Chevy Avalanche vs. Honda Ridgeline

- Comparative Review

2009 Chevy Avalanche

The Avalanche, which was introduced in 2002, upset the trend of making more SUV-like pickups. The 2009 Avalanche is a unique truck/SUV combo which features a midgate that expands the cargo area into the passenger cab. By removing the midgate and folding down the second-row seat, the cargo floor extends from 5 feet, 3 inches long to more than 8 feet long. The cargo bed also features lockable, side-mounted storage. A locking tailgate and cargo cover increase the secured-storage options even more. The Avalanche is available in LS, LT and LTZ trim levels and in two- and four-wheel drive.

Power and Handling

Several engines are offered for the 2009 Avalanche.  There are two standard 5.3-liter V8s, one making 320 horsepower in the two-wheel drive (2WD) version, another 310 horsepower in the four-wheel drive (4WD) model.  Flex-fuel capability is a no-cost option with 2WD and standard with 4WD.  A 366-hp, 6.0-liter V8 is optional ($1,095) on up-level LT and LTZ models with both 2WD and 4WD.  The only type of transmission offered is a four-speed automatic, although you get a more heavy-duty unit with the 6.0-liter engine.  The ride and handling of the current 2009 Avalanche is remarkable and a big improvement over the pre-2007 models.  It benefited from a new front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, which transformed directional stability and responsiveness.

Avalanche Exterior

The Avalanche has the bold but familiar front-end styling found on Chevy's GMT900 products. Setting the Avalanche apart are its distinctive sails that connect the cab to the bed and emphasize the smooth roofline and exterior length. The only real problem with the design is rearward visibility.

Inside the Avalanche

The Avalanche has an overall spacious and comfortable cabin.  The front seats are supportive and the center console offers plenty of storage space.  The interior's centerpiece is the fold-down rear seat and the removable midgate. The rear glass can be removed separately from the main midgate for an open-air effect.

Safety

GM has loaded the Avalanche with plenty of advanced safety features as standard equipment: Roof-mounted side curtain airbags with rollover protection, front seat belt pretensioners, Electronic stability control with rollover mitigation technology, and seat-mounted side airbags for front occupants. Optional safety features include rain-sensing wiper system, Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist and rearview camera.  

New for 2009

For 2009 fuel economy has been improved on the Avalanche. Chevy also reached out to its luxury customers by enhancing the LTZ trim with more standard equipment, including heated and cooled 12-way power seats up front, Centerpoint Surround Bose speaker system, and new rear styling and hitch cover. Finally, the electronics were upgraded, including the latest generation of OnStar, hands-free Bluetooth connectivity and XM Satellite Radio with NavTraffic.

2009 Honda Ridgeline

The Honda Ridgeline is also a unique truck as it offers ingenious storage options, a high-tech drivetrain and special chassis construction. The Ridgeline's styling not for everyone, but without a doubt the Ridgeline offers a comfortable ride, precise handling, and limited, but always spirited, performance. Honda's quality controls are in place here.  The Ridgeline features a unit-body frame, all-wheel-drive and four-wheel independent suspension. It comes in three trim levels: RT, RTS and RTL.

Power and Handling

All Ridgelines are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, generating 247 horsepower, with a five-speed automatic transmission and Honda's VTM-4 all-wheel-drive system. This full-time all-wheel-drive normally proportions 60 percent of the power to the front wheels, but if conditions indicate it will automatically send as much as 70 percent of the engine torque to the rear wheels. Ridgeline also incorporates a limited-slip differential with lock feature.  For a hefty truck, the Honda Ridgeline delivers a pleasant driving experience. This comes from the stiffness of its unibody-on-ladder-frame construction.

Ridgeline Design

The Honda Ridgeline grille, the front end, the cab shape, the buttresses coming down off the rear of the roof to join the integrated pickup bed, all seem to have been deliberately designed to be different.  Despite the flashy styling there are some problems with the Ridgeline's design: A traditional bed cap or bed-mounted crossover toolbox won't fit, there's a limited selection of tonneau covers, and visibility is tough in some angles.  But for some, the 5-foot cargo bed's lockable in-bed trunk, four cargo-area lights and a dual-action tailgate that opens up and down to support long items or from the side for easier access to items at the bed's front are enough.

Inside the Ridgeline

The interior of the 2009 Ridgeline has many minivan cues; it's a clean, very practical design. The front seats are supportive and the rear split-bench seat folds up neatly to allow storage of large items in the cab. Honda has improved the switches for the sunroof, climate controls, cruise control and headlights.

Safety

Standard on all trim lines are side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor, electronic brake distribution, brake assist, and an electronic stability system with traction control, multi-stage front airbags and side-impact airbags for front passengers, and LATCH child-seat anchors for the three rear seats.

New for 2009

Honda says there are 50 significant changes or new features on the 2009 model. The interior is dressed up with new cloth seating materials and a new steering-wheel design.

The 2009 Chevy Avalanche and the Honda Ridgelines are both trucks that have found unique personalities in different ways.  The Avalanche is a superb truck when it comes to flexibility for hauling cargo and people. It can be converted from pickup to SUV in a couple of minutes. Avalanche switches roles via its ingenious Midgate.  Click here for more details on the Avalanche.  Versatility is what makes the Avalanche so desirable. It also offers an 8,000-pound towing capacity, making it an excellent choice for pulling an enclosed car trailer or a fairly big boat. The Honda Ridgeline cannot do the work of a full-size pickup, but its 1550-pound payload and 5000-pound towing capacity are enough for many buyers.  With its tailgate and storage innovations to its combination of body-on-frame isolation and unibody stiffness, the Ridgeline is reasonably priced, and should be reasonably economic to operate. Ridgeline is pleasant to drive in all circumstances. Read Motortrend's First Look for more information.  The storage trunk, even more than the tailgate, distinguishes Ridgeline for other pickups.  The 2009 Chevy Avalanche has a starting MSRP of $35,460 - $46,700. The 2009 Ridgeline comes in at $28,200 - $34,180.  The Avalanche gets and estimated 14 mpg in the city and 20 on the highway, the Ridgeline gets 15/20.