Honda Cars : 2013 Honda Ridgeline Arrives with Standard Rearview Camera and Unmatched Combination of Practicality, Efficiency and Value | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

10/03/2012 - TORRANCE, Calif.

After receiving an extensive mid-cycle refresh for 2012, including a new high-value Sport trim level, new front styling and improved fuel efficiency, the Honda Ridgeline returns for 2013 with a rearview camera now standard on all trim levels. The 2013 Honda Ridgeline represents an exclusive and innovative approach in the half-ton pickup truck segment, prioritizing its construction and features based on the capabilities that recreational truck buyers need and use the most. The 2013 Ridgeline goes on sale today and pricing is unchanged for 2013, starting at $29,350¹.

The Honda Ridgeline features a closed-box, uni-body structure and an independent front and rear suspension for a unique combination of capability, interior spaciousness and comfortable ride performance. It also delivers a wide range of conventional pickup capabilities, with a maximum tow rating of 5,000 pounds and a half-ton payload rating, all while offering unique features like a large In-Bed Trunk® with dual-action tailgate for easy access.

Four distinctive Ridgeline models are available, including the Ridgeline RT, Ridgeline Sport, Ridgeline RTS and top-of-the-line Ridgeline RTL, which is available with Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™². The 2013 Ridgeline earns an EPA fuel economy rating of 15/21/17 city/highway/combined³ mpg.

Ridgeline RT features include:
Unique 17-inch steel wheels, integrated trailer hitch, pre-wiring for 7-pin trailer wiring, keyless entry, power windows and door locks, power sliding rear window, air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, trip computer with instantaneous and average fuel economy, 6-speaker 100-watt audio system with CD player and MP3/WMA playback capability, rearview camera, and 60/40 split lift-up rear seat with under-seat storage.

Ridgeline Sport features include (adds to Ridgeline RT):
Exclusive black 18-inch aluminum wheels, exclusive black honeycomb grille with black surround, black headlight and brake light housings, fog lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, auxiliary audio input jack, all-weather floor mats and rear privacy glass.
Ridgeline RTS features include (adds to Ridgeline RT):

Exclusive 17-inch aluminum wheels, painted inner grille surfaces, body-color painted door handles, 7-pin trailer wiring connector, 8-way power driver's seat with lumbar support, dual-zone automatic climate control, 7-speaker 160-watt audio system with subwoofer, 6-disc in-dash CD system, steering wheel-mounted controls, auxiliary audio input jack, exterior temperature indicator, all-weather floor mats and privacy glass.
Ridgeline RTL features include (adds to Ridgeline RTS):

Exclusive 18-inch aluminum wheels, fog lights, power moonroof, heated side mirrors, leather-trimmed interior with heated front seats, XM Radio⁴, HomeLink® remote system, ambient console lighting, 115-volt power outlet and carpeted floor mats.

The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™² with Voice Recognition and Zagat Survey® restaurant information is available on the Ridgeline RTL. It includes XM® Radio⁴, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® and a multi-information display. The navigation system includes a rearview camera display, thus eliminating this display in the rearview mirror.

Powertrain
The Ridgeline's all-aluminum, 60-degree, SOHC 3.5-liter VTEC V-6 engine produces 250 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 247 lb-ft. of torque at 4,300 rpm. Variable valve timing enhances low-rpm torque while extending high-rpm horsepower for a broad power band.  The 5-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission features Grade Logic Control to help maintain the most appropriate gear when going uphill or downhill to avoid gear "hunting."

A fully automatic Variable Torque Management® 4-wheel drive system (VTM-4®) provides confident operation in rain, snow, ice, sand and mud, while also improving on-road and towing performance by distributing torque to all four wheels as needed. The system operates predominately in front-wheel-drive during dry-pavement cruising conditions and continuously proportions torque to the rear wheels during acceleration and low traction situations. The VTM-4 lock button located on the instrument panel allows the driver to temporarily hold engagement of both rear wheels to aid traction while in gears "1" and "2" at speeds of up to 18 mph.

Standard towing equipment includes an integrated tow hitch, transmission and oil coolers, heavy duty brakes, dual radiator fans and a wiring harness for a 7-pin trailer hook up (pre-wiring only on RT and Sport).

