from this channel, but I would love to see you guys do a Honda Element video: a 2003-2011 review, why you think it was discontinued, your opinion on Honda’s recent patents, and what you think would make a successful revival.
When I was a kid my Dad bought a new 1966 Mercury station wagon. That was the first time I saw a two way tailgate. It was very convenient .
Do you remember the commercials for the station wagon that had a three way tailgate starring Ara Parsegian from Notre Dame?
My recently retired parents love theirs. They traded in my dad's old early 2000's Ford Ranger. They use it for a grocery getter, and the back door feature is perfect for them. It also gets around on the snow and ice. I've never been in a vehicle that grips as well as this thing does on ice. It felt like a giant cat gripping all around. It is amazing for that. Here in Montana, we need that for the wintertime.
I believe that the rear tailgate does have a locking feature that is similar, if not the same as that on my Santa Cruz. Lock the vehicle and the tailgate also locks. If the key fob is out of range of the vehicle, the doors and tailgate remain locked.
Try that and see if the tailgate remains locked.
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
@@ctbale1 If you press the lock button on the fob, and the fob is still in the vicinity of the RIdgeline, the doors will lock but the tailgate will not lock. Same should be true for the "door" feature of the tailgate. What I'm saying is that you should lock the doors with the fob as normal and then walk away from the vehicle with the fob so you're out of range for the operation of the fob lock/unlock button. Leave the fob inside the house after you lock the doors and then go outside to the vehicle. All the doors and the tailgate latches should be locked. This is how it works on my Santa Cruz, and I'll bet it works like this on the Ridgeline as well. If you have one, try it and let us know.
The trunk inside the bed has a separate lock assembly that is key activated, not fob activated. So it needs to be locked and unlocked manually.
I have a 2017 and it’s a great vehicle. Speakers and power outlet in the bed. Comfortable to drive on long trips, good power and 24 mpg. We have 100k miles and have no issues with anything. Good design and lots of useful storage space.
I have a 2023 Ridgeline. The tailgate locks when you lock the doors. I love the vehicle. Comfortable on longer trips. I plan on installing a VCM deactivator when the warranty over.
I've read that it doesn't affect warranty. I was planning on getting one and installing it day one. If it's an issue I think they're easy to take off no?
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
You nailed the segment comments - I need a truck 3-4 times a year. I want something I can use to bring home furniture or sheets of plywood with. I need something I can throw my bike into without worrying about dirtying the interior, or to help a friend move... I don't need a truck. I need a car with a bed.
I've been eying the ridgeline for a while... Just trying to justify the price when I only need it 3-4 times per year!
You can get a Nissan Frontier for less money. No timing belt or lifters to maintain and the MPG is almost the same.
Buy a used one. Ridgeline depreciation is high
@@coreyisabigpushover cabin space is significantly more cramped on the frontier, and construction materials don't fit in a frontier bed. Ride quality is significantly worse, and gas mileage is probably 20% worse or more.
that's strangely practical, im impressed
I only really need a pickup bed 3-4x per year much like you. I rent or borrow a utility trailer that I hitch to my rx. I use a hitch mounted bike carrier as well.I even tow a boat. Hard to justify buying a pickup.
I was actually looking for this video from Car Care Nut weeks ago. Now he finally released one. Thank you!
I have a 2019 with 100k miles and still runs great. All maintenance schedules followed.
I bought one in May, traded in a 2010 sierra hd. I am 6'7" and this might not be nearly as roomy, obviously, but I have to say FOR ME this actually checked just about all the boxes. I am very surprised and pleased with it. Still has plenty of room for the family. I'd get another, just have to accept the truck that it is and is not.
Been waiting a long time for this review, thank you Sir for finally doing it.
The tailgate does lock. You can even lock the trunk with a key, at least in the 2023. Bed con is it is shallow compared to the competition.
Yes,
Honda decided to come from the factory with the default unlocked?😮
It's nice, you can lock and unlock with key fob.
