Toyota Tacoma Trail vs. Honda Ridgeline HPD: Video
Yes, it’s an apples-to-oranges comparison, but this Toyota Tacoma vs. Honda Ridgeline video is still interesting.
Just seeing the headline here likely made some Toyota Tacoma fans do a double take. Because while pricing and features might line up in an abstract way, since the Honda Ridgeline is a unibody, and not a traditional body-on-frame like the Tacoma, these trucks aren’t playing on the same turf. The Toyota is constructed to tackle trails and handle the rigors of off-road work, while the Honda’s car-based chassis is better suited to the pavement. If you want to take a Honda through the sketchy stuff? You’re better off on a CRF250RX.
That said, I was still interested to check out this new video from TestDrivenTV. In the interest of full disclosure, I should say I recently reviewed a Ridgeline Sport, and was beyond impressed with how it performed when I tasked it with navigating some of my favorite twisty roads. And while I’m obviously familiar with the conventional wisdom about body-on-frame versus unibody when it comes to 4x4s, I was curious to see what an independent outlet thought about how compromised the Tacoma’s more robust capability made it on the daily.
And for the record? It was about what I expected, in that the on-road ride and interior quality of the Honda outshined the Toyota. That made host Sam Haymart determine the Ridgeline is a better choice for people who just need to haul some dirt bikes or project supplies home from the hardware store. On the other hand, the Toyota is simply better at doing truck things. From hauling, to towing, to hitting trails, the traditional architecture makes it the winner for people who need a proper truck. Like I said, no huge bombshells.
What I’d really liked to have seen is some off-road action. To be clear, I’m not saying Haymart should have taken them to Moab and done some kind of death match at Hell’s Revenge. But something as simple as taking the trucks down a logging road could have been a good way to illustrate the profound differences in off-road capability. Given that we’re about to see an influx of compact trucks — Hyundai Santa Cruz, Ford Maverick — hit the market, I think that’s something a lot of people could benefit from. Check out the video and let me know what you think.
Photos: YouTube