Body
The unit-body architecture is designed for vastly superior rigidity compared to traditional body-on-frame designs and provides the foundation for the Ridgeline's spacious interior cabin and bed, safety performance and class-leading ride and handling performance. Its modern and athletic design incorporates a solid, one-piece appearance with no separation between the bed and the cab. The windshield wipers have a heated wiper zone to enhance wiper performance in winter driving conditions and minimize ice scraping, while large side mirrors compliment rear vision while towing.
A 5-foot-long composite cargo bed with eight tie-down locations provides a payload rating of 1,100 pounds, while four cargo area lights illuminate both the bed and the in-bed trunk. A dual-action tailgate opens down for traditional access to the cargo area or to the side for ease-of-access to the 8.5 cubic-foot In-Bed Trunk®. The Ridgeline is available with a wide variety of accessories and can conveniently accommodate motorcycles or ATVs. The cargo area measures 49.5 inches wide between the wheel wells, 20.7 inches deep and 60.0 inches long (79.0 inches with the load-supporting tailgate in the down position).

Chassis
A MacPherson strut front suspension and fully independent multi-link rear suspension with trailing arms provide a smooth ride and responsive handling. A heavy-duty braking system includes 12.6-inch front and 13.1-inch rear 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. The Ridgeline RT has 17x7.5-inch steel wheels and P245/65 R17 all-season tires, while the Ridgeline RTS upgrades to 17x7.5-inch aluminum wheels. Ridgeline Sport and Ridgeline RTL models are uniquely equipped with 18x7.5-inch aluminum wheels and all-season P245/60 R18 tires.

Interior
The interior takes advantage of Honda's uni-body packaging efficiency to deliver full-size interior space dimensions while maintaining garage-friendly, mid-size exterior dimensions. The driving position provides ergonomically comfortable access to large and easy-to-use controls.

Between the front seats, a large multi-function console features a sliding armrest and sliding lower tray – each with a hidden storage area. Other console storage areas accommodate large and small items like mobile phones, beverage holders, compact discs and portable digital music players.

The 60/40 lift-up rear seats feature a storage area underneath that is large enough to accommodate a golf bag. Plus, the rear seating area can quickly convert for cargo duty by lifting the seats up to create enough room for a full-size mountain bike with the front wheel removed. The rear seat incorporates three LATCH positions for compatible child safety seats.

Safety
All Ridgelines are equipped with standard safety features including dual-stage, multiple-threshold driver's and front passenger's SRS airbags, front side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), side-curtain airbags with a rollover sensor, front-seat active head restraints, Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®), a tire pressure monitoring system and daytime running lights.

Awards and Accolades
The 2012 Ridgeline received the highest possible TOP SAFETY PICK rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), earning the highest-possible score of GOOD in all four IIHS ratings, including the rigorous roof-strength test. In addition, in J.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) for 2011, the Ridgeline earned the highest initial quality score in the midsize pickup segment.

Warranty
The 2013 Honda Ridgeline is covered by a 3-year/36,000-mile new-car limited warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and a 5-year/unlimited-mile corrosion limited warranty.

Ridgeline Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Pricing¹
Ridgeline RT: $29,350
Ridgeline Sport:  $30,095
Ridgeline RTS:  $32,055
Ridgeline RTL:  $34,930
Ridgeline RTL with Navigation: $37,280
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¹ MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, $830 destination charge and options. Dealer prices may vary.
² The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ is available on the Ridgeline RTL in the United States, except Alaska. Please see your Honda dealer for details.
³ Based on 2013 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
⁴ Required XM Radio subscription sold separately after 90-day trial period. Subscriptions are governed by the XM Customer Agreement available at xmradio.com/serviceterms. Other fees and taxes apply after trial period; see XM Customer Agreement for details. Fees and programming subject to change. Service not available in Canada, Alaska, or Hawaii. 2012 SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. SIRIUS, XM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Third-party trademarks: The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such marks by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., is under license.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/2013-honda-ridgeline-arrives-with-standard-rearview-camera-and-unmatched-combination-of-practicality-efficiency-and-value