When the snow falls, most vehicles can’t drive uphill unless equipped with snow tires. Most people don’t switch to snow tires and carefully handle the snow and ice with their all-season tires, but sometimes things are different. As odd as it might sound, the 2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport has what it takes to travel uphill in the snow, making it a bit of a midsize truck champion.

What tires does the 2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport come with?

The standard tires found on this Honda pickup are a set of General Grabber A/T Sports tires. These tires aren’t expected to handle the drive on snow and through deep mud, but the TrailSport trim can handle these challenges.

Of all the Honda Ridgeline trims, the TrailSport is the most capable, giving drivers:

• Beefed-up off-road suspension
• Skid plates
• Unique grille
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED fog lights
• LED high-beam and low-beam headlights
• Power-folding side mirrors
• Front and rear parking sensors

You might expect this off-road-focused Ridgeline to have a higher ground clearance, but that’s not the case. The TrailSport trim rides 7.9 inches above the ground, the same as other trims of this Honda midsize truck.

All 2024 Honda Ridgeline trucks use the venerable 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 280 horsepower. This engine powers the Honda Passport and Pilot SUVs, giving the Honda lineup plenty of power for the drive.

Should this Honda truck be able to handle driving uphill in the snow?

Rory Carroll of Jalopnik didn’t expect the Ridgeline TrailSport to travel up his snow-covered driveway because most trucks cannot make the climb. Strangely, although equipped with the standard tires, the Honda pickup made it up the driveway and crested the hill. If it weren’t for his journalistic curiosity, Carroll might not have tested the truck but soon learned this Honda pickup is much more capable in the snow than most other trucks.

The Ridgeline is an unlikely candidate for such off-road driving

Although the truck tested in the snow is the 2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport, it’s an unlikely choice for climbing hills and off-road driving. The Ridgeline features less ground clearance than most midsize trucks. This means its considered more of an on-road performer than an off-road champion.

Still, the TrailSport model has standard AWD and can tow up to 5,000 pounds. This pickup makes a great daily driver for weekend warriors. It’s now proven to be a capable truck when the snow falls, making it a good choice for drivers facing snow and off-road challenges annually.

Source: Autotrader