Are Honda Ridgelines Reliable?
September 13, 2022
I am a serial entrepreneur and a consumer advocate. When I’m not helping car buyers, I love working on ventures that have a positive impact.
I run a cause marketing agency and serve on the board of Vayu Global Health where we are disrupting the medical industry and preventing the needless deaths of mothers and babies during childbirth.
Honda Ridgeline is fairly reliable, with a reliability rating of 3.5/5.0, ranking 6th out of 7 mid-sized trucks.
Here's what makes the Ridgeline reliable.
Table of Contents
How Reliable Is the Honda Ridgeline?
Honda Ridgeline is a reliable car. Most drivers see the Honda Ridgeline as a “make-believe” truck, and I think that’s true.
The Honda Ridgeline offers impressive features of a regular car for a daily driver, but you shouldn’t expect the truck to haul heavy and large objects. Honda Ridgeline is good for lightweight towing and hauling; the clearance slightly hinders off-road driving.
Honda Ridgeline is a good definition of a rugged car. You have the opportunity to enjoy comfy rides and a large cabin room.
Honda also poses as the only company that delivers dual-action tailgates. The Honda Ridgeline is not an exception to this fantastic benefit.
The Honda Ridgeline is durable, presenting an annual repair cost of $502. This is lower than the average $548 repair cost for midsize trucks.
You will achieve more than 200,00 miles with your Honda Ridgeline truck, average on repairs, and less frequent visits to the repair shop.
This unique unibody truck features excellent engines that produce remarkable horsepower and torque that you can rely on. The Honda Ridgeline has a five-star NHTSA rating. Its high-end safety technology places it on the top list of the safest midsize pickup (midsize) trucks to drive.
Reliability is a dynamic factor, and there are chances that cars improve or depreciate during production years. According to J.D. Power's reliability rating, the 2021-2022 Honda Ridgeline has a reliability rating of 78/100, but the 2020 Honda Ridgeline soared higher with a reliability rating of 81/100.
This makes it essential for you to confirm the year and specification of your preferred Honda Ridgeline.
With the Honda Ridgeline, you might not get as much towing strength as you will get from other brands, but you can rely on the gas mileage, ability to perform greatly in snow and ice, control, and remarkable traction.
Here are some significant reasons why the Honda Ridgeline is reliable.
Why Honda Ridgeline Is Considered Reliable
1. Design
The Honda Ridgeline features a Unibody Construction, all-wheel drive systems, and an intelligent traction management system.
The body of this truck not only serves as the frame but also bears the car's overall weight. To achieve this, the frame and body are made of one piece, with an improved need to reinforce the steel's strength.
Using unique and ultra-high steel on Honda Ridgeline impacts its rigidity without adding much weight. The unibody system also enhances fuel efficiency and smooth rides.
The intelligent traction management system offers auto throttle, shifting, and torque adjustments that handle different terrains.
All Hondas are backed up with an Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure. Just like in the Honda Ridgeline, the ACE structure absorbs and reduces the level of damage and impact from front-end crashes.
The Honda Ridgeline includes:
- Steering hanger beam that improves handling and grip.
- Truss-style Rear inner construction that supports rigidity towing and hauling strength.
- The use of a 3-bone front floor structure to absorb and channel out energy from front-end crash impacts.
- Unibody Critical joint that enhances torsional rigidity.
Fitted with dual independent suspensions, you can rely on the Ridgeline for smooth rides, even in extreme driving conditions. The overall body structure of a Honda ridgeline promotes durability and comfort.
2. Engine and Performance
Honda Ridgeline features a wide range of powerful engines that deliver up to 280 HP. The i-VTM4 AWD system supports the VTEC V-6 engines. This builds the Honda Ridgeline to a towing strength of 5,000 pounds.
The i-VTM4 AWD system provides an intelligent traction management system that allows your truck to switch through three unique modes; snow, sand, and mud.
Having passed through the Automotive Enviro testing facility, Honda Ridgeline is designed to handle extreme conditions. From freezing temperatures, mud rides, and harsh and rocky terrains, you can rely on your Honda Ridgeline to deliver.
3. Safety and Security
The Honda Ridgeline comes in an aesthetic design that features bright LED low-beam headlights that you can rely on for visibility, a high bumper that offers an averagely good ground clearance, and enough tech features to give you the peace of mind that you deserve.
The Honda Ridgeline offers Driver assistance systems and safety management systems.
Some of the safety features of the Honda Ridgeline include:
- Blind Spot Information System plus cross-traffic monitor.
- Multi-Angle Rearview camera.
- Honda Sensing Suite includes a Collision mitigation braking system, road departure mitigation system, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist system.
4. Fuel Economy
Honda Ridgeline offers a gas mileage of 18/24 MPG city/highway rating. This is achievable because of the V6 engine that provides a fuel-efficient system.
The Honda Ridgeline's fuel economy is lower than its competitors, but we can’t rule out the fact that this is an average rating you can rely on.
Honda Ridgeline: Pros
- Durable
- Innovative security features
- Impressive engine and performance
- Excellent traction in all terrain
Honda Ridgeline: Cons
- Fuel Economy Lower than competitors
- Limited Towing ability: 5,000 pounds
Conclusion
It is a pity that the Honda Ridgeline hasn’t been able to live up to its full potential. Fuel efficiency and towing strength are still gaps to meet when competing with competitors.
However, the durability, engine strength, and incredible traction system are great features you can rely on.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many miles can a Honda Ridgeline last?
The Honda Ridgeline is one of the longest-lasting cars. It can last up to 200,000-300,000 miles. However, this depends on the driving conditions and maintenance.
Is the Honda Ridgeline good in snow?
Yes. The Honda Ridgeline is good in snow. With the ride height that enables it to traverse knee-deep snow easily, the Honda Ridgeline can always power through when stuck in the snow.
Does the Honda Ridgeline have transmission problems?
Yes, the Honda Ridgeline has transmission problems which may come in different forms such as dragging clutch, burning smell, inability to reverse, leaking or low fluid, etc.
What problems does the Honda Ridgeline have?
Some common problems that the Honda Ridgeline has are: wiring issues, engine failures, excessive oil consumption, fuel injector issues, and airbag problems.
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