2009 Honda Ridgeline 3.5 V6 5AT (250 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Honda refreshed the Ridgeline lineup for the 2009 model year, enhancing the interior design and improving the vehicle’s trim levels with more standard features for the lower grade.

While the world financial crisis took its toll on car manufacturers worldwide, Honda pushed the skinny pedal harder and started improving its models. Among them was the first generation of the Honda Ridgeline, a pickup like no other on the U.S. market, which used a unibody construction instead of a body-on-frame structure. Even though it wasn’t such an old model, since the automaker introduced it in 2005, it could use some well-deserved updates in terms of styling, interior comfort, and engineering. However, Honda considered updating the vehicle only here and there, so it was challenging to spot the differences between the facelifted and the non-facelifted Ridgeline. In total, there were just 50 changes, and most of them were inside and under the hood, not on the outside.

The 2009 Honda Ridgeline came in three flavors: the RT, the RTL, and the RTS. At the front, all three of them sported the same angular-shaped headlights with integrated turn signal lamps on their outer edges. Between them, on the grille, the Japanese automaker placed a new chromed trim that mimicked a pair of wings supporting the brand’s badge. Lower, on the redesigned bumper, the automaker installed a trapezoidal-shaped slim air intake with standard fog lamps for the RTS.

Like on the 2006 Honda Ridgeline, the 2009 model year was fitted with steel wheels for the lowest grade, while the other two got 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels. The angular-shaped flared wheel arches and the sculptured lines on the doors created a rugged appearance for Honda’s first pickup. While up to the C-post, it still looked mostly like an SUV and had a specific styling for the five-foot bed in the back. The angled side panels that flanked the cargo area were unique in the pickup segment. At the back, the corner-mounted taillights were narrower on the lower side, looking like half-shields. Fortunately, the twin-opening system for the tailgate was kept, being considered one of the vehicle’s most significant assets.

Inside, the most significant change was for the dashboard. Unlike the previous generation that had a binocular styling for the instrument cluster, on the 2009 Honda Ridgeline, the automaker installed rectangular shapes that surrounded the speedometer in the middle, flanked by the tachometer on the left and by the fuel level and coolant temperature gauges on the right. Atop the center stack, Honda installed the HVAC control panel and the stereo. For the RTS grade, the automaker offered a sat-nav system with a color touchscreen. The front passengers were separated by a tall center console housing a pair of cup holders, an open storage area behind them, and a cubby underneath the center armrest. In the back, the flip-up bench seat could accommodate up to three passengers.

Behind the cabin, the five-foot bed integrated an 8.5 cu-ft (241 liters) trunk in the rear area and a space-saving spare wheel. The automaker also boasted about the dual opening system of the tailgate, which could be flipped down like on any other pickup or sideways.

Under the hood, the automaker installed a refreshed version of its 3.5-liter V6 engine from the non-facelifted version. It had new camshafts and an ECU system, which increased the power with just three ponies for a total of 250 hp (253 PS) instead of 247 hp (250 PS). The only available transmission of the car was an all-wheel drive system paired with a five-speed automatic gearbox.