Is the Toyota Tacoma more reliable than the Honda Ridgeline?

No. The Ridgeline comes out ahead by a large gap. Owners filed 14.2 complaints per 10,000 trucks sold for the Ridgeline, against 30.1 for the Tacoma. Both hold a good standing, so the Tacoma is still a reasonable truck, but its complaint rate is about twice as high.

Which has more recalls, the Tacoma or the Ridgeline?

The Ridgeline has more. Federal recall records show 35 across its nine model years from 2018 to 2026, against 23 for the Tacoma. Recall count alone does not make a truck worse, since the repair is free, but check that the work was done on any used truck you consider.

What are the biggest problems with the Honda Ridgeline?

The most serious is connecting rod bearing failure. Owners describe a startup knock that worsens, then a total loss of power, sometimes at highway speed. The most common is a backup camera that goes black because the tailgate wiring harness cracks. Automatic high beams that behave erratically are also widely reported.

What goes wrong most on the Toyota Tacoma?

Transmission trouble leads the Tacoma's complaints, with shudder under load, gear hunting, and burnt-smelling fluid reported. Brakes come next, mainly a soft pedal that sinks toward the floor, and that area has 13 crash-linked reports. Low-pressure fuel pump failures that cause stalling round out the main problems.

Which model years of the Tacoma and Ridgeline should I avoid?

For the Tacoma, avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. For the Ridgeline, avoid 2019 and 2020. The newest years, 2025 and 2026, show few complaints mostly because they have had little time on the road, so do not read them as proven reliable.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda Ridgeline vs Toyota Tacoma: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Honda Ridgeline

Good

Toyota Tacoma

Good

Reliability favors the Honda Ridgeline over the Toyota Tacoma by a large gap, because owners filed far fewer complaints per truck sold. The Tacoma has fewer recalls, though, and its brake and transmission complaints deserve a close look before you buy.

How Do the Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma Generations Compare?

Most used Tacoma shoppers will be looking at third-generation trucks from 2018 to 2023, since the fourth generation began with the 2024 model year. That third generation received a facelift for 2020, and its weakest years, 2018 and 2019, fall early in the run. The Ridgeline's second generation started in 2017 and ran through 2023, with a refresh for 2021. Every Ridgeline from 2018 to 2023 therefore belongs to one design, and its weakest years, 2019 and 2020, came before the refresh. Trucks from 2025 and 2026 are too new to judge fairly on complaint counts.

Verdict

The Honda Ridgeline is more reliable than the Toyota Tacoma, scoring 77/100 vs 65/100.

Owner complaint rates decide this one in the Ridgeline's favor, and the gap is large. Owners filed 14.2 complaints per 10,000 trucks sold for the Ridgeline against 30.1 for the Tacoma. Both trucks hold a good standing, so the Tacoma is not a poor choice. The Ridgeline's faults can be serious, though: connecting rod bearing failures and a tailgate wiring problem that kills the backup camera. It also carries more recalls, 35 against 23.

Key Differences

1Honda Ridgeline has 15.9 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Honda Ridgeline scores 12 points higher in reliability
3Toyota Tacoma has 12 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

3Honda Ridgeline

—

1Toyota Tacoma

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Honda Ridgeline vs Toyota Tacoma: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda Ridgeline vs Toyota Tacoma at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda Ridgeline	Toyota Tacoma
Reliability Score	77/100	65/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	35	23
Complaints per 10k Sold	14.2	30.1
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	9	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma?

Driving basics are where the Tacoma gets into trouble. Owners report transmission shudder and gear hunting, a soft brake pedal that sinks toward the floor, and a failing low-pressure fuel pump that stalls the truck. Its brake complaints include 13 crash-linked reports, and the Ridgeline has no comparable area. The Ridgeline's problems lean toward electronics and one costly engine fault. Tailgate wiring cracks and blacks out the backup camera, automatic high beams misbehave, and rod bearing failure can end in a dead engine on the highway. Its transmission reports describe judder and flaring between gears.

