Eight Things You’ll Find in the Bed of a Honda Ridgeline

The original Honda Ridgeline introduced in 2005 had several unique features that separated it from other trucks. The 2018 Honda Ridgeline continues and improves upon these features while adding one really “exciting” surprise.

Dent And Rust-Resistant Bed

One of the Honda Ridgeline’s best features is a composite bed that is resistant to dents and rust. The 2018 Ridgeline improves on the original design by incorporating color throughout the composite material itself which makes scratches much less visible compared to the painted bed material on the original Ridgeline.

A Trunk in the Bed

I like to carry a few items such as jumper cables, a blanket, ratchet straps, and folding chairs in my truck, but I don’t want these space-consuming and sometimes dirty items inside the cab. The Ridgeline’s water-resistant trunk located at the rear of the bed is the perfect place to store such items without taking up space inside the vehicle. There's also a drain plug located in the bottom of the trunk for draining water in case you decide to fill it with ice and use it as a cooler.

Dual Hinged Tailgate

All trucks should have a dual-hinged tailgate like the Ridgeline. Not only does it swing down like a traditional tailgate, but also opens to the left which allows access to the trunk and makes it easier to reach items closer to the front of the bed instead of reaching over the side or the tailgate. The Ridgeline’s tailgate isn’t dampened or spring-assisted, but I find it to be light enough to not be an issue.

Bed Lighting

The 2018 Honda Ridgeline comes standard with bed lights so you can see your cargo and the contents of the trunk at night. They come on automatically when the tailgate or trunk is opened and can also be operated manually with a button inside the cabin.

Spare Tire

Most trucks carry their spare tires underneath where they remain out of sight and usually out of mind until they are needed. With any luck, the spare tire will still be inflated and the release mechanism still works. The Ridgeline’s spare tire is located inside the trunk underneath the bed where it is protected from the elements.

Power To The People

Located in the side panel of the Ridgeline’s bed is an AC power outlet that can supply up to 400 watts for chargers, lights, televisions, blenders, etc.

Cargo Hooks

Eight of them, to be exact.

The “Exciting” Surprise

When Honda redesigned the Ridgeline for 2017, they added a weather and damage-resistant speaker system in the bed of the truck. Located behind composite panels of the bed are six exciters which are essentially speakers without cones. These exciters turn the bed panels into speakers. I wouldn't consider the sound quality to be “high fidelity”, but it’s more than acceptable for background music or keeping up with the game at a tailgate party.

All of these features make the 2018 Honda Ridgeline’s bed a rather interesting, entertaining, and useful place for both cargo and people.