The Honda Ridgeline Might Be The Last True V6 Pickup Truck, As The 3.5-liter, 280-horsepower Mill Is Perfectly Old-School Yet Modern

Note that I said in a way. I do not mean that the Ridgeline literally offers the last naturally aspirated V6 in a truck. Of course not - there are other V6 compact and full-size pickup trucks on the market, and the naturally-aspirated V6 will likely continue into the foreseeable future, even with the technological shifts towards electrification and hybridization and turbocharging. The pullback in electrification in the near term doesn’t hurt its case.

Why are we talking about the Ridgeline V6 like this? Because there's a strong chance that Honda could pause production - and that the next Ridgeline might be, like the Toyota Tacoma, hybrid only. Or, perhaps, Honda could offer a V6 and a hybrid option, but given the costs involved, we wouldn't bet on it.

The Honda V6 Is Smooth Yet Strong

Honda’s 3.5-liter V6 is an example of old-school naturally aspirated six- and eight-cylinder engines that are smooth in operation. Yes, the 262 lb-ft of torque is a bit of a low number - an engine like this should be closer to 280 or 300 lb-ft. It’s also less than ideal that the peak torque number is in the upper-middle of the rev range at 4,700 RPM when the redline is at 6,800 RPM. You’d like more just off idle.

But the truck can still tow 5,000 pounds. Not enough to compete in a grunting contest with full-size trucks like the Ford F-150 or Ram 1500, but Ridgeline buyers aren’t looking to move large campers or other big loads.

Five-thousand pounds is plenty for towing ATVs, personal watercraft, UTVs, tailgating setups, and more. And 262 lb-ft of torque is probably just fine for the light off-road use that most buyers might use a Ridgeline for.

It’s About More Than Just The Engine

Engines aren’t just meant to mate to a particular vehicle in terms of performance - it’s also about the vehicle’s use case. A turbo V6 or inline-six, for example, might be found in some trucks to increase oomph and/or towing capacity, or to increase power in a bigger truck without giving up too much in the way of fuel economy.

Conversely, smaller trucks might use a turbo four or a hybrid powertrain. Fuel efficiency will be the name of the game here, as well as perhaps light off-road use. No one is going to use a Ford Maverick to tow anything heavy, though a Maverick could be used to deliver auto parts in a big city or something like that.

That’s where the Ridgeline fits in - and one reason why it earns rave reviews from journalists like myself. It’s meant first and foremost as a truck that will sacrifice some utility in exchange for a car-like driving experience and ride. That makes it a good vehicle for suburbanites and urbanites who don’t need to tow much nor use the bed often - but need the bed and/or to tow just often enough to buy a truck.

Again, the Ridgeline isn’t the only compact/mid-size truck out there with a naturally aspirated V6 underhood. But Nissan’s Frontier and Jeep’s Gladiator are getting long in the tooth and probably ready for redesigns, though both have been rumored to be facing cancellation - rumors that appear unfounded. Chevrolet and GMC have ditched six for a turbo four.

The Frontier is probably the closest in mission to the Ridgeline, though it’s more, for lack of a better word, “trucky” in disposition. The Gladiator is meant to be an off-roader, sort of a Jeep Wrangler with a pickup bed.

That’s what makes the Ridgeline and its V6 so unique, though, again, a hybrid could be on the way. It’s a little larger than Ford’s Maverick or Hyundai’s Santa Fe, neither of which offer six-cylinder power. It’s smaller than the Ford F-150, which offers turbocharged sixes, and the Ram 1500, which does offer a naturally aspirated V6. And, as noted, it’s more urbane in spirit and driving dynamics than Nissan’s Frontier or Jeep Gladiator. Toyota’s Tacoma no longer offers six-cylinder power.

I can foresee a future in which turbo fours and hybrid powertrains, using four-cylinder gas engines, rule the day. Indeed, we mentioned above that Honda probably has such a plan in place. But right now, the Ridgeline is a unique spot. If you don’t want the extra cost or maintenance associated with turbo power, and you don’t want or need a full-size truck with a V8, the Ridgeline might be the best option available if you want something that doesn’t force upon you some of the sacrifices of owning a truck. Namely in terms of ride and handling.

And it can still do the jobs a truck is needed for. It can go off-road, to an extent, and it can tow. Time was, a lot of mid-size trucks existed as options for buyers who needed the truck abilities occasionally and wanted something that was more civilized the rest of the time - trucks with six cylinders and no turbo. Now, plenty of these trucks still exist, but the Ridgeline is one of a few with a naturally aspirated six, at least for now, and the one with the most car-like demeanor.

The next Ridgeline might be a hybrid. So if old-school V6 power appeals to you, shop now.

About The Author

Tim Healey is an experienced automotive writer and editor from Chicago. He has covered automotive news at Consumer Guide Automotive, Web2Carz, AutoGuide, and was the managing editor at The Truth About Cars. Tim is a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association. You can find him on Facebook, X/Twitter, and on LinkedIn.