Used 2023 Honda Ridgeline

Sharing a foundation with the excellent Honda Pilot midsize SUV, the 2023 Ridgeline pickup has a unibody (or one-piece) construction. Most rivals employ the time-honored body-on-frame approach. That’s great for towing and for rugged off-road antics, not so good on an everyday basis when there’s the school run and/or the commute to tackle.

A lot of midsize trucks are bought for work; the Ridgeline is more for play. The bed isn’t tremendously big, but it can hold surfboards, camping gear, ski gear… all that kind of stuff.

As such, the 2023 Ridgeline has its own special appeal with a pleasant, SUV-like driving experience. The fact that it’s made by Honda brings reassurance to the decision-making.

Civilized and easy to live with during the week, ready for road trips and adventures come the weekend, the 2023 Ridgeline could easily be the sole family vehicle. As long as it’s a family that’s going to use and appreciate the pickup bed behind them.

It’s easy to forget the Ridgeline is a midsize truck and not an SUV, because it sure drives like an SUV. An independent rear suspension means a much better ride quality than old-school leaf springs. Yet the Ridgeline can still cope with a maximum payload of 1,583 pounds, roughly the weight of a cow.

Fortunately, the engine’s 262 lb-ft of torque is sufficient to get things moving. And the transmission has shift paddles mounted behind the steering wheel, for those times when the driver wants to change gears instead of just leaving the automatic setup to its own devices.

Standard all-wheel drive, snow/sand/mud modes, and ground clearance of 7.64 inches also contribute to off-road ability. A dirt road should present no problems.

The Ridgeline’s classy SUV roots come through in this roomy and refined 5-seater cabin. Standard active noise cancellation helps keep it nice and quiet.

Rear legroom of 36.7 inches is probably adequate for younger family members. These rear seats also have extra tricks. They can provide under-cushion storage, or flip up to create enough space for a bicycle.

All 2023 Ridgeline trims have an 8-inch high-resolution infotainment touchscreen. We’d still be more inclined, however, to stretch at least to the RTL version (almost $42K) for the heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, blind-spot monitoring, and a few other extras.

Available only as a crew cab with the usual four doors, the 2023 Ridgeline midsize truck also has one bed length of 5.3 feet.

That might just take a couple of dirt bikes — as long as the tailgate stays down, which stretches accommodations to 6.9 feet. The distance between the rear wheel wells is a whisker over 4 feet.

A spray-in bed liner is unnecessary, as the cargo area floor is made of a scratch-resistant/dent-resistant composite. It also houses eight heavy-duty tie-down cleats.

Every version of the 2023 Ridgeline pickup runs on 18-inch alloy wheels. The mid-range RTL and RTL-E trims have them finished in Pewter Gray, and the top Black Edition goes for gloss black (unsurprisingly).

1. Tri-zone automatic climate control
Every new Ridgeline truck comes with this as standard. It’s the kind of thing more often found in luxury vehicles and helps keep everyone on board as comfortable as possible.

2. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Smartphone integration is another standard feature across the 2023 Ridgeline range. This allows users to run certain apps through the vehicle’s infotainment system.

3. Convenient 2-way tailgate
Like most tailgates, it flips down (and can take 300 pounds sitting on it). But then it does this trick where it can open from the side instead.

4. Lockable in-bed trunk
Precious items are kept secure and out of sight in this 7.3-cubic foot storage area beneath the actual bed.

5. Truck bed audio system
The RTL-E and Black Edition versions of the 2023 Ridgeline come with speakers in the bed. This could be the life of the tailgate party.

6. Truck bed power outlet
Another feature in the top two trims, this might provide the juice for some lighting or a laptop.

Honda deploys a smooth-running 3.5-liter V6 in every 2023 Ridgeline truck. It makes 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque on a supply of regular gasoline. This output goes to all four wheels through a 9-speed automatic transmission.

To help save a little fuel, the engine has a stop/restart function and can also deactivate a cylinder or two when possible.

Maximum towing capacity is 5,000 pounds. If we were talking about a midsize SUV here, then that amount would be normal. Midsize pickups, though, are a different ballgame. The Ford Ranger can tow 7,500 pounds, the Jeep Gladiator can pull 7,650 pounds.

3.5-liter V6
280 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
262 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg