2020 Nissan Frontier vs 2020 Honda Ridgeline

When the 2020 Honda Ridgeline arrived for evaluation, it was clear that its design was a point of contention. My 12-year-old daughter remarked that it looked like a minivan in the front and a pickup truck in the back, highlighting a potential design and image problem for Honda. Trucks are traditionally expected to look rugged and tough, but the Ridgeline's second-generation design seemed to swing too far from its original, albeit weird-looking, ruggedness. Despite this, Honda made several updates for 2020, including a new nine-speed automatic transmission, standard Honda Sensing ADAS, and an upgraded infotainment system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier, on the other hand, retained a design that looked almost like a perfectly-preserved 2005 model. This truck still looked good, especially in the PRO-4X trim, which featured a tube-style roof rack, unique 16-inch alloy wheels, knobby white-lettered tires, a standard spray-in bedliner, and cool bedside graphics. Available in King Cab and Crew Cab styles, the Frontier offered various trims and packages, including the PRO-4X Crew Cab tested, which came to $38,745. The interior design transported you back to the mid-2000s, with a focus on symmetry, modularity, and silver plastic, but it was solidly built with no squeaks or rattles.

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline was powered by a smooth 3.5-liter V6 engine, generating 280 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 262 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm. Paired with a new nine-speed automatic transmission, the Ridgeline offered a refined driving experience, though the transmission allowed the truck to roll a bit after selecting Park. The Ridgeline featured electronic transmission controls and paddle shifters, though the latter were rarely used unless towing. Front-wheel drive was standard on Sport and RTL trims, while the i-VTM4 all-wheel drive was optional for those trims and standard on RTL-E and Black Edition versions. The Ridgeline's ground clearance increased to 7.9 inches with i-VTM4, and the system could transfer up to 70% of the engine's power to the rear axle, enhancing traction and driving enjoyment. The Ridgeline also offered Eco, Normal, and Sport drivetrain modes, as well as Snow, Mud, and Sand driving modes. The EPA rated the all-wheel-drive Ridgeline at 21 mpg combined, and it averaged 20.9 mpg on the testing loop. Towing capacity increased to 5,000 pounds with all-wheel drive, and maximum payload was 1,580 pounds.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier featured a new 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 310 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 281 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. This engine replaced the old 4.0-liter V6 and 2.5-liter four-cylinder, and it was paired with a new nine-speed automatic transmission. The Frontier's new engine was smooth and refined, with strong acceleration and quick, clean shifts. It averaged 19.3 mpg on the testing loop, slightly better than the EPA estimate of 19 mpg combined. The Frontier's driving dynamics were less impressive, with slow and heavy steering and a wide turning radius. The PRO-4X trim's Bilstein off-road shocks absorbed trail ruts and speed humps but allowed road surface irregularities to reverberate through the truck. Despite its age, the Frontier's character and new powertrain made it enjoyable to drive.

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline offered the comfort and utility of a Honda Pilot with a 33.9 cubic-foot cargo bed instead of a third-row seat. The front seats were comfortable, with adjustable armrests and standard heated front chairs in all trims but the Sport. The driver's seat had 10-way power adjustment, while the front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster but offered sufficient leg support. The rear seat was short on legroom but comfortable, with softly padded front seatbacks and air conditioning vents. The Ridgeline's climate system handled varying temperatures well, though solar heating through the front door glass was an issue. In-cab storage was generous, with weather-tight, locked storage behind the rear seat. The composite cargo bed featured a 7.3 cubic-foot in-bed trunk with a drain plug, a tailgate that dropped and swung to the side, a 150-watt/400-watt power outlet, and a truck-bed audio system.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier's center console had wasted space, but the truck offered plenty of storage in other locations, including dual glove compartments and a bin under the center armrest. The PRO-4X trim had an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, but it wasn't a Zero Gravity design, and after three hours, it became uncomfortable. The front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster but was high enough off the floor. Rear seat room was tight, with a flat bench seat and minimal backrest angle, and there were no rear air conditioning vents or USB ports. The Frontier PRO-4X had a standard spray-in bedliner, bed-rail caps, and a Utili-Track channel system with adjustable tie-down cleats, ready to haul up to 1,020 pounds of payload. The bed was 18 inches deep and had a total volume of 27.1 cubic feet.

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline featured a newly standard Display Audio system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen display. The system lacked knobs and buttons, and its voice-recognition technology required specific prompts and was slow to respond. The steering wheel had stereo volume and tuning controls, but for other functions, patience was needed. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making smartphone connectivity essential. The RTL-E and Black Edition trims added SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, navigation, and an eight-speaker premium sound system with a truck-bed audio system, but user experience issues persisted.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X had a 5.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which included NissanConnect Apps, satellite radio, navigation, voice recognition, and a 10-speaker Rockford Fosgate premium sound system. However, it lacked Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Pairing an iPhone to Bluetooth allowed the use of Siri Eyes Free, a more natural alternative to the Frontier's voice recognition technology. The Frontier's technology was limited, which was both refreshing and frustrating.

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline came with standard Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist. The RTL-E and Black Edition trims added automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning. The lane-departure warning system wobbled the steering wheel, and the forward-collision warning system was overeager. The adaptive cruise control could be smoother. The Ridgeline earned top marks in most IIHS crash tests, with an "acceptable" score for the small overlap frontal impact test for the front passenger. The NHTSA gave the Ridgeline five-star ratings across the board, except for a four-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier had poor crash-test scores. The NHTSA gave it an overall rating of four stars, with a three-star rating for the driver and a two-star rating for the front passenger in frontal-impact protection. The RWD model had a three-star rollover resistance rating. The IIHS gave the Frontier a "marginal" rating in the small overlap frontal-impact test and a "poor" rating for the headlights. The Frontier had a reversing camera, antilock brakes, traction control, and stability control, but lacked modern safety technology.