If I've learned anything is that the people of the internet can NEVER be satisfied. Before the new Ridgeline came out all I heard was how people wanted a simple truck that was reminiscent of an El Camino that wasn't a hardcore off roader nor a work truck. Just wanted something that rode well on the street and could haul a few things if needed, something practical. Then the new Ridgeline comes out which kind of fits the bill and all I heard are people complaining that it sucks off road, it doesn't tow/haul enough, it's not a work truck blah blah blah. People and their opinions (and they all have one) can never be satisfied. They all want a truck that drives like a Cadillac, tows like an F350, as fast as a GTR, goes off road like a Rubicon and oh yeah has the MPG of a Prius. Sorry people of the internet, that car/truck does not exist and will never exist. This truck isn't for me and I won't buy it but I can at least see a market for it. /rant
Finally someone spoke the truth! Thanks a million, even if that truck existed there would probably that someone that would not be satisfied with that magic truck they would find something negative even then!
2005 Ridgeline owner here. 265,000+ miles and still going strong. AWD still works great when having to go off-road every so often. I'd buy a new one, but my original Ridgeline is still alive and kickin'!
I've had my 2019 RTL- T for a month. Incredible vehicle overall. I've towed my 20 foot boat with ease, pallets with 60 bags of mulch, and a trailer loaded with appliances and trash. It's a workhorse truck. And, it drives and feels like a luxury sports car on the road. If you can't get on board with this overall great vehicle it's because you don't want to. We live near the beach, so traversing mountainside trails won't happen, but it's nice to see it can.
watching this in 2022 again and am still grateful for the few videos from this time that have no Roman sightings - thus allowing the vehicles to be what they are instead of projecting his own inadequacies onto them.
I hauled home 1200 lbs of bricks from Lowe's(or maybe more, it was exactly whatever the max load rating was, with 2 passengers). I drove slow and easy in my G1 08, but it did fine. And on recent snow and ice, it did as good or better than anything I ever owned. But of course, it does not have the clearance of my Toyota trucks or 4Runners, nor do I have off road rated tires on it. But all in all my old G1 has been amazing.
I can respect that you guys are giving it a fair shake, even with the early "But its a car" jokes when it was first released. I think for majority of the people, this truck will serve them well. Its not the super hardcore truck, but most people don't need that.
I bought a 2019 RTL-E. Im from a Texan family of ranchers, fisherman, and hunters. This keeps up with all the Fords, Toyotas, and Chevys in regards to work trucking. But for our long hauls guess which one they prefer for comfort and efficiency.....my Ridgeline.
I have the 06 Honda Ridgeline and absolutely love it. From watching a few review I think that my 4wd works a little better off-road and figures out the traction better. I didn't notice once we put proper truck mud/snow tires on it the Ridgeline preformed like a dream both on and off-road.
Ridgeline owner here. I have had ram 1500 and f150 I loved the old 1500 but the Ridgeline can do 95% of a 150 o 1500 with less drama and more reliable.
I really think of it as an accord with pick up bed, for all light truck duty as its intended, i think it would do just perfect. If i were a tradesman myself, i would definitely be interested in buying one. However if one views it as an ego boosting gadget... i cant really say anything about it.
I've had them all tacoma, ram, AMC J10, Jeep, 4runner, pathfinder and nothing compares to the Japanese el Camino! It's the most practical vehicle I've owned and the iVtec is fun.
I agree! I have had a bunch of them over the years. The RL has been my overall fav, and overall best vehicle I have ever owned! ( I just sold my 08 with 125,000 miles to my son so he could stop begging me to do so. Replaced with a 21. )
So the Edmunds Death Valley test made me chuckle. See: Ridgeline Death valley Torture test 2017 Not radical mountain climbing offroad- but miles of dirt washboard road. The Tacoma and Frontier blew their shocks. The Ridgline survived with minor injury. A frame on body vs independent suspension has pros and cons- pretty simple. Off road to me is usually a dirt road and some ditches on my ranch. The AWD Ridgeline can handle either much better than my trusty 88 F-150. More clearance would be icing on the cake.
I am so impressed that the Honda made it up Gold Mine Hill. That is the challenge I really wanted to see. If it had all-terrain tires and an auxiliary transmission oil cooler, it might meet all my off road needs, even though it lacks a true lo-range gear.
Most people who buy full size 1/2 & 3/4 ton trucks never use them anywhere close to their potential. They just wanted a big ass truck because it's cool. The Ridgeline is perfect for everyday drivers who need to tow something every now and then. If I need to do or tow something worthy of being a man 🤣, I'll use the borrow the truck of the guy who got the full size because he's probably not using it 🤣
The VTM-4 system in my 2007 Honda Pilot is awesome off-road. I bet this Ridgeline would be awesome off-road too with a 2” lift, all terrain tires, and sway bar disconnects.
I'll wait till the redesign in two years to decide if I like this truck. Those headlights and that front end.. *shakes head*. Square it off a little, push it further away from the Pilot.. and it may have a chance.
perfect truck for a small home landscaper, can fit all the fertilizer and small shovels in the bed, can probably tow the john deer, and the bed has speakers so you can listen to music while working away in someones backyard.
Well...... FIRST OF ALL, you just said "You writing makes me want to scream". So you forgot a letter, and I forgot a letter. when i'm writing something on to paper i use proper punctuation and spelling. with the internet, i could care less, unless its an important email or something. are you my future employer? and if so, do you hire people based on how they don't care about spelling and grammatical rules on youtube in their spare time? ju57 b3 gl@d i a1n7 7yp1n lyk d1zz...... lamo
Donald Weber i'm a human being just like you buddy. At work i do my job promptly and properly, at home i kick back, relax, and be as lazy as i feel like. So if it were for work, i'd type properly, but at home, who gives a fuck.
