Car Tech Blog - 2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport HPD
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2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport HPD
The refreshed infotainment system does make it easier to see the icons on the screen, they are crisper than before. Also new for 2021 is the physical volume and power knob which was very needed. The volume control on the previous models were on the touchscreen and were cumbersome to use, I would guess everyone left it alone and just used the steering wheel volume control. Now it has an easily accessible physical knob that can be used as well.
To view our in-depth video of the Drivers Information Screen and the Infotainment Screen click HERE
The system itself is not new and is still running on the same software system as the previous models which is evident when you began to use the system. The biggest notable feature is the lag in time between when you push an item on the touch screen, and when the unit responds. Now it’s no worse than it was, but personally I was hoping for a faster response time.
This is something we are starting to see with some manufacturers doing full updates on their infotainment systems, the new systems are about 2-4 times faster in terms of response to touch, which makes using them much more like opening an app on your phone. So Honda is not alone in this and I’m sure on the next full update, there will be a newer, faster, infotainment system.
In the Sport trim, the stereo is 215 watts of power and 7 speakers and does include a subwoofer and the trucked audio system. The upscale trims get 540 watts of power and 8 speakers. The screen size is 8 inches and remains the same size on all 2021 Ridgeline models.
Included on this infotainments system, at this trim level, are AM, FM, Bluetooth, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. So no Sirius XM as standard although it can be added, as can be a wireless phone charger.
One of the items that to me well, it just made things confusing, is when you use a particular physical control to change info, whether it be in the Driver’s Information Display or the Infotainment screen, but some of the data your changing shows up in a different screen, and Honda is not the only one doing this as Genesis is doing it as well.
For example on the Ridgeline you can use the left steering wheel buttons to control things in your infotainment screen like changing your radio station or switching between apps on the Infotainment screen. The problem is, some of the information shows up in the Drivers Information Display, but other parts of it show up the trucks Infotainment system. In my humble opinion, keep all the info for a set of buttons, in the same screen so I don’t have to guess where to look to see what I’m doing. Genesis does the same thing on there GV80, where you use the rotary knob of access the seat controls, but to actually move the passengers seat, you need to click on the screen itself. Why not just build it into the rotary knob where one would expect it to be? I guess the bottom line here is it’s not easy or intuitive to use, and this is the case on the Ridgeline’s steering wheel media control buttons. I just wish they had placed all the info in the drivers information screen to make it easy to see.
Another interesting thing is that the Drivers Digital Information screen (4.2”) really only has about 5 or 6 pages to scroll through. The only option you have is that you can reset the information on the screen if you wish. Other than that, you can’t modify anything. My only guess is that Honda was going for a very simple and intuitive approach to the Drivers Information screen, which they achieved with the controls on the right side of the steering wheel, but not the controls on the left side of the steering wheel.
The backup camera system was good, nothing above average but certainly usable. This vehicle only had the one backup camera, no 360 system. The sound coming form the system was on par with a 215 watt audio system.
Overall, was it an improvement over the 2021 model, YES, but personally I would opt for the top of the line RTL-E trim that comes with the 540 watt audio system and the comfortable leather (and power adjustable) seats.
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