2009 Honda Ridgeline

Honda Ridgeline takes on a bolder look and feel with new exterior and interior styling along with a more powerful engine. A trailer hitch becomes standard on every model, and newly-introduced premium features include Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® and a rearview backup camera on Honda Ridgeline RTL models equipped with the available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System. The Honda Ridgeline continues to be the only pickup truck available with a spacious In-Bed Trunk™ that provides hidden, dry and secure storage capable of swallowing luggage, tool boxes and coolers.

Front and rear styling updates combine to create a more-chiseled overall appearance with revisions to the grille, bumpers, and headlight and taillight color combinations. Inside, styling updates include revised three-dimensional-style meters, a new steering wheel design, and enhanced controls, buttons and displays for the air conditioning, audio, cruise control and headlights. New technology-friendly features include the addition of a 115-volt power outlet on the Honda Ridgeline RTL, MP3/auxiliary input jack on the Honda Ridgeline RTS and RTL, and all audio systems become MP3/WMA compatible. New safety features include active front seat head restraints and daytime running lights. Capable of accommodating 4-foot-wide sheets of plywood between the wheel wells, the composite cargo bed, gains two cargo tie-down points (eight total).

The four-door, five-passenger Honda Ridgeline is built on a closed-box, unit-body frame that combines the strength characteristics of a ladder frame with the packaging and handling advantages of a unit-body design. All 2009 Honda Ridgeline are powered by a 250-horsepower, 3.5-liter VTEC V-6 engine. A 5-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission and a Variable Torque Management® 4-wheel drive system (VTM-4®) are standard. The EPA rates city/highway/combined fuel economy at 15/20/17. A fully-independent suspension with MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link suspension design in the rear contribute to a smooth ride and responsive handling. Standard equipment for towing includes an integrated tow hitch, transmission and oil coolers, heavy duty brakes, dual radiator fans and a wiring harness for a 7-pin trailer hook up (pre-wiring only on RT). Maximum recommended tow capacity is 5,000 pounds.

A 5-foot-long composite cargo bed provides a half-ton payload rating of 1,100 lbs. Four cargo area lights illuminate both the bed and the in-bed trunk. A dual-action tailgate opens down for traditional access to the cargo area or to the side for ease-of-access to the lockable In-Bed Trunk. New accessories for 2009 include a motorcycle bed extender and a bed-mount bicycle attachment, in addition to a wide variety of existing accessories that are designed to accommodate motorcycles and ATVs.