30 Days Of 2013 Ram 1500: Gas Mileage, So Far
As we roll through our 30-day road test of the 2013 Ram 1500, we're ready to file our first report... Read More
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STYLING | 5 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
It'll attract crossover owners who hanker for a cargo bed
Automobile
clearly designed to look more familial with the recently released and redesigned Honda Pilot
Motor Trend
There are some problems with the Ridgeline's styling and design
Cars.com
Funky styling is something we're usually warm to here at TheCarConnection, but the Honda Ridgeline's unconventional looks aren't really striking or innovative enough to give it a pass.
Most pickup trucks have a conventional look that can range from very plain to very masculine. The Ridgeline falls somewhere in between, with a trucky front end mashing up with a truck-bed box that's forced into some unique styling compromises. The Ridgeline looks more like an SUV from the rear, at times, than a pickup: it needs those wide, tall rear fenders to help its body stay structurally rigid. Honda's touched up a badly conceived grille of a few years back, which helps, but in all, the Ridgeline's ungainly lines and thickness doesn't quite score the mainstream appeal you can get all day long from even the most basic GMC Sierra.
The cabin's a much more pleasant place. The conventional dash stacks controls in a rectangular bin, and big knobs for the climate and audio controls are cued up for easy operation with a gloved hand. The Ridgeline feels like the last-generation Pilot SUV in many ways inside, and that's a compliment. If only the awkwardly shaped door handles were as easy to grab with the hands, as they are to catch your eyes.
Conclusion
The 2012 Honda Ridgeline is one odd-looking truck, and it's not grown on us in its short life.
