2026 Honda Ridgeline
2nd generation (2017–present)
Spec plateChecked Sep 2026
- Starting price
- $40,795
- 4x4 from
- $40,795
- Max towing
- 5,000 lb
- Max payload
- 1,583 lb
- Most power
- 280 hp
- Ground clearance
- 7.6 in
TrailSport (Honda lists the same figures for all trims)
Our verdict
The Ridgeline is an AWD crossover with a bed, and a good one, not a 4x4 in the traditional sense. The TrailSport's A/T tires, retuned suspension and steel underbody protection help on washboard, sand and muddy two-tracks, but Honda lists the same ground clearance and angles as the street trims, and there's no low range to lean on. Buy it for all-weather traction and daily comfort, and look elsewhere if the trail gets serious.
Best for
Buyers who want a pickup bed but mostly drive pavement, gravel, snow and graded dirt roads, and value ride comfort and a lockable in-bed trunk over rock-crawling ability.
Skip it if
You plan to crawl rocks, run deep ruts, tow more than 5,000 lb, or want a true 4x4 with a low range and a locker.
Strengths
- Standard AWD with torque vectoring across the rear axle
- Smooth ride and handling from the unibody structure and independent rear suspension
- Useful bed tricks: In-Bed Trunk and a tailgate that drops down or swings open
- Payload up to 1,583 lb, competitive with body-on-frame midsize trucks
Weak spots
- No low range and no locking differentials on any trim
- 7.64 in of ground clearance and 20.4°/19.6°/19.6° angles, the same on TrailSport as on the street trims
- 5,000-lb tow rating trails most body-on-frame midsize trucks
- Current generation production pauses in late 2026 with its replacement not due until as late as mid-2028
Capability vs other midsize trucks
- Cabs
- Crew Cab
- Bed lengths
- 5.3 ft
- Fuel economy
- 20–21 mpg combined (TrailSport 20, other trims 21) per fueleconomy.gov; all versions are AWD
- Pricing notes
- Honda's January 2026 price list, excluding the $1,495 destination charge. AWD is standard, so the Sport at $40,795 is also the cheapest AWD Ridgeline. TrailSport starts at $45,995 ($47,195 with HPD wheels).
- Configurations
- Four-door crew cab only with one bed: 64.0 in long with the tailgate up (83.0 in down), a dual-action tailgate and a lockable 7.3-cu-ft In-Bed Trunk.
Off-road hardware
4WD / AWD system
Standard i-VTM4 all-wheel drive on a unibody (car-type) platform with independent suspension at all four corners. It is fully automatic: there is no 2WD/4WD selector, no transfer case and no low range. Honda says it can send up to 70% of engine torque to the rear axle and split 100% of that between the left and right rear wheels using clutches in the rear drive unit, which gives it torque vectoring and some locker-like behavior when one rear wheel is unloaded. Intelligent Traction Management adds Normal, Snow, Sand and Mud modes.
Locking differentials
None. No trim has a locking front, center or rear differential. The i-VTM4 rear drive unit uses clutches to push torque to the rear wheel with grip, which works like a limited-slip/torque-vectoring axle, not a mechanical locker.
| Approach angle | 20.4° |
|---|---|
| Breakover angle | 19.6° |
| Departure angle | 19.6° |
| Ground clearance | 7.6 in |
| Water fording | Not published |
Off-road tech
- i-VTM4 torque-vectoring AWD
- Intelligent Traction Management (Normal, Snow, Sand, Mud)
- Hill Start Assist
- Off-road-tuned suspension (TrailSport)
- Steel underbody protection (TrailSport)
Engines & transmissions
| Engine | Power | Torque | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L V6Only engine; standard on all trims. 280 hp at 6,000 rpm and 262 lb-ft at 4,700 rpm. | 280 hp | 262 lb-ft | 9-speed automatic |
The off-road trims
TrailSport
Off-road-tuned springs, dampers and stabilizer bars for more articulation, General Grabber A/T Sport 245/60R18 all-terrain tires, and steel underbody protection that Honda says shields the oil pan.
What's new for 2026
Minor changes: a TrailSport-only Ash Green Metallic paint and an available contrasting black roof on the Black Edition. Honda raised prices by $200 in January 2026. On July 23, 2026 Honda said production of the current Ridgeline will pause later in 2026 ahead of a third-generation model due within two years.
Rivals worth a look
Sources & data notes
These specs were checked on September 24, 2026 against the sources below, starting with the manufacturer's own material. When a figure isn't published, we leave it blank instead of estimating. Ratings are maximums for the best-equipped configuration; confirm yours on the door-jamb labels.
Sources for this page 9
- hondanews.comhondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-cc341be273b56f82f9ccdc8fe2000550-2026-honda-ridgeline-specifications-features
- hondanews.comhondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-cf005034e20eb27505fd8e6bbb053927-2026-honda-ridgeline-pricing-epa-ratings-2
- hondanews.comhondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-6fd6ada09b9fddda83f81fadc2003671-rugged-2026-honda-ridgeline-now-arriving-at-dealers-with-refreshed-color-options
- hondanews.comhondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-aa20ad9f0ac420f1adff7b444107b367-honda-confirms-third-generation-ridgeline-midsize-pickup-with-more-rugged-design-arriving-within-two-years
- hondanews.comhondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-7b0d03d783f6d642dbbefc6b2a01580d-more-rugged-ridgeline-2024-honda-pickup-gets-increased-off-road-performance-and-upgraded-tech
- hondanews.comhondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-ce25b2bdc6167d48c9de61f4f91529a7-2024-honda-ridgeline-specs-features
- hondanews.comhondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/channels/ridgeline
- fueleconomy.govfueleconomy.gov/ws/rest/vehicle/49835
- fueleconomy.govfueleconomy.gov/ws/rest/vehicle/49836
Understand the hardware
