Few trucks can offer the conveniences of a truck with the comfort of an SUV, but Ridgeline manages to accomplish its ease and style. Just like the Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, and Ford Ranger, the Ridgeline is built with a unit body design, and makes the most of every feature and perk that comes along with this design. On top of that, it’s still able to tow a respectable 5,000 lbs, making this both an attractive and capable truck.
What’s New for 2020?
Honda completely overhauled the Ridgeline for 2017, so think of 2020 as the fourth year of that generation. This year we get a new nine-speed automatic transmission and more standard features like the Honda Sensing suite of safety features and an 8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The trim levels have been streamlined to just four options (Sport, RTL, RTL-E, Black Edition).
Towing, Hauling, and Truck Bed
As stated previously, the 2020 Honda Ridgeline can tow up to 5,000 pounds. That’s the equivalent of a 20-foot powerboat. If you want to get that figure, be sure to go for the all-wheel drive transmission, since the rear-wheel variant can tow only 3,500 pounds. There’s also a payload capacity of 1,580 pounds and a bed that measures 5 feet and 4 inches in length. That’s smaller than half-ton pickup trucks but comparable to compact pickups like the Ford Ranger.
Standard Features
We’ve already mentioned the newly standard Honda Sensing suite—adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation and automatic emergency braking—and 8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. What else is standard on the 2020 Honda Ridgeline? Plenty. Pop the hood on any Ridgeline and you’ll find a 3.5-liter V6 engine good for 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. There’s also dual-action tailgate, eight tie-down cleats, truck bed lights, in-bed trunk, and Intelligent Traction Management. On the interior, there’s active noise cancellation, hill-start assist, rearview camera, push-button start, tri-zone automatic climate control with filtration, audio system with subwoofer, and Bluetooth for phone and music streaming.
That Interior
One of the things we like about the 2020 Honda Ridgeline is something its detractors probably don’t. It’s a lot like a sport utility vehicle. Nowhere is that more obvious than inside the cabin. This is a spacious, comfortable space with families in mind. There are five seats on two rows and rear seat passengers will enjoy more head- and legroom than almost any other truck in this class. Armrests, center console, rear-seat 60/40 split, and more remind us of the Ridgeline’s roots, in a good way. And the interior design is good, with above-average materials and nice fit and finish. The 2020 Honda Ridgeline really is like the best of both worlds.
*Any MPG listed is based on model year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (hybrid only) and other factors. For additional information about EPA ratings, visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/label/learn-more-PHEV-label.shtml.
** Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program. Model tested with standard side airbags (SABs). For additional information on the 5-Star Safety Ratings program, please visit www.safercar.gov.