Honda Ridgeline

Honda's smart pickup is built on a reinforced version of the Honda Pilot platform and looks more conventional than the previous generation. Thanks to unibody construction and a fully independent suspension, handing approaches that of a good family sedan and the ride rivals some luxury SUVs. Clever features like a tailgate that opens downward or sideways and a lockable trunk space below the bed floor carry over from the original. Power comes from a slick 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, returning an impressive 20 mpg overall in our tests. Towing capacity is modest at 5,000 pounds, and while the bed is longer this time around, it is shallow. Front- and all-wheel-drive versions are available, as is a nine speed automatic.

The Honda Ridgeline challenged pickup conventions, ranking as the best compact truck we have ever tested. Based on a beefed-up version of the same platform found in the Honda Pilot, the Ridgeline drives more like a good sedan than a lumbering beast of burden. The ride is supple and steady and handling is quite agile. Innovations included a tailgate that can open either vertically or horizontally, and a clever, weatherproof, lockable trunk beneath the bed. The standard 3.5-liter V6 engine is quiet, smooth, and responsive. But at 15 mpg overall, it's no more efficient than more capable full-size trucks.