If you can get past the looks, the Ridgeline is a wonderful all-rounder for all types of lifestyles.
1 of 17 2023 Honda Ridgeline Pros
- Drives more like a car than a truck
- Enjoyable V-6 paired to a well-tuned transmission
- Honda reliability ensures thousands of trouble-free miles
Brian Silvestro 2 of 17 2023 Honda Ridgeline Cons
- Awkward looks aren’t for everyone
- shallow bed means utility can be limited
- Black Edition is expensive for what you get
Brian Silvestro 3 of 17 Exterior
The 2023 Ridgeline’s looks can be polarizing, seeing as how it looks nearly identical to a Honda Passport from the rear firewall forward. It’s a bit awkward from some angles, and doesn’t look like a traditional truck.
The Black Edition trim you see here alleviates a bit of that awkwardness, with a blacked-out grille, black exterior trim, and black wheels.
Brian Silvestro 4 of 17 Engine
The 3.5-liter VTEC-equipped naturally aspirated V-6 under the hood of the Ridgeline delivers 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, according to Honda.
While it can’t provide the same plateau of torque as its turbocharged equivalents, these days we can’t help but love any engine that isn’t a forgettable 2.0-liter inline-four. Peak power comes at 6000 rpm, so you have to rev the engine out to get the most from it. Redline is 7000 rpm, at which point the engine really shows its charm with a memorable V-6 bark.
Brian Silvestro 5 of 17 Interior
Overall, the Ridgeline’s interior is a nice place to spend time. It’s no luxury cruiser, of course, but it doesn’t play up its utilitarian attitude once you step inside. There’s leather and piano black trim everywhere, and plenty of legroom to stretch out on long drives.
Brian Silvestro 6 of 17 Ride & Suspension
Because the 2023 Ridgeline uses a unibody design rather than a traditional body-on-frame chassis, it feels more like a crossover from behind the wheel than a truck.
Big and small bumps alike are handled by the four-wheel independent suspension with ease, without any of the body jitters you’d expect from a pickup in this price range.
Brian Silvestro 7 of 17 Wheels, Tires, & Brakes
The gloss black 18-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in Firestone all-season tires with tread meaty enough for the occasional off-road jaunt or snow-filled commute.
The sizable sidewall means you can smack potholes and other road imperfections without worrying about damaging a wheel—a huge plus in places where infrastructure might not be up to snuff, like where we tested this truck.
The brakes provide plenty of stopping power for this application, with smooth, easy-to-modulate pedal feel. We didn’t experience any fade during our time with the Ridgeline, though we weren’t exactly doing any corner carving, either.
8 of 17 Front Seats
The front chairs in the 2023 Ridgeline are supportive and provide plenty of adjustment, with electronic movement for the seat bottom, seat angle, and lumbar.
In place of a center console armrest are two individual fold-down armrests for either seat, which can adjust depending on how you prefer to rest your arm.
Brian Silvestro 9 of 17 Rear Seats
The rear bench in the 2023 Ridgeline is well-suited for passengers and storage alike. Good legroom and the ability to fold up the seat bottoms with one pull of a handle makes modular usage simple and straightforward.
With the seats folded up, you can fit anything from bicycles to televisions behind the front seats without having to risk throwing them into the bed—particularly handy if you’re parking on the street without any sort of bed cover.
Brian Silvestro 10 of 17 Transmission
Power from the 3.5-liter V-6 gets to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. Torque goes mostly through the front wheels under normal conditions, as is evident by the torque steer exhibited when the throttle is slammed at low speeds.
We have no complaints regarding the transmission itself. It executes smooth shifts whether going up or down the gear set, and even responds well to paddle pulls.
Brian Silvestro 11 of 17 Storage & Bed
While the Ridgeline’s bed is useful, we found it a bit shallow compared to some of its competitors. Still, at 63 inches long it’s plenty spacious for moving all sorts of stuff. Plus, there’s a lockable, water-tight storage space underneath for tucking away more important items.
Even cooler is the dual-opening tailgate, which can flip down in the traditional fashion or open to the left side on a hinge. It’s an incredibly useful bit of engineering for loading and unloading.
Brian Silvestro 12 of 17 Steering
Hondas are known for having notoriously light steering, and the 2023 Ridgeline Black Edition is no exception. Road feel isn’t exactly great, but the lack of heft means it’s easy to place this truck anywhere you’d like on the road, and easy to make small corrections on the fly.
Brian Silvestro 13 of 17 Gauge Cluster
The 2023 Honda Ridgeline’s gauge cluster feels refreshingly simple without coming off as dated. There are analog gauges for rpm, coolant temps, and fuel level, and a big, dedicated digital readout for speed on top.
In the center of the cluster sits a digital screen to display things like alerts, cruise control settings, media, and fuel economy. It’s easy to read and navigate.
Brian Silvestro 14 of 17 Infotainment
While we’re thankful for the return of the volume knob in Honda’s infotainment, the rest of the system is getting a bit dated. The screen is small and doesn’t feel as smooth to click through as more modern in-car touchscreens, and the UI itself feels like it came out of my mom’s 2017 Civic.
The sound system is good, though, and the screen is resistant to fingerprints.
Brian Silvestro 15 of 17 Dashboard & Center Console
Look below the infotainment screen and you’ll be greeted to refreshingly analog set of buttons for the tri-zone climate control. Below that there’s a storage slot and then a wireless charging pad nestled underneath a 12-volt socket and a USB port.
Beyond the charging pad are the gear selector and the two generously-sized cupholders. And between the seats sits an absolutely massive storage bin with a sliding opening.
16 of 17 MPG & Fuel Economy
The 2023 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition gets an EPA-rated 18 city and 24 highway mpg, for a combined rating of 21 mpg. We managed to average around 19 mpg during our time with the truck, though most of our miles were in the city.
If those numbers aren’t acceptable for you, we suggest downsizing into something like a hybrid-powered Ford Maverick.
Brian Silvestro 17 of 17 Pricing
The 2023 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition is the most expensive Ridgeline trim offered, coming in at $47,575 including destination.
It comes fully loaded with things like lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, front collision alerts, and rear collision alerts. There’s also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though you’ll still need to use a physical wire to connect.
Keyword: 2023 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition: A Fantastic Mix of Utility and Usability