How much can a Honda Ridgeline tow and haul? Towing and payload by trim for Oklahoma City drivers

Yes. Honda rates every 2026 Ridgeline trim it lists for towing at 5,000 lbs when properly equipped, so an Oklahoma City driver should choose by payload, curb weight and bed, rather than by the highest price. The trim that carries the most also lists the lowest.

At Bob Howard Honda, we sell the new Ridgeline at 13201 N Kelley Ave, and you can test that math with your own load.

Keep reading below, then schedule a test drive in Oklahoma City. Bringing your own numbers to the lot settles this faster than any spec sheet.

Oklahoma City towing tops out at 5,000 lbs on four Ridgeline trims

Honda rates the 2026 Ridgeline Sport, RTL, TrailSport and Black Edition to tow 5,000 lbs when properly equipped, and each one lists the same 280 hp at 6,000 rpm. An Oklahoma City driver does not need a higher trim to get more towing.

Torque matches too, at 262 lb-ft at 4,700 rpm on all four trims. A trailer loaded well under 5,000 lbs leaves margin for a hill or a headwind. A trailer close to the rating leaves little. Pick the trailer first, then the trim.

What decides whether a Ridgeline reaches its 5,000 lb tow rating?

Tow weight, cabin load and bed load all draw on the same truck, so 5,000 lbs is a ceiling, not a typical day. Honda states the rating for a properly equipped truck, and in the 2026 model year it holds for the Sport, RTL, TrailSport and Black Edition alike.

Each person in the cabin and each box in the bed uses up payload. So does the trailer’s tongue weight, the part of the load that presses down on the hitch. On the Black Edition, Honda lists payload at 1,509 lbs, and that is the room all of it shares.

Power is the same on every trim at 280 hp and 262 lb-ft. EPA’s certification record for the 2026 Ridgeline lists a 3.5-liter six-cylinder with all-wheel drive. No trim adds pulling power. What changes by trim is how much the truck itself can carry while it pulls.

Payload runs from 1,583 lbs on the Sport to 1,509 on the Black Edition

Payload is the number that changes by trim, and it falls as the price rises. Honda lists the Sport at 1,583 lbs and the Black Edition at 1,509 lbs for 2026, a spread of 74 lbs.

The Black Edition carries 74 lbs less than the Sport and lists $6,600 more. If your bed is for mulch, tools, lumber or a weekend’s gear, the Sport carries the most of any trim and lists lowest. Higher trims add cost, and payload does not rise with it.

Payload matters to a driver who tows, too. Load the cabin and the bed while a trailer is hooked up, and you spend from both numbers at once. The tow rating tells you what the truck can pull. Payload tells you what you can put on board while it pulls.

How much does a Ridgeline weigh, and what does that leave for a loaded tow?

Honda lists the 2026 Ridgeline Black Edition at 4,504 lbs curb weight and 1,509 lbs max payload. Curb weight is the truck empty, and payload is everything you add to it, including the trailer’s tongue weight.

A loaded tow is a three-part check. The trailer’s weight stays under 5,000 lbs. The tongue weight, the passengers and the bed cargo together stay under payload. And the truck’s own 4,504 lbs is already accounted for before you add anything.

Write down who rides along and what goes in the bed on a typical trip. Then set that list against payload for the trim you are weighing.

What can a Ridgeline pull: boats, campers and utility trailers?

Check the loaded weight of your own trailer against 5,000 lbs before you buy. That is the figure Honda rates the 2026 Sport, RTL, TrailSport and Black Edition to tow when properly equipped.

Small travel trailers, pop-up campers, fishing boats, jet ski trailers and utility trailers are the kinds of loads that rating covers when the weight fits. Weigh the trailer loaded, with the water, fuel, gear and boat or ski on it. The empty weight on a brochure understates what hooks to the truck.

If the loaded trailer lands well under 5,000 lbs, you have margin. If it lands near the rating, look hard at payload too, because tongue weight draws from it. That is when the Sport’s 1,583 lbs of payload is worth a second look.

What fits in a Ridgeline bed, and how long is it?

Honda lists the 2026 Ridgeline Black Edition bed at 64.0 in long. Length is half the check; the other half is weight, and on that trim the bed’s load shares 1,509 lbs of max payload with everything else on board.

Measure the longest item you haul against 64.0 in. Then weigh the load against payload, not against how much the bed looks like it can hold. Mulch is heavy, and tools and lumber add up fast.

Bring your measurements to a test drive. A tape measure and a load list tell you more about trim fit than a spec sheet does.

What a Ridgeline costs an Oklahoma City buyer from sticker to tag counter

A new 2026 Ridgeline lists from $40,795 on the Sport to $47,895 on the Black Edition Two-Tone, per Honda, before destination, tax, title, license and dealer fees. Oklahoma adds a motor vehicle excise tax of 3.25% of the value of a new vehicle under 68 O.S. Section 2103 (Oklahoma State Courts Network, 2026), so the tax rises with the trim you pick.

That tax becomes delinquent after the 30th day of ownership. Trim is the lever that moves the cost, and it moves it in both the sticker and the tax. Honda covers every Ridgeline with a powertrain warranty of 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first, which counts for an owner who tows.

What Bob Howard Honda offers an Oklahoma City buyer weighing a Ridgeline

You can book a test drive online or by phone, and a truck that tows and hauls is worth driving with your own load in mind. We sell the new Ridgeline, and a certified pre-owned vehicle comes with a free vehicle history report. We also buy cars outright, and we offer a secure online finance application.

