Honda · 2004–2015

Honda Ridgeline (2006–2014)

The first generation Honda Ridgeline is a mid-size pickup truck that was sold by Honda from early 2005 (marketed as a 2006 model year) through early 2015, mainly for the North American market. According to automotive journalists, the first generation Ridgeline has some noteworthy design features not found in its competition, including: Dual-action tailgate An in-bed trunk A half-ton (~500 kg) capacity composite bed An all-wheel drive system A fully independent suspension A large cabin for its class According to Honda, the Ridgeline was not designed to steal sales from the more traditional trucks sold in North America, but was developed to "give the 18% of Honda owners who also own pickups a chance to make their garages a Honda-only parking area." According to the author of Driving Honda, the Ridgeline was one of Honda's more profitable vehicles despite its poor sales, with reported sales in over 20 countries.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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Design and specifications

According to the author of The Car Design Yearbook, the Ridgeline was "Honda's first foray into the true heartland of the American automotive way of life—the pickup truck." It was designed and engineered by a 37-member engineering team from Honda Research and Development (R&D) Americas, led by Gary Flint. According to the author of Driving Honda, the automaker wanted to target buyers who were looking to transition out of sedans, minivans, and sport utility vehicles (SUV) into pickups. In 2001, the engineering team began experimenting with their first development mule, an extended version of a first generation Acura MDX with a competitor's pickup bed integrated into the rear structure, which they called "the Hondarado." After four years of development, the final design was revealed to the public as Honda's Sport Utility Truck Concept at the 2004 North American International Auto Show. Later that same year, Honda unveiled a revised version of their pickup concept at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show and announced the official name of the vehicle, the Ridgeline. The production version of the Ridgeline was unveiled the following year at the 2005 North American International Auto Show. According to Honda, construction of the Ridgeline starts with a fully boxed "four bone" "ladder-like frame" using 44% high-strength steel and seven high-strength steel crossmembers. This was coupled to "a unique suspension design with custom components," sheetmetal not shared with any other Honda product, and a 95% unique interior. The ladder-like frame, powertrain configuration, and four-wheel independent suspension provided space for designers to build storage solutions in, around, and on top of the frame. Starting at the front of the Ridgeline, engineers stamped a stee

Updates

From its introduction to its final production run, the first generation Ridgeline was offered in three to seven different exterior colors as well as one to three different interior colors depending on country, model year, and trim level. All of the exterior colors were monotone with some black and/or chrome trim. Interior colors—which rotated between olive, beige, gray, and black—were mated to specific exterior colors and trim levels. Below is a sortable table of all exterior colors the first generational Ridgeline came with by model year and trim level in the US and Canada. For the 2007 model year, the RTX trim package was introduced in the US market as a unique tow-ready version of the Ridgeline. Also the RTL trim package was modified making the moonroof and XM Satellite Radio options standard equipment and its two-tone leather upholstery was redone with new monotone leather. Honda also added a driver-side illuminated vanity mirror to all trim levels and removed the only interior color option available to buyers by deleting the olive interior choice from white painted Ridgelines, leaving only beige. For the 2008 model year, the Ridgeline's interior was changed with the removal of their olive color, the replacement of two-tone fabric upholsteries with monotone versions, and the male voice on the RTL's navigation system was removed to increase space for more points of interest. Additionally, the RTS and RTL trims where outfitted with more polished versions of their alloy rims. For the 2009 model year, the Ridgeline received its first refresh with over 50 different changes, including exterior and interior updates as well as drivetrain improvements. Some of the more noticeable changes were: New front-end with daytime running lights New solid-red taillights New rear step

Safety

The Ridgeline is the first four-door pickup truck to earn the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) five-star safety rating for both front and side impact crash test performance and has the highest rollover resistance of any pickup NHTSA ever tested at 14.3%. Also, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tested the Ridgeline and awarded the 2009, 2012, and 2013 model years with its "Top Safety Pick" award.

