The Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck has been given another update for the 2024 model year, bringing the TrailSport variant for a more rugged iteration that brings new equipment aimed at adding off-road capability.
Joining the Ridgeline range is the TrailSport variant, which features off-road tuned suspension, all-terrain tyres and underbody protection made of steel.
Suspension tuning for the Ridgeline TrailSport features spring rates, damper valve tuning and stabiliser bars unique to the TrailSport variant, which increase articulation while improving off-road ride quality without sacrificing on-road comfort and handling, says Honda.
Powertrain for the Honda Ridgeline, as before is a 3.5 litre direct-injected VTEC V6 petrol engine that produces 280 hp and 355 Nm of torque sent through a nine-speed automatic, channeled to all four wheels via the i-VTM4 torque-vectoring AWD system that can send up to 70% of the engine’s output to the rear wheels.
The all-terrain tyres for the Ridgeline TrailSport are General Grabber A/T Sport tyres measuring 245/60R18 for improved traction on dirt, sand, mud, rocky terrain and snow.
Visually distinguishing the TrailSport from other variants of the Ridgeline include the new grille with a different mesh design, black door pillars and exterior mirror trim, and a black grille crossbar. The five-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels are finished in Pewter Grey, and this colour is also applied to the front skid plate trim. ‘TrailSport’ badging in orange is applied to the grille and tailgate.
Inside, the Ridgeline TrailSport cabin is identified by orange ambient lighting along with orange contrast stitching on the steering wheel, seats and door interior panels. The front seat headrests get embroiders ‘TrailSport’ logos which are also moulded into the floor mats.
Standard on the TrailSport and other 2024 Honda Ridgeline variants is the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance systems, consisting of collision mitigation braking system with forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation with lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control; also included for all variants is the rear seatbelt reminder.
Notable for its unibody construction as a pick-up model, the Honda Ridgeline touts a cargo payload capacity of 1,583 pounds (720 kg) and a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds (2.2 tonnes), and its cargo tray is made of glass fibre-reinforced SMC composite to resist dents and scratches without the need for a separate bed liner.
Beneath the truck bed floor is the Ridgeline’s signature lockable In-Bed Trunk that offers a further 7.3 cubic feet (207 litres) of secure storage space, and which can double as an ice-filled cooler, says Honda.
The cargo bed itself can accommodate four-foot (1,129 mm) wide items in between the wheel wells, and features eight tie-down cleats rated for 350 pounds (158 kg). Its dual-action tailgate can extend the available length of bed from five feet, four inches (1,625 mm) to over seven feet (2,133 mm) when opened in the down position, where it can take dynamic loads of up to 300 pounds (136 kg), to handle a motorcycle or ATV.
To be made available for the North American market, the 2024 Honda Ridgeline and Ridgeline Trailsport will be made at the automaker’s plant in Lincoln, Alabama, and the unibody pick-up truck model will arrive in dealers in the northern hemisphere winter.
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