Thank you for this info. Im cross shopping this with a Frontier (wanna keep in the N/A V6 engine range) and when he said the tail gate can't be locked I'm like...what??? Why, Honda? And it instantly reminded me of 4Runners without fuel cap locks. Don't know why these engineers would keep it like that.
Shallow bed , low loading bed height, low door entrance height, drives like a car, very comfortable. A lot of pluses for older drivers, or those not wanting a rough riding regular truck.
Concur. Have the '23 Ridgeline. The tailgate definitely locks. Honda started putting locks on the tailgate with the 2020 model.
the tailgate does lock its in the car settings you can also lock it from the glove box so it is real secure
I was planning on buying the 2024 Tacoma until I saw the price 😂
I bought the outgoing 2023 Honda Ridgeline RTL HPD for 38500. 15,000 cheaper than the equivalent Tacoma limited. The trunk, tailgate, and the rear seats are the best.
The tailgate is lockable. You have to go to the vehicle settings and tell it Yes to lock. You can open and lock with the key fob. It's cool idea.😊
Engine is butter smooth use 5w30
@@valiantone395
No, 0/20
@@wt9653 No to you peasant 🤣 use minimum 5w30 minimum because 0w20 thins out not ONLY because of direct injection, but because in the Honda vehicle manual it says to use 5w30 for towing and high rpm use
@@valiantone395 Nowhere in the 2024 Ridgeline manual does it say to use 5W30 when towing.
@@21Piloteer I have 2019 Passport and it does, same transmission and engine also premium fuel whilst towing recommended
Thank you once again for a great review! I appreciate you taking time of your busy schedule on giving us professional feedback on vehicles we love! God bless you and your family.
Oh yes! THE review I was waiting for!
Great review. One note. The tailgate does lock.
And the flippers are there for the ones who don't want to use the buttons .
I'm getting mine in 2days 2025 Black Edition... can't wait! 😊 Thanks again for this review!
It’s been a year since I bought my 2023 Ridgeline and it’s been a great purchase 🤩👍. Great review as always.
The tailgate most certainly is lockable, as others have commented, it's in your settings on the radio head unit. I leave mine off though. For Cylinder de-activation, I'll probably end up adding the S-VCM modification to remove that. And to my awareness, these engines really like to be revved out (I hit Vtec pretty frequently) which is supposed to help with carbon buildup on valves, although I have nothing to back that up. Great video!
Revving the engine may minimize carbon on the underside of valves, but it won’t do anything for the intake side. Only regular solvent treatments will work for that. Also, direct injection of fuel results in more dilution of oil with unburned gasoline, which means more frequent oil changes are required. Revving the engine can make this worse.
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
@@ctbale1 They both lock. The trunk behaves the same as the doors do, but the tailgate is a setting in the radio to determine whether or not it locks/unlocks with your keyfob. I found it kind of annoying to have the tailgate locked because I often have to get stuff in or out of the bed and leave my keys in my house, and started to get annoyed whenever I'd have to go back inside to get them just to open the tailgate
@20:00 the tailgate is lockable. It has a power locking feature which locks and unlocks with the central locking system. It can however be disabled in the infotainment settings, which it is by factory default. The trunk can also be disabled thru the switch in the glove box.
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
I'm not really a car guy, but I really enjoy your videos. The way you clearly explain things is awesome.
YES ! I asked for this for a while - love it. Thank you AMD.
Just imagine the looks I get when I show up to the horse show in my ridgeline towing a little 2 horse straight load trailer with my daughters horse in it. lol. I've owned half a dozen 1/2 ton american trucks in the last 20 years, every single one needed more repairs than they should have.. Love my ridgeline for my every other weekend towing needs and a smooth comfortable ride for the other 90% of the time.
I've been thinking about buying one of these and the fact that it is "old school" is what I find appealing about it. The only two things that bother me are the start stop feature and the cylinder deactivation system. I know that it's not complicated to disable the start stop feature, but I wonder how complicated it is to permanently disable the cylinder deactivation system. If I could do it, I would buy me one of these things.
