Honda Ridgeline unveiled next month

[Zerox]

People wanting huge gas guzzling SUVs and trucks they don't need at all is just a part of our cultures insane thirst for oil consumption. I saw it on 5 driving back to LA the other day; huge trucks, escalades, tahoes, yukons, all new and shiny with no more than 2 passengers max

You're looking at this with social commentary.

I like it.

 

[Zerox]

I do think the Honda will sell reasonably well if they promote it correctly. If they don't market it to active urban families, they're missing their market.

I don't remember the reaction to the original Ridgeline, other than it was Motor Trend's Truck of the Year. But that honor did not translate into massive sales...people are set in their ways.

Honda should've made adverts showing the FWD Ridgeline's safety advantages over a 2WD truck in wet or snowy weather. My RWD Tacoma slides like a mofo on wet roads, stupid rear wheel drive.

I like this reviewer's solid grasp on why the Ridgeline is his favorite truck: "I don't have a 5th wheel, construction company, or regular urges to pull a tree stump from the Earth's crust."

[youtube]CMOAD4JJjJU[/youtube]

 

[Reli]

You're looking at this with social commentary.

I like it.

+1

 

[Holeshot]

Agree on all that, once again Rick. Americans are set in their ways...we have a mantra we follow at our company when getting "innovative". it's the one standard deviation rule: no one will go more than one standard deviation from what they currently do/ what's the standard to buy/ try/ change.

The Ridgeline is a hard sell because as humans, we segment our likes and dislikes. This is especially true of Americans. We don't like our trucks to be fast, don't like sports cars to have hatches, don't like wagons period and overall...use a car like jewelry. It's about image...and the Ridgeline is missing that image. Hence the reason the "active family" image works best.

 

[Reli]

You probably need to try an updated truck. The X-Runner was made to go around parking lot cones quickly...not be comfortable. FWIW, none of the current offerings will do both; ride and handle like a Cayenne Turbo, etc. In fact, until they get active suspension tech, Cars with AS tech will always beat a truck. I still discount that the Honda rides better than a modern F150, Dodge or Tundra. And vice versa...they're about the same.

Yes I've been in more modern trucks, and yes they can ride softly like a car, but they still can't handle. You aren't going to be tossing them around anywhere.

Biggest problem with a "real" truck is its solid axle. I don't care how much work you do to it, that design will never feel like an independent suspension. A bump experienced by one wheel will transfer some of the impact over to the other wheel. You get that "neck jerking" sensation. Plus that whole "axle hop" bullshit. Oh and some trucks even get knocked off-line over bumps in a bumpy corner.

 

[louemc]

Subaru... All wheel drive... Independent suspension... Low center of weight (or roll center)...And overall light weight...= Kicks Ass

 

[asdfghwy]

They do pay...in gas (tax) and the joy of driving a huge behemoth around. I love my Volt for that reason, but I still drive my truck in the rain when I can. I also use my truck as a truck enough times to need a truck. BTW, maybe Alex can chime in on traffic accidents and which vehicles get clobbered. There isn't any replacement for mass, unfortunately. Punch into the front of any Audi with a Tahoe and there's gonna be a death count in that Audi, given the velocity.

The federal gas tax in this country is an absolute joke, and hasn't been adjusted for inflation since the early 90s. Californias state tax is a little bit better, but still needs major overhaul and to be increased as well. Globally, America literally is only 1-3 spots away from having the lowest fuel taxes out of the entire world. As #1 oil consumer in the world, it's definitely interesting that we also seem to have pretty much the lowest fuel taxes. None of this is the consumers fault though, that's on congress.

I don't disagree that more mass = more force. The benefit of driving a large vehicle like you're saying isn't because you have more force when you crash, it's that you are safer. I'm saying you don't have to drive in an extendo suburban or escalade to be safe if that's your goal; plenty of cars go above and beyond in terms of safety standards and features. Also, larger vehicles are much more prone to roll-overs, that's a whole different element of safety you have to worry about as well.

 

[Holeshot]

AS you live in comfy CA, just be aware that a fuel tax is inflationary: IOW, a regressive tax. So long as you're good fucking the poor over, it's not a big thing. Oh..that and increasing the price of all goods and services.

On the mass issue, I'm not sure you're understanding the point. More Mass (Weight in this case) = greater damage inflicted and less damage taken, when meeting an object with less mass/ weight. In the case of vehicles, it makes sense that both would be untethered to anything. Yes, some cars are safer than others, but large vehicles fare best in vehicle/ vehicle collisions. Rollovers are 98% occurring when a vehicle departs the roadway. With the advent of stability control, etc, we're seeing less and less of these, but valid point indeed. Equally so, more mass when encountering stationary objects is most times, a bad thing (your heavy helmeted head into the ground, etc)

My cousin was killed in a rollover of their explorer 3 years ago on I5. The reasons were an over reaction from the person driving the vehicle she was in. The vehicle did not roll until it departed the paved surface.

 

[Blankpage]

I love my Ridgeline! The VTM-4 is great in the mud & snow, it handles better than most cars,

You're still talking mud & snow right? Twisty road with pavement it would have to be a really shitty car to not out handle a Ridgeline

 

[carries an axe]

AS you live in comfy CA, just be aware that a fuel tax is inflationary: IOW, a regressive tax. So long as you're good fucking the poor over, it's not a big thing. Oh..that and increasing the price of all goods and services.

Could you explain this a bit more for me?
I don't get it.

 

[Rtmac]

You're still talking mud & snow right? Twisty road with pavement it would have to be a really shitty car to not out handle a Ridgeline

Have you ever driven one? Doesn't really matter. Bottom line, after 10 years and 120k miles, I'm still a very satisfied owner... and I'd buy another tomorrow. I guess that's what it's really all about. Although, I must disclose that a vehicle is nothing more than a tool to me, and all I require from it is to perform it's intended purpose well. I'm not much interested in image.

