Honda has given the American market Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck a facelift and according to them the updates Ridgeline has 50 changes. The most obvious are the exterior looks thanks to revisions to the headlamps, taillamps, grille, and bumpers. Thanks to the revised bumpers the Ridgeline is now longer by 5mm, but all other dimensions including its 3099mm wheelbase remain the same.
Its 3.5 litre V6 is now up to 250 horsepower at 5,700rpm, up from 247 horses in the original Ridgeline. Torque is also up from 332Nm to 335Nm of torque at 4,300rpm. The torque band is also flatter now and starts off at a higher point before reaching its peak. The engines dual-stage intake manifold is now made of magnesium instead of aluminium. The intake valves are larger and there is now an airflow meter inside the air intake tract.
Power goes to all four wheels via a 5-speed automatic (now with revised ratios – gear 3 and 4 are approximately 5% lower) and a Variable Torque Management 4-wheel drive system, or VTM-4. The VSA stability control system works together with the VTM-4 system to ensure grip in all road conditions, and there is a VTM-4 Lock button on the dash to lock the rear differential in gears 1 and 2 at speeds of up to 30km/h.
The chassis is what Honda calls a “closed-box unit-body frame” which combines features from a ladder frame and a monocoque design. This reminds me of what Suzuki claims their Grand Vitara chassis is built on. Suspension design is fully independent with MacPherson struts at the front and a multilink suspension at the rear.
On the interior you get a new instrument panel and a new steering wheel design. New features include a 115V power outlet for the RTL model, MP3/aux input on the RTS and RTL, MP3 and WMA compatibility for the audio systems, and more ergonomics air conditioning, sunroof, cruise control and headlamp controls. The starter motor has also been improved and engine cranking is now quicker.
Look after the jump for plenty of hi-res images of the facelifted Ridgeline.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2009 Honda Ridgeline Facelift
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo
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gas guzzling sucker…
Nice… kinda mild facelift… I kninda like the floating grille version :P
from the side profile, the pickup doesn’t look like it has enough space for cargo at the back. The dirt bikes’ wheel were sticking out from the space.
honda makes American truck
ugly rear, and only 3.5L for such a tank? If it doesn’t run on a V8 what’s the point
Paul, need advise from u. I’m contemplating purchasing a Mitsubishi Triton. Any advise, comments you can give me?
How come theres no photograph showing the underneath of the car – you sure showed everything else!
The east-west engine is quite uncommon in pickup. Wonder why, izzit FWD? BTW its a wierd lookin pickup
not bad, looks tough and huge size….
no offense, but i think Honda should make this to become a SUV, maintain the same front….
2 dogs, invest your precious money on a proper pickup trucks like D-Max and Ranger, or wait for the upcoming Frontier…. don’t waste your life driving around in a sissy (and silly) Triton….
Americans taste are weird. Looks like a bigger version of the honda element
yeah, i’ll probably wait for the new Nissan Navara Frontier, 170hp really irresistable.
wait first, and see, once lauched, then you can contemplate all your decisions.
Tacoma way better.
I don’t need a truck to carry vegetables & drive deep into the jungle. Actually an SUV or Crossover is adequate but the price is ridiculously high (Fortuner, CRV, RAV4, Santa Fe). Triton’s design is advance, man. The uncoming Pajero will be based on this design.
ugly truck
Huge truck, tough looks at the front.
But dash board is totally out of the topic…
well, different ppl different taste, thats for sure, dude…
as for me, pickup trucks should look tough especially on the exterior, like Ranger (my all-time favourite), Frontier, D-Max, Hilux (with bigger wheels) and all those Ford Dodge Chevy in USA…..
most owners of Triton don’t know what they want for themselve…
if want something to feel like a car, ride like a car, and handling same as usual passenger car, then should go get a CAR, not a pickup truck…..
i’m a huge fan of Mitsubishi, but not the sissy Triton and sluggish Pajero….
mitlanevo,
Obviously you still live in the dark age of cars. Let me enlighten you. Everybody laugh when CRV came out with so called sissy SUV. It was a run away success & everybody followed, Porsche, BMW & VW (EVERY car mfg in the world). Why? I assume you haven’t ride anything higher than your head, right? When you’re in a high driving position in a big SUV (or MPV), you can see so far ahead, it’s so much safer & less pressure from wankers tailgating from behind (cos they can’t see in front!). Less accident! I’m driving MPV, I know. Trucks now is different from your grandfather’s time (or r u 90 oredi?) If they built a 10 ton lorry with car like driving, everybody will queue for it! I know so many (really adventurous type) driving ‘sissy’ Triton lah.FYI it’s competing in the Paris/Dakar rally.
I think u don’t know what u have been missing!
Triton is no sissy.. it’s a she hulk!!
the triton is better lah !!
Transverse-mounted engine? This truck must be FF 60% all the time.