On the service side, we use only genuine Honda parts. Our express service lanes take walk-ins with no appointment for oil and filter changes, tire rotation and repair, and battery testing and replacement. We have an in-house collision center. The waiting area has a children’s play area, free coffee, WiFi and work stations, and we can call a rideshare for you.

Mickey described buying a used 2024 Ridgeline HPD from us and praised the sales side of the visit. In a January 2026 Google review, Mickey wrote: “I have been looking for a Honda Ridgeline HPD for a few years now. Found a 2024 with extremely low miles at Bob Howard. Worked with Madison in their use sales department. This young lady is awesome. Very detailed, polite and a must have for any dealership. In and out fairly quickly (~ two hours). Hands down a no stress transaction. Pay this young lady well and keep her. She is worth every penny.”

Every Honda dealer a Ridgeline buyer weighs here shows its Google record in the same table, as of September 2026.

A Ridgeline tows 5,000 lbs and hauls up to 1,583 lbs in Oklahoma City

For an Oklahoma City driver who tows, every trim with a rating gives the same 5,000 lbs, so buy the trim you need and not the one that costs the most. For a driver who hauls, the Sport carries the most at the lowest list price, and the higher trims give up payload as they add cost.

The decision comes back to your own load: the trailer’s loaded weight, the people and gear on board, and the length of what rides in the bed. Book a test drive at Bob Howard Honda and check all three before you choose a trim.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the warranty on a 2026 Honda Ridgeline?

Honda’s basic warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. The powertrain warranty is 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. The corrosion warranty is 5 years with no mileage limit.

Does a higher Ridgeline trim tow more?

No. Honda rates the 2026 Sport, RTL, TrailSport and Black Edition at the same 5,000 lbs of max towing. What changes by trim is payload and price.

How much power does a Ridgeline have, and does it change by trim?

It does not change. Honda lists 280 hp at 6,000 rpm and 262 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm on the 2026 Sport, RTL, TrailSport and Black Edition alike.

What fees does Oklahoma charge to title and register a new Ridgeline?

Service Oklahoma charges a $11.00 Vehicle Title Fee and a $17.00 Transfer Fee among the additional initial registration fees, alongside a $1.50 Insurance Fee and a $4.00 VIN Inspection Fee (Service Oklahoma, 2026). The full-year registration fee for a standard vehicle is $96.00 in its 1st to 4th year, and the agency calculates your total at checkout.

What happens if I register a new truck late in Oklahoma?

A buyer who does not get the vehicle registered, titled and tagged within two months of the transfer of ownership owes a penalty of $1.00 per day under 47 O.S. Section 1132(F), capped at $100.00 (Oklahoma State Courts Network, 2026). Service Oklahoma and its licensed operators cannot waive it, except for armed forces registrants or a vehicle shown by police report to have been stolen.

Does a trade-in lower the Oklahoma tax on a Ridgeline?

It lowers the sales tax part. Oklahoma exempts motor vehicle sales from all but 1.25% of gross receipts, and with a trade-in that 1.25% is figured on the difference between the trade-in’s value and the sale price (Oklahoma State Courts Network, 2023).

How Bob Howard Honda lets you test a Ridgeline with your own load

Choosing a Ridgeline by payload, curb weight and bed takes a real load, and we are at 13201 N Kelley Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73131, with the new Ridgeline on hand to drive. We are rated 4.5 stars across 4,311 Google reviews, and 82 in 100 of them are five-star (Google, 2026). We sell the full new Honda lineup: Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Si Sedan, Civic Type R, Civic Sedan Hybrid, Civic Hybrid Hatchback, CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, HR-V, Passport, Pilot, Prologue, Prelude, Odyssey and Ridgeline. We are part of Group 1 Automotive.

Buyers describe the way we sell. In a May 2026 Google review, Sf J. wrote: “Great buying experience. Joseph was great and so was the sales manager. They made me feel valued and worked hard to earn my business. Also JJ in finance was great and made the complete purchase smooth with no hassle”

Another buyer wrote about the pressure side of a purchase. In a September 2025 Google review, James R. wrote: “Had a great purchasing experience with Bob Howard. Steve was fantastic- isn’t pushy, easy to work with, doesn’t feel like he’s trying to “sell” you a car. We were very happy and are loving our recent purchase.”

Call sales at (405) 753-8700 with your trailer’s loaded weight and the load you carry in the bed, and we will set up the Ridgeline for you to drive.

Picking a Ridgeline by payload and bed instead of price takes a real load, and Bob Howard Honda is where you can bring yours. Call sales at (405) 753-8700 or book a test drive online.

Bob Howard Honda answers this question against the specific vehicle in front of you rather than the model in general. Value your trade and get pre-approved online, then see us at our Oklahoma City showroom, or call (405) 753-8700.

Disclaimer: Vehicle features, specifications, pricing, options, and availability may vary based on production timelines and dealership inventory; images are for illustrative purposes only. Starting MSRP figures are national and exclude destination freight charges, tax, title, license, and dealer fees. Standard and available equipment varies by trim, configuration, and model year; confirm the specification of the individual vehicle before purchase. Maximum towing and payload ratings depend on cab, bed, drivetrain, and equipment configuration; see the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual and trailering guide for limits. Electric range and charging times vary with battery, configuration, temperature, terrain, load, and driving habits. Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. Financing and pre-approval are subject to credit approval. Contact Bob Howard Honda for complete details regarding current vehicle inventory, pricing, and equipment.