 

[Blankpage]

Have you ever driven one? Doesn't really matter. Bottom line, after 10 years and 120k miles, I'm still a very satisfied owner... and I'd buy another tomorrow. I guess that's what it's really all about. Although, I must disclose that a vehicle is nothing more than a tool to me, and all I require from it is to perform it's intended purpose well. I'm not much interested in image.

No never driven one but Have ridden in them. Two guys at work have them and the wall of plastic interior may have influenced my opinion. Sure it may handle better than a conventional half ton but you have to admit it would be a crappy car that it out handles.

 

[Zerox]

Although, I must disclose that a vehicle is nothing more than a tool to me, and all I require from it is to perform it's intended purpose well. I'm not much interested in image.

My bro from another mo!

 

[Norcalslowpoke]

My 2007 Ridgeline is among the best purchases (of anything) I've made in my life. I'd replace it with another if stolen/wrecked, whatever. It checks so many boxes and is not too big to be my everyday car. Mine is the one mentioned above used in Baja (on road mainly).

God damn its ugly though. Frankly I don't care how it looks. It is a tool/appliance to me.

132k on it and only normal maintenance. I did just replace the struts as it was getting a bit boaty, but I plan to keep it until 250k or...?

Yes, it is an SUV with a pick up bed, not a contractor's truck..or a rock crawler, but I'm not a contractor and I won't drive my everyday car on the Rubicon..

I've had 3 dirt bikes in the bed (a damn tight fit), but regularly have 2.

One mushy benefit is that it is a Honda. No huge service bill surprises, reliable no oddball mechanical gremlins. "Trust". Put it this way...I would not have purchased a VW or Chrysler-Fiat version (if one was made) of this type of vehicle and I rejected the Ford SportTrac in favor of the Honda with no regret.

Still can't hardly look at it though....

 

[Holeshot]

Could you explain this a bit more for me?
I don't get it.

Sure thing Mon'...

Static taxes (that don't adjust with earnings) are regressive as they disproportionately affect the poor over the rich (on a percentage basis). A sales tax is exactly that; a flat tax on everyone equally. This has a larger affect on lower incomes over higher incomes. Gas taxes are also passed on as costs through the entire economy as it's a universal cost increase to all companies equally. Once again, that inflates the prices of goods and services, affecting the poor more than the rich. Inflation ALWAYS has a larger economic penalty on the poor over the rich.

That's the nutshell answer Adam...hopefully that's good enough without getting long winded.

 

[Archimedes]

That was the problem with the previous Ridgeline, it had a pricetag too high. When you can get an F-150 for similar price...the F-150 will fly off the lot while Ridgelines won't.

Well, it wasn't the only problem, but it was one of them. Back in '06 when I was looking for a crew cab truck, I drove everything out there. Going in I expected the Ridgeline would be my favorite and that it would win out, so I drove it near the end. Turned out it was the worst of everything I drove. Worst motor, ride quality, interior, and bed space, and then on top of that it wasn't cheap. I was shocked at what a POS it was honestly.

The new one still doesn't appear to be a looker, but hopefully they got the price/performance equation figured out this team.

 

[Archimedes]

People wanting huge gas guzzling SUVs and trucks they don't need at all is just a part of our cultures insane thirst for oil consumption. I saw it on 5 driving back to LA the other day; huge trucks, escalades, tahoes, yukons, all new and shiny with no more than 2 passengers max or completely empty truck beds, looks like they've never been off a single paved road, etc.

Vehicles that get MPG which is almost as bad or on par with the first car engines ever developed (~16mpg) should be taxed heavily compared to more realistic driving choices for every day.

Just curious, how can you tell that an SUV's never been off road? That must be some clairvoyance on your part to be able to tell if they've just been washed since or not.

Also, please tell me what vehicle, other than a large/truck SUV that can do all of the following:

Carry a family of 5 plus the dog and all their camping gear
Tow a 5,000+ lb boat or car trailer
Pull a full size boat up a steep, wet boat ramp
Handle 12" deep snow safely with a family of 5 and all their gear for a week of skiing
Carry 5-7 kids and and all their baseball or hockey gear to an out of town tournament
Ride up a steep, loose dirt road pulling a horse trailer
Oh and save your family when some drunk douchebag crosses the center line.

I'll take at least one tank in the motor pool at any given time.

BTW, you act like bad gas mileage is exclusive to SUVs. Lots of sporty cars out there get really, really shitty mileage as well.

Oh and we already tax them more. It's called the gas tax.

 

[Zerox]

Also, please tell me what vehicle, other than a large/truck SUV that can do all of the following:

Tow a 5,000+ lb boat or car trailer

You could be in the 10% that actually needs a huge truck if you plan on towing a car behind you on a trailer.

The other 90% need a Ridgeline....proudly built in Alabama.

Note: Statistics listed are guesses only.

 

[Johndicezx9]

Artistic rendering of the new Ridgeline... by me.

 

[TheRobSJ]

The other 90% need a Ridgeline....proudly built in Alabama.

I was just at the Lincoln, AL plant a few months ago. I'm not sure if I'd be so proud to work at Honda's worst quality control plant in the entire company.

1-2 out of every 10 vehicles that comes off the line are so grossly fucked up from build/paint quality issues, they get quarantined and have to be fixed before they can even leave the factory.

I saw a line of out of market Odysseys ready to ship and saw a massive door gap on one. Pointed it out to one of the plant department managers who quickly knew the spec was "no more than 8mm there" and pulls out a ruler, measures 8.5mm...says "meh that's good enough."