A Friendly Pickup from Honda: The Ridgeline

With all the talk focused on hybrids and fuel efficiency lately, I got to thinking...Do people still drive pickup trucks? Traditionally Americans love their pickup trucks, but with fuel cost woes running rampant, do people still want them or even need them? I think so.

Although U.S. truck sales have taken a downward turn, for some Americans the pickup truck is still the best choice. The simple fact is a pickup truck allows for versatility in many different situations. With a truck you can easily make a trip to Home Depot for an occasional do-it-yourself home project, or go off-roading on some wilderness adventure, or maybe even use it for work. The possibilities are limitless.

The pickups of today have come a long way. Most offer the capabilities of a truck, but also the comforts of a sedan. Take for instance the Honda Ridgeline, which won Consumer Guide® Automotive’s "Recommended" award in the compact pickup truck category and was recognized as AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2007 All-Star.

The Ridgeline delivers ruggedness and power, but can also serves as a friendly family vehicle. Honda introduced the Ridgeline in 2006 and offers it as a 5-passenger 4-door crew cab. Design-wise the Ridgeline is a bit unusual compared to other pickups in the market. Instead of having a separate cab and bed, the Ridgeline body is unified. Furthering it from the pack, the Ridgeline also includes key features such as a hidden trunk within the cargo bed (works great as an icebox), four-wheel independent suspension, and a dual-action tailgate that drops down or swings out. 

The powertrain on the Ridgeline is 247-hp 3.5-liter V6 and 5-speed automatic transmission. It also allows for a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. Safety features include traction control, anti-skid system, curtain and front side airbags.

Edmunds.com had this to say about the Ridgeline:

"Comfortable seats, plenty of storage cubbies, sound ergonomics, smooth quiet performance and a relatively manageable size make the Honda Ridgeline a viable option as the sole family vehicle."

Check out the Ridgeline in person at Checkered Flag Honda or call (757) 490-1111 for more information.