This is the strongest, longest lasting, most capable truck out there. It pulls Chevys and Fords out of the ditch. It'd pull a Dodge out of the ditch too except the Dodge would pull apart like a flakey biscuit. It won't be long before wings pop out of this thing and a Honda jet engine kicks on the vtec yo and you just fly to your destination, dropping bombs on the big three turds down below.
+Trevor C Yeah, I bought one new in 1994 when I was hunting and fishing the mountains of Montana. It was a great truck. That's what's called a joke on the big three. ^^
+Daniel Bell He referenced the Tacoma, but your reading comprehension is low from being "to cool for school" or handling too much lead at the foundry. I've read your spills, and it sounds like a Jr. High ignorance/speak. If you've got the IQ, which I doubt, then go get an education and learn how to be witty about your writing. You're the one who sounds like a dip shit, you dimwit.
+Daniel Bell Well, Daniel, it's true. The difference between you and me is that I realize I'm not the smartest person on the internet. I come on here to crack a joke and hopefully make people chuckle, and occasionally use referenced facts as a teaching tool. You, however, come on here to be the "smart professor" while we are supposed to be your "stupid students" as you tell us your opinion as though it was facts. You haven't the ability to change your mind when presented with new facts, as this would prove your past assumptions you thought to be facts, wrong. A man that can't change his mind can't change anything. - George Bernard Shaw That's just my medical assessment of your writing/thoughts.
its GREAT to know that 2020 and up got the CRAWL mode, I'm trading up from the 2019 BE to the White Black Edition 2021.... the 019, My First Truck had me wanting More!....New stuff.
I so much wanted to hate this truck. A chopped off Pilot. But man oh man. Honda did such an awesome job with this Ridgeline. It is one of my favorite lifestyle trucks. Yeah. I am a nut for body on frame solid axle whatever, but man I love this truck. I am still looking a Tacoma 4 x 4 TRD, but man this truck just is so good! Glad it made it. Just Awesome!
Vincent Chen just a week ago I test drove a Tacoma followed by the ridgeline... It's a no brainer - this ridgeline is amazing. I, like many others, prefer the look of the Tacoma over this, but once you get behind the wheel, that bias goes away.
A 2-inch lift for one of these is really cheap, and most black-edition owners will install it. Heck, a bunch of dealers are including it that way off the shelf. It would be nice to see that taken into consideration.
I got an amazing deal on mine. I love it it's great yea it doesn't do seious off road but for the majority of truck buyers how many actually do serious offroading??? I traded in my beautiful 370z for this and yea im extremely happy with this beast.
I have gone places and moved things that this could not hope to do. and some damage came with that hardcore offroading. Frame sliding, articulation through ditches, chaining logs this cannot do like my truck...but I bet with a 2" lift it's better in mud and sand than mine. I kindof want one. I want that storage space in the bed!
There will be a small group of weirdos that try to put a lift on this truck and take it off-roading, but 99.9% of these trucks will never be on trails even as challenging as the one TFL just ran it up. It looks like it would have had an easier time with chunkier tires, but that clearance, though. Scrape, scrape, scrape = $$$!
Ryan Kiefer True. Very few people who need some extra practicality or light duty towing need to do serious off-road. It's better on the roads, where people spent almost 100% of the time. Those who don't would have bought a Tacoma.
1-2 inches would make it very usable up logging roads. BUt you are correct. this is the kind of "truck" that the average person SHOULD have. For something more offroad worthy get the first Gen
Honda themselves state in the 2017 Ridgeline manual that this vehicle is not suitable for anything other than on-road or dirt road conditions. If you burn the tranny up on a logging trail, you could quite easily be on the hook for repairs, warranty be damned.
Most people can't afford or have the garage space for an SUV, Jeep, and 4X4 truck. The Honda Ridgeline is a good combination of those 3 that works good enough. It is extremely comfortable and reliable. I have a 2006 with 270,000 miles on it and it drives like the day I bought it. Even the leather seats still look good after 11 years and 270,000 miles. I drive from Colorado to California every couple months and it is comfortable over long distances. I wouldn't want to drive a Rubicon that far. I've also driven my 2006 on a lot of dirt roads, snow, and in desert sandy washes. The rear independent suspension is great in sand. I just bought a 2018 model but kept my 2006. Hey it still has a couple 100,000 miles left in it. I bought the 2018 because of the features like adaptive cruise control that virtually allows the truck to drive itself. I was surprised when a little late going into a turn on the freeway the truck just turned itself. If you want a truck that you can still drive years after it's paid-off get a Honda Ridgeline.
Great review. I am looking to replace my 2015 Subaru Outback. After 3 generations of Subaru I am parting with the brand. I live in north USA and got stuck in 6 inches of snow 2 times last winter (General Altimax winter tires). Seems every generation Subaru AWD becomes less and less capable. I noticed my Outback did pretty poorly when snow was frozen and car just fell through top layer. The car was not scraping bottom but still no movement. I tried x-mode, no x-mode, in vain.... I had to dig car out before it could move. I know some Subaru owners feelings will be hurt but it is what it is. And Subaru not giving car to TFL for test tells you something. My wife 2013 Legacy 6-sp manual, was not impressive in frozen snow either. To me frozen snow on the top with loose snow below it is similar to sand. So I can see why both cars had so much trouble in those conditions. I use to own 1999 Legacy SW and that thing was winter beast. I started doing more winter off-road in the last couple years and need car that is more capable that Outback. From my research everything points out to Toyota Tacoma and Honda Ridgeline (2nd choice). I want something reliable hence Chevy and Ford are out. Jeep Wrangler was my 1st choice but having family safety is important to me and Wrangler is not the best in that area. Keep doing good work guys. Those are just cars and have fun with them.
In many ways I kinda like that the Ridgeline isn't too offroad focused, some buyers don't really go offroad and the more options in the segment the better!
