When you think of truck brands, Ford, Chevy, and Ram are the first names that come to mind. Honda is usually not on the tip of your tongue. Sure, the automaker makes some of the best-selling passenger vehicles in the industry, including the Civic and Accord, but the company is not best known for its trucks. Enter the Honda Ridgeline.
The Honda Ridgeline aims to change that, being named the Best Compact Pickup Truck of 2022 on Consumer Reports‘ Top 10 list. It is the third year in a row the unique unibody truck has received top honors, and shoppers are starting to take notice.
The 2022 Honda Ridgeline crushes its competition
2022 Honda Ridgeline Sport with HPD Package | American Honda Motor Co., Inc
Consumer Reports claims the “exceptional models” on the annual “Best Cars of the Year” Top 10 list “meet the highest standards for performance, safety, reliability, and more.”
For consideration on this prestigious list, a vehicle must have the highest Overall Score in its category. Road tests, owner satisfaction, and predicted reliability are contributing factors. Vehicles must also include standard safety features, including forward-collision warning (FCW) and highway-speed automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection.
The 2022 Honda Ridgeline received an 82/100 overall score, with Consumer Reports saying, “Ultimately, the Ridgeline may not satisfy every truck buyer or project the adventurous or rugged image some people want. But clearly, it is for those who are honest about their true needs and aren’t afraid of thinking outside the box.”
With an MSRP ranging between $37,640 and $45,070, the compact pickup truck received a perfect 5/5 rating for predicted owner satisfaction and 4/5 for predicted reliability.
In terms of performance, the 2022 Honda Ridgeline has a 3.5-liter 280 hp V6 engine that offers best-in-class fuel economy. The small pickup can go from 0 to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds with a 4/5 acceleration score and 5/5 transmission score.
Unlike traditional pickup trucks, the Ridgeline utilizes a unified/unibody construction. There is independent front and rear suspension that allows for a comfortable ride, similar to that of a passenger vehicle rather than a traditional work truck.
Consumer Reports loves the Honda Ridgeline midsize pickup truck
Share laughs and memories. #HondaRidgeline pic.twitter.com/o0ecHlAdiR
— Honda (@Honda) January 31, 2022
This is the third year running that the Honda Ridgeline has made Consumer Reports Top 10 list. The past two years, it won top honors in the “Small SUV” category, and in 2017 it was listed among the top compact pickup trucks of the year.
The biggest competitor to the Honda Ridgeline is the Ford Ranger, which received a 62/100 overall score from Consumer Reports. Other compact pickup trucks such as the Hyundai Santa Cruz, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma scored below 60/100. The Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon received a dismal 45/100, while the 2022 Jeep Gladiator earned the lowest overall score of 38/100.
As reported in the past, the Honda Ridgeline is a perennial winner “due to its ability to seamlessly balance the utility of a small truck with impressive road manners and comfortable cabin.”
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Consumer Reports is revealing its “Best Cars of the Year: 10 Top Picks of 2022.” Picks are based on several categories, including reliability and performance. https://t.co/My4Gj4tlXN
— CBS4 Miami (@CBSMiami) February 17, 2022
Other vehicles that made the Consumer Reports‘ 2022 Top 10 “Best Cars of the Year” include the Lexus RX (83/100) for best Luxury Midsized SUV and the Ford Mustang Mach-E (82/100) for best Electric Vehicle. The Kia Telluride won top honors for the Midsized Three-Row SUV category with an astounding 97/100 overall score.
Toyota made the Top 10 list in the Two-Row SUV category with the RAV4 Prime (88/100) and the Prius and Prius Prime (79/100) in the Hybrid category. The Honda Accord (87/100) won for best Midsized Sedan, and the Forester (90/100) claimed the Small SUV award win. Nissan had two top 10 vehicles, with the Sentra (77/100) receiving best Small Car honors and the Rogue Sport (77/100) getting recognized as the best Subcompact SUV.
Consumer Reports explains its choice of the Honda Ridgeline, saying, “the Ridgeline offers rarefied refinement in a pickup body style, with ride, handling, and interior comfort more akin to the Honda Pilot than a typical work truck.”
Keyword: 2022 Honda Ridgeline Three-Peats as Consumer Reports’ Top Compact Pickup Truck