RTS 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL w/Navigation 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTS 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL w/Navigation 4dr Crew Cab 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTS 4dr Crew Cab 122 in. WB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL w/Navigation 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTS 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Don’t want to go far?
Find all cars near me?Sport 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RT 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTS 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL w/Navigation 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL w/Navigation 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL w/Navigation 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTS 4dr Crew Cab 122 in. WB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Overall Rating
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline battles it out with some popular pickups of America such as the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Avalanche, and the Toyota Tacoma.Â
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline now marks its sixth year of the production run and the truck is unlike anything else in the market. It is far different than those American muscle trucks everyone is fond of seeing that are rugged, have loads of torque and off-road character, the Ridgeline is the plain opposite.
We recommend you to go for the RTS trim, as this trim adds in a lot of features such as alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a 7-speaker sound system and much more. All these features enhance the Ridgeline’s appeal manifolds and that too at a fair price gap from the base RT trim.
RTL w/Navigation 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTS 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
RTL 4dr Crew Cab 5.3 ft. SB 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline battles it out with some popular pickups of America such as the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Avalanche, and the Toyota Tacoma.Â
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline now marks its sixth year of the production run and the truck is unlike anything else in the market. It is far different than those American muscle trucks everyone is fond of seeing that are rugged, have loads of torque and off-road character, the Ridgeline is the plain opposite.
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline is available in three trims, going by the name - RT, RTS, and RTL. The prices for the 2011 Honda Ridgeline starts at $29,150 for the base RT trim and can go up to $34,730 for the top of line RTL trim.
The RT is the base version, yet is reasonably well equipped and packs in most of the features one would ever need. The RTS adds some over the top features while the RTL is there to make the truck look hotter than it really is with larger wheels, foglights, sunroof, etc. All the trims are equipped with a 3.5-liter V6. Only the RTL trim is eligible for the Navigation System package.
Trim |
RT |
RTS |
RTL |
---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$29,150 |
$31,855 |
$34,730 |
Features |
17-inch steel wheels |
17-inch alloy wheels |
18-inch alloy wheels |
Power-sliding rear window |
Rear privacy glass |
Sunroof |
|
Air-conditioning |
Eight-way power driver seat |
Heated front seats |
|
Full power accessories |
Dual-zone automatic climate control |
Foglights |
|
Six-speaker CD/MP3 stereo |
Seven-speaker audio system |
Leather upholstery |
Which Trim should you buy?
We recommend you to go for the RTS trim, as this trim adds in a lot of features such as alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a 7-speaker sound system and much more. All these features enhance the Ridgeline’s appeal manifolds and that too at a fair price gap from the base RT trim.
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline is only available with a single drivetrain option, a 3.5 liter V6 that puts out 250 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed automatic puts all that power through a four-wheel drive. The power figures may seem as Lackluster numbers for a pickup truck but it plays a different game here. The Ridgeline is pretty sprightly and energetic with its take-off. Since it is lighter than most pickup trucks, the performance is brisk and it is lively on the highways, providing great passing capabilities even when there is weight laden.
The Ridgeline’s four-wheel-drive is a sophisticated system, with the rear differential lock which can engage in up to 18 mph of speeds. This means that this Honda has fine all-weather capabilities. However, don’t expect it to do well off-road though, the drivetrain doesn’t have that much torque lower down the rev range to do that confidently. The hauling capability is just fine, with payload rated at 1,550 pounds while max towing at 5,000 lbs.
Models |
Honda Ridgeline |
Ram 1500 Express |
Toyota Tacoma LB V6 |
Chevrolet Avalanche LS |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$29,150 |
$25,265 |
$27,525 |
$39,350 |
Engine |
3.5L V6 |
4.7L V8 |
4.0L V6 |
5.3L V8 |
Drivetrain |
4WD |
4WD |
4WD |
4WD |
Transmission |
5-speed automatic |
5-speed automatic |
5-speed automatic |
6-speed automatic |
Power (hp @RPM |
250 @ 5700 |
310 @ 5650 |
236 @ 5200 |
320 @ 5400 |
Torque (lb-ft @ RPM) |
247 @ 4300 |
330 @ 3950 |
266 @ 4000 |
335 @ 4000 |
The V8 trucks are pretty comparable with their outputs, and the same is the case with the V6s. Avalanche puts out the most overall and the Tacoma least. The 2011 Honda Ridgeline gets the smallest engine in the segment, despite that the power figures are at par with the rivals.
