2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD vs 2021 Honda Ridgeline

Styling sold vehicles, and if someone didn’t like the way a car, SUV, or truck looked, they weren’t going to buy it unless they felt like they had no choice. That’s why it was essential for a truck to look like a truck. The 2021 Honda Ridgeline understood this, featuring a long and flat hood, an aggressive front end, bulging fenders, and a seam separating the cab from the cargo bed. The redesigned Ridgeline forward of the windshield and front doors, along with a new rear bumper with exposed dual exhaust outlets, gave it a more rugged appearance. The tires had a more aggressive shoulder tread, and new wheel designs debuted in black, dark gray, and bronze. The HPD Package added oversized fender trim, a unique grille design, and bold stickers on the cargo bed, enhancing its truck-like appeal.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD, redesigned for the 2020 model year, featured a bold exterior design with a tall hood, squared-off lines, and a massive grille, giving it a commanding presence. The Sierra HD was considered one of the better-looking heavy-duty trucks on the market. Inside, the Sierra HD's interior was functional but had shortcomings in material quality, especially on the top trims, compared to its competitors from Ram and Ford. The cabin wasn’t as spacious as the Ram 1500 and Ford Super Duty, but it was still comfortable and presentable.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline featured a powerful, smooth, and refined gasoline-fueled V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 262 pound-feet of torque at 4,700 rpm. It used a nine-speed automatic transmission with Normal and Sport modes to power all four wheels. With the cancellation of the front-wheel-drive version, the Ridgeline's all-wheel-drive system with Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) became standard, capable of putting up to 70% of the engine’s power to a single rear wheel. Intelligent Traction Management provided Snow, Sand, and Mud settings, but the Ridgeline wasn’t designed for rock-crawling off-roading. It had a modest 7.64 inches of ground clearance and shallow approach, breakover, and departure angles. The Ridgeline was remarkably athletic and enjoyable to drive, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and a maximum payload rating of 1,583 pounds. It handled various off-road conditions with ease but had limitations in more challenging terrains.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD, with its 6.6-liter V8 engines—standard gas and optional turbodiesel—was a strong performer. The Duramax diesel engine produced 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of torque, paired with an excellent Allison 10-speed automatic transmission. Despite its power, it wasn’t the most capable in its class, with competitors like the Ford F-250 Super Duty and Ram 2500 heavy-duty trucks offering higher maximum tow ratings. The Sierra 2500HD had a maximum payload capacity of 3,597 pounds and a maximum trailering weight of 18,500 pounds. The AT4 trim, focused on off-roading, featured an automatic-locking rear differential, a two-speed transfer case, a traction-select system with off-road and tow/haul modes, heavy-duty air cleaner, X31 off-road suspension with twin-tube Rancho shocks, skid plates, all-terrain tires, trailering package, and a trailer brake controller. The AT4 handled off-road conditions with ease, though the ride was jittery on uneven pavement when unladen.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline, with its Sport trim, offered manually-adjustable front seats with inboard armrests, supportive and height-adjustable driver’s seat, and the roomiest rear seat in its class. Standard triple-zone automatic climate control added to the comfort. Higher trims included leather seats, heated front seats, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a power sunroof, and ambient cabin lighting. The Ridgeline excelled in utility, with a large center storage console, various storage compartments, and a composite cargo bed that was dent- and scratch-resistant. The bed held 33.9 cubic feet of cargo, and the dual-action tailgate and 7.3 cubic-foot weatherproof trunk added to its functionality.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD, with three cab configurations and two pickup bed lengths, offered abundant passenger space in both the front and rear seats. The AT4 package added extra lift, making it a bit challenging to get into the truck, but the side assist step and corner-step rear bumper aided access. Inside, the wide and deep center console, dual glove boxes, hidden storage compartments in the rear outboard seats, and a fold-down armrest with integrated cupholders provided ample storage. The optional 120-volt household-style power outlet and another outlet in the truck's bed added convenience. The MultiPro tailgate, available on the base Pro trim and standard on SLE and above, offered six distinct functions to improve loading, unloading, and accessing the cargo box.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. It included a seven-speaker sound system, text-messaging capability, basic HondaLink connected services, and a couple of USB charging ports. Higher trims added SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, navigation, voice recognition, traffic information, a premium sound system, and wireless smartphone charging. The Sport-trim test truck lacked these upgrades but still provided essential connectivity and entertainment features.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD offered a range of infotainment systems with either a 7-inch or 8-inch color touchscreen, depending on the trim level. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on SLT and above, with navigation available on SLT and AT4 trims. The Sierra 2500HD came standard with hitch guidance, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, a WiFi hotspot, and OnStar with connected services. The Bose premium audio system in the test vehicle provided rich sound, though the voice-recognition system had some quirks. The Sierra's 15 available camera views, including the "transparent trailer" view and standard rear camera mirror, enhanced visibility and ease of use.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline featured Honda Sensing as standard, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-centering assistance. It also had a multi-angle reversing camera, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (standard on all but the Sport trim), and automatic high-beam headlights on top trims. The Ridgeline was built to Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) crashworthiness standards, earning high safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS in previous years.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD offered advanced driving-assistance systems such as automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic warning, following distance indicator, hill-descent control, and front and rear park assist. Standard items included HD Surround Vision, a rear-seat reminder system, driver Safety Alert Seat, and a Teen Driver system. The Sierra's mass provided safety benefits in collisions but also posed risks to smaller vehicles and pedestrians. The numerous camera views were essential for safety, and opting for as many safety systems as possible was recommended.