Thanks for testing this truck on a fairly difficult trail. I always thought that this truck might benefit from a select-able granny low gear but maybe not! Maybe just better tires with a taller sidewall and one inch lift is all it needs for light off road travel for camping, fishing and hunting. Plus, a factory installed trailer brake control.
I've had a 2017 TRD Taco and now a Ridgeline (Japanese El Camino). The Taco is no comparison to the Ridgeline for 90% of your tasks however, that 10% of "offroading" that people do well, Taco wins. Both are nice vehicles you just have to ask yourself, do I want a true offroader that sucks most everywhere else or a smarter, roomier, wider, higher payload, more practical, equally dependable "truck"?
The ridgeline’s an interesting vehicle. I don’t understand the hate for it, but I also don’t understand why people keep trying to turn it into something it’s not. This thing is a great city truck for someone who is only worried about dirt roads and snow but wants something comfortable with a bed. If you’re doing any kind of serious off roading this thing shouldn’t be on your shopping list, it wasn’t built for that. That doesn’t mean it’s a piece of crap though.
I'm curious why is it that the pilot with the same AWD system struggled so much compared to this? I know the ridgeline is higher off the ground by about 5 inches but is that what made the difference?
Honestly small lift kit and some beefier tires and you have an amazing off roader. I hate that the USA doesn't get the better awd small trucks like the Volkswagen amrok or navarra
You are correct. For one, it's too low. The other is the size. This thing is almost as big as a full size and the tires are 245 50 series when most mid size has 265 60. Some owners put 2" level kits or 2" "lift" kits all around and put 265 which makes it look better and balanced in appearance. But it takes away some of the comfort and mpg.
Most people won’t use their “beast” of a truck for anything but hauling a built in tool bed a fishing boat. If you can drive the ridge line can do almost anything. 2017 owner.
Hey guys please test the new 2020 with the new zf9 AT. 1st gear is now a 20:1 crawl ratio instead of 13:1. Just curious if it makes it easier grabbing traction or if its the clutch pack limitation. Putting a better crawl rate though makes me think they may have beefed it all up a bit.
It's rather baffling that there isn't a gravel setting. I think the best bet would be mud for this trail though. Sand usually doesn't suffer from as low grip, so mud mode is something to try on loose dirt and gravel. Thanks for the review!
Is it possible to try to get up gold mine hill in a 2006 Honda Ridgeline or 2006 Honda pilot and try it's vtm-4? I'd let you use my Ridgeline but I'm to far away.
I think people miss the point of this truck it's made for the guy like me that likes the advantage of a truck bed with decent towing and off roading capability but built for comfort and city life. I'm weekend camping warrior that utilities fair to well maintained grated roads but does alot of city driving. This truck fits this kind of lifestyle. Great truck Honda!
I took my 17 RTL-T with AWD up a sawmill road in the hills of Vermont this winter. There were plenty of steep inclines covered with hard packed snow and ice, and not once did it lose traction.
Nathan, something I have wondered in both this test and the Pilot test: Did you use VTM-4 LOCK? Or did you avoid that in order to see what it would do without it? (Is that even still available on the newer trucks?) Or does Sand mode( which I think they used) automatically switch to VTM-4 Lock? If you were not putting it in VTM-4 Lock for whatever reason, seems like it would really be handicapped, though it still handled it OK. Also, is this trail as tough as the one they used in the mash-up against 3 other trucks where the Ridgeline transmission overheated?
That would suck if they were. If they could even convince a few of their 271k subscribers who were on the fence to buy one with this review it would more than pay for itself.
Has this been attempted with a 2020 or later with the German ZF 9-speed transaxle? I know the RTL-E, Touring, and Black Edition are equipped with the heavier duty transaxle cooler.
@@reyperez3424 I believe the Sport and RTL remove “heavy duty” since those have the standard capacity cooler. Unless that’s changed with newer models? When I bought mine, many of the window stickers didn’t list “heavy duty cooler” as an option. Which is why I stuck with the RTL-E, and I wanted the power outlet in the bed.
All i keep thinking is suburu baja just alittle bigger . Subaru should have done a 50/50 like they did on the brz. Would make a great addition to there offerings
Nathan, i have a 2011 ridgeline. Stock no mods. I live in fort collins. we should compare 1st gen to 2nd gen and you can use my truck! have a comparisson somewhere in colorado! could it be done?
Jonathan Decker If you're serious, send a request to Andre and Roman - info@tflcar.com - but the weather is catching up and snow is falling. We may not get another crack at the same surface conditions for some time.
A guy on the Ridgeline forum drove both the G1 and G2 Ridgeline on a beach and said the new Ridgeline was much better in the sand than the old generation. Not sure how it would translate to rock-crawling. The G1 is a great vehicle though!
I just "downgraded" from a '14 Tundra TRD Off-Road to a '19 Ridgeline Black Edition. Yes, I did look at the Tacoma and like I said to my Toyota salesman "I didn't need the Tundra and I didn't want the Tacoma". The more I drive my Ridgeline, the more I'm sure I made the right choice. I only need to tow a 3500 lbs Travel Trailer and I mostly drive on pavement, like most trucks. And boy are all the bells & whistles nice! #TrunkInTheBed
My sentiments exactly. I went from Tacoma to Tundra and later didn't want to go back to a cramped Tacoma and Toyota had messed with its looks trying for the macho big and boxy. Mileage was also a critical factor.
