Pickup Truck 101

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What You Need to Know About the Honda Ridgeline

Pickup trucks like the Honda Ridgeline are different from automobiles, minivans and even SUVs. This guide will acquaint you with important facts about pickup trucks that you should know.

Electric Trailer Brakes

A separate electrically actuated braking system for the trailer. Honda recommends that trailers over 1,000 pounds have their own brakes. The Ridgeline comes pre-wired for an electric trailer brake module.

Regular Cab Pickup

A standard two-door cab with single bench seat or pair of bucket seats and no rear seat of any kind. It only seats two or three occupants.

Extended-Cab Pickup

Extended-cab pickups have a small rear seat or jump seats to hold additional passengers for short trips. Some extended-cab trucks have one or two rear-hinged half doors that permit easier access to the rear seat.

Four-Door Cab

Also called a Crew Cab or Double Cab, it has a full rear seat and four conventional, front-hinged doors. The Ridgeline is a four-door-cab pickup truck.

Curb Weight

The weight of the unloaded pickup as it sits, ready to roll, with fluids and essential equipment, but no cargo or passengers.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is the maximum allowable weight of the entire vehicle, including all equipment, fuel, cargo, tongue load, driver and passengers. The GVWR is not to be exceeded. Ridgeline models have a GVWR of 6,019 pounds.

Payload Capacity

Also called “load limit,” it is the actual amount (in pounds) that the truck can carry, including cargo, passengers and fuel. The total payload capacity of the Ridgeline ranges from 1,509 pounds to 1,583 pounds, depending on trim level. These weights are important because overloading the vehicle can affect handling and stability.

Gross Combined Weight Rating

The maximum allowable weight (in pounds) of the fully loaded vehicle and trailer.

Rated Capacity

Each size of pickup truck has a different rated capacity that indicates its basic duty level: half-ton, three-quarter ton or one-ton. These figures aren’t exact, so you should really go by the pickup’s actual payload capacity. The Ridgeline is considered a half-ton pickup truck.

Towing Capacity

The maximum figure in pounds that the truck can tow (5,000 pounds for the Ridgeline³⁷).

• Many factors influence towing capacity, including the engine type, transmission, tires, brakes and passenger and cargo load.

• The Ridgeline RTL, for example, can tow a boat and trailer with a combined weight of 4,750 pounds and a maximum tongue load of 600 pounds, and still accommodate four occupants (with an estimated total weight, including personal items, of 761 pounds).

Total Trailer Weight

The weight of the trailer (usually quoted by the manufacturer) and everything on it.

Tongue Load

The load that the tongue of a fully loaded trailer puts on the hitch. It should not exceed 15% of the total trailer weight. Too much tongue load reduces front-tire traction and steering control. Too little tongue load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway.