A used Honda Ridgeline makes sense if you want a pickup that rides like a crossover and you never tow more than 5,000 pounds. The 2006-2014 first generation is the bargain with a rust problem to check, the 2017-plus second generation is the better truck, and 2020 and later cars add a nine-speed automatic, with standard AWD from the 2021 refresh. Before you buy any of them, run the VIN, because both generations have frame or subframe corrosion recalls in salt states, and the newest one was still waiting on its final fix in mid October 2026.
The Ridgeline has always been the odd one out among mid-size pickups. Consumer Reports describes it as built on a beefed-up version of the Honda Pilot platform, with a tailgate that swings down or sideways and a lockable trunk under the bed floor. That shared hardware matters for recalls too, so our used Honda Pilot buying guide is worth reading alongside this one. If you are torn between this and a conventional truck, our used Toyota Tacoma buying guide covers the body-on-frame side.
2006-2014 first generation: cheap, clever, check the frame
CR rated the original Ridgeline the best compact truck it had tested, but it also measured just 15 mpg overall, no better than bigger full-size trucks. The bed is about five feet long, made of composite with no wheel arch intrusion, and CR lists towing at 5,000 pounds with 1,500 pounds of payload. Later years have dated audio, and the steering wheel does not telescope. Fine for a work truck, if the underside is sound.
The underside is the whole question. 22V-430 covers about 132,882 2006-2014 Ridgelines sold or ever registered in a long list of salt-belt states and D.C., where road salt can corrode the frame where the fuel tank bands mount and possibly let the tank detach. Dealers inspect and repair the rear frame, and depending on the damage Honda may offer to repurchase the truck. First-gen trucks also show multiple frontal air bag inflator campaigns on NHTSA, so do not stop reading at the first closed line. A northern truck with a fresh undercoat and no paperwork makes us nervous, honestly.
2017-plus second generation: the better daily truck
Car and Driver's 2017 review describes the redesign as car-style unibody construction with independent rear suspension and a 280-hp 3.5-liter V-6 making 262 pound-feet through a six-speed automatic, and it called the optional touchscreen the truck's weak link. CR says 2020 brought a nine-speed automatic plus standard forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and CarPlay and Android Auto, and the 2021 refresh made all-wheel drive standard. For 2024, CR notes blind-spot and rear cross traffic warning and a 9-inch screen became standard. C&D's current review lists a 5.3-foot bed, a 7.3-cubic-foot in-bed trunk, room for a four-by-eight sheet between the wheel wells, and a 5,000-pound tow cap that trails rivals by 2,000 to 2,500 pounds.
The second-gen recall list is long for a Honda. 26V-365 is the big one: about 880,514 Pilot, Ridgeline, Passport, and Acura MDX vehicles sold in salt-belt states, including 2017-2023 Ridgelines, whose rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounts. Dealers inspect, install a reinforcement kit, and repair or replace parts as needed, but interim letters went out in July 2026 and the final remedy was only anticipated for fall 2026. Ask the dealer what has actually been done. 19V-053 covers about 106,683 2017-2019 trucks whose fuel pump feed port can crack from acids such as car wash soaps.
The tailgate keeps breaking camera wires. 22V-867 covers about 117,445 2017-2019 trucks, and 24V-321 covers about 187,290 2020-2024 trucks, both replacing the rearview camera wiring. Then there is 23V-751, a roughly 248,999-vehicle campaign that includes 2017 and 2019 Ridgelines whose connecting rod bearings may wear and seize; dealers inspect and repair or replace the engine. Do not skip that one on a 2017 or 2019.
VIN, history and price
Decode the year and drivetrain with our Honda VIN decoder, then run campaigns with our Honda recall check by VIN guide. Registration history matters here more than usual, since the corrosion recalls depend on where the truck lived, and our walkthrough on how to read a CARFAX report shows where to find it. As of mid October 2026, a CARFAX report through us is about $5.50 as a guest or $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle about $6.75, versus roughly $39.99 to $44.99 retail. Confirm at checkout. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian.
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