Honda was a latecomer to the pickup world, taking until 2006 to build the first-generation Ridgeline. When it finally debuted, many questioned whether it was really a truck at all, given its oddball sail-panel profile, unibody construction, and limited capability relative to the well-established, traditional trucks already on the market.
It was clear Honda had different ideas about what a midsize truck should be, and despite the criticism it took for its supposed shortcomings, the Ridge found a following: The first Ridgeline sold 250,000 units, 175,000 of which are still with their original owners. The new 2017 Honda Ridgeline takes Honda’s reinvention of the pickup to the next level, even as the new model adopts a more conventional exterior look.
Nelson Ireson 