2006 Honda Ridgeline LX (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

The Ridgeline looks pretty tough, with its wheels sticking out of their wells, its ribbed flanks and giant 'H' logo on its grille. I didn't find it very pretty ever since it was launched. Its looks are growing on me, but very slowly. Why is the tailgate one inch shorter in height compared to the rest of the bed? Another visual note: the fact that the bed is not separated from the cab and bolted on to a frame, will give the impression that this isn't a "real" pickup. That's oestrogen factor #2.

The ride of the Ridgeline is, in the realm of trucks, buttery smooth. Its suspension will forgive just about any bump, crack and frost heave it will encounter. You don't feel the side-to-side rocking that some other pickups do when rolling over rough surfaces, which makes me carsick. The steering is just as light and precise as any other Honda. You could say that the Ridgeline's ride is almost car-like. Oops, that's oestrogen factor #3.

The cockpit hosts an attractive dash with an instrument panel that's well laid out. The centre console slides forward to open up a concealed storage area. There are plenty of compartments in the dash and door

2006 Honda Ridgeline LX (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

panels, with rubber lining so the stuff you put in them stay put. There are big silver-coloured door handles which work great, but I doubt they will last long without getting scuffed by rings, watches and keys. Speaking of door panels, your elbow will encounter some hard plastic that you're not used to seeing in Honda vehicles. The 6-speaker CD stereo sounds very good, although you can get a 6-CD changer and subwoofer in the EX-L and EX-L NAVI trim levels. The rear window is power-operated via a switch in the driver-side armrest, but that nifty feature eliminates a defroster, which could come in handy in winter. Also, the cockpit is very quiet, save for a little tire noise.

Now, something that really gets me boiled is automatic locking doors, and the Ridgeline has them. When you unlock all the doors, drive away and get to your destination, only the driver's door lock unlocks by itself. Very annoying. This is a feature whose existence puzzles me. If I'm that paranoid about driving with unlocked doors, I'll lock them myself; that's what power locks are for. Maybe if I lived in the Bronx, my opinion

2006 Honda Ridgeline LX (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

wouldn't be the same. Luckily, the Ridgeline's user manual explains how to deactivate this stupidity.

The seats are covered in cloth. They look good and offer good support, as well as including a seat cushion adjustment for the driver. There is plenty of room for front occupants, and the same can be said for back seat passengers as well. The rear bench is divided 60/40, and the seat cushions can be lifted upwards and locked into place by simply pulling a handle. This feature is very handy when you need to store big objects inside the cab. However, the rear bench is a little less comfortable, a sacrifice for practicality.