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2025 Subaru Impreza Review2023 Honda Ridgeline Review
The 2023 Honda Ridgeline packs excellent ride quality and impressive handling. This review looks deeper into interior options, trim levels, and more.
2023 Honda Ridgeline – hondanews.com | Shop 2023 Honda Ridgeline on Carsforsale.com
What’s new for the 2023 Honda Ridgeline?
Not much has changed for the 2023 Honda Ridgeline. Largely a carryover from its refresh in 2021, this second-generation Honda Ridgeline is available in four different trims and features a single powertrain option that includes a V6 engine, nine-speed automatic and standard AWD.
The Breakdown
Best-in-class handling
Excellent build quality
Clever storage
Underwhelming engine
Only one cabin/bed configuration
Middling fuel economy
We want a bigger infotainment screen
2023 Ridgeline Specs
- 280 horsepower from base engine
- 262 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 4 available trims
- 34 cu-ft of bed cargo capacity
- 7.3 cu-ft of bed trunk cargo capacity
- 5,000-lb towing capacity
- 8-inch infotainment system
- Standard automatic emergency braking
- 3-year limited warranty coverage
2023 Honda Ridgeline Powertrain
Pop the hood of the Honda Ridgeline and you’ll find a 3.5-liter V6 engine. It makes 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque and then sends it to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. That’s the same one from last year and it’s a middling package in this market.
Rivals from GMC and Jeep offer more power and more capability off-road but there’s a catch. None of the Ridgeline’s rivals can keep up when it comes to on-road ride quality.
That’s thanks in part to its historically good unibody design which employs an almost car-like suspension setup. The result is a midsize truck with great steering, outstanding ride control, and impressive braking capability. We get that there will be some who dismiss the Ridgeline because it can’t compete off-road but the truth is that the vast majority of truck owners don’t go off-road, so prioritizing on-road manners makes a lot more sense.
Towing & Payload
The 2023 Honda Ridgeline can tow up to 5,000 pounds. It’s worth noting that Honda suggests running premium fuel anytime owners tow more than 3,500 pounds. That’s well below rivals like the GMC Canyon or the Ford Ranger. At the same time, it can handle some 1,583 pounds of payload capacity which is competitive in the segment.
2023 Honda Ridgeline Fuel Economy & MPG
As the Ridgeline features just a single drivetrain, the entire lineup gets the same EPA rating. That stands at 18 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway for a combined 21 mpg. That’s neither the best nor the worst in the mid-sized pickup truck segment. Vehicles like the diesel-equipped Chevrolet Colorado do considerably better.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Honda has equipped the Ridgeline with a high-quality and rugged cabin. While many features are finished with harder plastics we really like the fit and finish throughout the space. Not only does it look nice but it should be easy to clean too. The sound-reducing windshield on the RTL adds a layer of comfort and the seating is good throughout. The rear seats fold upward in the same manner that Honda’s ‘magic seat’ does in the Civic or HR-V.
The Ridgeline only comes as a full four-door truck with a 5.3-foot bed. While that might be a tough pill for some to swallow, it’s the only pickup in the segment that can fit a full 4×8-sheet of building material flat in the bed once the tailgate is down. Additionally, a lockable weather-proof storage space rests just below the main bed floor.
Entertainment & Technology
Across the Ridgeline lineup, buyers will get an 8-inch infotainment system that finally features a physical volume knob. The user interface looks nice and is easy to navigate though we do wish there was a larger screen option though. Many rivals offer 10-inch screens or bigger and so the one here feels a bit small in everyday use.
What’s nice is that Honda equips the central control stack with easy-to-use climate control buttons. The HVAC system works quietly and quickly too. The Ridgeline’s biggest party trick is its truck bed audio system: its bed can double as a speaker! Actuators in the bed vibrate to produce a sound that’s surprisingly good. It’s not perfectly crisp but it’s an awesome party aid.
Safety Features
Every Ridgeline comes with adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, and automated emergency braking. It hasn’t won any safety accolades from the IIHS but the NHTSA did give it a five-star crash-test rating.
2023 Honda Ridgeline Trims & Pricing
Sport – $40,095
The base Ridgeline starts out with 18-inch wheels, keyless entry, automatic tri-zone climate control, an 8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, seven speakers, LED headlights, and a class III trailer hitch. Every Ridgeline also comes with forward collision mitigation, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control.
RTL – $43,075
The RTL adds a sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a power-sliding rear window, leather upholstery, driver’s seat memory settings, blind-spot warning, a noise-reducing front windshield, and satellite radio.
RTL-E – $46,025
Technology is the focus of the RTL-E. It gets a heated steering wheel, automatic lock after the driver walks away, ambient interior lighting, LED bed lighting, second-row USB power ports, parking sensors, a wireless device charger, integrated navigation, a bed-based audio system, and automatic high-beam headlights.
Black Edition – $47,525
The top trim gets black trim, black wheels, red interior ambient lighting, and black leather upholstery with red accents.
Warranties
Honda offers what amounts to the most basic warranty package in the segment. It covers the truck with a limited warranty for three years or 36,000 miles and the powertrain for five years or 60,000 miles. You can’t buy another truck in the segment with less coverage but you can buy one with more. Jeep offers three years of unlimited-mileage complimentary maintenance with every Gladiator.
What we think
2023 Honda Ridgeline – hondanews.com | Shop 2023 Honda Ridgeline on Carsforsale.com
Those that need a truck of this size but don’t go very far off-road should strongly consider the Honda Ridgeline. Not only is it the best to drive but it’s also fully equipped with advanced driver aids. Those are two qualities sorely lacking from every other truck in this space and we applaud Honda for its efforts on this truck.
Honda also has some new car incentives going on right now. Still, if you need something that can go where the road runs out and get back without issue, other trucks will do that job better.