The five-speed automatic transmission of the 2011 Honda Ridgeline doesn’t do much justice to the pickup’s acceleration times, as the truck is slower than most midsize V6 trucks and V8 powered full-size trucks. The power is plenty usable, make no mistake but the drivetrain of the truck altogether is nothing that you would call quick.
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline accelerates from 60-0 mph in dot 9 seconds, which definitely cannot be referred to as a respectable acceleration figure. The 2011 Honda Ridgeline does the quarter-mile run in 15.8 seconds, at a speed of 85.3 mph.
Models |
Honda Ridgeline |
Ram 1500 |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Avalanche |
---|---|---|---|---|
0-60 MPH (seconds) |
9.0 |
9.4 |
7.4 |
7.5 |
Quarter-Mile (seconds) |
15.8 |
14.2 |
15.8 |
15.5 |
Top-Speed (MPH) |
120 |
120 |
N/A |
98 |
3.5L V6 |
4.7L V8 |
4.0L V6 |
5.3L V8 |
3.5L V6 |
Emissions (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15k mi/yr) |
11.0 |
12.4 |
8.5 |
11.0 |
The Honda Ridgeline comes out as one of the slowest trucks in the segment. The Ram 1500 though lags behind the Ridgeline in the 0-60 fixture, but the V8’s kick is pretty evident in the truck’s quarter-mile run. The Chevrolet Avalanche comes out as the fastest truck in the segment, owing to the best in class power figures. However, the Chevy’s hefty weight proves a hindrance, limiting the top speed to just 98 mph.
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline offers a really great combination of ride and handling and it is better than most of the midsize and full-size trucks out on the road. The truck has great dynamics for its size and it stays true to its SUV roots courtesy to the platform on which it is based.
Those familiar with driving crossovers would feel right at home behind the Ridgeline’s steering wheel. The ride is well damped and the steering is utmost precise. The independent suspension on which it stands on does wonders and separates it from a lot of pickups out there. The Honda Ridgeline handles pretty well around the corner with minimal body roll.
The Ridgeline is quite a heavy pickup truck yet it performs well in the braking department. The 2011Honda Ridgeline gets 12.6-inch brake rotors at the front and 13.1-inchers towards the rear. Together, this setup helps the Honda decelerate from 60-0 mph in a distance of 122 feet which is a respectable figure.
Stopping the truck in difficult situations can be dangerous while you have bigger payloads to carry. The 2011 Honda Ridgeline shows slight hints of nosedive when made to perform an emergency halt, yet the regular braking execution is absolutely fine and indeed commendable.
Models |
Honda Ridgeline |
Ram 1500 |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Avalanche |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brake Rotors:Front (inches) |
12.6 |
13.2 |
12.6 |
13.0 |
Brake Rotors:Rear (inches) |
13.1 |
13.8 |
10.0 |
13.5 |
Curb Weight (lbs) |
4504 |
6600 |
3995 |
5969 |
60-0 (feet) |
122 |
N/A |
128 |
N/A |
The Honda Ridgeline gets huge brake rotors considering the fact that it’s a mid-size pickup truck. Accrediting to these rotors, the Honda Ridgeline is one of the most stern stoppers in the segment.
The Ridgeline has a just about average fuel economy, comparable to full-size pickup trucks in the market. These facts seem to counter the marketing done by Honda where they market the truck as a Honda among pickup trucks, refined and frugal. This is probably because of the lackluster engine not supplying adequate power hence the engine burns more fuel to provide adequate pull and pick-up.
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline can spin for 15 miles in the city and can expedite through 20 miles on the highway. Summing up these figures, we get a combined mpg of 17, which though is decent but cannot be referred to as respectable.
Models |
Honda Ridgeline |
Ram 1500 |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Avalanche |
---|---|---|---|---|
MPG (City) |
15 |
13 |
16 |
15 |
MPG (Highway) |
20 |
18 |
20 |
21 |
MPG (Combined) |
17 |
15 |
18 |
17 |
Fuel Capacity (Gallons) |
22.0 |
32.0 |
21.0 |
31 |
Range(City/Highway/Combined in Miles) |
330/440/374 |
416/576/480 |
336/420/378 |
465/651/527 |
With a combined mpg of 17, a potent V8 engine, and a cavernous fuel tank capacity of 31 gallons, you can literally cross countries with the Avalanche. The Ridgeline is the least impressive in this department, with one of the poorest fuel efficiency figures and one of the smallest fuel tank capacity in the segment.
Unlike other pick-ups, the Ridgeline comes in only one body style, a crew-cab with the ability to seat five people. Nevertheless, the Ridgeline is among the most comfortable trucks in the segment.
