2023 Ford Maverick vs 2023 Honda Ridgeline

The 2023 Ford Maverick retained its distinctive styling, characterized by a blocky front end and headlights, which set it apart within the Ford truck family. The Maverick Tremor variant added off-road capability and street cred with blacked-out logos, headlights, and taillights. It also introduced a unique Avalanche Grey colour, tow hooks in Tremor Orange, updated fender vents, and a new grille with orange accents. The Tremor Plus Appearance Package further enhanced its sporty look with a Carbonized Grey roof and mirrors, black side graphics, and special 17-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. Inside, the Maverick's crew cab featured a lot of hard plastic, with Black Onyx seats offering a heathered, salt-and-pepper look. The blue-tinted plastic on the door cards and centre console added a surprisingly highbrow touch, despite the utilitarian feel of the materials.

In contrast, the 2023 Honda Ridgeline, updated a couple of years ago, boasted a rugged appearance with a bold front end, LED lighting, and larger dual exhaust outlets. The Ridgeline's V6 engine, nine-speed automatic transmission, and i-VTM4 torque-vectoring AWD system were standard across its four trims: Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Black Edition. The Ridgeline shared its platform with the Honda Passport SUV, resulting in a refined and sophisticated driving experience. Its interior, reminiscent of the Passport, featured a leather-lined cabin with quality materials, ample storage, and a sensible layout. Despite its dated design, the Ridgeline's interior remained modern and upscale compared to its rivals.

The 2023 Ford Maverick was notable for its hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to produce 191 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. Hybrid models featured a CVT and FWD, while the 2.0-litre, 250-hp turbo EcoBoost engine came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD in Canada. The Tremor off-road package, available on XLT and Lariat trims, introduced Ford's "Advanced 4WD" system, Trail Control, and enhanced off-road capabilities with special springs, shocks, skid plates, and a 2.5-cm lift. The Maverick's towing capacity varied, with the EcoBoost engine capable of pulling up to 1,814 kg (4,000 lbs) with the 4K Tow Package, while the Tremor package reduced towing capacity to 907 kg (2,000 lbs).

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline shared its platform with the Honda Passport, featuring a 3.5-litre VTEC V6 engine delivering 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Its nine-speed automatic transmission and torque-vectoring AWD system provided sophisticated driving dynamics on pavement. The Ridgeline offered a competitive 694-kg (1,530-lb) payload capacity but was limited to 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs) of towing capacity due to its unibody construction. While its ground clearance and off-road capabilities were less impressive, the Ridgeline excelled in on-road comfort and handling. It averaged 10.4 L/100 km on a road trip, showcasing class-leading fuel economy among midsize pickups with gas-powered V6 engines.

The 2023 Ford Maverick, with the Tremor package, was 2.5 cm longer than other Mavericks, but this didn't affect legroom. Gas engine models offered 1,088 mm of front legroom and 937 mm in the second row, while hybrid models had slightly less rear legroom at 912 mm. The Maverick's interior featured utilitarian plastic materials, but upgrades were available, such as the Luxury Package on XLT and Lariat trims, which added heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and more.

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline prioritized function with features like shelves in the front door panels, a giant storage console, a dual-action tailgate, and an in-bed trunk. Its interior, similar to the Honda Passport, offered comfortable seats with power adjustment and excellent leg support. The rear seat cushion flipped up to create a load floor, and the truck bed featured a dual-action tailgate and a flat, scratch-resistant composite cargo bed. The Ridgeline's unique unibody platform allowed for a lockable, weatherproof, 206-litre trunk with a drain plug, adding to its practicality.

The 2023 Ford Maverick, as an entry-level truck, offered basic tech features. It came with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, Bluetooth, wired Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. FordPass Connect provided a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, and a six-speaker sound system was standard. The Lariat trim added a 6.5-inch LED driver-information display, additional USB ports, and optional upgrades like an eight-speaker B&O sound system and Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system.

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline's infotainment system, dating back to the mid-2010s, included Bluetooth, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a wireless charging pad. The 8-inch touchscreen was smaller than expected, with slow content loading and delayed voice recognition. The user interface was simple, but the lack of a tuning knob and cluttered navigation display were drawbacks. The Ridgeline's wireless smartphone charger worked inconsistently, and the technology needed an overhaul.

The 2023 Ford Maverick came with the Ford Co-Pilot 360 suite, including automatic high beams, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, and a rearview camera. Additional safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane centring, evasive steering assist, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and hill-descent control. The Maverick earned a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with some concerns about rollover resistance and crash test performance.

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline featured Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centring assist. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard in Canada. The Ridgeline received favourable crash-test ratings from the IIHS and top marks from the NHTSA, with a four-star rollover resistance rating.