2018 Honda Ridgeline Review | iDSC039

2018 Honda Ridgeline Test Drive & Review - Rock Honda Smooth! Not the first word that typically comes to mind for a pick-up truck review but that's exactly what the 2018 Honda Ridgeline delivers. We picked-up a Ridgeline with RTL-E Trim from our partners at Rock Honda for a test drive. Learn all about the technology, surprisingly comfortable ride and a feature you'll love whether you're throwing a party or gardening! ***Transcript*** Recording date – March 1, 2018 Welcome to iDriveSoCal the podcast all about mobility from the automotive capital of the United States – Southern California. I’m Tom Smith and in this episode we’re talking about the 2018 Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck from our friends at Rock Honda in the Los Angeles suburb of Fontana. My headline for the Ridgeline is simply this – Smooooth.  It drives and handles like a car but it’s definitely a truck with that seating position that puts you up over traffic and gives you the feeling of more control over the road. Brian Luey, one of Rock Honda’s sales consultants, hung out with me for the afternoon and helped me get acquainted with the vehicle. Now this is the second generation Ridgeline so it looks more like a traditional pick-up truck than the first generation Ridgeline but it’s still unmistakably a Honda. And if you’re completely unfamiliar with the Ridgeline regardless of first or second generation – it’s always only come in a 4-door version (aka crew cab) that seats 5-people. And being a new Dad I’ve become a bit obsessed over safety.  The Ridgeline does not disappoint in that department delivering a 5-star Overall Safety Rating from NHTSA – the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Honda offers six trim levels for the Ridgeline – from the most basic to top of the line you have the: The RT – only available in 2-wheel-drive. The Sport – available in 2-wheel drive or All-wheel drive. The RTL – available in 2-wheel drive or All-wheel drive. The RTL-T – available in 2-wheel drive or All-wheel drive. The RTL-E only available in All-wheel drive. And that’s what I test drove. And finally, the Black Edition – also only available in All-wheel drive. The RTL-E, again – which is what I drove, is basically fully loaded. The only step above is the Black Edition.  And the differences between those two trims are aesthetic features. The Black Edition has: Special black paint. Black Edition badging. An upgraded interior w/: Sporty red stitching and leather accents. And cool red LED ambient lighting inside. So the RTL-E that I drove definitely had all the whistles and bells. Regardless of the trim level, and creature comforts aside, they will all drive pretty much the same and here’s why: They’re all powered by the same 280-horsepowered 3.5 liter V6 engine with 262 pound-feet of torque. And they all have 18-inch wheels – with different finishes and looks of course. Now, being a pick-up truck you of course have your 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel options.  However as I just detailed, with the Ridgeline, it’s either 2-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. With many trucks (and SUVs for that matter) you’ve traditionally had the 4-wheel drive optional settings of either 4-high or 4-low. But as more and more technology finds its way into our vehicles – computers are just better at predicting and adjusting for optimal performance.  They’re certainly better than the average driver anyway. With that in mind; the Ridgeline does have some optional settings through what Honda refers to as its Intelligent Traction Man...