Since pickups have been America’s top-selling vehicles for decades, the only question is why it took Honda, well known for every other type of popular vehicle, so long to finally step up to the plate with one. Toyota and Nissan have owned the import pickup market for years, and have successfully challenged Detroit’s Big Three in the full-size segment with the Tundra and Titan.

Honda finally got a clue after discovering some 50,000 Honda buyers annually bought pickups from other manufacturers. That’s just way too many customers to let wander around competitors’ showrooms. Since trucks are traditionally high-profit vehicles, that’s just way too much money to leave on the table for competitors to split — the same reason Porsche began offering an SUV.

The 2006 Honda Ridgeline doesn’t offer the potent V8 or rugged truck frames conventional pickups like the Nissan Titan, Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, or Dodge Ram all do. Honda makes no bones about not competing with that burly bunch. Instead, the midsize Ridgeline is a very car-like 4-door, “crew cab” truck aimed at people who want all-wheel drive, good utility, a roomy interior and the always-dependable Honda nameplate.

Walkaround: This Ridgeline has slightly offbeat, yet familiar, bedside lines ala the Chevy Avalanche. The front end has an aggressive look, but there’s no traditional pickup “break” in the body between the cab and the five-foot bed. Also, the tailgate top is lower than the adjacent sides of the somewhat high cargo bed. Despite its ubiquitous styling, the Ridgeline looks solid.

At 207 inches, the Ridgeline is about as long as a short-bed Tacoma crew cab, and at 76.3 inches, nearly as wide as a full-size pickup.

Interior: The Ridgeline offers three trim levels: The entry RT; the mid-range RTS, which adds alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control and an upgraded sound system, and our test vehicle, the top-of-the-line RTL which lists at $34,640 with the moonroof, navigation system and XM satellite radio options, and also includes leather upholstery and heated front seats.

There’s plenty of room up front, with comfortable, supportive seats and car-like instrumentation featuring oversized gauge numbers. Major controls are all large and easy to use, except the sound system controls, which are small.

There’s a convenient interior grab handle mounted on the right windshield post to help front passengers get in and out.

There’s plenty of room in the rear passenger compartment as well, although you wouldn’t want to ride in the center back seat spot. Front cupholders are large and positioned to avoid spills, while the big fold-down center rear armrest also contains deep cupholders. The bottom of the 60/40-split rear seat easily lifts and locks against the seatback to create a large in-cabin cargo area

All trim levels on the Ridgeline offer plenty of comfort, convenience and safety features, including a power sliding rear window and side-curtain airbags with rollover sensors.

Under The Hood: An old-fashioned prop rod keeps the hood open. It reveals a transversely mounted, 3.5-liter 255-horse V6, sitting in a nicely designed engine compartment, and married to a responsive 5-speed automatic transmission.

There’s no V8 available, but Honda has made a science of wringing good torque and lively acceleration out of small engines — and the Ridgeline is no exception. The engine sounds a little rough at high revs, but delivers good 65-75 mph passing ability.

With the Ridgeline weighing in around 4,500 pounds, fuel economy is only estimated at 16/city and 21/highway. However, a 22-gallon fuel tank provides a decent cruising range.

Innovative Features: The Ridgeline offers excellent utility and innovative features. For example, the tailgate drops down conventionally, but also swings open sideways for easier loading. The cargo bed floor lifts up, revealing a lockable 8.5-cubic-foot trunk with a drain plug. It can hold several suitcases, a big cooler, or three sets of golf clubs. The bed also features a dent and rust-resistant finish, eliminating the need for an aftermarket bed liner to protect it.

Behind The Wheel: The Ridgeline is fun to drive as well as easy to maneuver and park. Although mainly designed for on-road driving, it can tackle moderately rough off-road terrain.

The long 122-inch wheelbase and car-like all-independent suspension deliver a firm, but supple and comfortable ride. Although car-like unibody construction is reputed to offer much greater torsional rigidity than traditional body-on-frame truck designs, Honda added a truck-style ladder frame to beef things up. Steering is quick and firm, with sharp handling aided by a stability/traction-control system that won’t allow the driver to get in over his or her head. The anti-lock four-wheel-disc brakes deliver strong stopping power.

The Ridgeline can tow up to 5,000 pounds — which falls short of the competing Toyota Tacoma and Dodge Dakota. However, Honda claims market research found most pickup owners that tow, don’t haul more than 5,000 pounds. All Ridgelines come tow-ready, with no special accessories like a transmission cooler or heavy-duty brakes required.

Whines: Honda has obviously cut some minor corners to keep the price of the Ridgeline attractive. For example, there’s no driver’s-side vanity mirror on the sunvisor, while the front passenger has a lighted one. The steering wheel tilts, but doesn’t telescope.

Bottom Line: Pickup truck marketeers aren’t known for their creative thinking, so the truly different, fun, highly innovate, and very comfortable Ridgeline is a true breath of fresh air.