The front seats may not be that soft but they are quite supportive. You can spread out nicely in the cabin and both the front and back rows are as comfortable as each other. You can also fold down the rear seats where you will find a small compartment to store cargo that needs weatherproof transportation.
Models |
Honda Ridgeline |
Ram 1500 |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Avalanche |
---|---|---|---|---|
Seating Capacity |
5 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
Front Row (Headroom/Shoulder Room/Leg Room, in inches) |
40.7/63.2/40.8 |
40.3/66.0/41.0 |
40.2/57.7/41.7 |
41.1/65.3/41.3 |
Rear Row (Headroom/Shoulder Room/Leg Room, in inches) |
39.1/62.6/36.4 |
39.9/65.7/40.3 |
38.5/59.3/32.6 |
40.0/65.2/39.1 |
Trunk Capacity (cubic feet) |
8.5 |
61.5 |
45.5 |
Just like the Ridgeline’s car-like handling, its interior is also inspired by Honda’s other cars. The design and layout of the 2011 Honda Ridgeline’s dash is really commendable and quite pleasing, as compared to other rivals.
What’s there to keep you entertained?
The equipment you will find inside the 2011 Honda Ridgeline will be more than any other pickup truck in the market. The features start pouring in from the base RT trim itself, and that too a whole lot of them. While the top trims get some connectivity features such as Bluetooth, some of the most prominent entertainment features offered as standard on the 2011 Ridgeline are:
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline certainly looks odd, there's no denying that and it may not be to the tastes of everyone wanting to buy a pickup truck. But what's surprising is the dual nature of the exteriors on the Ridgeline.
From the front, the Ridgeline looks more like a conventional SUV. That being said, many sheet metal pieces this truck has got are actually SUV pieces. The word conventional however is not necessarily good here. Honda redesigned this car in 2009 but it feels way older than that in 2011. Honda has tried to make this car look more rugged than it actually is with the rear fenders and the rear pillars but they don’t help, the grille borrowed from the Honda Pilot certainly sees to that.
Models |
Honda Ridgeline |
Ram 1500 |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Avalanche |
---|---|---|---|---|
Curb Weight (lb) |
4504 |
6600 |
3995 |
5969 |
Length (inches) |
207.0 |
229 |
221.3 |
221.3 |
Width (inches) |
77.8 |
79.4 |
74.6 |
79.1 |
Height (inches) |
70.3 |
75.7 |
70.1 |
76.6 |
Ground Clearance (inches) |
8.2 |
8.6 |
N/A |
9.1 |
Wheelbase (inches) |
122.0 |
140.5 |
140.6 |
130.0 |
The Ram is the largest here, the Avalanche has a really high ground clearance. The primary shortcoming of the Honda Ridgeline is its limited ground clearance. The 2011 Honda Ridgeline gets a ground clearance of 8.2-inches, which is the least in the segment, thus limiting the pickup’s off-roading capabilities.
The Ridgeline comes standard with a lot of safety tech features. The Ridgeline has not been tested yet with the current 2011 govt crash norms but the scores obtained by the 2010 model did excellent with both IIHS and NHTSA. Some of the most prominent safety features of the 2011 Honda Ridgeline are:
The Toyota Tacoma is the most direct competitor to this truck. It is a traditional truck by all means which gives you a little more space inside and obviously more capability and fuel economy at an affordable price tag.
However, the seats are not very comfortable and the truck is not very maneuverable which is important for some drivers. So in case comfort is your top priority, Ridgeline is the choice.
The Ram 1500 is a full-size pickup truck with plenty of steering feel and great ride quality. The truck also has an impressive fuel economy despite having one of the sweetest truck engines in the market, i.e. the HEMI engine.
Cons include only available in gasoline, no diesel or hybrid and the V6 is coarse in its operation. The Ram 1500 is a hardcore pickup truck with great towing and payload capacities.
The Chevrolet Avalanche is quite similar to the Ridgeline with luxe features and a nice cabin. The powertrain is great and the midgate touch is really clever.
The back seats of the Avalanche are really not that great and a con similar to the Ridgeline is that there is only a single powertrain option available.
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline is for those who do not want hardcore off-roading, big rig type pickup truck, it is for those looking for a comfortable SUV but wants to haul more luggage than that. It is for those who would love to use their trucks daily which means the truck has to be maneuverable and also those who will carry their passengers quite often, all that makes the Ridgeline cut out precisely for these tasks.