I'd love for you guys to run this trail again with some all-terrain tires on the Ridgeline. So far, every off-road capability test runs it with stock (or otherwise all-season) tires. Any chance?
look we all know this is in no way an off road monster.. but on pavement this truck is incredible. faster, better handling, better on gas, much more quiet. plus it has all the creature comforts you can ever want in a mid size truck.. I agree I wish it had a more aggressive look. but its a honda and we all know honda an extremely conservative company especially in body style.. I will probably get one. the price is what's going to hurt
Ha he said tool! Nice review. I think the 80/20 street bias makes sense for this "truck" - and that many will fine the capabilities more than enough for them. I'm thinking this replaces my Lexus RX400H. I get near luxury SUV manners decent mileage, and the capability to tow my little boat. Ive been looking at your Ridglene tests and dont see any Autopilot tests, and I missing it, did you just not get to testing it, or not get a model wth this feature? Merry Christmas Roman, Andre, Nathan, and Mr. Truck. Uncle Dave
What's the big red button on the dash @ 1:34? If you press it does it activate the touch screen to show directions to a dealership that sells real trucks? lol J/K.
People make much ado about this truck's minivan connections, but think about it: a minivan is hard to make strong with so many holes in the structure for all the large doors and glass.
To use your words, "a minivan is hard to make strong" because it DOESN'T HAVE A FRAME. And neither does this. There are plenty of full size vans, with just as many "holes in the structure", that could smoke this clown car, all because they have an actual frame underneath.
I'd like to see the off road test where someone finds an old wrecked Odyssey, takes a Sawzall to the roof and compares it against the RL. I get the feeling that it will come out pretty close.
Get real why would you take a 40000$ vehicle out in the sticks to scratch the paint and tear off all the plastic. If your a serious offroader buy an old jeep or 4x4,fix it up and have fun without car payments!
Unfortunately, my Silverado cost more than $40k. It's a work tool and like a lot of truck owners I did not buy it as a beauty queen to wax and admire. I bought my truck because I needed it to do a job and go places reliably. Old jeeps and junker 4x4's will strand you or cost time and money to keep repaired.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #30 ДВА В ОДНОМ [Один человек]• Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nrXy15orKhY/mqdefault.jpg)
If I've learned anything is that the people of the internet can NEVER be satisfied. Before the new Ridgeline came out all I heard was how people wanted a simple truck that was reminiscent of an El Camino that wasn't a hardcore off roader nor a work truck. Just wanted something that rode well on the street and could haul a few things if needed, something practical. Then the new Ridgeline comes out which kind of fits the bill and all I heard are people complaining that it sucks off road, it doesn't tow/haul enough, it's not a work truck blah blah blah. People and their opinions (and they all have one) can never be satisfied. They all want a truck that drives like a Cadillac, tows like an F350, as fast as a GTR, goes off road like a Rubicon and oh yeah has the MPG of a Prius. Sorry people of the internet, that car/truck does not exist and will never exist. This truck isn't for me and I won't buy it but I can at least see a market for it. /rant
Welcome, to the wonderful world of minivans!
Finally someone spoke the truth! Thanks a million, even if that truck existed there would probably that someone that would not be satisfied with that magic truck they would find something negative even then!
so TRUE!
Gazziza29 need a new g wagon hybrid version then convert to a truck to achieve that. pice at least 300K ：：）
Gazziza29 that all sounds like an opinion to me.....
J/K you are spot on, and I still love my 17' Ridgeline.
Just bought one yesterday. I got the 2020 RTL-E. It rides like a dream.
Same here! Went to buy a Tacoma, test drove both ended up buying the Honda.
2005 Ridgeline owner here. 265,000+ miles and still going strong. AWD still works great when having to go off-road every so often. I'd buy a new one, but my original Ridgeline is still alive and kickin'!
He just did more "off roading" than most people ever will in their fully accessorized "real trucks".
That's why it doesn't make any sense when people make fun of it. Are they scared that it's a decent truck?
Ross Jenkins, you are correct, sir
People dont want to admit something different works just as well if not better on certain things
It's not a truck. And a Subaru would probably do better.
Apples and oranges
I've had my 2019 RTL- T for a month. Incredible vehicle overall. I've towed my 20 foot boat with ease, pallets with 60 bags of mulch, and a trailer loaded with appliances and trash. It's a workhorse truck. And, it drives and feels like a luxury sports car on the road. If you can't get on board with this overall great vehicle it's because you don't want to. We live near the beach, so traversing mountainside trails won't happen, but it's nice to see it can.
watching this in 2022 again and am still grateful for the few videos from this time that have no Roman sightings - thus allowing the vehicles to be what they are instead of projecting his own inadequacies onto them.
Very practical truck. Most people will use it as a daily driver and that is where it excels.
CleanFun It's almost like Honda knew this... And shockingly it's exactly what they give their customers.
I hauled home 1200 lbs of bricks from Lowe's(or maybe more, it was exactly whatever the max load rating was, with 2 passengers). I drove slow and easy in my G1 08, but it did fine. And on recent snow and ice, it did as good or better than anything I ever owned. But of course, it does not have the clearance of my Toyota trucks or 4Runners, nor do I have off road rated tires on it. But all in all my old G1 has been amazing.
I can respect that you guys are giving it a fair shake, even with the early "But its a car" jokes when it was first released.
I think for majority of the people, this truck will serve them well. Its not the super hardcore truck, but most people don't need that.
As a new Ridgeline owner, I'm really impressed about how it did on Gold Mine Hill, given that it was never designed to be an off-road vehicle.
I love my 2017 Ridgeline... best vehicle EVER!
I think the truck did great
I bought a 2019 RTL-E. Im from a Texan family of ranchers, fisherman, and hunters. This keeps up with all the Fords, Toyotas, and Chevys in regards to work trucking. But for our long hauls guess which one they prefer for comfort and efficiency.....my Ridgeline.
I have the 06 Honda Ridgeline and absolutely love it. From watching a few review I think that my 4wd works a little better off-road and figures out the traction better. I didn't notice once we put proper truck mud/snow tires on it the Ridgeline preformed like a dream both on and off-road.
The 2017 Honda Ridgeline Black edition suprized me going up Gold mine hill. Nice job Nathan!!
