The Ultimate Mid-Size Truck Duel: Utility vs. Versatility!
Unveiling the True Nature of These Trucks: More Than Just Haulers
While some might debate the true 'truck' classification of the Honda Ridgeline due to its unibody construction, it undeniably shares many characteristics with traditional pickups, making it a worthy rival to vehicles like the Ford Ranger. Our experience with the Ridgeline highlighted its comfort, comprehensive features, all-wheel-drive system, and overall family-friendly design. It felt akin to a Honda Pilot with the added utility of a truck bed, appealing to those seeking truck advantages without the typical drawbacks. In contrast, the Ford Ranger, despite its robust truck lineage, surprisingly offered a car-like driving experience. This comparison aims to shed light on their distinct appeals.
Power and Performance: Examining Engine Options and Truck Capabilities
As anticipated, the Ford Ranger embodies a more rugged truck essence, inheriting considerable DNA from the F-Series line. Its body-on-frame architecture contrasts with the Honda Ridgeline's unibody design, which contributes to the Ridgeline's more car-like ride. Despite being rougher, the Ranger's ride quality remained remarkably comfortable. Under the hood, the Ranger provides a choice of a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine or a more powerful 315-horsepower 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, with a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 available in the Raptor variant. The Ridgeline, however, comes exclusively with a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, which differs from the Pilot's engine in its cam design. The Ranger's more potent engine options translate into superior towing capacity (7,500 pounds vs. 5,000 pounds for the Honda) and a higher payload rating (1,805 pounds vs. 1,583 pounds). Both models offer four trim levels, and while the Ford utilizes an eight-speed automatic transmission compared to the Honda's 10-speed, the Honda surprisingly boasts slightly better fuel efficiency despite the Ranger's EcoBoost technology.
Everyday Practicality: Where the Honda Shines with Clever Design
The Honda Ridgeline excels in daily usability, showcasing Honda's signature ingenuity in storage solutions. Its standout feature is the 7.3 cubic foot in-bed storage compartment, perfectly sized for groceries or camping gear, and thoughtfully equipped with a drain plug for easy cleaning. This secure and lockable compartment offers peace of mind, functioning even as a cooler. Beyond the bed, the Ridgeline's cabin is replete with various storage bins, including under the rear seats, echoing the practicality found in the Honda Fit. This abundance of well-placed storage significantly enhances convenience for everyday tasks and family outings. The Ridgeline also demonstrated superior fuel economy in Eco mode, averaging around 20 miles per gallon in urban settings, compared to the Ranger's 18 mpg.
Family Adventures: A Balanced Equation of Comfort and Convenience
When it comes to accommodating families, both trucks presented unique challenges and advantages. Installing car seats in the Honda Ridgeline, though initially cumbersome due to the need to fold seats and snake tethers, resulted in superior child comfort and visibility once secured. The Ridgeline's larger rear windows were a hit with toddlers, providing an expansive view. Furthermore, its unique in-bed storage made grocery trips effortless, preventing items from cluttering the cabin. In contrast, the Ford Ranger offered a simpler car seat installation process with easily accessible top tether anchors behind the rear seats. However, the Ranger's more confined rear space and smaller windows made it less appealing to young passengers, and its limited clever storage options necessitated more creative packing solutions. Thus, each truck presented a trade-off between ease of car seat installation and overall family-friendly practicality.
Interior Aesthetics: Ford's Modern Flair Versus Honda's Functional Simplicity
Ford has consistently impressed with its contemporary interior designs, and the Ranger continues this trend. Its prominent 12-inch touchscreen display is remarkably bright, vibrant, and responsive. While many controls are integrated into the screen, frequently used functions like temperature adjustment, fan speed, and media volume retain physical knobs and buttons. Even with phone mirroring software active, essential climate controls remain accessible at the screen's base. The Honda Ridgeline adopts a more straightforward approach, prioritizing tactile controls. Almost all common functions, including rear air conditioning and seat heaters, are managed via conventional buttons and knobs. It also features a wireless phone charger. For drivers who prefer traditional interfaces over screen-dominated cockpits, the Ridgeline's interior offers a quicker and more comfortable adaptation, although its distinct shifting system might require a brief adjustment period.
Off-Road Capability: Both Trucks Rise to the Challenge
Despite their differing drivetrain philosophies—the Ranger with its traditional 4WD system and the Ridgeline with its AWD—both trucks demonstrated impressive off-road capabilities. The Ford Ranger's robust 4WD system, with easily selectable 4Hi and 4Lo modes and a locking rear differential, proved highly effective on challenging, muddy terrains. Its performance on a storm-soaked trail in the Mt. Hood National Forest underscored its formidable off-road prowess. The Honda Ridgeline, equipped with AWD and terrain-select modes, along with General Grabber AT tires, navigated the dusty, rocky, and log-strewn paths of Central Oregon with remarkable ease. While it didn't encounter mud during testing, its composed performance on varied surfaces suggests it would handle less forgiving conditions competently. Both vehicles offer reliable performance for adventurous outings, catering to different preferences in off-road technology.
Value Proposition: A Head-to-Head on Pricing
From a pricing perspective, both the Honda Ridgeline and the Ford Ranger offer compelling value in the mid-size truck market. The Ranger's base XL model starts at $33,350, with the high-performance Raptor variant reaching $56,070. The Ridgeline begins at $40,150 for the Sport trim, topping out at $46,750 for the Black Edition. The Ranger Lariat tested was priced around $47,265, fully optioned, while the Ridgeline TrailSport came in slightly lower at just over $45,380. This close pricing suggests that despite the Ranger's more pronounced truck-like features and off-road enhancements, both vehicles offer competitive packages, compelling buyers to consider their specific needs and priorities beyond just the price tag.
The Verdict: Tailoring the Truck Choice to Your Lifestyle
Both the Ford Ranger and the Honda Ridgeline provided satisfying experiences, proving to be robust, unexpectedly family-friendly, and good value for their cost. However, they are designed for different types of truck enthusiasts. The Ranger is the preferred option for those who frequently engage in heavy hauling, significant towing, or demanding off-road adventures, requiring a vehicle with inherent ruggedness and substantial capability. In contrast, the Ridgeline caters to individuals seeking more utility than a standard SUV offers, but without the full commitment or traditional characteristics of a body-on-frame truck. It strikes a harmonious balance between a compact truck and a mid-size SUV, making it an excellent choice for campers who transport bicycles, gardeners moving tall plants, or anyone needing to make occasional trips to the dump. Its popularity in regions like Bend, Oregon, attests to its perfect blend of capability and practicality, serving those who need a versatile vehicle without the excesses of a full-fledged truck.