SALT LAKE CITY — The Honda Ridgeline debuted as a 2006 model and brought unique touches to the mid-size truck market. Chevy Avalanche-like gables between the roof and truck bed encouraged driving with the rear window open. Available roof racks and a standard four-door layout brought added passenger and storage room.

Today, it is still common for truck buyers to express surprise that Honda offers a pickup. Honda does, and it’s a good one.

According to Brandon Wilson, sales manager at Ken Garff Honda, “The ’17 Ridgeline is the ultimate tailgating vehicle. The large in-bed storage compartment can be used as a cooler for drinks. It’s equipped with a 400-watt outlet for a large TV.”

For 2017, Honda has eliminated the styling cues that were most associated with the Ridgeline, including the aerodynamic gables behind the passenger cabin. Boldly, the Ridgeline is now front-wheel-drive, which is unheard of in this segment. Instead of a locking transfer case, the Ridgeline is all-wheel-drive and will automatically adjust torque to the wheels that need it.

Honda engineers realize this will eliminate some buyers from consideration but, in exchange, hope to gain buyers that would ordinarily not consider a truck as a daily driver. The Ridgeline now includes the only locking in-bed trunk in the segment and the tailgate opens two ways: to allow for easier loading or to extend the bed to accommodate motorcycles and ATVs.

Overall grade: A-

Exterior styling

Of late, truck design has evolved from streamlined and rounded to angular. Many truck manufacturers are currently leaning toward fender flares and sharp angles, combined with aggressive molding and body panels.

The Ridgeline bucks this trend and provides for understated styling and clean lines. It is refreshing and stylish in its simplicity. The front grill and hood are unmistakably Honda.

The hood has a raised center and side flares that appear, from the driver’s seat, to be very similar to that of the Accord sedan. The grill and headlight clusters are joined together with chrome trim pieces and daytime running lights to create the illusion of a single element separating the body-colored front fascia and the black molded bumper. Within the bumper are fog lights and a lower air intake grill.

Roof racks are still optional and can accommodate up to 165 pounds. All six trim levels sport 18-inch wheels.

The dual-action tailgate and locking trunk are the standout exterior features of the new Ridgeline. The tailgate can drop vertically, as is common with all pickups. The bed measures nearly 7 feet long with the tailgate down. At more than 4-feet wide and missing bulky fender wells, the cargo space is easily accessed and completely usable.

The bed itself is lined with fully-dyed material that is dent, fade and scratch resistant. Eight 350-pound tie-downs are located throughout the bed.

The gate can also swing out horizontally from the right, providing for easier access to the bed and eliminating the need to climb over the tailgate when loading long objects. The locking trunk is best accessed from this position as well. The spare tire and jack are located on a shelf above the cavernous 7.3-cubic-foot truck.

Not only is the trunk a perfect place to stow valuables or dirty gear, but it has a drain plug and serves as a built-in cooler. I headed to Provo from South Jordan one evening with 60 pounds of ice, steaks and drinks stashed inside. According to the vehicle, it was 95 degrees outside.

This was not a fair test of the cooler as I had far too little ice to fill it. Needless to say, I still had some ice, cold water and cool drinks hours later upon arriving home again. For tailgating and camping, this an excellent feature. Hunters, fisherman and countless movie bad-guys could definitely put the space to good use.

Another unique feature is the capless fuel delivery system. Simply place the gas nozzle inside, pushing a small spring-loaded door open.

Interior styling

Honda has been guilty in the past of media and climate controls that relied on far too many buttons and could be confusing, even distracting, especially when lit at night. The Ridgeline controls are refreshingly intuitive and nothing is out of place. A large 8-inch touchscreen takes up most of the center dash space — more on that system later.

Interior materials are of good quality and the soft-touch dash and door panels are particularly nice. The leather seats are comfortable and supportive. One minor annoyance was the armrest on the driver’s seat. Unlike the passenger side, which has only one position, the driver’s side is ratcheted and can be tricky to raise and lower. It is necessary to first raise it to lower it and, if not correct, you start over. It seemed, at times, to have a mind of its own.

The RTL-T model I drove had a nice two-tone interior with tan seats and side door panels, with black dash and top door panels. Silver and tan-colored plastic trim and a faux-wood center console cover provided nice touches. Nothing is garish or overdone.

For some time, Honda has had a penchant for digital speedometers. I’m not a fan of them personally and it seemed out of place for a truck. The analog instrument panel, however, is simply laid out with an hourglass-turned-on-its-side shape below the speedo. The tachometer is on the left and the gauges for fuel and temperature are to the right. The well-equipped driver information center and warning lights take up residence in between.

Storage space abounds, which is a running theme for the Ridgeline. The door panels contain a series of shelves and cubbies as you move down the door. Cupholders sit in front of a very spacious center console, with a sliding door. A flat, rubberized storage tray sits in front of the cupholders — perfect for cellphones.

The rear seats are designed in such a way as to allow for generous storage space below them when passengers are present. The rear seats can also be folded up and back to allow for the rear cabin to be turned into a storage space large enough to contain a bicycle or two.

The rear passenger compartment is spacious and leg and headroom are excellent. Rear air vents are available behind the console and the Ridgeline has not only dual climate controls, but a three-way climate system so back passengers can have the fan on or off and their own temperature setting separate from the front seat passengers. It is controlled, however, from the front dashboard controls and not by the rear passengers.

Technology

I’ll get an annoyance out of the way first. The optional 8-inch touchscreen and climate controls are angled slightly away from the driver. Two different passengers and I debated whether this was an optical illusion as it seemed less obvious from the passenger seat. We agreed that the dash does fade away from the driver.

