There’s a certain kind of honesty in a truck like the 2025 Honda Ridgeline. Not the kind that shouts for attention at stoplights or puffs itself up with more steel and swagger than it can handle, but the kind that rolls up its sleeves and quietly gets the job done. No fuss. No bravado. Just reliability, day in and day out.
And in a world where full-size trucks have swollen to suburban-parking-lot nightmares and seem more concerned with posturing than practicality, the Ridgeline feels like a bit of a reality check. It’s the truck people would likely choose if they were being completely honest about what they need—not what they think they should drive.
This year’s model comes to us with no major changes. It’s a carryover, a term that in some circles might sound like a flaw. But let’s not forget that “carryover” can also mean “already right.” The bones of this vehicle remain untouched for good reason: Honda built something that works, and it hasn’t broken yet.
The Right-Sized Pickup for Real Life
Let’s talk about dimensions. Not the kind you measure with a ruler, but the kind you feel when you pull into the grocery store parking lot or try to back into your driveway without knocking over the mailbox. The Ridgeline doesn’t make a scene. It’s a midsize pickup with the sensibilities of a family sedan and the heart of a hard worker. For those weary of the hulking bulk of today’s full-size offerings, this Honda feels refreshingly reasonable.
This week’s press model, in Diffused Sky Blue Pearl, wore its paint like a favorite chambray shirt. Simple, clean, and not trying too hard. The design won’t win any beauty contests, and to be fair, it’s starting to feel its age. There’s a lot of grey plastic across the front fascia, and the cabin’s layout is straight from the previous-generation Honda Pilot. But therein lies the charm. This truck wasn’t born to trend, rather, it was born to last.
Under the Hood: Familiar, Proven, and Still Capable
Every 2025 Ridgeline is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This, mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission, sends power to all four wheels. While that sounds decent on paper (and it is), the gearbox can feel a little sleepy. There’s zero urgency here, no sprinting from light to light. This isn’t a performance truck.
But it’s consistent. Dependable. There’s a subtle rhythm to the way the Ridgeline moves that gives you confidence, not adrenaline. Whether you’re hauling a load of fence posts or commuting to work with a Yeti of coffee in hand, it responds with measured ease.
As for capabilities, you won’t be towing race trailers across the Rockies, but with a 5,000-pound towing capacity and a maximum payload of up to 1,600 pounds, the Ridgeline checks enough boxes for most daily demands. Firewood runs, small boats, weekend DIY projects. It has you covered.
Inside: Built for Comfort, Not for Show
Step into the cabin and you’ll be greeted by a space that’s more hardworking than high fashion. The design is functional, a mix of buttons, switches, and easy-to-reach controls that will make sense to anyone who’s ever owned a Honda. There’s no learning curve here.
Standard tech includes a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, and seven audio speakers. The Trailsport trim, which this test vehicle was, adds satellite radio and a few welcome upgrades like leather-trimmed seating and power adjustments. It doesn’t scream luxury, but it does offer comfort.
Yes, the interior looks and feels dated. The grey palette, the hard plastics, the familiar interface—it all seems a few steps behind the curve. But let’s remember who this truck is really for. The Ridgeline isn’t trying to lure tech-obsessed gadgeteers. It’s aimed at people who care more about how something works than how it looks.
The Bed: Clever, but Constrained
Truck purists might scoff at the Ridgeline’s 50-inch bed width and 1,500-pound maximum capacity. It’s not the workhorse that some of its rivals are, but it fights above its weight class with some clever engineering.
There’s an underfloor lockable cargo area, a kind of truck-bed trunk, that’s great for tools, groceries, or muddy gear you don’t want sliding around. Or fill it with ice and use it as a cooler. And the dual-action tailgate that either folds down or swings open? Genuinely useful. Once you’ve used it, you’ll wonder why more trucks don’t follow suit.
Still, if your definition of “truck stuff” includes hauling full-size ATVs or stacks of lumber for a construction site, you might find the Ridgeline’s limits sooner than you’d like. This isn’t a jobsite brute, it’s more like the Swiss Army knife of pickups. Adaptable, capable, and always ready…just not a specialist.
On the Road: Smooth, Predictable, and Surprisingly Pleasant
Honda’s unibody construction gives the Ridgeline a driving feel that’s much more SUV than truck. In fact, it drives better than many crossovers. There’s a confidence in its ride quality—so much so that it’s often praised as best-in-class for comfort.
It soaks up bumps, manages corners with minimal fuss, and never feels like it’s bouncing down the road like a tin can. Steering is light but accurate, and visibility is strong from every angle. You won’t remember every drive, but maybe that’s the point.
The Ridgeline doesn’t draw attention to itself—on the road or off it. That subtlety is part of its appeal. It’s not a truck for posing. It’s a truck for doing. Year in and year out.
Trim Levels and Pricing
The 2025 Honda Ridgeline starts at an MSRP of $45,380, and our as-tested Trailsport model rang in at $47,230. For what you get—solid V6 power, all-wheel drive, respectable tech, and Honda reliability—that’s a fair value in 2025 money.
The base Sport model keeps things simple, while higher trims like the TrailSport add navigation and minor off-road tweaks. If you want the upgraded 8-speaker sound system and HD Radio, you’ll need to climb to the Black Edition, which also gives you rear USB-C ports and blacked-out styling touches.
But even at the RTL level, the Ridgeline delivers most of what matters without reaching into luxury territory. It’s a pragmatic choice, and that’s its power.
The Verdict: The Truck That Tells the Truth
If the modern pickup segment is a room full of boastful storytellers, the Ridgeline is the guy in the corner who quietly hands you the tool you need, fixes the problem, and goes back to his coffee. It doesn’t need to convince you of anything. It just works.
Yes, it’s dated. Yes, it lacks the brute strength of some of its rivals. But it’s also comfortable, easy to drive, intelligently designed, and equipped with everything most real-world truck owners actually use.
In that sense, the 2025 Honda Ridgeline is something rare: a vehicle that’s honest. It knows what it is and doesn’t pretend otherwise. And for the blue-collar buyer who wants dependability over drama, function over flair, it may very well be the perfect fit.
After all, style changes. Fads come and go. But trust—that’s earned over time. And the Honda Ridgeline has been quietly earning it for years.
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