Comparisons

According to MSN Autos, when the first generation Ridgeline's advertised interior, passenger volume, and total payload is compared with the other mid-size trucks of its era—the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Suzuki Equator, Dodge Dakota, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Ford Ranger, and GM's Colorado/Canyon—the Ridgeline has more amenities, greater interior space, and greater hauling capacity than its competition. However, when comparing the manufacturers' tow ratings the Ridgeline is at the bottom of its class. Excluding these extremes, the first generation Ridgeline tends to fall in the middle of these mid-size trucks' published specifications. In 2012, PickupTrucks.com conducted a mid-size truck challenge with six of the eight trucks listed above—minus the Dakota and Sport Trac—and the Ridgeline. With the exception of a 2011 super-cab Ranger, all test vehicles were 2012 models and all had V6 engines except the Colorado with its LH8. The head-to-head comparisons focused on numerous attributes including objective tests on 0-60 mph (97 km/h), 60–0, and quarter-mile (0.4 km) times with maximum payloads as well as empty beds, dynamometer tests, and real-world fuel economy comparisons. Subjective tests included expert driver impressions, best value estimates, and an off-road course. All tests and evaluations were conducted at the same place and time to minimize environmental impacts. Of the seven mid-size trucks tested, the Ridgeline ranked third overall. Of the objective tests, the Ridgeline had the highest scores for payload and real-world fuel economy while ranking lowest in torque delivery at the wheels; otherwise, the Ridgeline ranked in the middle of the other objective tests. Of the subjective tests, the Ridgeline was judged second in expert impressions, third in best val

Reception and sales

According to Automotive Design & Production, Honda was slow to enter the minivan and SUV markets, so "given that track record it is no surprise that Honda has just now [2005] gotten around to building a pickup truck." According to Bloomberg News, Honda hoped buyers would find it an attractive alternative to large SUVs and conventional pickup trucks. Some in the automotive press that have studied the Ridgeline, such as PickupTrucks.com, consider it "one of those odd vehicles." They wrote, "The Ridgeline can't really do what most people who like trucks need it to do." While AutoTrader.com wrote, "Sure, some homeowners and weekend warriors may actually need a 10,000-lb towing capacity, but the Honda Ridgeline is probably just right for most." Motor Trend conducted a long-term road test of the 2006 Ridgeline and stated that they "fully expected the hard-cores to be outraged" suggesting they would proclaim "It's a modified minivan," it "didn't qualify as a truck because of its unibody chassis and transverse-mounted engine," and that "it looks funny." After a year in their long-term fleet, Motor Trend stated "the Ridgeline has ultimately made a few converts among our car-loving staff, some of whom would never consider themselves fans of anything with a pickup bed." They wrapped up their long-term review by stating that whatever their next long-term vehicle is, "it's likely not to be as versatile as the Ridgeline. We'll miss this urban-suburban and mountain Swiss Army knife for sure." Others in the automotive press, such as The Driver's Seat TV, had similar views and also call the Ridgeline, "the Swiss Army knife of trucks." They also called the Ridgeline "the anti-truck"—due to Honda's lack of following the rules—and summarized their view by saying "the Ridgeline scores high

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Honda Ridgeline (YK1)

Manufacturer

Honda

Production

Late 2004 – early 2015

Model years

2006–2014

Assembly

Canada: Alliston (HCM, 2004–2009), United States: Lincoln, Alabama (HMA, 2008–2015)

Body style

4-door pickup

Layout

Front-engine, four-wheel drive

Class

Mid-size pickup truck

Engine

3.5 L J35A9 V6 producing 247 hp and 245 lbft (2006–2008), 3.5 L J35Z5 V6 producing 250 hp and 247 lbft (2009–2014)

Transmission

H5 BJFA 5–speed automatic (2006–2008), H5 PSFA 5–speed automatic (2009–2014)

Wheelbase

122 in

Length

2006–2008: 206.8 in, 2009–2011: 207 in, 2012–2014: 206.9 in

Width

77.8 in

Height

70.3 in, 2012–2014 RTL: 71.2 in

Kerb weight

2006–2008: 4,491 -, 2009–2011: 4,504 -, 2012–2014: 4,491 -

Successor

Honda Ridgeline (second generation)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q63348916CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Ridgeline_(first_generation)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375295287 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2006_Honda_Ridgeline_RTS_--_NHTSA_1.jpgPublic domain · Photo: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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