Ridgeline owner here. I have had ram 1500 and f150 I loved the old 1500 but the Ridgeline can do 95% of a 150 o 1500 with less drama and more reliable.
Nathan done a good job with this review.
This thing is really growing on me.
It's cancer, see a doctor before it spreads.
Lol, u might need to amputated it.
I think I'll keep it. Its kinda nice lol.
I really think of it as an accord with pick up bed, for all light truck duty as its intended, i think it would do just perfect.
If i were a tradesman myself, i would definitely be interested in buying one.
However if one views it as an ego boosting gadget... i cant really say anything about it.
Oh there's something growing on me alright 🙈
I've had them all tacoma, ram, AMC J10, Jeep, 4runner, pathfinder and nothing compares to the Japanese el Camino! It's the most practical vehicle I've owned and the iVtec is fun.
I agree! I have had a bunch of them over the years. The RL has been my overall fav, and overall best vehicle I have ever owned! ( I just sold my 08 with 125,000 miles to my son so he could stop begging me to do so. Replaced with a 21. )
So the Edmunds Death Valley test made me chuckle. See: Ridgeline Death valley Torture test 2017
Not radical mountain climbing offroad- but miles of dirt washboard road. The Tacoma and Frontier blew their shocks. The Ridgline survived with minor injury. A frame on body vs independent suspension has pros and cons- pretty simple. Off road to me is usually a dirt road and some ditches on my ranch. The AWD Ridgeline can handle either much better than my trusty 88 F-150. More clearance would be icing on the cake.
Ridgeline blew its shocks
@@Mike-gz4xn Ridgeline had 1 shock leak. The Tacoma and other truck burned up(melted) multiple shocks.
I am so impressed that the Honda made it up Gold Mine Hill. That is the challenge I really wanted to see. If it had all-terrain tires and an auxiliary transmission oil cooler, it might meet all my off road needs, even though it lacks a true lo-range gear.
This truck was exactly what I was asking for. I need a bed, and I would like good mpg. This truck satisfies that. 26 mpg is awesome in a truck omg.
Most people who buy full size 1/2 & 3/4 ton trucks never use them anywhere close to their potential. They just wanted a big ass truck because it's cool. The Ridgeline is perfect for everyday drivers who need to tow something every now and then.
If I need to do or tow something worthy of being a man 🤣, I'll use the borrow the truck of the guy who got the full size because he's probably not using it 🤣
You ok Nathan? Seem quiet for you. Thanks for another great review!
The VTM-4 system in my 2007 Honda Pilot is awesome off-road. I bet this Ridgeline would be awesome off-road too with a 2” lift, all terrain tires, and sway bar disconnects.
I'll wait till the redesign in two years to decide if I like this truck. Those headlights and that front end.. *shakes head*. Square it off a little, push it further away from the Pilot.. and it may have a chance.
A CITY daily driver truck done right! Kudos honda
I am totally falling in love with this truck!
This is a great truck! I wish they made the interior with more wood, chrome, and aluminum though. Also an extra 5" of ground clearance would be nice.
perfect truck for a small home landscaper, can fit all the fertilizer and small shovels in the bed, can probably tow the john deer, and the bed has speakers so you can listen to music while working away in someones backyard.
Your writing makes me want to scream. Do you not know what the hell the shift key does? And it's John Deere. Go back to school!
Well...... FIRST OF ALL, you just said "You writing makes me want to scream". So you forgot a letter, and I forgot a letter.
when i'm writing something on to paper i use proper punctuation and spelling. with the internet, i could care less, unless its an important email or something. are you my future employer? and if so, do you hire people based on how they don't care about spelling and grammatical rules on youtube in their spare time? ju57 b3 gl@d i a1n7 7yp1n lyk d1zz...... lamo
DreadlockDrummer So you're lazy. Got it. And yes, if I were hiring someone, the way they wrote would be a consideration.
Donald Weber i'm a human being just like you buddy. At work i do my job promptly and properly, at home i kick back, relax, and be as lazy as i feel like. So if it were for work, i'd type properly, but at home, who gives a fuck.
the fuck?...... hell no
This is the strongest, longest lasting, most capable truck out there. It pulls Chevys and Fords out of the ditch. It'd pull a Dodge out of the ditch too except the Dodge would pull apart like a flakey biscuit. It won't be long before wings pop out of this thing and a Honda jet engine kicks on the vtec yo and you just fly to your destination, dropping bombs on the big three turds down below.
Troy Strain I'm afraid you've confused the ridgeline with the Tacoma.
+Trevor C Yeah, I bought one new in 1994 when I was hunting and fishing the mountains of Montana. It was a great truck. That's what's called a joke on the big three. ^^
Ah hell, someone left the idiot asylum door unlocked. Someone call Honda and tell them their puppet got loose again!
+Daniel Bell He referenced the Tacoma, but your reading comprehension is low from being "to cool for school" or handling too much lead at the foundry. I've read your spills, and it sounds like a Jr. High ignorance/speak. If you've got the IQ, which I doubt, then go get an education and learn how to be witty about your writing. You're the one who sounds like a dip shit, you dimwit.
+Daniel Bell Well, Daniel, it's true. The difference between you and me is that I realize I'm not the smartest person on the internet. I come on here to crack a joke and hopefully make people chuckle, and occasionally use referenced facts as a teaching tool. You, however, come on here to be the "smart professor" while we are supposed to be your "stupid students" as you tell us your opinion as though it was facts. You haven't the ability to change your mind when presented with new facts, as this would prove your past assumptions you thought to be facts, wrong.
A man that can't change his mind can't change anything. - George Bernard Shaw
That's just my medical assessment of your writing/thoughts.
Great review, Nathan! I've been avoiding Ridgeline since it came out. But dagnabbedit, the thing keeps getting my attention.