The paddle shifters are actually very very useful for a car with button transmission. I use it almost daily when I am about to overtake someone.... I put it in sport and drop down a gear or two and pin the gas and it actually helps. It is obviously not made for using it like a sports car but the paddle shifters actually serve a good purpose.
Best to have a vehicle with enough power so you don’t need to downshift and hit the “sport” button.
@@CMBBmc-jd6ur vehicles with more power cost more money, and have lower mpg. They also require a bigger vehicle.
We're going to need that nissan frontier review now!
You want to see some missing welds?😂
We had a 2019 RTL-E. After 60,000 miles traded it in for a Honda Pilot. Overall good vehicle. It had recalls for hood latch and truck bed latch. Another big recall on Fuel pump that is major work, we did not get it done. Another recall that was also Fuel pump related which prevented you from taking it to auto car washes (at least that was Honda guidance).
Things that went wrong: latch inside that holds rear seat in upright position broke. Dealer fixed under warranty but was not easy. Transmission (we had the six speed) started slipping. We had not changed trans fluid. It was at 55,000 miles. Dealer recommended changing fluid, we did and that fixed it. One night my wife said engine is not turning off. It was actually the fan. I had to unplug fuse and replace next day.
Overall we were pleased. Excellent interior. Excellent engine.
I had a 2007 Ridgeline, sold it last year with 200k city miles (not hwy) on it. It was a great truck for my property management business and just general daily driving. I remodeled three (personal) homes with it, and countless rentals. Being able to pick up sheets of plywood or Sheetrock flat in the bed was pretty awesome.
65K on my 2020 Ridgeline, no oil burn, no engine issues at all. Regular oil changes with synthetic, this engine is a winner.
Great review. Functionally it does the same thing as a “truck” and competes really well with most midsized trucks. Very reliable. What would be a vast improvement is if Honda followed the same format as the 2023 Honda Pilot Trailsport edition with the new 3.5 l v6, a slight lift to improve ground clearance, functional skid plates, 10 speed auto and the improved iVTM - 4 system which makes the Pilot Trailsport a very capable AWD vehicle.
Is it just me or the videos have recently had low volume levels lately? Have had to turn up our TV a fair bit to hear anything.
I think its you. The volume is only halfway on my volume control on my PC and his voice is pretty loud.
It’s you. Volume is normal.
I had the same thing happen. Check your settings in youtube i had 5.1 surround sound enabled somehow
It seems like his lavalier wasn't working during the under-car portion, but otherwise seems fine to me.
Must be you.
Great review as usual! I purchased my 2024 Ridgeline TS in late March & I chose the radiant red 2 color.. the best color IMO. The tailgate is locked via the settings in the infotainment.. set to not lock by factory default. Ridgelines seem expensive to those who don’t research them.. they come with more standard equipment than any other midsize truck & are well worth the money.
You mentioned that the bed was separate front the body. This is actually an illusion. It is unibody from the cab to the bed. The designers put a fake seam and black trim to make it appear that it is 2 separated pieces , and it makes it appear like a traditional body on frame pickup truck ( but it’s not )
I think with seam it looks much better, and makes it look like a real truck
$89 to disable the VCM. I just did it to my 2019 Pilot. They also make auto start/stop disable harnesses, but my pilot is doesn't have stop/start.
One less thing to deal with
Did you notice any change in fuel mileage?
@@escheidl Too early to tell, just put it in last Tuesday.
@@escheidlI put s-vcm on my 2024. Same mileage. Maybe .5 better. The big reason is engine longevity and it also stops that shudder
@@ctbale1 I think it's the right thing to do even if your mileage were to drop a little. I'm glad it didn't though. Cylinder deactivation is a bad idea.
cylinder deactivation is the worst thing for cars i would never buy anything with it.
I’d seriously consider for purchase if it didn’t have cylinder deactivation. I like my cylinders active!
I would be ok if you could deactivate the deactivate cylinder activation by default.
You don't understand. Don't worry!
He didn't mention how it works.
You have to push the ECON button to enable the cylinder deactivation.
Just like the start/stop button.
