2024 Honda Ridgeline

Like the Ridgeline, the Santa Cruz uses car-like unibody construction, which means it lacks the conventional frame used in most trucks. It also has an independent rear suspension. And like the Ridgeline, these traits bring it advantages and disadvantages relative to a traditional truck. It's smaller than the Ridgeline and has a shorter bed with a smaller underfloor trunk, so it offers less utility. But the Santa Cruz offers two engine options and is available in front-wheel drive — options not offered on the Ridgeline.

The Tacoma sacrifices comfort, fuel economy and on-road manners relative to the Ridgeline in service of its rugged mission. But it's the midsize truck that set the standard for small, off-road-capable trucks and it's enjoyed decades of success under that banner. It's far more capable off-road than the Ridgeline, offering better ground clearance, a low-range four-wheel-drive system, and a locking rear differential. It also comes in multiple bed and cab configurations, and it will tow more than the Ridgeline. In other words, it's more of a truck. And it will be all-new for 2024.

Redesigned for 2023, the Colorado, like the Tacoma, takes the traditional truck path to being a midsize truck. It's a body-on-frame design and offers a single engine — a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder in three output levels. Like the Ridgeline, it's available in only one bed and cab configuration — four doors and a 5-foot bed. Even its midlevel power output is considerably more powerful than the Ridgeline (310 hp versus 280 hp). It's also more off-road-focused than the Ridgeline with three of its five trims offering off-road features.