2020 Toyota Tacoma vs Honda Ridgeline

If you need a strong and capable truck for your drives through San Diego, Chula Vista, and El Cajon, you’re probably considering popular pickups like the 2020 Toyota Tacoma and 2020 Honda Ridgeline. While either would be a good choice, we wanted to know which option has the most to offer local drivers.

To find out, the team at Norm Reeves Toyota San Diego created this Toyota Tacoma vs. Honda Ridgeline comparison.

Engine Power & Performance

The Toyota Tacoma and Honda Ridgeline each come equipped with respective 3.5L V6 engines under the hood. Each vehicle is capable of boasting more than 270 horsepower. However, when it comes to torque, the Tacoma has a lead with 265 lb-ft, while the Ridgeline lags behind with 262 lb-ft of torque.

Torque is a crucial factor when considering towing. While the difference in torque between the Tacoma vs. Ridgeline isn’t a gaping one, there is a bigger difference with towing.

Toyota Tacoma vs Honda Ridgeline Towing Capabilities

If you need to haul a ton, you can do that—and more—with both the new Toyota Tacoma and Honda Ridgeline. Both trucks set you up for success with an available V6 engine that produces plenty of power. However, when we look at the final result, we see this in terms of total towing capacity:

Toyota Tacoma Max Towing Capacity: 6,800 pounds
Honda Ridgeline Max Towing Capacity: 5,000 pounds

The Tacoma also includes a Trailer-Sway Control feature. When this system senses unsteadiness from your trailer, it makes subtle, automatic adjustments to your braking and engine torque distribution to help prevent excessive trailer sway.

The Honda Ridgeline doesn’t offer a similar driver-assist feature, so drivers may have a tougher time staying in control during a heavy haul.

Active Safety Features: 2020 Tacoma vs Ridgeline

When you’re working hard, both the Tacoma and Ridgeline can help make your job a little easier with their respective suites of safety technology features.

This includes their forward collision mitigation systems that scan up ahead for unseen hazards. If detected, they’ll issue an alert to slow down. These systems can also automatically bring you to a stop in an attempt to help you avoid potential impact.

They also each include a lane departure alert system that detects if you’re accidentally drifting from your intended lane of travel. In addition to giving you audio-visual cues, these systems can gently steer you back between the lines.

The biggest difference between the two trucks is that the Tacoma includes Pedestrian Detection, which uses sensors to detect moving objects smaller than those of another vehicle. While the Ridgeline includes proximity sensors mounted outside the truck, there’s no indication that they can detect pedestrians.

All-Terrain Handling

Both the Toyota Tacoma and Honda Ridgeline know that you won’t always stick to the main drag. Sometimes, you may find yourself tackling tougher terrain, like a sandy beach or dirt roads. When you do, you’ll be well-equipped with the available systems in either pickup.

The Honda Ridgeline makes an intelligent all-wheel drive (AWD) system available, while the Toyota Tacoma maximizes off-road capabilities with a smart 4-wheel drive (4WD) system. Both trucks also let you optimize your performance for your specific challenge. The Ridgeline has four available selectable drive modes, while the Tacoma has five.

While the Honda Ridgeline has a Sand Mode, the Toyota Tacoma takes this a step further with its available Crawl Control (CRAWL) feature. CRAWL automatically modulates the throttle and brakes in an extreme 4WD Low mode to help you climb over rocks or drive through sand.

Without a similar feature, drivers in the Honda Ridgeline may be more likely to get stuck in unforgiving terrain.