@@halberd0109you can buy a defeat device took me five minutes to install
The ECON button doesn’t shut off the VCM, I have two of these engines. ECON schedules fuel delivery differently based on demand, it also will run the A/C in an Economy mode for better efficiency. The only way to kill VCM is to get a muzzler. These can be bought for $150-200 online and are very easy to install.
I had a ‘13 Odyssey with a VCM engine. Started to smoke on occasion on the highway and burn some oil, until I installed a VCM suppressor. It stopped the smoking, burning and actually gained 1-2 mpg. Best $100 spent.
I just bought a white 24’ rtl yesterday, love it so far. Traded in my Chevy Colorado
AMD can you review the latest Nissan frontier pick up truck next? Thank you. Your reviews are great.
Been waiting for this one
I would take this over the 2.4L turbos Toyota is putting into everything. VCM in this particular engine can be disabled and carbon buildup from the direct injection engine is not known to be a widespread issue. Plus this truck is at the end of its current generation and so they have worked out all the kinks in it.
Awesome review and great breakdown as usual. This is the truck for the people who just want a truck (don’t need it), but can’t admit it.
I find it funny when people call this truck small. It's the widest in it's class with the most passenger room and it's almost a foot longer than the compact Maverick and Sante Cruz. Best midsized truck in the market as far as versatility, practicality and comfort.
It has an electronic tailgate lock that can be enabled or disabled when the doors lock. It can also be then be disabled by a switch on the left side of the glove box.
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
Excellent video.
I purchased a 2024 rtl . I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’m getting 25 mpg average. When I fuel up ( top off ) I pour in a small Lucas fuel injector cleaner, and pump the fuel mixing it in. For a direct injection engine it’s important to use a fuel additive. 🙏
Yes, it keeps injectors clean, and top tier fuel, which has more additives should always be used.
I had a 2021 RTL-E on lease but swapped it for an Integra Type S after a severe mid-life crisis. I really wanted to keep both, but it was too expensive to maintain two vehicles. I never imagined I’d miss the Ridgeline this much. At least we still have the Odyssey for times when we need to haul big stuff.
The feature I enjoyed the most was the bed trunk. If I need another vehicle in the future, the Ridgeline will be my first choice."
You really need to make sure you learn about a vehicle before you talk about it. First, this engine only runs on 6 or 3 cylinders - not 4. Honda did away with the 3-mode VCM a decade ago. Second, all 2020-2025 Ridgelines have a factory-installed tailgate lock.
Ok giant douche
I came here to make this comment. I agree.
Yup, the 3 mode was the worst version I hear. This one stinks too. S-VCM on my 2024 and smooth as butta
I’ve been waiting for this review! I have a ‘24 RL and I appreciate your thoughts. Great review, thanks!
It looks like the storage area in the back has divider guides so the bin can be divided into sections. That storage bin is a very good use of space.
If AMD says “ I like that “ means a thumbs up
The tailgate locks/unlocks via the remote. It's been a good truck for my needs. Thanks for the review!
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
@@ctbale1 Tailgate locks just fine. It locks/unlocks via the remote. I don't even remember if the trunk can be locked.
I've had my 2023 RTL-E for just over a year. Love it. Drove everything...wanted a Tacoma, preferred the 2024 Canyon...then, drove a Ridgeline...big mistake, lol...very happy owner of a Ridgeline. I tow up to 3,200lb camper. Handle ice, mud, and wet roads very well. MPG is good...not great...but, Econ mode on the hwy and I have achieved 26 mpg Dallas to El Paso. I have a 2010 Honda Fit that I could not part with....best vehicle I have ever owned. My first year with the Ridgeline promises similar dependability.
Just want to say you CAN have the tailgate lock with the vehicle doors. The setting is in the infotainment vehicle lock customization settings. It is off by default. It works with the key fob and matches the vehicle lock status. The trunk also locks with proximity and key fob.
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
@@ctbale1the TAILGATE LOCKS. I am talking about both tailgate and trunk. Both will lock with vehicle key fob. The tailgate just needs enabled in the infotainment settings. Trunk is always enabled. I just threw in the trunk for those that didn’t know about that either. Sorry for confusion. But tailgate will physically lock electronically.