Would love to see a new video of the 2020 Ridgeline’s 9 speed transmission with the 20:1 crawl ratio handling off-road tasks.
its GREAT to know that 2020 and up got the CRAWL mode, I'm trading up from the 2019 BE to the White Black Edition 2021.... the 019, My First Truck had me wanting More!....New stuff.
I so much wanted to hate this truck. A chopped off Pilot. But man oh man. Honda did such an awesome job with this Ridgeline. It is one of my favorite lifestyle trucks. Yeah. I am a nut for body on frame solid axle whatever, but man I love this truck. I am still looking a Tacoma 4 x 4 TRD, but man this truck just is so good! Glad it made it. Just Awesome!
Vincent Chen d
That truck is over priced junk
Vincent Chen
MAN, DIDN'T GIVE ONE REASON WHY YOU LIKE IT SO MUCH
TRUCKS KINDA UGLY TO BE HONEST.
Cxjoker why is it junk? Because not a Murican truck?
Vincent Chen just a week ago I test drove a Tacoma followed by the ridgeline... It's a no brainer - this ridgeline is amazing. I, like many others, prefer the look of the Tacoma over this, but once you get behind the wheel, that bias goes away.
A 2-inch lift for one of these is really cheap, and most black-edition owners will install it. Heck, a bunch of dealers are including it that way off the shelf. It would be nice to see that taken into consideration.
I got an amazing deal on mine. I love it it's great yea it doesn't do seious off road but for the majority of truck buyers how many actually do serious offroading??? I traded in my beautiful 370z for this and yea im extremely happy with this beast.
I have gone places and moved things that this could not hope to do. and some damage came with that hardcore offroading. Frame sliding, articulation through ditches, chaining logs this cannot do like my truck...but I bet with a 2" lift it's better in mud and sand than mine. I kindof want one. I want that storage space in the bed!
It's definitely not for serious off-road. It's great for pretty much everything else though.
There will be a small group of weirdos that try to put a lift on this truck and take it off-roading, but 99.9% of these trucks will never be on trails even as challenging as the one TFL just ran it up.
It looks like it would have had an easier time with chunkier tires, but that clearance, though. Scrape, scrape, scrape = $$$!
Ryan Kiefer True. Very few people who need some extra practicality or light duty towing need to do serious off-road.
It's better on the roads, where people spent almost 100% of the time. Those who don't would have bought a Tacoma.
1-2 inches would make it very usable up logging roads.
BUt you are correct. this is the kind of "truck" that the average person SHOULD have.
For something more offroad worthy get the first Gen
Honda themselves state in the 2017 Ridgeline manual that this vehicle is not suitable for anything other than on-road or dirt road conditions. If you burn the tranny up on a logging trail, you could quite easily be on the hook for repairs, warranty be damned.
That would be unfortunate because i drag my 2004 Sentra up logging roads. XD
Like I said, I'm picking up mine on Saturday. I can't wait!
Most people can't afford or have the garage space for an SUV, Jeep, and 4X4 truck. The Honda Ridgeline is a good combination of those 3 that works good enough. It is extremely comfortable and reliable. I have a 2006 with 270,000 miles on it and it drives like the day I bought it. Even the leather seats still look good after 11 years and 270,000 miles.
I drive from Colorado to California every couple months and it is comfortable over long distances. I wouldn't want to drive a Rubicon that far. I've also driven my 2006 on a lot of dirt roads, snow, and in desert sandy washes. The rear independent suspension is great in sand.
I just bought a 2018 model but kept my 2006. Hey it still has a couple 100,000 miles left in it. I bought the 2018 because of the features like adaptive cruise control that virtually allows the truck to drive itself. I was surprised when a little late going into a turn on the freeway the truck just turned itself.
If you want a truck that you can still drive years after it's paid-off get a Honda Ridgeline.
I'm curious to see how it would perform with BF Goodrich off road tires instead of the all season tires it comes with.
Great review. I am looking to replace my 2015 Subaru Outback. After 3 generations of Subaru I am parting with the brand. I live in north USA and got stuck in 6 inches of snow 2 times last winter (General Altimax winter tires). Seems every generation Subaru AWD becomes less and less capable. I noticed my Outback did pretty poorly when snow was frozen and car just fell through top layer. The car was not scraping bottom but still no movement. I tried x-mode, no x-mode, in vain.... I had to dig car out before it could move.
I know some Subaru owners feelings will be hurt but it is what it is. And Subaru not giving car to TFL for test tells you something. My wife 2013 Legacy 6-sp manual, was not impressive in frozen snow either. To me frozen snow on the top with loose snow below it is similar to sand. So I can see why both cars had so much trouble in those conditions.
I use to own 1999 Legacy SW and that thing was winter beast.
I started doing more winter off-road in the last couple years and need car that is more capable that Outback.
From my research everything points out to Toyota Tacoma and Honda Ridgeline (2nd choice). I want something reliable hence Chevy and Ford are out. Jeep Wrangler was my 1st choice but having family safety is important to me and Wrangler is not the best in that area.
Keep doing good work guys. Those are just cars and have fun with them.
TFL truck....have yall tried the 1st Gen Ridgeline up gold mine hill? have yall thought about it?
Nathan Spence It would be fun, but it's difficult to pull off.
Would love to see that. 1st gen is a trooper.
we took our 2011 1st gen through cinnamon and engineer pass in colorado and made it!
If you guys do it, make sure you have it in the right setting (VTM4 plus VSA off) to simulate locking diffs
Oh ok. May I ask hiw would be difficult? Borrowing a 1st Gen or the actual testing part of it?
I'm impressed. I didn't think it could make it without more drama
I love my 2018 ridgeline, does everything it should and then some! Haters gonna hate.
What a great little crossover truck, I wanna get one for my wife. It would save some fuel when we don't need the full size truck 👍🏻
I had a Pilot, which is similar. It was a beast in the snow.
