Yes indeed, Honda is keeping the Ridgeline in the lineup and has added the “Sport” model to boot. I fully admit to being one of the people who expected the Ridgeline to go away. Sales have been so-so and, like most Hondas, the Ridgeline’s evolution has been achingly slow.
Still, as a vehicle that gives you more utility than just about anything else out there, its continued existence is a plus. I played with a 2008 model and was blown away with the utility and better-than-expected off highway ability of the Ridgeline. As a wana-be sport fisherman, I honestly can’t think of a better suited vehicle.
The formula is still the same: a 250 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 is the only engine and it produces 247 lbs-feet of torque. The only transmission is a five-speed automatic and it hooked up to a fairly sophisticated all-wheel drive (AWD) system, “The VTM-4 system operates automatically. But when you need to start off in extreme low-traction conditions, such as when stopped in mud, on ice or in loose gravel, the VTM-4Lockfeature lets you manually lock the rear differential to help get you moving. And it will stay manually locked up to 18 mph in both forward and reverse gears.” - - Honda USA.
Not much has changed for the 2012 Honda Ridgeline. It still tows up to 5,000 lbs, it still holds around 1,500 lbs payload (the Sport can hold up a maximum of 1,559 lbs) and it still weighs about 4,500 lbs. That much weight, capacity and the lack of additional gears limits the Ridgeline to 17 mpg combined. That’s not so great.
It still represents one of the only vehicles that has almost the same silhouette front and rear. It is slightly more masculine with the new grill, but Honda’s refusal to update the looks are painfully apparent as the rest of the Ridgeline looks the same.
Here are the additions for the 2012 Honda Ridgeline Sport:
- Black mesh grille with “Sport” emblem
- Fog lights
- 18" alloy wheels
- Privacy glass
- All-weather heavy-duty floor mats
- Steering wheel-mounted audio controls
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Headlights and brake lights have black-trimmed bezels
- MP3/Auxiliary input jack
Honda Ridgelines start at $29,250 and the Sport starts at $29,995. I have always said that, for what you get, the Ridgeline is a great buy. It still is; however, if you want to save money, tow more, get slightly better mileage and have an honest-to-goodness truck I highly recommend a Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4X4. On the other hand, if you want a vehicle that is as comfy as a minivan, does amazing in the snow, is surprisingly rugged and can satisfy most utility minded folks – it’s hard to beat the Honda Ridgeline... especially in the Rocky Mountains.
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