And now for something completely different.
Honda has helped to change the way we look at small cars and could arguably be considered responsible for starting the compact tuner craze.
The Honda name has become synonymous with high quality, reliable vehicles that retain their value. So it should come as no surprise that when the company decided to turn its attention to the large pickup truck market, the result would be an example of innovation and practicality.
Surprisingly - or perhaps intentionally - there is nothing overly cute or compact about the 2006 Honda Ridgeline.
External features include a blunt, rather un-pretty visage and a profile that, with its integrated cab and box incorporating flying-buttress-like side supports (presumably for enhanced structural rigidity) presents an outline similar to the Chevy Avalanche - another vehicle provoking mixed reactions for its rather ungeneric, non-traditional design.
My test model, a fully-loaded top of the line EX-L NAVI, was a moss-green colour, which by itself was quite attractive - but that theme, continued in various shades and sub-hues throughout the entire cab was for me, a green overload. The leather seats were two-tone green, the dash and console an army-issue khaki. Carpet and rubber floor mats were yet another green, and the steering wheel was, you guessed it, green. Once I got over the biliousness of the first impression however, I found the cockpit of the Ridgeline a most agreeable place to be. Dash ergonomics are simple, unfussy and (again, possibly to underscore that this truck wants to be taken seriously) workman-like.
Heated leather seats are comfortable and large - bus driver large! Nothing compact or cute about these quarters - the overall impression of the cab is spacious and open, giving off a feeling of size thanks to the Ridgeline being the widest truck in its segment. The openness is enhanced by an overhead power sunroof and a power operated rear window.
It's evident that a lot of thought went into making the interior tough and durable. It ain't that pretty, but it sure is rugged. Plastic surfaces are easy to wipe down and floor surfaces are covered with numerous thick rubber mats that can be removed for cleaning.
A clever centre console transforms itself in a variety of configurations, thanks to sliding dividers, lift-out compartments and flip-up bottoms - and
can house a wide array of odds and ends of car detritus. Deep within is a cavernous space large enough to swallow a bag or purse. There are probably enough cupholders of various shapes and sizes to accommodate a small AA meeting. Full-size rear seats flip up to reveal a cool floor rail designed to hold an upright mountain bike securely.
Built on a modified version of the Pilot SUV platform, the Ridgeline employs a unibody structure on a fully-boxed ladder frame. Adding to the rigidity is the fact that the box and cab aren't separate but are fully integrated.
Another industry first is that the Ridgeline has all-around independent suspension instead of a traditional solid rear axle and leaf springs. Unlike most pickups, there is no shudder and flex of the box over bumps. As a result, it's composed and balanced and a joy to drive with car-like handling. It almost encourages the driver to push it, inspiring confidence in the way it devours twisty roads.
Which of course, leads to the question... "But is it really a truck?" Or is it an "un-truck?"
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| (Photo: Lesley Wimbush, Auto123.com) |
The Honda name has become synonymous with high quality, reliable vehicles that retain their value. So it should come as no surprise that when the company decided to turn its attention to the large pickup truck market, the result would be an example of innovation and practicality.
Surprisingly - or perhaps intentionally - there is nothing overly cute or compact about the 2006 Honda Ridgeline.
External features include a blunt, rather un-pretty visage and a profile that, with its integrated cab and box incorporating flying-buttress-like side supports (presumably for enhanced structural rigidity) presents an outline similar to the Chevy Avalanche - another vehicle provoking mixed reactions for its rather ungeneric, non-traditional design.
 |
| (Photo: Lesley Wimbush, Auto123.com) |
Heated leather seats are comfortable and large - bus driver large! Nothing compact or cute about these quarters - the overall impression of the cab is spacious and open, giving off a feeling of size thanks to the Ridgeline being the widest truck in its segment. The openness is enhanced by an overhead power sunroof and a power operated rear window.
It's evident that a lot of thought went into making the interior tough and durable. It ain't that pretty, but it sure is rugged. Plastic surfaces are easy to wipe down and floor surfaces are covered with numerous thick rubber mats that can be removed for cleaning.
A clever centre console transforms itself in a variety of configurations, thanks to sliding dividers, lift-out compartments and flip-up bottoms - and
 |
| (Photo: Lesley Wimbush, Auto123.com) |
Built on a modified version of the Pilot SUV platform, the Ridgeline employs a unibody structure on a fully-boxed ladder frame. Adding to the rigidity is the fact that the box and cab aren't separate but are fully integrated.
Another industry first is that the Ridgeline has all-around independent suspension instead of a traditional solid rear axle and leaf springs. Unlike most pickups, there is no shudder and flex of the box over bumps. As a result, it's composed and balanced and a joy to drive with car-like handling. It almost encourages the driver to push it, inspiring confidence in the way it devours twisty roads.
Which of course, leads to the question... "But is it really a truck?" Or is it an "un-truck?"