New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Review, Interior, Colors – You’ve got to hand it to Honda for sticking with the Ridgeline. If you pay any mind to the online armchair experts, you’d think the Ridgeline was the proverbial weakling getting sand kicked in its grille by all the other mid-size truck bullies. New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Review
That’s nonsense, though, and the New 2026 Honda Ridgeline possesses nearly everything a great truck requires while also providing the benefits of a comfortable ride and easy handling to boot.
New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Redesign and Update Plan
Exterior and Interior
Trucks can be hit-or-miss in terms of comfort, with some being quite utilitarian and others being surprisingly luxurious. The Ridgeline Black Edition definitely leans toward the luxe side of the spectrum, with perforated leather seats offering both heat and ventilation functions, and providing good support.
What’s more, as with Honda’s SUVs, there are also swing-down armrests that are especially appreciated on long highway trips. The rear seats offer greater comfort than some of the competitors’ trucks too, with a 60/40 split and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. There are lots of USB and power plug points throughout the cabin too.
New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Specs
The Black Edition is the top-of-the-line trim in the Ridgeline line-up. Essentially, it’s a Touring trim with an appearance package, but it’s also very well equipped for a pick-up. Just as you’d find on a high-end SUV, the Ridgeline comes with three-zone climate control, a sunroof and adaptive cruise control, among the many features Honda offers up. There’s also a rear sliding window and even a sound system built into the truck’s box to facilitate great tailgate parties. New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Review
Engine and Performance
Honda’s venerable 3.5L V6 provides 280 horsepower, putting it mid-pack in the segment. Its 262 lb-ft of torque helps with the Ridgeline’s hauling duties too, even if it’s just hauling kids around town. Pulling away from a standstill, the Ridgeline doesn’t have the kick that the torquier Ford Ranger or GM trucks do, but once under way, there’s ample passing power. The six-speed automatic transmission is a few cogs short of the competitors, but it provides smooth, swift gear changes.
We didn’t have occasion to haul any heavy loads or trailers during our test week, but the Ridgeline was nevertheless put to work moving bikes and other bulky items, and even when loaded up inside and out, it never felt burdened at all. New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Review
New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Fuel Economy
Unibody construction tends to be lighter than body-on-frame, too, and while that’s true here, the others are making good use of lightweight materials, meaning the benefit isn’t as much as one might expect. Nevertheless, it does help the Ridgeline achieve decent efficiency by pick-up truck standards. New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Review
The government rates the Ridgeline at an average combined consumption rate of 11.3 L/100 km, but even with a mix of snarled Toronto traffic, driving around town, and hauling junk around, we still managed to beat that figure quite easily.
New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Safety Features
The car-like construction of the Ridgeline helps it in its safety mission, too, with handling that can assist in collision avoidance in the first place. Beyond that, there’s an extensive suite of active safety features like auto high-beam control, forward collision mitigation, trailer stability assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, too. New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Review
New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Price and Release Date
At $50,000, the Ridgeline Black Edition is far from a cheap truck, being priced on top of other impressive models like the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and Jeep Gladiator Overland, or high-end trims of the GM twins. Still, in terms of comfort and luxury inside, there’s not a mid-size truck that can match the Ridgeline. For a buyer who values that refinement over machismo, off-road prowess, and hauling capability, the Honda represents a decent value. A Ridgeline EX-L or Touring trim offer even better value. New 2026 Honda Ridgeline Review
Honda raised a lot of eyebrows when the first-generation Ridgeline was introduced years ago, but they’ve stuck with it – unibody construction and all – for this second generation. Ridgeline owners love their trucks for what they are: Well-built, versatile, practical and comfortable little rigs. And if more truck buyers were honest with themselves, many would see that the Ridgeline is all the truck they really need.