2024 Honda Ridgeline
The Honda Ridgeline presents the best of both worlds, meeting at a blissful midpoint between extra
utility and a smooth, carlike ride. After all, it rides on the platform of the ultimate family vehicle,
the Odyssey minivan. While there are other light pickups out there, the Ridgeline stands out for its
spaciousness inside and out. DIYers, take note: there’s even enough room in the bed to carry full sheets
of drywall or plywood – and that’s something its main rivals can’t claim. And if you’re more likely to
be spending your weekends adventuring as opposed to renovating, you’ll appreciate the Ridgeline’s
5,000-pound towing capacity, which gives you plenty of leeway for pulling a small boat or camper,
snowmobiles, or what have you. Honda has also expanded the 2024 selection with the TrailSport trim,
which comes with all-terrain tires, a specially tuned suspension, and some additional protective
cladding underneath.
Beyond that, the changes for this model year include a standard digital
gauge cluster (7 inches), wireless smartphone integration, and a larger standard infotainment
touchscreen (9 inches). Storage is improved as well, with a refreshed center console that’s ready to
accommodate the ubiquitous devices of the day. It has a bin that will hold a full-sized tablet, while a
front tray is sized to hold two phones side by side.
Trims, Powertrain, and Performance
Your four versatile trim choices for the 2024 Honda Ridgeline are the Sport, RTL, TrailSport, and Black
Edition. Their 280 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque come from a 3.5-liter V6 engine; a nine-speed
automatic transmission completes the powertrain. Every Ridgeline has all-wheel drive and the ability to
tow as much as 5,000 pounds. The trims have varying payload capacities, with the Sport able to carry the
most (1,583 lb.). The RTL’s capacity is 1,544 lb., while the TrailSport can take 1,521 lb. and the Black
Edition maxes out at 1,509 lb. As for fuel economy, all but the TrailSport achieve 18 mpg around town
and 24 mpg on the highway (the TrailSport returns the same 18 mpg city but takes a slight highway mpg
dip to 23).
Beyond that, the changes for this model year include a standard digital gauge cluster
(7 inches), wireless smartphone integration, and a larger standard infotainment touchscreen (9 inches).
Storage is improved as well, with a refreshed center console that’s ready to accommodate the ubiquitous
devices of the day. It has a bin that will hold a full-sized tablet, while a front tray is sized to hold
two phones side by side.
Trims and Standard Equipment
The Sport kicks off the trim lineup with modern conveniences such as proximity keyless entry, automatic
headlights (LED), three zones of auto climate control, a Type-A data and a Type-C charge port, a 7-inch
digital gauge cluster, and push-button ignition. Some of the other features of note in this base version
of the Ridgeline are a Class III trailer hitch, a HomeLink universal garage door opener, LED fog lights,
and a dual-action tailgate. The back seat splits 60/40 and lifts to reveal an underfloor storage area,
while you’ll find eight heavy-duty tie-down cleats in the bed along with a built-in trunk. The RTL adds
leather upholstery, heated power front seats, a power-sliding rear window, a moonroof, an auto-dimming
rearview mirror, heated side-view mirrors, a sound-reducing windshield, a leather-wrapped steering
wheel, and driver’s-side position memory.
The new entry, the TrailSport, stands apart with
all-terrain tires, off-road suspension, all-season floor mats, orange ambient interior lighting, and
simulated-leather upholstery with orange contrast stitching. For a boost in convenience, it has wireless
phone charging, power-folding exterior mirrors, illuminated beverage holders, and a heated steering
wheel (also with orange stitching). The Black Edition reverts to the conventional suspension, tires, and
floor mats. It also has black leather upholstery with red contrast stitching, ventilated front seats,
heated rear outboard seats, red ambient interior lighting, two USB-C charge ports for the back seat, and
a 150-watt/400-watt outlet in the bed.
Safety Technology
Honda Sensing, the proprietary array of advanced safety technologies, is installed in every ’24 Ridgeline trim. It supplies adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, and lane departure warning. The Sport is the only trim that does not receive a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert. The TrailSport and Black Edition have parking sensors (front and rear).
Staying Connected
The Ridgeline’s multimedia system consists of a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and Bluetooth. All trims have a sound system with seven speakers, except for the Black Edition, which upgrades to a premium system with eight speakers and HD Radio. SiriusXM satellite radio is added at the RTL level; the TrailSport and Black Edition also get navigation.
