The 2019 Honda Ridgeline marches on in the midsize pickup truck segment that welcomes two new players this yearthe Ford Ranger and the Jeep Gladiator . How will the Ridgeline stack up? Before we throw it in the ring, we thought itd be a good idea to get reacquainted with Honda s pickup. The second-generation Ridgeline hasnt changed much since its introduction in model year 2017. Highlights include new colors, more USB ports, streamlined trim levels (from 12 to nine), and the addition of a moonroof and power-sliding rear window to the midlevel RTL and RTL-T models. We got our hands on a very loaded Ridgeline AWD Black Edition with a hefty $44,465 price tag. That said, the Black Edition is essentially an appearance package for the Ridgeline RTL-E ($42,965), and a decently equipped RTL-T is priced at $39,945. A base, front-drive Ridgeline RT can be had for $31,035. Hondas ubiquitous 3.5-liter V-6 carries over, sending 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque to a six-speed automatic. Not surprisingly, its straight-line performance numbers are nearly identical to the 2017 Ridgeline AWD RTL-E we last tested, running to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds and the quarter mile in 15.6 seconds (compared to 7.3 and 15.7 seconds). A little poky from a stop, road test editor Chris Walton noted about our 2019 Ridgeline tester, though upshifts at redline are reasonably smooth/fast. Its quicker than the top-selling 2018 Toyota Tacoma we recently tested (7.6 seconds to 60 mph), but it lags behind the 2019 Chevrolet Colorado and 2019 Ford Ranger , which posted 060 times of 6.4 and 6.8 seconds, respectively. Both domestics have stronger engines and gearboxes with more cogs (and shorter first gears), and they arent much heavier than the Honda. Our Ridgeline tester tipped the scales at 4,475 pounds, just 11 and 75 pounds lighter than the Chevy and Ford . With an EPA rating of 18/25 mpg city/highway, the Ridgeline AWD barely edges out the Colorado V6 4WD at 17/24 mpg. A drop in the bucket in times of relatively cheap gas. A comparable Tacoma returns 18/22 mpg; the Ranger hasnt been rated as of this writing. The Ridgelines unibody chassis remains an outlier among its body-on-frame peers. If you value ride quality above anything else, the Honda cant be beat. Its noticeably smoother around town and on the highway and is much more controlled through corners. Very different than the others, testing director Kim Reynolds noted after posting a 27.7-second lap around the figure-eight course. Steering quality is much better including turn-in. That said, the Colorados and Rangers handling disadvantages on the figure eight were essentially erased by their stronger powertrains, with the Chevy beating the Honda by 0.1 second and the Ford coming in at a tie. Part of the Ridgelines appeal is its ability to combine car-like road manners and its ability to do work that trucks are expected to do. Our testers max payload rating of 1,499 pounds is right there with the Colorado and Ranger we tested, and almost 300 pounds more than the Tacoma we had on hand (though we should note that payload ratings vary more with the body-on-frame trucks depending on configuration). Meanwhile, the Ridgeline is capped to tow 5,000 pounds, about 1,400 to 2,500 pounds less than the aforementioned three trucks. Although we didnt do a standardized tow evaluation this time around, we did praise the Ridgelines ability to tow a 3,000-pound trailer in a previous test . The Ridgelines truck bed is a showcase of Hondas clever tricks. The lockable in-bed trunk (with 7.3 cubic feet of cargo) is unique to the segment, and the super handy tailgate swings down and is also side-hinged, giving you closer and easier access to your payload. The available in-bed speaker system is pretty trick, as well, and the bed is also fairly spacious. Though not as deep as its competitors, it does provide 50 inches of space between the wheelhouses, which is about 5 inches more than the Ford and Chevy and 8 inches wider than the Toyota . Another highlight is the rear passenger area. Not only is the floor completely flat, but the seat bottoms and support frames fold up and away to maximize cargo space. Its simply cavernous compared to its competitors. Unfortunately the Ridgeline appears to be last in line for Hondas infotainment upgrade, so you wont find the sharper and more intuitive interface (nor a volume knob) found in other models. Interior fit and finish is excellent, storage solutions are scattered throughout, and the front center armrests (straight from the Pilot) are a nice touch. In all, the Ridgeline still charms us with thoughtful engineering, smooth ride, and decent capability. But with new and fresh competition on the way, the Ridgeline could benefit from a few tweaks thatll hopefully make their way to a midcycle refresh soon.   2019 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition BASE PRICE $44,415 PRICE AS TESTED $44,415 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE 3.5L/280-hp/262-lb-ft SOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,475 lb (58/42%) WHEELBASE 125.2 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 210.0 x 78.6 x 70.8 in 0-60 MPH 7.2 sec QUARTER MILE 15.6 sec @ 88.3 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 128 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.79 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.7 sec @ 0.62 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 18/25/21 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 187/135 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.94 lb/mile The post 2019 Honda Ridgeline AWD Black Edition First Test appeared first on Motortrend .