Dealer Review: 2012 Honda Ridgeline Sport

I took a 2012 Ridgeline Sport home the other night. It was not what I expected. True to its name, it is a Sport - appealing to outdoor, mountain bike, and ATV enthusiasts. It is not a Limited or an EX or an Si. As you would expect from Honda, the truck is solid. No squeaks or rattles, lots of power, and lots of torque. I don't know the specs, but are they really important? It's the fact that I press the gas pedal and it GOES that I notice.

 

 

The buttons and knobs have a cool, rough, trucky feel and look, but they are not where I, as a lifetime Honda driver, would expect them. The headlights are to the left of the steering wheel on the instrument panel. I kept twisting the left stalk, the traditional Honda headlight control, and turning the windshield wipers on. Lately, most Hondas have been equipped with Auto on/off headlights - not the case here. I've also become accustomed to automatic climate control - set it and forget it - not on the Sport either. I also might have thought, Compass? No. Outdoor temperature? No. I think this is a miss for Honda. I know they wanted to make this a sharp, sporty, and affordable truck. I didn't expect the leather, heated seats, or sunroof at the $30,000 price point and indeed you don't get it. XM radio is also not an option.

Stop by Route 23 Honda to take a test drive!
www.route23honda.com

 

 

I really like the black trim on the headlights and taillights. The black theme contintues on the door handles, mouldings, big alloy wheels (I don't know what size - BIG though). The Sport comes with all weather mats as you would expect. Key-less entry, easy foldaway rear seats, adjustable tilt wheel, MP3 jack are all standard equipment as is the really cool "in the bed locking trunk." It includes the towing hitch and cargo lights. This truck is a stunner. I had people looking at me wherever I went. The unique grill with the red "SPORT" lettering gets some second looks too. The kids love the privacy of the dark tinted windows. We all took advantage of the dual power outlets, using one for our GPS and the other for a phone charger. The center console provides ample storage and includes two good sized cup holders. You could easily keep a burger and fries tucked neatly within its confines.

 

 

A couple of must have accessories are the hard tonneau cover (looks really cool with the whole black theme), the door visors, and black rectangular running boards. Bottom line, for a Ridgeline priced toward the bottom of its trim levels, the Sport model brings a lot of style and substance to the table. While leaving some of today's toys and luxuries behind, Honda is able to bring 4WD, V6 power, hot looks, towing capacity, and all around utility to a mid sized pickup, all for around $30,000.

Written by Adam Barish

Owner of Route 23 Honda