There are far too many self-professed truck enthusiasts who roll their eyes whenever they see a Honda Ridgeline for sale. Since the Ridgeline is made with unibody construction, there are plenty of people who don’t think it’s a “real truck” but rather a car in truck’s clothing. This perceived sin is especially weighty for drivers who like to venture off-road: one of the biggest strengths of body-on-frame construction, after all, is its ability to handle uneven ground. You wouldn’t tackle the Rubicon Trail in a Honda Civic, after all.
And yet, as of the 2024 model year, the Ridgeline has a TrailSport trim that’s designed for off-road excursions. Is the trim pure fantasy, a thin veneer of rugged styling over a truck that was always meant to stick to the pavement, or is there something more to it? Well, one answer to this question has been hiding in plain sight since the 2017 Ridgeline: Honda’s Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) all-wheel drive system. This advanced system gives the Ridgeline more capability than you might think it has at first glance, but is it enough to warrant a trim name with the word “trail” in it? Let’s dig into the details and see what a unibody truck can really do.
What Is the i-VTM4 System?
When i-VTM4 debuted on the third-generation Honda Pilot in 2015, it didn’t come out of nowhere. Like so many modern technologies, it stood on the shoulders of giants that had come before. In this case, two Honda innovations came together to create something new: ATTS and VTM-4. ATTS (Active Torque Transfer System), which debuted on the 1997 Honda Prelude Type SH, used electronically controlled clutches to improve cornering. It was able to send up to 80% of torque to the outside wheel, reducing understeer for better performance.
VTM-4 came around a few years later, debuting on the 2001 Acura MDX and later making its way into the 2003 Honda Pilot. The goal of this system was to distribute torque among the wheels automatically, reacting in real-time to loss of traction without weighing a vehicle down with too much bulky and heavy equipment. It achieved this with a single-speed torque transfer unit on the transaxle and a pair of electromagnetic clutches on the rear differential. During normal driving, the vehicle is basically in FWD, but if there’s any slippage, the clutches lock, and power is sent to the rear wheels.
The i-VTM4 system of today brings the best of both these concepts together. The system can send up to 70% of engine torque to the rear wheels when necessary, and from there, it can also distribute up to 100% of that power to either the right or left rear wheel. Mechanically, this is done via a torque-transfer unit mounted next to the front transaxle, several different gears, a pair of hydraulic clutch packs for the rear wheels, and electric motors that power the hydraulic pumps. The intelligence that puts the “i” in i-VTM4 comes from a variety of sensors that work together to distribute torque. Together, these systems track wheel speed, engine RPM, transmission gear-ratio selection, clutch engagement, steering angle, lateral g-forces, and more. All of this allows the system to work automatically, changing torque distribution as necessary without driver input.
Four Different Drive Modes
Well, okay, driver input isn’t completely absent from the system. While the torque vectoring can function on its own, Honda does give you the option to change up the default torque distribution and the system’s priorities for various situations. This is done through four selectable drive modes, which have become a fairly common feature on all kinds of trucks in recent years.
- Normal mode distributes torque as needed to provide traction and offers well-rounded performance for everyday driving.
- Snow mode sends increased torque to the rear wheels for a more stable launch and has a less aggressive throttle response that will help you stay in control on slick surfaces. The transmission also starts in second gear to prevent the wheels from spinning out.
- Sand mode provides a rear torque bias and holds gears longer for more power. It also adjusts the stability control system to allow for more wheel slip to keep you from getting stuck.
- Mud mode also allows more wheel slip to prevent you from losing momentum, while upshifts are delayed to help increase wheel torque.
Situations Where i-VTM4 Is Useful
Well, those modes aren’t named for nothing. This smart AWD system certainly comes in handy if you’re driving in winter weather, going through a patch of mud, or tackling loose sand. Thanks to its dual origins, the system also helps improve handling on the road since it still improves cornering by turning the outside wheel faster to reduce understeer. This handling improvement is perhaps the best reason a driver might have for choosing the Ridgeline over a traditional truck with a limited-slip or locking differential. While the latter two systems are great for off-roading, they’re not going to give you that same cornering capability.
Are the Limitations to the Ridgeline?
The i-VTM4 system helps the Ridgeline handle like a dream on paved roads and can react quickly to uneven surfaces by distributing torque away from freely spinning wheels to give those still in contact with the ground more traction. That’s certainly a solid accomplishment that helps the Ridgeline earn its place in the truck market despite its unconventional construction. But can the Ridgeline really hit the trails?
Well…maybe not the trails you’re thinking of. By Honda’s own admission, its trucks and SUVs “are not designed for trail-blazing, rock crawling, and other more extreme activities.” So, if you’re looking to get up to some raucous off-road activity, you’re probably better off choosing a body-on-frame truck with tried-and-true gear that can handle extreme environments. I mean, you probably knew that already, but it’s better to hear obvious advice multiple times than to end up stuck at the top of a mountain or the bottom of a ravine, right?
But not everyone looking for a rugged truck wants to head off-road recreationally. If you need a truck that can handle uneven ground at a worksite, gravel driveways, long stretches of unpaved roads, snowy days, and patches of sand, then the Ridgeline and its standard i-VTM4 AWD system should be able to get the job done. With the TrailSport trim, you’ll have an off-road-tuned suspension, all-terrain tires, and skid plates on top of that, giving you even better performance on rough surfaces.
The Honda Ridgeline: Practical to the Core
To truly understand the Ridgeline, it helps to put practicality front and center. Many trucks market themselves on extremes, from the wildly decadent luxury of top-tier Ram models to the over-the-top off-road capability of the Ford F-150 Raptor R to the constant competition among Ford, Ram, and Chevy to have the light-duty pickup with the highest towing capacity possible. The Ridgeline, on the other hand, is the truck for the everyman. Most people don’t drive over giant boulders, tow trailers full to bursting with bricks, or think that what their commute is really missing is a massage.
What the Ridgeline offers is above-average ride comfort on paved roads and features that are useful for everyday situations, like its dual-action tailgate, in-bed lockable trunk, and rear seats that can flip up to increase interior cargo space. Its off-road capability is similarly practical. The i-VTM4 AWD system is perfect for handling a freak snowstorm or an unpaved road—the sorts of things that everyday drivers may run into out in the world. While that may not be exciting, it’s the sort of thing that deserves a little more credit than the auto world tends to give it.
