The Overlooked Tailgate Feature That Makes The Honda Ridgeline Even Cooler

In recent years, the Ford Maverick has been credited with helping American buyers rethink what a pickup truck can be, showing that you don't always need huge dimensions, big power, and massive towing ability to have a useful truck. But the truth is that the Honda Ridgeline has already been doing the same thing for a lot longer, just in a slightly larger segment. From its debut for the 2006 model year up until today, the Ridgeline has excelled by using a car-based platform (also shared with the Honda Pilot SUV and Odyssey minivan) to create a spacious and practical pickup that drives more like a passenger vehicle than a body-on-frame truck. While it may be getting a little long in the tooth, especially in the tech department, the current second-generation Ridgeline still impresses with its easy-going personality. 

But it's not just those car-based underpinnings that make the Ridgeline so unique compared to other pickup trucks. The Ridgeline also employs lots of Honda's renowned packaging magic in its design, which helps make it even more useful for hauling both passengers and cargo. This includes the Ridgeline's dual-action tailgate, which can open both traditionally or like a hinged door, and its bed, which includes a large, hidden, multi-purpose locking storage area.

The Ridgeline's dual-hinged tailgate can come in clutch, allowing easier and closer access to load or unload the bed when needed, while also retaining the ability, as on a traditional pickup, to lay flat and extend the cargo area when needed. Even better, opening the Ridgeline's tailgate sideways allows easy access to the in-bed trunk, as Honda calls it. This hidden 7.3 cubic-foot storage area sits completely beneath the bed floor and is fully lockable.

Not only does this area provide extra storage beyond the Ridgeline's bed capacity, but it also allows items or luggage to be locked away and stored out of sight, potentially negating the need for a larger bed cover. Not enough? The in-bed trunk can also be used for tailgating and camping trips, with a drain plug that you can pull to let out any water or melted ice.

With its unibody construction and lack of a true 4x4 system, the Honda Ridgeline is never going to be a truck for everyone. But for all the Ridgeline lacks, it also has some great features you won't find in other mid-sized trucks. If you don't need the towing capacity or off-road capability of a body-on-frame pickup, features like its dual-hinged tailgate or in-bed trunk might just help the Ridgeline win you over.