Compare the2024 Toyota TacomaVS 2024 Honda Ridgeline

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Tacoma have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Honda Ridgeline doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota Tacoma has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Tacoma has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Tacoma has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Tacoma offers an optional Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tacoma’s optional Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The Tacoma (except SR/SR5/PreRunner) offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Ridgeline only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Tacoma and Ridgeline offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Tacoma with Blind Spot Monitor also has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Ridgeline’s Cross Traffic Monitor doesn’t automatically brake.

The Tacoma’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Tacoma has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Tacoma and the Ridgeline have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive and blind spot warning systems.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Tacoma Double Cab is safer than the Ridgeline:

	Tacoma	Ridgeline
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	107	123
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	223 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.31 in	.83 in
Shoulder Force	112 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.14 in
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	1249 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	96	121
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.47 in	1.18 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	1.77 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	535 lbs.	892 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Toyota Tacoma achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Ridgeline is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

There are over 15 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Honda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Tacoma’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Tacoma’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Ridgeline’s camshafts. If the Ridgeline’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Tacoma has a standard 776-amp battery. The Ridgeline’s 650-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 59 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 18th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

Engine

The Tacoma’s optional 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 262) than the Ridgeline’s 3.5 SOHC V6. The Tacoma’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 262) than the Ridgeline’s 3.5 SOHC V6. The Tacoma’s optional 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 46 more horsepower (326 vs. 280) and 203 lbs.-ft. more torque (465 vs. 262) than the Ridgeline’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Tacoma gets better mileage than the Ridgeline:

			MPG
Tacoma
RWD	Auto	SR5 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/26 hwy
		SR 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy
		PreRunner/TRD Sport 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/24 hwy
AWD	Auto	SR 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/24 hwy
		Limited 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/23 hwy
		2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/23 hwy
Ridgeline
AWD	Auto	3.5 SOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy
		TrailSport 3.5 SOHC V6	18 city/23 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Tacoma higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Honda Ridgeline (3). This means the Tacoma produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Ridgeline every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Tacoma offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Tacoma i-Force Max’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Ridgeline:

	Tacoma i-Force Max	Ridgeline
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.2 inches	13 inches

The Tacoma’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Ridgeline are solid, not vented.

The Tacoma stops much shorter than the Ridgeline:

	Tacoma	Ridgeline
70 to 0 MPH	171 feet	195 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tacoma PreRunner/TRD Off-Road’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Ridgeline (265/70R17 vs. 245/60R18).

The Toyota Tacoma’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Honda Ridgeline only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

The Tacoma has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Ridgeline’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Tacoma offers an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Tacoma offers an available. The Ridgeline’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tacoma XtraCab’s wheelbase is 6.7 inches longer than on the Ridgeline (131.9 inches vs. 125.2 inches). The Tacoma 6-ft. bed Double Cab’s wheelbase is 19.9 inches longer than on the Ridgeline (145.1 inches vs. 125.2 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Tacoma XtraCab’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Ridgeline’s (42.2 feet vs. 43.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Tacoma XtraCab has a 3.06 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Ridgeline (10.7 vs. 7.64 inches), allowing the Tacoma to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Tacoma 5-ft. bed TRD Pro Double Cab’s minimum ground clearance is 3.86 inches higher than on the Ridgeline (11.5 vs. 7.64 inches).

Chassis

The Toyota Tacoma may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 300 pounds less than the Honda Ridgeline.

Cargo Capacity

The Tacoma Double Cab shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the Ridgeline shortbed (39.8 vs. 33.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the Tacoma easier. The Tacoma’s bed lift-over height is 34 inches, while the Ridgeline’s liftover is 35.3 inches.

The Toyota Tacoma has a standard easy lower and lift tailgate, which prevents the heavy tailgate from falling with a crash and causing injury. It allows adults and children to easily open and close the tailgate with one hand to better facilitate loading and unloading. The Honda Ridgeline doesn’t offer a tailgate assist.

The Tacoma has bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading to help accommodate diverse loads; the Ridgeline doesn’t offer two-tiered loading.

Payload and Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Honda Ridgeline is limited to 5000 pounds. The Tacoma offers up to a 6500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 has a higher optional payload capacity than the Ridgeline (1705 vs. 1583 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Tacoma is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Ridgeline. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Tacoma’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Ridgeline does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Tacoma Limited/Trailhunter/TRD Pro has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Tacoma’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Ridgeline’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Tacoma and the Ridgeline have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Tacoma is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Ridgeline prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Tacoma’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Ridgeline’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Tacoma’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Ridgeline’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The Tacoma’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Ridgeline RTL/TrailSport/Black Edition.

The Tacoma’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Ridgeline’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

Model Availability

The Toyota Tacoma comes in extended cab and crew cab bodystyles; the Honda Ridgeline isn’t available as an extended cab.

The Tacoma is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

The Toyota Tacoma outsold the Honda Ridgeline by almost five to one during 2023.

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