REDEMPTION!! Thanks Nathan&Andre
This is very light off roading, but most people don't do more than this. Seems like a good truck
In many ways I kinda like that the Ridgeline isn't too offroad focused, some buyers don't really go offroad and the more options in the segment the better!
Muddyspartan I wish they kept the front end from the first gen
Yeah, I do think it would have looked better with an updated first gen look.
Muddyspartan you are exactly right,loaded up my quad and guns and it got me to hunting camp,very comfortable too,thats all that matters
Thanks for testing this truck on a fairly difficult trail. I always thought that this truck might benefit from a select-able granny low gear but maybe not! Maybe just better tires with a taller sidewall and one inch lift is all it needs for light off road travel for camping, fishing and hunting. Plus, a factory installed trailer brake control.
Such a capable truck and honestly it doesn't look that bad. People just like to hate on Honda
yup, mostly bros who need a truck to let everyone know how tough they are...
I've had a 2017 TRD Taco and now a Ridgeline (Japanese El Camino). The Taco is no comparison to the Ridgeline for 90% of your tasks however, that 10% of "offroading" that people do well, Taco wins. Both are nice vehicles you just have to ask yourself, do I want a true offroader that sucks most everywhere else or a smarter, roomier, wider, higher payload, more practical, equally dependable "truck"?
The ridgeline’s an interesting vehicle. I don’t understand the hate for it, but I also don’t understand why people keep trying to turn it into something it’s not. This thing is a great city truck for someone who is only worried about dirt roads and snow but wants something comfortable with a bed. If you’re doing any kind of serious off roading this thing shouldn’t be on your shopping list, it wasn’t built for that. That doesn’t mean it’s a piece of crap though.
"People trying to turn it into something it's not"...it's what Americans do LOL.
This truck is striking quite the trail with drivers. Will midsize trucks become the norm moving forward in the USA?
A leveling kit and some AT tires would do wonders for this truck. Four wheel independent suspension like a Humvee.
Honda's doing a Great job. TFL you guys Rock.
I'm curious why is it that the pilot with the same AWD system struggled so much compared to this? I know the ridgeline is higher off the ground by about 5 inches but is that what made the difference?
Honestly small lift kit and some beefier tires and you have an amazing off roader. I hate that the USA doesn't get the better awd small trucks like the Volkswagen amrok or navarra
Nice truck, but visually, it seems off dimensionally. Is it too low? Are the wheels too small? Both?
You are correct. For one, it's too low. The other is the size. This thing is almost as big as a full size and the tires are 245 50 series when most mid size has 265 60.
Some owners put 2" level kits or 2" "lift" kits all around and put 265 which makes it look better and balanced in appearance. But it takes away some of the comfort and mpg.
i just watched to see if it overheated again...did you do anything to keep it cool?
They trailered it up there in a blast freezer.
They kept a cooler of liquid O2 handy.
Can you guys get your hands on one with AT tires and lift kit?
I can lend them my 2017 Ridgeline RTL awd. Its equiped with a 1.5 truxxx leveling kit, 265/60R18 BFG Ko2 AT tires, and lower spash guard removed....
lift kit and appropriate tires, it's should be more than capable. Honda engineers did a fantastic job designing the AWD system.
Most people won’t use their “beast” of a truck for anything but hauling a built in tool bed a fishing boat. If you can drive the ridge line can do almost anything.
2017 owner.
Thanks for the vidoes fellas. Keep em coming
Hi Roman and the other guys, please make more vids from Gold mine Hill, greetings from Czech republic....
Hey guys please test the new 2020 with the new zf9 AT. 1st gear is now a 20:1 crawl ratio instead of 13:1. Just curious if it makes it easier grabbing traction or if its the clutch pack limitation. Putting a better crawl rate though makes me think they may have beefed it all up a bit.
I think you guys need to compare it to the old design now
It's rather baffling that there isn't a gravel setting. I think the best bet would be mud for this trail though. Sand usually doesn't suffer from as low grip, so mud mode is something to try on loose dirt and gravel. Thanks for the review!
TFLtruck, do you know how long it took the Ridgeline to cool down when you got overheating warnings in your last offroad test?
Is it possible to try to get up gold mine hill in a 2006 Honda Ridgeline or 2006 Honda pilot and try it's vtm-4? I'd let you use my Ridgeline but I'm to far away.
Nice truck will consider it 👍👍
Famous line - I might have to get into a different mode lmao
Better tires, you bet.... Need the right tools for the JOB..... Great Job dudes!!
What type of tires would you guys recommend for this kind of off-roading, maybe a bit more difficult, that can also be used in snow without issue?
went out and bought one today. it's bitchin.
I think people miss the point of this truck it's made for the guy like me that likes the advantage of a truck bed with decent towing and off roading capability but built for comfort and city life. I'm weekend camping warrior that utilities fair to well maintained grated roads but does alot of city driving. This truck fits this kind of lifestyle. Great truck Honda!
Curious how it performs in decent snow on steep paved surfaces.
Seems more truck than most actually needs.
I took my 17 RTL-T with AWD up a sawmill road in the hills of Vermont this winter. There were plenty of steep inclines covered with hard packed snow and ice, and not once did it lose traction.
I bought one ! Got rid of my Tiguan in 6 months. Bored. LOL.
Hi can you make a review of the new 2020 honda ridgeline? And how is the space in the second row compare to the rest of the mid size truck. Thank you.
you guys do the best reviews!
Nathan, something I have wondered in both this test and the Pilot test: Did you use VTM-4 LOCK? Or did you avoid that in order to see what it would do without it? (Is that even still available on the newer trucks?) Or does Sand mode( which I think they used) automatically switch to VTM-4 Lock? If you were not putting it in VTM-4 Lock for whatever reason, seems like it would really be handicapped, though it still handled it OK. Also, is this trail as tough as the one they used in the mash-up against 3 other trucks where the Ridgeline transmission overheated?
