2006 Honda Ridgeline RTL

First Toyota. Then Nissan. And now Honda. With every full-size-truck launch, Japanese manufacturers have learned more about what does and doesn't fly in the thus far American-brand-dominated truck market. Nissan and Toyota have taken somewhat conventional approaches, although neither has yet to offer the depth and breadth of models, cab configurations, and powertrain variations of the Big Three. Not so Honda. With clever packaging and innovative approaches to rear suspension/ bed/storage design, Honda has conceived and engineered a different kind of truck and repurposed existing platform and powertrain architecture--darned good ones, by the way--which saved costs and cut development time.

As a result, the Ridgeline reaches new highs in balancing ride, handling, and utility. It so impressed during our recent Truck of the Year showdown that we made a unanimous decision to award it the trophy, which earned it an automatic place on our long-term test fleet. We ordered up the topline Ridgeline RTL ($32,005) and added a moonroof and navigation system, bringing the total price to $35,155.

During Truck of the Year competition, the Ridgeline's 3.5-liter, 247-horse, 245-pound-foot-torque V-6 helped it run circles around the competition, and it posted the quickest 0-to-60-mph time at 8.5 seconds, while emitting EPA/CARB-certified ultralow emissions. It bested the Lincoln Mark LT, Mitsubishi Raider, and Dodge Ram 1500, all of which are equipped with V-8 engines.

It also tied the Ram 2500 for the largest load-carrying capacity, even though the truck itself weighs some 3000 pounds less, and it offers a 1554-pound payload capacity and 8.2 inches of ground clearance. We further commended the Ridgeline's carlike competence and trucklike fortitude on the road. Time will tell if Honda's take on the full-size truck will fly here in the States, because it really is something different; one staffer called it "the ultimate urban truck." We'll spend a year with it and tell you what we think. Sales figures will tell us what you do.