The Best Year for the Honda Ridgeline
Pickup trucks have been the best-selling vehicles of any type in the U.S. for decades. The hulking size and cargo capacity of Ford F-150s, Chevrolet Silverados, and Ram 1500s have a strong consumer appeal.
Yet, as far back as the 1950s, U.S. automakers sought to bridge the gap between pickup utility and passenger car comfort. In 1957, Ford launched the Ranchero “coupe pickup” by basically taking a four-door station wagon and removing everything behind the two front doors. Chevy soon followed with the similar El Camino. These unique vehicles faded into history about four decades ago as regular pickup trucks rose to vehicle ascendancy in the U.S.
Seeking to enter the lucrative American pickup truck market, Honda launched the Ridgeline in 2006. Wisely choosing not to take on the Detroit Three head-on, the company instead offered something the market was missing: a pickup with car-like handling and light-cargo capability. Notably, Honda made the Ridgeline family-friendly by offering it as a four-door. This was easy to do as the Ridgeline is based on the popular and functional Honda Pilot.
After five years, the typical Ridgeline will be worth about 43% off its original value. Better than the average car but not as strong as some other pickup alternatives. This softer resale value makes for a stronger case for buying a used Ridgeline. We’ll explore the details of a new 2021 Ridgeline and look at used models from 2014 and 2017-2020 and uncover helpful information on this unique Honda.
Note that the Ridgeline was off the market for 2015-2016, and an all-new model was launched for 2017. Read on as we uncover the best year for the Honda Ridgeline. We’ll look at pricing, problem areas, and feature changes for each year.
2014 Honda Ridgeline: Used vs. New
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2014 Honda Ridgeline: Used vs. New
- Average Used Listing Price: $22,197
- Average Used Mileage: 95,768
- Savings vs. buying new: $17,891
The average 2014 Ridgeline will be offered for about $22,000 and have about 96,000 miles. Given the Ridgeline’s fair resale value and the seven-year gap between a new model, there’s an almost $18,000 difference between a used 2014 Ridgeline and a new model.
New Features for the 2014 Honda Ridgeline
- New Special Edition trim level added for the final year of the original body style Ridgeline.
Reliability
First-year gremlins, including electrical problems, plagued the all-new 2017 Ridgeline. This model year also saw recalls for the fuel pump and cargo area cover.
Is Buying A Used 2017 Honda Ridgeline A Good Idea?
Given that you’d be shelling out about $28,000 for a vehicle with potential reliability issues, we’d suggest skipping a purchase of a used 2017 model. This is not the best year for the Honda Ridgeline.
NEARLY-NEW CARS AT SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS
A new car loses value the second you drive it off the lot. Luckily, many used models sport the same great features as their new counterparts. Here’s where you can find nearly-new cars at significant discounts off MSRP.
2018 Honda Ridgeline: Used vs. New
- Average Used Listing Price: $30,396
- Average Used Mileage: 48,455
- Savings vs. buying new: $9,692
The average 2018 Ridgeline will sell for about $30,000 and have about 48,000 miles. Also, there will be about a $10,000 gap between a used 2018 model and a new Ridgeline.
New Features for the 2018 Honda Ridgeline
- Streamlined trim levels
Reliability
Honda appears to have overcome the problems that plagued the previous year Ridgeline and returned this vehicle to Honda’s regarded reliability.
The fuel pump and cargo cover recalls affecting the 2017 model also impacted the 2018 Ridgeline.
Is Buying A Used 2018 Honda Ridgeline A Good Idea?
A $10,000 gap between a used 2018 Ridgeline and a new model—along with good reliability ratings—makes for a strong case for buying used.
2019 Honda Ridgeline: Used vs. New
- Average Used Listing Price: $33,648
- Average Used Mileage: 30,402
- Savings vs. buying new: $6,440
On average, a 2019 Ridgeline will sell for about $37,000 with about 30,000 miles on the odometer. You can expect a $6,400 difference between a used 2019 Ridgeline and a new 2021 model.
New Features for the 2019 Honda Ridgeline
- Lower trim models get a second USB port
- Upper trim models receive a power sliding rear window and a moonroof
Reliability
The Ridgeline’s reliability streak continues for 2019. The same fuel pump and cargo cover recalls affecting earlier years also apply for this year. Some 2019 Ridgelines we recalled for a defective timing belt.
Is Buying A Used 2019 Honda Ridgeline A Good Idea?
If a $6,400 savings from buying a used 2019 model over a new version is meaningful, this may be the best year for the Honda Ridgeline.
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2020 Honda Ridgeline: Used vs. New
- Average Used Listing Price: $38,424
- Average Used Mileage: 12,608
- Savings vs. buying new: $1,664
New Features for the 2020 Honda Ridgeline
- New nine-speed transmission
- Advanced safety features along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on all models
- Trim levels were reduced to four choices.
Reliability
There is insufficient data to report on the Ridgeline’s reliability or recall history given the short time that the 2020 model has been on the market.
Is Buying A Used 2020 Honda Ridgeline A Good Idea?
It’s hard to justify buying a used 2020 Ridgeline when a brand-new model will only cost another $1,600.
Which Model Year of the Ridgeline Is Best to Buy Used?
Thanks to almost average vehicle depreciation, the 2018 model stands out as the best Honda Ridgeline to buy used. This year benefits from a good reliability history and standard advanced safety features (on the upper-trim RTL-E and Black Edition variants). The roughly $10,000 savings compared to a new Ridgeline is nothing to sneeze at.
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