The purist in me believes all cars should be driver-centric. Everything should be easy to reach and all controls should be most visible to the driver. Several of the navigation functions, for example, can’t be accessed while the vehicle is in motion. When combined with the screen’s position for the driver, convenience is compromised.

While I appreciate the fact Honda is addressing distracted driving, having the touchscreen positioned to be best accessed by the front seat passenger should allow for recognition that the passenger is present and override the blocked functions while in motion.

Searching for a restaurant one evening meant waiting to get gas to stop and enter our search into the vehicle navigation. Voice controls are present, but it is a multi-step process and use of the touchscreen was still required to make a selection along the way.

Safety and convenience often conflict in vehicle systems, but improvements could be made to simplify the use of the screen and voice controls.

Having said all that, the Honda Link system is fairly intuitive and easy to use. The layout is similar to a web browser with tabs to open new folders. The home screen is icon-based and apps can be easily accessed.

Both Apple Carplay and Android Auto are supported. The seven-speaker, 200-watt sound system is a good one, although bass response could be better. What sets the Ridgeline sound system apart is the optional in-bed sound. It can be accessed via Bluetooth and six exciters use the truck bed to pump out 540 watts of sound. Perfect for campers, tailgaters and a Saturday afternoon spent in the garage.

Optional remote engine start allows one to pre-heat or cool the car prior to use. Combined with heated front seats, optional heated steering wheel and the previously mentioned tri-zone climate control, comfort is easily adjusted.

The model I drove was equipped with both a backup camera and a camera located in the passenger side mirror to provide better views when changing lanes. The quality of images from both cameras was sharp during the day, but the blind spot camera view was easily washed out at night by headlights on the highway.

Personally, I would prefer a warning system that appears within the passenger mirror over the camera view on the touchscreen. In order to see the camera view, your eyes must go back and forth between the mirror and the center of the dash. In addition, the camera image is only on briefly unless engaging the turn signal fully every time you change lanes to the right.

The backup assist camera has three position settings, all accessed from the touchscreen, which can provide for three distinct angles of view. This is especially helpful when parallel parking.

The Ridgeline can be very well equipped with optional lane and road departure warnings, a collision mitigation automatic braking system, adaptive cruise control and automatic high-beam headlights.

The AWD system is automatically controlled by the vehicle’s computer, but there are settings available to help give the system a head start based on the terrain one is driving on. Setting the system for snow, mud or sand can provide for quicker computer adjustments.

Performance and handling

Mid-sized trucks, with their relatively narrow and short wheel bases, have never been ideal daily drivers. The ride is typically stiff and rough and confidence on winding roads is often lacking. Independent rear suspensions have become more common, but this is not a segment where driving manners are king.

Honda is betting that drivers will put aside the lack of locking 4WD, particularly a low range, in exchange for a truck that drives and handles beautifully. The Ridgeline could, without doubt, be a very comfortable daily driver. Gas mileage is also good for this segment, at 26 miles per gallon on the highway. In combined city/highway use, I averaged just over 20 miles per gallon.

The 3.5-liter iVTEC V6 engine is quiet and smooth. It provides for 280 horse power and 262 lb-feet of torque. A best-in-class zero to 60 time of 6.5 seconds is provided by Honda. The 6-speed automatic transmission is the real star here, however. This transmission is smooth and never seems out of place or hunting for the correct gear.

Combined with a multi-link rear suspension, the drivetrain is powerful and pleasant — quite a combination for a truck. Full-time front-wheel drive means great traction and a smooth ride. The Firestone tires could be a little loud at freeway speeds, but otherwise this truck is very well mannered on the road. Body roll is minimal and the Ridgeline inspires confidence.

On a particularly rough patch of dirt road, the suspension absorbed bumps well and tire slippage was almost non-existent. Unibody construction, which will be scoffed at by some truck buyers, contributes to the handling and smoothness of the Ridgeline. The Ridgeline shares some of its architecture with the popular Pilot SUV.

Towing capacity is an impressive 5,000 pounds, with AWD equipped models and the transmission has a D4 setting that will limit the gears selected by the transmission and provide for greater towing power.

Conclusion

In many ways, from the low step-in height to the quiet and smooth ride to the refined interior, the Honda Ridgeline feels less like a truck and more like an SUV. There is no doubt that some traditional truck buyers will not accept a pickup with front-wheel-drive and no locking transfer case.

One of my passengers commended the surprisingly low step-in height, but said he’d need more ground clearance in a truck. It’s fair to say that most truck buyers, particularly mid-size buyers, have too much truck for their needs.

It can inspire confidence knowing a truck can handle most any situation thrown at it, but the reality is that most trucks simply won’t ever be required to test their limits. The Ridgeline will meet the demands of most any truck buyer, on or off-road.

Wayne Petersen, general manager at Ken Garff Honda in Salt Lake City, described the typical Ridgeline customer as an “urban weekend warrior.” There is no question this truck transitions well from daily commuting to weekend adventures.

If one has extreme towing demands or a cabin located at the end of an unusually steep and treacherous logging road, which demands 4WD-low, the Ridgeline will be out of the running. For some, the simple yet refined styling of the Ridgeline simply won’t make enough of a statement.

For the vast majority of us, the Ridgeline is plenty of truck offering ample amenities, and it will be an absolute pleasure to drive.

Specs

Vehicle Type: Front engine, front/AWD, four-door, five-passenger truck

Engine: SOHC 24-valve V6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Power: 280HP, 262 lb-ft of torque

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Wheelbase: 125.2 inches

Performance: zero to 60 in 6.5 seconds, quarter mile 15.2 seconds, top speed 110 MPH

Fuel economy: EPA 19 city/26 highway

Cupholders: four

Power ports: 2 power, 2 USB, optional truck bed outlets

Average MSRP: $30,375

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