Bill K yes it have stuck mode...
Bill K but i doubt they even know that.... lol
Are you guys on the hook for repairs?? Even small ones?
That would suck if they were. If they could even convince a few of their 271k subscribers who were on the fence to buy one with this review it would more than pay for itself.
Has this been attempted with a 2020 or later with the German ZF 9-speed transaxle?
I know the RTL-E, Touring, and Black Edition are equipped with the heavier duty transaxle cooler.
All 9spd AWD have transmission cooler as Standard Feature
@@reyperez3424 I believe the Sport and RTL remove “heavy duty” since those have the standard capacity cooler. Unless that’s changed with newer models? When I bought mine, many of the window stickers didn’t list “heavy duty cooler” as an option. Which is why I stuck with the RTL-E, and I wanted the power outlet in the bed.
All i keep thinking is suburu baja just alittle bigger . Subaru should have done a 50/50 like they did on the brz. Would make a great addition to there offerings
Nathan, i have a 2011 ridgeline. Stock no mods. I live in fort collins. we should compare 1st gen to 2nd gen and you can use my truck! have a comparisson somewhere in colorado! could it be done?
Jonathan Decker If you're serious, send a request to Andre and Roman - info@tflcar.com - but the weather is catching up and snow is falling. We may not get another crack at the same surface conditions for some time.
A guy on the Ridgeline forum drove both the G1 and G2 Ridgeline on a beach and said the new Ridgeline was much better in the sand than the old generation. Not sure how it would translate to rock-crawling. The G1 is a great vehicle though!
I love this test please test everything on this so I can pick out my next SUV !!
It’s the best SUV you can buy and I love mine!!
Wouldn’t it be the same result as the Honda Pilot you tested?
Any tires with more tread would have minimized the tire spin. The street tires, as mentioned, are the limiting factor.
replacing rear diff with 2 clutches means: If you are pressing the gas , front wheels are spinning and rears don´t, the clutches are BURNING
I just "downgraded" from a '14 Tundra TRD Off-Road to a '19 Ridgeline Black Edition. Yes, I did look at the Tacoma and like I said to my Toyota salesman "I didn't need the Tundra and I didn't want the Tacoma". The more I drive my Ridgeline, the more I'm sure I made the right choice. I only need to tow a 3500 lbs Travel Trailer and I mostly drive on pavement, like most trucks. And boy are all the bells & whistles nice! #TrunkInTheBed
My sentiments exactly. I went from Tacoma to Tundra and later didn't want to go back to a cramped Tacoma and Toyota had messed with its looks trying for the macho big and boxy. Mileage was also a critical factor.
Most truck owners don't know what they're missing...excellent mpg and comfort all around.
I'd love for you guys to run this trail again with some all-terrain tires on the Ridgeline. So far, every off-road capability test runs it with stock (or otherwise all-season) tires. Any chance?
Is this trail also called Switzerland Trail or am I thinking of a different one?
look we all know this is in no way an off road monster.. but on pavement this truck is incredible. faster, better handling, better on gas, much more quiet. plus it has all the creature comforts you can ever want in a mid size truck.. I agree I wish it had a more aggressive look. but its a honda and we all know honda an extremely conservative company especially in body style.. I will probably get one. the price is what's going to hurt
Conservative??? Have you seen the civic type R!!!
completely agree
Did you get the Transmission overheating warning again?
Ha he said tool! Nice review.
I think the 80/20 street bias makes sense for this "truck" - and that many will fine the capabilities more than enough for them.
I'm thinking this replaces my Lexus RX400H. I get near luxury SUV manners decent mileage, and the capability to tow my little boat.
Ive been looking at your Ridglene tests and dont see any Autopilot tests, and I missing it, did you just not get to testing it, or not get a model wth this feature?
Merry Christmas Roman, Andre, Nathan, and Mr. Truck.
Uncle Dave
What's the big red button on the dash @ 1:34? If you press it does it activate the touch screen to show directions to a dealership that sells real trucks? lol J/K.
People make much ado about this truck's minivan connections, but think about it: a minivan is hard to make strong with so many holes in the structure for all the large doors and glass.
To use your words, "a minivan is hard to make strong" because it DOESN'T HAVE A FRAME. And neither does this. There are plenty of full size vans, with just as many "holes in the structure", that could smoke this clown car, all because they have an actual frame underneath.
"A minivan is hard to make strong" is the point because the odyssey actually has a pretty strong structure in spite off all that.
+Daniel Bell The Ford Fusion doesn't have a frame. So it's pure minivan junk according to your logic.
Troy Strain What the hell are you talking about a Fusion for, you stupid fuck?
Is gold mine hill a good trail for a first time off road trail?
Also I just gotta laugh. Your talking about all these modes that truck needs to be able to work off road. I just need 1 mode, 4x4
I'd like to see the off road test where someone finds an old wrecked Odyssey, takes a Sawzall to the roof and compares it against the RL. I get the feeling that it will come out pretty close.
Get real why would you take a 40000$ vehicle out in the sticks to scratch the paint and tear off all the plastic. If your a serious offroader buy an old jeep or 4x4,fix it up and have fun without car payments!
Why would you? Thats very simple. Its their money :P
At least its not a Ford Raptor.
Unfortunately, my Silverado cost more than $40k. It's a work tool and like a lot of truck owners I did not buy it as a beauty queen to wax and admire. I bought my truck because I needed it to do a job and go places reliably. Old jeeps and junker 4x4's will strand you or cost time and money to keep repaired.
In this case: purely to test its capabilities. If it can do this it is capable of most anything a sane owner would throw at it.
That's why you get the old crappy 4x4s to offroad, because they're cheap and it doesn't matter if you break them.
***** It's not like you use it as a daily driver. Just for off road.