2008 Honda Ridgeline review and start up - A quick look at the 2008 Ridgeline

Описание: This is Joe Tunney from Infiniti of Kirkland spending a few minutes going over the features and options of the cars we carry at our dealership.

With room for five, the 2008 Honda Ridgeline is a midsize pickup truck offered only as a crew cab. Buyers have the luxury of choosing from four trim levels: RT, RTX, RTS and RTL. Go with the RT for 17-inch steel wheels, a cloth interior, air-conditioning, a CD player, powered accessories, keyless entry and cruise control. The picture gets more appealing with the RTX, which adds alloy wheels, towing preparation and a chrome grille. Move up to the RTS and you get a power driver seat and an upgraded stereo with an in-dash CD changer. Splurge on the premium RTL trim and you'll get a sunroof, heated outside mirrors, leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, satellite radio and HomeLink. A navigation system with an integrated MP3 auxiliary audio unit is available as an option, but only on the Ridgeline RTL.

Powertrains and Performance

Underneath the hood is Honda's 3.5-liter single-overhead-cam V6, which in this application generates 247 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. The V6 is paired with a five-speed automatic that's equipped with a transmission cooler. Buyers also get a standard all-wheel-drive system (which Honda has labeled VTM-4, or Variable Torque Management four-wheel drive). The 2008 Honda Ridgeline can tow up to 5,000 pounds and is capable of hauling payloads of up to 1,550 pounds.

Safety

Investigate the Ridgeline's list of standard safety features and you'll find antilock disc brakes with brake assist, seat-mounted side airbags for front occupants, and full-length side curtain airbags. Traction control and stability control are also standard. The Ridgeline earned a perfect five out of five stars for its protection of occupants in both frontal and side-impact crashes in tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Interior Design and Special Features

Slide into the Honda Ridgeline and you'll find front bucket seats that are firm, well-shaped and comfortable. Still, some drivers might be irked by the absence of a telescoping steering wheel. There's more rear legroom than you'll find in many midsize pickups, but if you're a rear passenger, don't expect too much in the way of comfort. The Ridgeline offers no shortage of interior storage compartments, and additional cargo space is available by flipping up its 60/40-split rear seat. Go exploring beneath the truck's 5-foot-long bed and you'll find a hidden lockable trunk with a drain plug that allows it to pull double duty as a cooler. You'll also find that the truck's spare tire is inconveniently located inside the trunk -- which means that in the event of a flat, you'll have to unload the bed and the trunk to access the spare.