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2006
Honda Ridgeline (20-3) By Garth Cane
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A
true performer that’s designed to offer comfort
and style before you even reach your destination.
My first look at Honda’s all-new tow vehicle was
during the 2004 Detroit Auto Show last November. Since
then, the company moved the Ridgeline into full production
at its manufacturing facility in Alliston, Ontario,
where we recently given the opportunity to determine
the Ridgeline’s towing prowess first hand.
To see what the Ridgeline was all about, we conducted
a series of towing tests with a Stingray 195 CS runabout,
which weighed in at 2,642 pounds (plus trailer), at
the Mimico Yacht Club just outside of Toronto, Ontario.
Launching the boat and trailer proved easy for the Ridgeline.
It handled the ramp’s slippery asphalt with ease
thanks to its locking rear differential and VTM-4 four-wheel-drive
system. The Ridgeline didn’t lose any grip pulling
or launching the boat and there was more than enough
power to pull the 195 easily from the water. While the
Mimico Yacht Club’s ramp was smoothly paved, our
test vehicle’s towing capabilities revealed it
could easily launch a vessel in more adverse conditions
such as a on beach or in a muddy, forested area.
After passing the launch tests with flying colours,
we decided test the Ridgeline towing capabilities. It
drove smoothly among the traffic and stayed in control
before and at all stops. On the highway, with the boat
and trailer behind, there was no difficulty merging
with the traffic or keeping up with flow. When driving
with a boat in tow I was impressed with how well the
vehicle steered without the constant fidgeting of the
steering wheel that is common with many vehicles. It
goes where you point it.
 It’s
interesting to note the Ridgeline has independent suspension
up around front as well as in the back, which makes
towing a lot more comfortable and stable. It’s
also built on a body-on-frame rigid construction with
a trunk and spare tire below the bed in the rear. The
real surprise, however, is the size of its 8.5 cubic-foot
storage trunk found under the floor of the bed. It can
store up to four sets of golf clubs in a locked, weatherproof
compartment. Normally, on other models, you would have
to place gear inside the cab if you wanted secure storage.
With this design, there’s no more shifting valuable
cargo from the bed into the cab when you want to go
for dinner or shopping while on the road.
The Ridgeline we tested was the top of the line EX-L
Navi model featuring a 3.5-litre, 60-degree V6 aluminium
engine offering 255 horsepower and 252 pounds-feet of
torque. This unit also boasted a five-speed automatic
transmission plus a standard transmission oil cooler,
power steering fluid cooler, dual radiator fans and
heavy-duty brakes. (Page
Top)
I was impressed with the interior appointments and the
comfortable heated leather seats. Everything you need
is within easy reach. There’s a functional expandable
storage compartment between the seats while the cruise
control and radio functions were on the steering wheel
so you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel
when changing stations or adjusting the volume.
The navigation system in our test vehicle was easy to
use and kept constant track of our position. We only
drove the Ridgeline during the night once and since
I didn’t read the instruction book, we didn’t
know how to turn down the brilliant screen of the navigation
monitor. Hidden behind the navigation screen was a CD/DVD
player. The dash is well laid out and features a storage
tray in front of the passenger seat along with a decent
sized glove compartment.
The Ridgeline’s cab has seating for five with
the rear seats capable of being hinged up out of the
way when you need to transport large items. The front
seats are electronically adjustable to provide comfort
for different drivers. They could even be lowered so
the driver could wear a hat without hitting the rooftop.
The power sunroof is a great addition to view the scenery
when driving through mountainous regions and it had
a sliding cover to block the sun’s rays on hot
summer days.
 Since
Honda is also known for its line of motorcycles and
ATVs, the Ridgeline’s truck bed features tie-downs
and has room for two ATVs when the tailgate is lowered.
A unique idea was the tailgate could be opened by swinging
it down or to the side to eliminate reaching or lifting
them over the tailgate. Our test vehicle had a bed extender
installed, an option I would not purchase since it made
opening the storage area under the bed a little difficult.
The closed-box ladder-style frame with its unibody construction
provides the utmost rigidity to this truck. The frame
has seven cross members with high strength steel reinforcements
that create six boxed zones with the lower part of the
unibody. This box is integrated as part of the total
body of the truck, not as an add-on that moves separately
from the body. The engine, transaxle, transfer case,
steering gear and front suspension are all supported
by a welded-steel subframe secured to the unit body’s
longitudinal rails through four tuned rubber isolation
mounts. (Page
Top)
MacPherson struts are used in the front suspension and
a space saving multi-link with trailing arm suspension
is used in the rear for improved stability when towing.
The Ridgeline’s rear suspension offers load carrying
capacity, strength and durability characteristics that
are as good or better than a solid rear axle/spring
type suspension. Accelerating or hard braking does not
cause the Ridgeline to drift off-line as is the case
in many trucks. The fluid-filled engine mounts minimize
vibration at idle and isolate the power train from the
passenger compartment to provide a much quieter ride.
Our Ridgeline rode on P245/65R-17 tires that were mounted
on 17x7.5-inch rims with a 45-millimeter offset and
five-bolt pattern. These are load-rated at 2,035 pounds
for each tire. A compact spare tire is located on a
sliding tray just ahead of the weatherproof under-floor
storage compartment. The spare can also be mounted on
the passenger-side bed wall for easier access if the
bed is already at its maximum capacity or if you want
to bring along a second spare. The tire pressure monitoring
system uses four sensors, four initiators plus a receiver
that relays information to the driver when one or more
tires drops below the inflation standards. The information
is displayed on the dash in the same area as the speedometer.
 In
addition to the extra large brake rotors and callipers
to stop the truck easily when towing a heavy trailer
or boat, there’s an Electronic Brake Distribution
system to provide optimum braking effort under different
load conditions. The brake assist system helps with
braking functions during sudden manoeuvres. If one rear
wheel begins to lock-up, it triggers a pressure modulation
at that wheel and diminishes brake pressure at the adjoining
wheel to preserve lateral stability.
With
its six-cylinder engine, the Ridgeline is built for
towing and has more than enough power and fuel economy
to take a 5,000-pound boat in comfort to any destination.
It’s also ideal for towing a medium sized trailer
with personal watercraft. The Class IV trailer hitch
on our test vehicle is a dealer-installed option and
is prewired for after market brake controls offering
four- and seven-pin wiring harnesses with Bargman connectors.
The Ridgelines starts at $34,800 for the LX model, while
the Ex-L is $39,200. The Ex-L version sunroof is $40,400
and our top of the line test unit was the Ex-L Navi
model in green with a retail price of $43,900.
Specificatins
Length: 206.8”/5.25m
Height: 70.3”/1.78m
Wheel Base: 122”/3.09m
Engine Type: V6
Valve Train: 24-valve SOHC VTEC
Fuel Capacity: 22 gal/83.2 L
Tire Size: 17”
Tow Rating: 5,000 lbs../2267 kg
Base Price: $34, 800
Price as Tested: $43,900 Ex-L Navi
Boat Towed: Stingray 195 CS
LOA: 19’6”/5.9m
Beam: 91”/2.3m
Weight: 2,642 lbs./1198 kg
(w/popular engine)
Boat supplied by Leisure Marine Warehouse
West Woodbridge, Ontario
(905) 851-5752 (Page
Top)
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