Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins
If large pickup trucks like the RAM 1500 or Toyota Tundra are too much to handle but you still need truck-bed capability, look no further than the streamlined 2026 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport, now in its second generation. The midsize truck is efficient, sporty, and utility-focused.
Of course, the timing was perfect for my week-long test drive in the Ash Green Metallic Ridgeline TrailSport since the working weekend called for fall landscaping preparation, including mulching, aerating, seeding, planting new bushes, and hauling away trimmed shrubs and branches. So I called on my daughter’s boyfriends, and we all got to work. This year is the 20th anniversary of the first-generation Ridgeline, a truck that arrived with a long list of industry and segment firsts. As you can imagine, we utilized every one of those technologies and comforts to handle business before NFL Sunday got underway!
The first stop was Country Nursery to pick up nine shrubs and a yard of mulch, which packed perfectly in the bed. The Ridgeline looks diminutive, but the bed is quite sizeable. Honda offers one-bed length for the 2026 Ridgeline, which is 64” long, a little over 5’ 3” inches. Moreover, it’s 50” wide between the wheel wells, so 4-foot-wide sheets of plywood or drywall can lie flat on the floor. Still, 8’ sheets will protrude past the tailgate. Of course, I made a couple of trips to our county recycling center with a few loads of chopped-up bushes and branches to discard. When I left Lowe’s with yard supplies, I stored them on the rear floor, parallel to the Split Fold-Up Rear Seat cushions, which flip up for extra space.
One of the coolest features of the Ridgeline TrailSport is the Dual-Action Tailgate, which folds down like a standard gate or swings open to the side, making it easier to reach into the bed. Under the bed floor is the In-Bed Trunk, a washable, lockable compartment that adds 7.3 cubic feet of secure storage and includes a drain, so you can fill it with ice and use it as a cooler at tailgates, picnics, and other social meetups. Honda builds the bed from a glass fiber-reinforced composite called SMC (Steel Reinforced Composite). It resists dents and scratches without the need for an aftermarket bed liner.
“The appealing new color options add to the Honda-exclusive features, unique unibody construction, and Honda packaging magic that make the Ridgeline a standout in the pickup truck market,” said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda National Auto Sales. By challenging conventional thinking and setting benchmarks for versatility, capability and comfort, Ridgeline brings a higher percentage of new buyers into the Honda brand than any other product in our lineup.”
Powered by a 3.5-liter VTEC V6 engine, the Ridgeline TrailSport outputs 280 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,700 rpm. The ride is unbelievably smooth with graceful handling like your average Honda sedan. You can partially thank the fully independent suspension that is paired to Honda’s i-VTM4 (Intelligent Variable Torque Management) fully automatic AWD system which uses torque vectoring to send power between the rear wheels while helping the vehicle turn into bends. A 9-speed automatic transmission is actuated through a push-button/tab selector instead of a traditional hand shifter. I’m used to this in supercars, but I have to get used to the setup in daily drivers. The truck can tow 5,000 pounds and haul 1,521 pounds of goods.
However, I would like more power since the Ridgeline TrailSport struggles when loaded down with passengers and mulch, stones, or wood. Expect 18 city /23 highway mpg. An Eco Assist System is available for even more efficient cruising, and Intelligent Traction Management utilizes Normal / Snow / Sand / Mud modes for better all-weather traction depending on climate and road conditions. My loaner was outfitted with 18” TrailSport-specific Shark Gray alloy rims and aggressive General Grabber all-terrain tires. The Eco Assist System can extend fuel economy by adjusting engine performance, cruise control, and the climate control system.
Inside, the leather-trimmed cabin is compact and smart with typical sedan amenities such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel, display audio with Honda navigation, voice recognition, and a multi-view rear camera, Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, tri-zone automatic climate control, and a power moonroof.
Honda offers a large catalog of Genuine Honda Accessories for the Ridgeline, plus post-production packages such as the HPD 18” Black Alloy wheels with the All-Terrain Tires package, Function package, and Utility+ package. The Ridgeline’s unibody construction and independent rear suspension free up space that a traditional pickup gives to its frame and solid axle. Honda uses that space for other features that come in handy for yardwork, construction projects, or typical home DIY tasks.
The Ridgeline comes exclusively from Honda’s Lincoln, Alabama plant, where it is built with parts sourced in the U.S. and abroad. No other pickup has matched its run of nine straight top 10 finishes on the Cars.com American-Made Index. Pricing starts at $45,995 for the 2026 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport, excluding the $1,495 destination fee. The TrailSport moniker adds aggression and orange highlights to the Ridgeline’s cabin.