Honda Ridgeline vs Toyota Tacoma common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda Ridgeline	Toyota Tacoma
POWER TRAIN	1.3Low	5.8Average
SERVICE BRAKES	0.5Very Low	4.6Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.6Low	2.4Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	3Low
ENGINE	1.6Low	1.7Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.3Low	1.5Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.8Very Low	1.8Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	1.8Low	—None
STRUCTURE	0.5Very Low	1.2Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	1.3Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	1.2Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	0.9Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.8Very Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.4Very Low	0.3Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
TIRES	—None	0.2Very Low
SEATS	—None	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Honda Ridgeline vs Toyota Tacoma Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda Ridgeline vs Toyota Tacoma year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda Ridgeline	Toyota Tacoma	Edge
2026	86/1000R / 2C	82/1000R / 0C	Honda Ridgeline
2025	85/1001R / 42C	70/1004R / 33C	Honda Ridgeline
2024	85/1001R / 41C	55/1004R / 126C	Honda Ridgeline
2023	78/1003R / 105C	68/1004R / 42C	Honda Ridgeline
2022	78/1002R / 106C	67/1003R / 51C	Honda Ridgeline
2021	75/1005R / 90C	70/1000R / 69C	Honda Ridgeline
2020	70/1007R / 158C	65/1001R / 81C	Honda Ridgeline
2019	65/10010R / 222C	55/1004R / 203C	Honda Ridgeline
2018	70/1006R / 153C	55/1003R / 190C	Honda Ridgeline

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Honda Ridgeline scored 85/100 and the 2021 Toyota Tacoma scored 70/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda Ridgeline vs the Toyota Tacoma?

Pick the Ridgeline if you want the lower complaint rate and can live with some electronic annoyances. Aim for 2024 or a model year after the 2021 refresh, and check that the tailgate wiring and backup camera work. Avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. Listen for a knock at startup on any used one, since rod bearing failure is the serious engine fault owners describe. Ask for proof of recall work, because it has more recalls than the Tacoma. Pick the Tacoma if fewer recalls and a modest repair bill matter more to you. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $478 a year, with 0.3 unscheduled shop visits. Skip 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. On a test drive, press the brake pedal at a stop and see whether it sinks. Feel for shudder or hunting in the transmission, and confirm the fuel pump recall was completed. Newest years such as 2025 and 2026 look clean mostly because they have had little time to collect complaints.

Honda Ridgeline vs Toyota Tacoma: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Tacoma more reliable than the Honda Ridgeline?: No. The Ridgeline comes out ahead by a large gap. Owners filed 14.2 complaints per 10,000 trucks sold for the Ridgeline, against 30.1 for the Tacoma. Both hold a good standing, so the Tacoma is still a reasonable truck, but its complaint rate is about twice as high.
Which has more recalls, the Tacoma or the Ridgeline?: The Ridgeline has more. Federal recall records show 35 across its nine model years from 2018 to 2026, against 23 for the Tacoma. Recall count alone does not make a truck worse, since the repair is free, but check that the work was done on any used truck you consider.
What are the biggest problems with the Honda Ridgeline?: The most serious is connecting rod bearing failure. Owners describe a startup knock that worsens, then a total loss of power, sometimes at highway speed. The most common is a backup camera that goes black because the tailgate wiring harness cracks. Automatic high beams that behave erratically are also widely reported.
What goes wrong most on the Toyota Tacoma?: Transmission trouble leads the Tacoma's complaints, with shudder under load, gear hunting, and burnt-smelling fluid reported. Brakes come next, mainly a soft pedal that sinks toward the floor, and that area has 13 crash-linked reports. Low-pressure fuel pump failures that cause stalling round out the main problems.
Which model years of the Tacoma and Ridgeline should I avoid?: For the Tacoma, avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. For the Ridgeline, avoid 2019 and 2020. The newest years, 2025 and 2026, show few complaints mostly because they have had little time on the road, so do not read them as proven reliable.

More Honda Ridgeline comparisons

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More Toyota Tacoma comparisons

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How we score the Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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