The truck world may never be the same. This March the all-new Ridgeline pickup will land at Honda dealerships across the country, further complicating the decision of truck buyers who in simpler days would have listed Chevy, Dodge, Ford, and maybe GMC as their only options. Toyota, Nissan, and Honda once built nothing even close to a real truck for the American market. Times have changed, and Honda's Ridgeline is out to alter things even more.
Honda's four-door, five-passenger, 4WD entry sets itself apart from the growing slew of others by virtue of its first-in-class unibody frame and four-wheel independent suspension system. A 3.5-liter V-6 transfers 255 horsepower to the wheels through a five-speed automatic. Its appearance vaguely resembles Honda's current Pilot and Element models, but it definitely stands out in any crowd, even dressed in some of the drab colors shown at NAIAS. Honda promises this is not a Pilot with a bed ("It has a ninety percent exclusive frame, we swear!"), but that puts a somewhat accurate image in your head.... Read full article