Compare the2025 Ford MaverickVS 2025 Honda Ridgeline

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Ford Maverick has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Maverick has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Maverick Lariat/Tremor has standard Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Maverick FX4/Tremor’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Maverick (except XL/XLT) offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Ridgeline only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Maverick’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Maverick and the Ridgeline have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Maverick is safer than the Honda Ridgeline:

	Maverick	Ridgeline
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	27%
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	20 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Maverick is safer than the Honda Ridgeline:

	Maverick	Ridgeline
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	87	93
Hip Force	200 lbs.	246 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
HIC	255	456
Hip Force	458 lbs.	615 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are almost 3 times as many Ford dealers as there are Honda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Maverick’s warranty.

Reliability

The Maverick has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Ford Maverick’s reliability 14 points higher than the Ridgeline.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Maverick second among midsize pickups in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Ridgeline isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated lower.

Engine

The Maverick’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 13 lbs.-ft. more torque (275 vs. 262) than the Ridgeline’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the Maverick Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Transmission

The Maverick has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Maverick’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Ridgeline:

	Maverick	Ridgeline
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	12.6 inches

The Maverick stops much shorter than the Ridgeline:

	Maverick	Ridgeline
70 to 0 MPH	158 feet	195 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Maverick’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ridgeline’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Maverick offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Ridgeline’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Maverick offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your work or a trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Ridgeline; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Maverick has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Ridgeline’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Maverick XLT AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Ridgeline pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Maverick’s turning circle is 3.4 feet tighter than the Ridgeline’s (40 feet vs. 43.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Maverick Tremor has a 1.46 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Ridgeline (9.1 vs. 7.64 inches), allowing the Maverick to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Ford Maverick may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 850 pounds less than the Honda Ridgeline.

The Maverick is 10.4 inches shorter than the Ridgeline, making the Maverick easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Maverick is 6.2 inches narrower than the Ridgeline, making the Maverick easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

Passenger Space

The Maverick has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.9 inches more front legroom and .8 inches more rear headroom than the Ridgeline.

The front step up height for the Maverick is 2.1 inches lower than the Ridgeline (18” vs. 20.1”). The Maverick’s rear step up height is 1.7 inches lower than the Ridgeline’s (18.5” vs. 20.2”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the Maverick easier. The Maverick’s bed lift-over height is 30.4 inches, while the Ridgeline’s liftover is 35.3 inches.

The Maverick has bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading to help accommodate diverse loads; the Ridgeline doesn’t offer two-tiered loading. The Maverick also has indentations to separate the cargo box into three different sections length-wise.

Towing

The Maverick Hybrid (except 2.0 Turbo) can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Maverick can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Ridgeline can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The Maverick’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Ridgeline’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Maverick and the Ridgeline have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Maverick is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Ridgeline prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Maverick Lariat/Tremor’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Ridgeline’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Maverick’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Maverick’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Ridgeline’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Maverick’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Ridgeline’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The Maverick XLT/Lariat/Lobo/Tremor’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Ridgeline’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

Model Availability

The Maverick is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

The Maverick will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Maverick will retain 62.71% to 66.73% of its original price after five years, while the Ridgeline only retains 61.2% to 62.22%.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Ford Maverick as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its February 2022 issue and they ranked the Ford Maverick XLT higher than the Honda Ridgeline RTL.

The Maverick was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 2023. The Ridgeline hasn’t been picked since 2019.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Maverick as the 2022 North American Truck of the Year. The Ridgeline was last chosen in 2017.

The Ford Maverick outsold the Honda Ridgeline by 81% during 2023.

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