It would be nice to include the msrp and fuel economy ratings in the technical review to help peopke decide. Keep up the fantastic work!
You could see those two pieces of information in plenty of other car reviews!
That's a very dumb request, every state has different values.
@@MrSmith804 MSRP and MPG do not change from state to state... Settle down a bit...
The best mpg I've got was 28 mpg with the ECON mode. Without, I am getting 24 to 26 mpg.
I won't be using ECON anymore 😂
@@wt9653 TBH, controlling how heavy my right foot is has saved me fuel than these gimmicky ECON modes!
The first thing I did when I got my 2024 Trailsport was buy a bypass tool for the cylinder deactivation and the stupid auto start/stop. I did also put a 2in lift in the front and a 1 in in the back. Love the truck now and think its perfect. Honday should have atleast given the Trailsport a lift from the factory. Also the timing belt situation kind of sucks to but whatever. I plan on doing it myself when the time comes.
The fact that it still has a naturally aspirated V6 3.5 L engine engine is the main reason why you should buy it.
Ond of the best and most reliable V6 engines
@@tomaskroupakkfoto4132 The direct injection is gonna produce some costly maintenance down the road though.
@@Jazz16-we1qc he is right you don’t do the maintenance you will suffer in the end. I own every version of the 3.5 L V6 they’ve made and I put the VC muzzler on my 2008 Honda Odyssey which I still own, but my 2017 Honda Accord V6 allows you to turn the VCM on and off and I always leave it off. I also have a 2023 Acura MDX that I put the VC muzzler on and it never turns on the VCM. Once you turn that off these engines are the best V6 on the market hands-down. Between the three cars I own I have over 500,000 miles combined and they’ve been absolutely flawless.
@@SuperSnakePlissken That's good to know. I've changed my own oil on my 2022 Ridgeline every 3 or 4000 miles, did the drain and fill for trans at 30k, and then at 45k. Only removes about 1/3 of the fluid they say. Changed rear diff fluid at 20k. I change the engine filter often. I put injector cleaner in at least every 5000 miles and always use top tier fuel. Maybe the injectors will stay a little cleaner. Disabled VCM, and now it's just drive it and wait for lower gas prices, or lower interest rates and car prices, before thinking about trading it in. Changed out the crappy stock Firestone tiresfor Pirelli Scorpion AS3 Plus tires and it rides a little softer over bad roads and they are near silent.
@@Jazz16-we1qc sounds like you’re taking good care of your vehicle. One thing I would not recommend is changing your transmission fluid earlier than a recommends. There is a certain amount of buildup you actually do want inside the transmission as it gets older. Flushing it more often than it needs actually can cause your transmission to slip overtime. I believe 50,000 miles or 60,000 miles is the ideal time for transmission fluid.
My 2008 Honda Odyssey has survived five kids and sits at 232,000 miles and I have only changed the transmission fluid four times. Don’t forget to do your brake fluid every three years especially if you live in a hot climate like I do here in Texas. I actually bought a tester that lets me know when there’s too much moisture in my brake fluid because it’s a big problem here in Texas because we have such huge temperature swings that fluid grabs moisture right out of the air during those temperature swings and can damage your brake system if you don’t change it regularly.
In 23, dealer was asking for $6k over sticker. I walked away from it.
I got 3700 off sticker. Was 39,974 for a red rtl 2024.
I would highly recommend this vehicle to anybody that wants a truck but doesn't want to ride like a truck.
In bed trunk is no joke you can fit quite a bit of gear in there knowing it can be securely locked. Best back seat space for passengers or gear when seats folded in midsize segment. Unibody smooth, very comfortable and roomy cabin for the class, a good all-round very usable "truck" for most that don't need heavy duty capability or rock crawling! Next gen should bring more modern features, creature comforts. The bed is shallow relative to other midsizers but it's a tradeoff given the deep trunk well.
The unlockable compartment in the bed is where the 120v outlet option would be located.
