Used 2019 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E Crew Cab Review

The 2019 Honda Ridgeline is a distinctive choice for a midsize pickup truck. Rather than going with the crowd and opting for a traditional body-on-frame design, Honda uses a more carlike unibody construction and a fully independent suspension for the Ridgeline. These design choices give this truck class-leading ride comfort and excellent handling.

You don't miss out in terms of utility either. The Ridgeline can still tow up to 5,000 pounds (3,500 pounds with front-wheel-drive models), which should be enough for a light trailer and some gear. It can also fit 4-by-8 sheets of plywood in the bed thanks to a flat load floor — a feature that no other midsize truck currently offers. It also has useful features such as an in-bed cargo storage system that doubles as a cooler and a stereo system made for tailgate parties that uses the bedliner as audio drivers. Inside, the Ridgeline is spacious and quiet with plenty of room for passengers or cargo in the back seat.

There are a few downsides. It's not quite as capable off-road as some other trucks, and its touchscreen interface can be frustrating to use. Also, if you love the rugged stance of pickups, the Ridgeline's softer styling might be a turnoff. Overall, though, this is a well-rounded package built for the majority of users rather than a specialized tool for just one task. It's one of our favorite trucks on the road today.

Notably, we picked the 2019 Honda Ridgeline as one of Edmunds' Best Pickup Trucks and Best Gas Mileage Trucks for this year.

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds owned a Honda Ridgeline for one year and over 21,000 miles. To learn more about our experiences, visit the long-term page for our 2017 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E. We cover everything from seat comfort to real-world fuel economy. We test the practicality of its unique two-way tailgate and lockable in-bed trunk and even take it off-road. This midsize truck really differentiates itself from the rest of the class and we can tell you all about it. There are no significant differences between the 2019 Honda Ridgeline and our long-term truck. It's the same generation, so our observations still apply.

The 2019 Honda Ridgeline is a four-door, crew-cab-only midsize pickup that is offered in six trim levels: RT, Sport, RTL, RTL-T, RTL-E and the Black Edition. The RT is available with front-wheel drive only, while the Sport and the RTL are available with front- or all-wheel drive. The RTL-E and the Black Edition are AWD only. All come with a 3.5-liter V6 engine (280 horsepower, 262 pound-feet of torque) and a six-speed automatic transmission.

The base trim level RT has a decent amount of standard equipment, including 18-inch alloy wheels, a tow hitch, cruise control, air conditioning, push-button start, and a power lock system that includes the dual-action tailgate. There's a 4.2-inch information screen between the gauges, Bluetooth connectivity, and a seven-speaker sound system that includes a USB port and a 5-inch screen interface that also displays the rearview camera.

Step up to the Sport and you'll get foglights, gray-painted alloy wheels, body-color door and tailgate handles, keyless entry, remote engine start and tri-zone automatic climate control.

Next up is the RTL, which has leather seating. The front seats are heated, with an armrest and eight-way power adjustments for the driver and four-way power adjustments for the passenger. All-wheel-drive versions have heated outside mirrors and a noise-reducing windshield.

Our pick is the RTL-T, which adds LED daytime running lights and Honda's LaneWatch passenger-side blind-spot camera system. It also upgrades to the 8-inch touchscreen audio system that brings along a more powerful seven-speaker audio system, navigation, HD radio, satellite radio, three more USB ports, and Apple CarPlay and Android Audio smartphone integration.

Move up to the RTL-E if you want advanced safety gear such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automated emergency braking, lane departure warning and intervention, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Functional differences include a sunroof, LED headlights, driver-seat memory settings, a heated steering wheel, a front passenger armrest, a power-sliding rear window, parking sensors, and a two-prong power outlet and LED cargo lights in the bed. It also has an upgraded sound system with a unique truck-bed speaker system.

Finally, there's the Black Edition, which is essentially an RTL-E with black paint, black-painted wheels, black trim, a black headliner and red-accented black leather seats.