2014 Honda Ridgeline

Being a unibody construction the Ridgeline is much more comfortable than its body-on-frame rivals. Talking of rivals it goes up against its competitors such as the 2014 Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab and the 2014 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab.

The 2014 Honda Ridgeline Crew Cab has a vast line-up of 5 trims. The base trim RT is priced at $29,575. It comes with 17-inch steel wheels, manual air-conditioning, cruise control, a rearview camera, a trip computer, a 6-speaker audio system, and power-sliding rear windows.

The Sport trim is the next in line and will cost you $30,720. It only differs from the RT by a few hundred dollars and in exchange offers some necessary features. It adds 18-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, audio controls on the steering wheel, and a special exterior trim with rear privacy glass. 

The RTS trim is equipped with the features standard on the base trim RT and adds 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, an upgraded 7-speaker audio system with a 6-CD changer system, 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and an auxiliary audio jack. The RTS will cost you around $32,380. 

Adding to the list of features on the RTS, the RTL is equipped with 18-inch alloys, a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, heated side mirrors, a 115V AC power outlet, and a satellite radio. An optional navigation system is also available on the RTL. 

The SE trim will only be available in 3 exterior colors which are white, black, and silver. Apart from that, there is no significant changes are seen in the Ridgeline. Spend a few more dollars and then you’ll be able to get your hands on the newly introduced top-tier trim SE. It will cost you $37,505. For that price you’ll get all the features standard on the RTL plus a unique set of wheels, trims and badging, a navigation system with voice recognition, and Bluetooth connectivity. 

We Recommend

The Honda Ridgeline is one of the most expensive pick-up trucks in the segment. The higher trims are more desirable but they cost a fortune. We would rather recommend you to go for the Sport trim which offers some features unique to its trim and also some which are seen in the RTS trim. 

The 2014 Honda Ridgeline is equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine as standard. it generates 250 hp @ 5700 rpm and 247 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm of torque. The power is put through a 5-speed automatic transmission and the standard drivetrain is four-wheel drive. The engine is well-refined but it doesn’t deliver the best performance as compared to some of the rivals. This can be seen by looking at its below-average towing and hauling capacity. 

The Ridgeline is capable of carrying a 1500-pound payload and can tow up to 5000 pounds. Other pick-up trucks offering a V6 engine can tow much more. The positive of the 2014 Honda Ridgeline is its ride quality. Its independent suspension setup helps it deliver a smooth and peaceful cabin experience. It feels more responsive around turns, especially when considering that the Ridgeline is a big and hefty pickup. 

The 2014 Honda Ridgeline does well in 0-60 times and the quarter-mile times. With 6.2 seconds to reach 60 mph, it beats the 2014 Toyota Tacoma and the more powerful 2014 Nissan Frontier as well. the Ridgeline is the only pick-up truck that offers an AWD drivetrain as standard. the remaining two are fitted with an RWD as standard.

Fuel economy is not one of the 2014 Honda Ridgeline’s strong suits. Hondas generally have good economies but the Ridgeline is an exception. It manages to give 15 MPG in the city, 21 MPG on the highway which results in a combined mileage of 17 MPG. It doesn’t manage to outperform the rivals in this segment. The 2014 Toyota Tacoma with its 2.7L Inline-4 engine manages to produce the best figures. 

The Ridgeline has the best in class fuel tank capacity. It can hold up to 22.0 gallons of fuel which helps it go for a good overall range. The rest of the pick-ups mentioned in the table have a 21.1-gallon fuel tank but due to the fact that Tacoma outperforms its rivals in the economy by a fair margin, it also offers the best range.

The interior of the 2014 Honda Ridgeline is a good place to be. It is spacious and comfortable both in the front row and the rear row of seats. The dashboard has an upright design to it allowing the front row passengers more space. The design is minimalistic as you’d expect in any mid-size pick-up truck. The gauges, buttons, and knobs are big and can be easily read.

The base trim RT features a 6-way manual adjusting driver’s seat and a 4-way manual adjusting passenger’s seat. The top-tier trim SE offers a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with heated functionality. Depending on the trim the upholstery also changes. Leather upholstery is featured only on the top two trims which are the RTL and SE. However, regardless of the trim level, we found the seats very comfortable and better than most of the mid-sized pick-up trucks.

The cargo space or the bed capacity on the 2014 Honda Ridgeline Crew Cab is impressive. It has a capacity of over 41 cubic feet of space but it cannot match the best in class storage/bed capacity of the 2014 Toyota Tacoma which offers over 45 cubic feet of space. 

