while there are those, Honda actually has trucks in the forms
of things like the CR-V and the Pilot, or over on the Acura
side of the house, the RDX and the MDX. In fact, Honda has
actually developed a Global Light Truck platform, which
serves as the basis for the Ridgeline.
And they went at building a truck—it is being manufac-
tured at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln—with
serious structure for serious mid-size truck capability.
Consider, for example, the fact that there are 1300-MPa ultra-
high-strength steel door reinforcement beams and 1500-MPa
hot-stamped and laser-welded front door outer stifener
rings. Ultra-high-strength steel accounts for 19.3 percent of
the body. An additional 35.7 percent of the body structure is
made with high-strength steel. (For those who now associate
aluminum with pickups, know that the Ridgeline hood
and front bumper reinforcement beam are made with the
A notable aspect of the Ridgeline is the interior,
not only because there is more passenger volume
(109-ft
3
) than its competitors and best-in-class
cargo volume with rear seats folded (50.2-ft
3
), but
because the seats, gauges, switchgear, etc. are
all sedan-quality. This, coupled with the ride and
handling manners that are engineered into the
structure and the suspension, results in a truck that
is untruck-like in the right ways.
56
HONDA