I know you own a new Tundra and don't review American cars but I'd love to see you review a F-150 with 5.0 coyote engine to see why it's been the best selling truck for so long.
Thank You for preparing this video and sharing the details, I have viewed videos on the Ridgeline and watched test drives etc. You have provided very siginificant information about the V6 engine with the verible cylendar arrangement. This is a "show stopper" for me. I was ready to buy a Honda Ridgeline until I learned more about the engine.
AMD, always enjoy your content. This was an excellent, no nonsense review 👍. Wouldn’t expect otherwise from you 😊
I’m on my second Ridgeline and very happy with it. My first was a 2017 RTL-T. It was totaled with 20K miles by a distracted driver who ran a stop 🛑 sign, hit me broad side and put me into a concrete block wall…😢 ALL airbags deployed, we walked away, no injuries. Truck took it well…
I replaced it with a new, at the time, 2022. VCM is deactivated, running on all 6 cylinders. Also because of the direct injection I installed an oil catch-can. Transmission release you mentioned; you can purchase an A430 GM Shock Absorber Socket which fits perfectly on the head of that release.
Anyways thanks for sharing.🙏🇺🇸
We need merch that says "...and THAT is pretty cool." 😎
I had a 2017, first year of the reintroduced Ridgeline. In 2017 the engine didn't have cylinder deactivation and the transmission was a 6sp Honda trans. The truck handled very well - I was very surprised the 4wd system had real torque vectoring. The other thing was maintenance was a bit higher as you needed to change the diff oil every 15k miles (B3 service). The rear seat folding up with the flat floor was awesome - I could just throw my bike in the back with ease. For about the same price a mid-trim Ridgeline is a much better dollar value then a upper trim Ford Maverick.
It does have VCM. All the Ridgeline gen 2 have it .
I can't wait until AMD reviews a Nissan Frontier Pro-4X.
Having kids that I travel with and my only daily drive is a 2023 toyta Tacoma, having that under bed spot and the swinging tailgate is seriously a awesome idea. You could fill that bad boy with some beers, drain it then use it for all your baby stuff if you dint have room in the cabin
Problem is that trunk area isn’t insulated. More of a place to temporary store wet stuff like swimming cloths.
Last year, my 1st gen RL blew a gasket @ 265k odometer so I sold it, picked up a Nissan Titan. In comparison, the RL did practically everything that the Titan does for MY use (daily commute and hauling random things every other week). I see myself going back to RL later on. Hope for hybrid!
The tailgate is lockable. There’s a setting in the infotainment system that locks it with the key fob. It be enabled and disabled.
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
@@ctbale1 both the tailgate and the trunk lock. Once you adjust the settings on the infotainment screen every time you lock the truck with fob it will also lock the tailgate. I’ve had my 24 ridgeline for about 4 months and it does lock. In fact I set mine up in the settings to automatically lock along with truck whenever I walk away from truck with the fob in my pocket
Really glad you did this video. This vehicle is on my list and I have been doing a lot of research and now I feel very informed. The Ridgeline makes a lot of sense and is extremely practical. I have owned full sized trucks as well as traditional mid size body on frame trucks. I like the new tacoma, but the backseat is too small and that is the same for the Ranger and GM twins. Cargo capacity on this is well above most of the the competition as well. Ridgeline also happens to be a bargain when compared to its competition and that hasn't always been the case.
With my V6 Accord the VCM Is just 2 stages. Either i3 or V6. But to keep my engine from having issues down the road I got rid of cylinder deactivation. It gluts more gas but the performance is instantaneous. It’s like night and day.
I got a 2015 accord with vcm although I feel it when it’s active the car now has 244k miles and my engine doesn’t burn oil and has a smooth idle. Pretty sure Honda addressed that issue in 2013
Been driving ridgelines for 15 years. On my 2022 i by passed VCM the first month of ownership.
how?
Thank you so much for the J35 review-I was very curious about your thoughts on it.