As far as interior dimensions go, overall, the headroom, shoulder room, and legroom offered by the Ridgeline are the best in class. Although the 2014 Nissan Frontier has better leg space in the front row, it cannot match the shoulder room which the Ridgeline offers.

Some of the highlights of the interior are:

• Up to 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
• Heated front seats (RTL and SE)
• Leather upholstery (RTL and SE)
• Dual-zone automatic climate control (RTS and higher)
• 60/40 split-folding rear seats
• Power-sliding rear windows

How intuitive is the 2014 Honda Ridgeline Crew Cab’s infotainment unit?

The infotainment system offered by the 2014 Honda Ridgeline isn’t one of our favorites. It desperately needs an upgrade as it misses out on some basic features which are readily available with its rivals. Only the top-tier trim Se offers Bluetooth connectivity which is disappointing. It offers AM/FM radio in all the models with a concealed antenna and depending on the trim, you’ll either get a 6-speaker audio system or a 7-speaker audio system. Navigation is optional on the RTL trim and the SE comes standard with it. 

Some standout features are:

• 3 12V DC power outlets
• AM/FM/Satellite Radio
• Bluetooth connectivity (only SE trim)
• Navigation system (RTL and SE)
• 6 or 7-speaker audio system
• Voice recognition 

The exterior styling of the 2014 Honda Ridgeline looks dated and needs some updating. It lacks the sophistication and modernity that other pick-up trucks offer. The design is somewhat awkward but simple. The front fascia comprises a big horizontally slotted grille with chrome accents, simply shaped halogen daytime running headlights, fog lights, and a sculpted hood. 

Although the Ridgeline has lower ground clearance than its rivals, its side profile is still tall. The ground clearance is over 8 inches and depending on the trim the Ridgeline features either 17-inch or 18-inch wheels. This helps it create a tall side profile. Apart from that, strong fenders and muscular body lines also set the tone for hauling. Other features include body-colored power adjusting manual-folding mirrors and a sunroof.

The rear end of the car doesn’t have any wow factor whatsoever. The bed is quite small on the 2014 Honda Ridgeline. The design itself is simple and the features seen at the rear end are; power rear window, rear tailgate, a big rear bumper, and a single exhaust outlet.

The SE trim gets some special treatment with a few changes in the exterior fascia. It gets uniquely styled blacked-out grille, trims, and badging. It features a unique design on its 18-inch wheels a well. The 2014 Honda Ridgeline Crew Cab is the heaviest pick-up truck among the lot. It has some impressive exterior dimensions which go in harmony with the spacious interior. The ground clearance of the Ridgeline, however, is the least. Both the 2014 Toyota Tacoma and the 2014 Nissan Frontier offer 9+ inches of ground clearance. 

Some standout exterior features are:

• Auto-Off Aero-Composite Halogen Daytime Running Headlamps
• 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels
• Sunroof
• Heated, power adjusting, manual-folding side view mirrors
• Temporary spare tire mounted inside
• Front fog lamps 
• Rear privacy glass

Out of the 2 federal authorities, only the IIHS has completed its analysis on the 2014 Honda Ridgeline. It has lost the “Top Safety Pick” title this year as the IIHS has made the requirements stricter than before. This doesn’t mean that the Ridgeline didn’t perform well. it earned the highest rating of “Good” in most of its tests which include moderate-overlap front crash, side-impact, rear crash, and roof crush tests.

The NHSTA is yet to complete its crash test analysis. It has tested the Ridgeline for rollover safety in which it earned a 4-star rating out of a possible 5-stars. As you go higher the trim levels, you’ll find that the RTL and SE are more well-equipped than the base trims. having said this, some of the safety and driver-assist features standard or available on the Ridgeline are:

• Electronic brakeforce distribution 
• Rearview camera
• Side impact beams
• VSA electronic stability control
• ABS and traction control
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags

The 2014 Honda Ridgeline Crew Cab is more on the expensive side of the mid-size pick-up truck market. It offers a V6 engine but its performance is mediocre. Something which is also droned around mediocrity is its fuel economy, payload, and towing capacity. The infotainment system which lacks modern equipment and features also needs improvement. The major positive on the Ridgeline is its spacious interior and its handling, but due to the fact that it has so many negatives and concerns, it is best to look for another pick-up truck which would save you some money as well.