2018 Honda Ridgeline pares down trims, bumps up price
The cheapest all-wheel-drive Ridgeline is now a fair bit more expensive.
Some automakers will add features or trims between random model years, even if a vehicle was just introduced a year or two prior. In Honda's case, though, it's cutting back.
Honda released the pricing information for the 2018 Ridgeline, and it starts at just $29,630, which is $155 more expensive than last year. That'll get you a base 2018 Honda Ridgeline RT with front-wheel drive and a 5-inch color infotainment screen. There used to be an all-wheel-drive RT trim, but that's been canceled for 2018. The RTS trim is gone in its entirety.
The next step up from there is the $33,170 Ridgeline Sport, which adds keyless entry, three-zone automatic climate control and fog lights. It's also the lowest trim where you can get all-wheel drive, which bumps the price to $35,070. With the removal of the RT AWD trim, it means the cheapest AWD Ridgeline is now $3,695 more than in 2017. Woof.
The 2017 and 2018 Ridgeline look identical, so you can just pretend this one's a 2018.
Next up is the $33,930 Ridgeline RTL. This one comes with an acoustic windshield, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated power front seats. AWD brings the price to $35,830.
The highest FWD trim you can get is the $36,080 RTL-T, and that one adds Honda LaneWatch, LED running lights and an 8.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Add two more driven wheels, and the price rises to $37,980.
The last two trims, the $41,620 RTL-E and the $43,120 Black Edition, are only available with AWD. RTL-E (these trims are terribly named) adds truck-bed speakers, a 540-watt sound system, LED headlights. It also adds HondaSensing, which is a safety suite that includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. The Black Edition has all the same stuff, but there are blacked-out trim pieces and red interior ambient lighting.
No matter which Ridgeline you opt for, you get the same 3.5-liter V6 with 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It'll tow up to 5,000 pounds and haul up to 1,580. FWD models are EPA rated at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, with AWD dropping those figures to 18 and 25, respectively.
You can see how the 2018 Ridgeline stacks up to the 2017 model below:
2018 Honda Ridgeline Pricing
| Model | 2018 MSRP | 2017 MSRP | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| RT FWD | $29,630 | $29,475 | $155 |
| Sport FWD | $33,170 | $33,015 | $155 |
| Sport AWD | $35,070 | $34,915 | $155 |
| RTL FWD | $33,930 | $33,780 | $150 |
| RTL AWD | $35,830 | $35,680 | $150 |
| RTL-T FWD | $36,080 | $35,930 | $150 |
| RTL-T AWD | $37,980 | $37,830 | $150 |
| RTL-E AWD | $41,620 | $41,470 | $150 |
| Black Edition | $43,120 | $42,970 | $150 |