I have a 2006 Ridgeline with just under 230k miles. I don’t have the VCM that has destroyed so many J-series engines. You are so correct it’s a basic engine and runs very smooth. Ridgeline is a smooth run vehicle. I have noticed that newer Ridgeline have less space in the back and the rear doors are half the size of the original Ridgeline. The biggest issue I have with the 1st generation Ridgeline is the transmission filter is behind the torque converter and while transmission fluid change is easy, changing the filter requires you to drop the transmission and pull the torque converter. Not so smart. I am average 15mpg on 87 octane. I had overload the truck a couple of times, turned on the VTM-4 and drove away with no hesitation. I will drive my 2006 Ridgeline until something catastrophic goes wrong.
You gotta give that iVTM4 awd system a little more credit as it's also a mechanical torque vectoring system and works pretty well
The tailgate locks automatically with the remote proximity. If you try to open the tailgate on a locked Ridgeline with no keyfob, it won't open. This is a common overlook by even most owners, myself included. I learned about it because I was disappointed in mine as you are but another owner pointed the feature out to me and I confirmed that is the case. You don't have to do anything to lock or unlock it , it's all tied into the the main locking of the doors and proximity of the keyfob. Side note, I hate the pushbutton trans.
He was saying the Tailgate would not lock. Are you talking about the tailgate or the trunk?
@@ctbale1 The tailgate does lock as I explained above and I specified the tailgate several times. He is mistaken on this point, and it often comes up in owner groups I belong to. It's not an obvious feature so it's easy to overlook. I own a '24. I thought it didn't lock also, until this was pointed out to me. I tested it, and confirmed this is the case. It locks on it's own with the doors. If you open it with the keyfob nearby, it will simply open. If doors are locked and no keyfob is nearby, it won't. There is no way to selectively lock or unlock it independently of the doors, it's all one system.
Tailgate does lock ...you have to go to the settings on the infotainment screen.
On my pilot I got a VCM disabler. It is a clever device. It caps the temperature sensor reading just below the temperature where the VCM would be able to kick on. But it has the logic to turn it off if the engine temperature gets above 190 I think. So if it’s overheating you’ll still light up the dash.
As in the dash will still warn of overheating ? Otherwise it would not?
fyi on the BE Ridgeline blind spot monitoring does not work below 20mph so, be careful on your slow merges.. adaptive cruise control is not stop and go and does not work below 25mph. the front parking sensors is only one sensor in each front corner, it wont detect a parkiing pole or smaller cars.. the vented seats are not that powerful even on high mode. the passenger seat does not have height adjustment. it doesnt have hill descent control... the tailgate is lockable.
I just bought a 2025 Buick Enclave Sport Edition. The middle of 3 trim levels and most likely the best selling. Can't wait to see a review. Another awesome review. Best car reviewer on UA-cam. Very, very thorough and he's obviously is very intelligent when it comes to mechanical components. I wish he was 2:44 my mechanic. 😂
Government regulations are killing the reliability and affordability of new car powertrains. Its making it very difficult on manufacturers AND service professionals.
Lack of government regulations, you mean. The car industry basically owns the government agencies responsible for regulating it.
@@antiantiderivativeNot so. Government owns the manufacturers. Want to do business here? They get their cut via kickbacks. The government buys or nowadays tries to buy their votes with promises of money. Fact is We The People still own about 30% of GM. They’ve never fully paid back the tax dollars Obama gave them for their vote. Had he not give them money GM would be gone.
There’s a reason businesses are leaving democrat states. Over regulation. I worked for a utility for 25 plus years. The governments hand is deep into regulatory control and why utilities are sky high. Democrat policies. Here in California democrats shot down two bills that would have lowered costs for the citizens. Why? Because they would have lost their kickbacks in “campaign” funding.
Democrats love big government. Love controlling every aspect of every thing.
What?
Agree it is a total crap what they doing
@@antiantiderivativemore government is always more bad. exactly for the reason you said, they're owned by the companies they control. if you take them out of the equation, actual capitalism can work, then the problem companies go away instead of being propped up by feds. for instance look at American car companies. some of the least reliable you can find, but also most commonly sold because of all the government money