2024 Honda Ridgeline Trailsport AWD - The Perfect truck for the gentleman farmer (and anyone looking for a pickup truck)

 

There is a phrase that's not heard much anymore, Gentleman Farmer. Merriam Webster defines it as "a man who farms for pleasure rather than profit." I doubt that there are too many gentleman farmers left but if there were a Honda Ridgeline might be their truck of choice.

That's not to say that the Ridgeline is an elitist vehicle; it isn't. It is a really nice dual-use vehicle. 

The 2024 Honda Ridgeline Trailsport AWD I drove was a very nice vehicle. The only engine available is Honda's excellent 3.5-liter, 280-hp, 262-lb-ft V6. The transmission is a 9-speed automatic, and every Ridgeline has an intelligent AWD system. 

The Ridgeline is not a small truck, but it isn't huge either. It is 210.2" long, and weighs around 4,500 lbs. +/- a bit depending on which version you choose. It has a payload capacity of up to 1,583 lbs. (the Trailsport is rated for 1,521), and can tow 5,000 lbs. In other words it can function as a truck, a work truck.

The interior is what you've come to expect from Honda - well thought out and nicely put together. 

Well almost everything is well thought out. Just give us a gear shift lever - Please! It seemed strange that there are four buttons to shift the transmission but Honda sticks with a foot operated parking brake while almost every other auto maker uses an electric parking brake.

The bed is 50" wide at it's narrowest and 84" long with the tailgate down (64" with the tailgate shut). There is storage under the rear part of the bed. 

I liked the 2024 Ridgeline Trailsport, my wife not so much (she's not a truck person). It's easy to drive, and good-looking. It is not the most fuel efficient vehicle but it isn't bad, at least by the EPA ratings of 18-mpg in the city and 23-mpg on the highway (other models are rated 1-mpg higher on the highway). 

I'll quote the 2025 prices because that is what is on Honda's website. There are four Ridgeline versions - Sport, RTL, Trailsport, and Black Edition. The base Sport, still a well equipped truck, starts at $40,150, the RTL $42,980, Trailsport $45,380, and the Black Edition is $46,750. If you can find a 2024 expect to pay a couple hundred less.

I think a Honda Ridgeline is a decent choice if you're shopping for a pickup.