Honda dared to throw a punch to the pickup market when it introduced the Ridgeline in 2005, as the first vehicle of its kind that didn’t rely on a chassis.
Most pickup customers were concerned about two key factors: loading and pulling. Honda knew that it couldn’t pull as a full-size V-8 pickup. It couldn’t pull even as hard as a V-8 powered F-150, but it could do better than most other mid-size vehicles with V-6 powerplants.

Honda didn’t want the Ridgeline to look like any other pickup on the market. That’s why it created a different look for it. The rectangular grille sported a bigger logo than on other Hondas. Despite its enlarged wheel-arches and angular shapes, it looked like a leisure vehicle rather than a workhorse. Moreover, it didn’t have a gap between the bed and the cabin. It worth mentioning the tailgate, which the owner could have opened either sideways or lowered as on any other pickup.

Inside, the carmaker installed an SUV-like interior. The front passengers could have crossed the car from left to right, thanks to the flat floor. On the instrument panel, Honda installed the same dials and gauges as in any other regular vehicle: a center-mounted speedometer flanked by the tachometer on the left and the fuel and temperature gauges on the right. In the back, there was room enough for three adults. Another advantage of Ridgeline’s unit-body construction was the trunk located under the bed’s rear side.

Under the hood, Honda installed only one engine option: a 3.5-liter V-6 carried over from the Honda Pilot. It was paired with a five-speed automatic. The base model featured a front-wheel-drive only, while the all-wheel-drive system was available.