TRDFantasy

I would strongly argue Honda cannot make a real truck, even if they tried .

I'd like to see Honda try and make a body-on-frame truck, but they likely never will.

Yes, the Chevy Avalanche, and that is equally as ugly as the Ridgeline.

mmarshall

Incorrect. The Ridgeline combines a unibody AND a truck ladder-frame. How many other pickups can say that?

See for yourself.

http://automobiles.honda.com/ridgeline/

IS-SV

Incorrect, it's unibody, with an added integrated closed box frame section. It's not body-on-frame truck design despite the advertising hype. TRD Fantasy's statement was correct when he said "I'd like to see Honda try and make a body-on-frame truck, but they likely never will.".


Or per Autoweek in speculation about demise of Ridgeline:

"The Ridgeline was introduced in 2005, sharing some chassis components with the Acura MDX SUV. It is one of few unibody pickups ever made for sale in the United States, and on that count it was fairly revolutionary."

TRDFantasy

Well not exactly. Like IS-SV says, it's unibody, with an added closed box frame section.

Fundamentally, a body-on-frame vehicle has the body mounted separately to the frame. A unibody vehicle like the Ridgeline has the frame and body as one unified piece.

Yes part of the Ridgeline's frame is a closed box ladder frame, but that still does not make it an actual body-on-frame vehicle, despite any hype from Honda.

I actually saw a Ridgeline unibody cut-out at a show years ago when the vehicle first came out. It is a clearly a unibody vehicle.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Why would Honda want to build a body on frame truck though? For a light duty urban truck, I rather have the unibody and car like driving manners of the Ridgeline. Trucks drive and feel like crap. Why wouldn't anyone rather drive a car like truck if they didn't need to haul 2000 lbs of crap around? All Honda needs to do is give it more power, make is less ugly, and make it a little more affordable.

mmarshall

WE all three agree that it combines elements of both. I did not say that the two were necessarily separate. My point was that no other pickup on the market has that type of design, because it is expensive to do. For that, I don't think the Ridgeline deserves criticism.

IS-SV

That's exactly why crossover SUVs sell well and have been successful for Honda and many companies. The market for light duty urban truck generates low sales, which is what the Ridgeline has proven.

IS-SV

Yes, elements of both, we all agree for sure.

My point, in relation to his statement he was not "incorrect".

LexFather

Yup. Chris is onto something but Honda seems to be hell bent on doing ugly, slow and old. If it wasn't as ugly with a MPG increase and an interior more car like than GM 1980s it could possibly do better.

IS-SV

This afflictions unfortunately seem to more common with Honda/Acura (ugly, slow, old/dated technology, mediocre MPG).

TRDFantasy

To get better sales, and market share, and respect? Just some thoughts.

My point was, even IF Honda wanted to, I have serious doubts they'd actually be able to make a competitive body-on-frame truck. Of course we will never know unless Honda actually does decide to make a body-on-frame truck.

I see your point. I don't think anyone is criticizing that aspect of the Ridgeline. Yes, it is a rather unique way that Honda approached the Ridgeline's chassis/platform, and it is an expensive approach. However, that does not mean it's the right approach for the market.

That's a lot of "ifs" .

(Cj)

I agree that the price is what killed the Ridgeline. It it good in concept and the refreshed model looks leagues better than the pre-refresh 1st gen model.

Honda should have probably offered a stripped down (DX?) model with (gasp) FWD, and marketed it as an affordable family hauler. Getting the price closer to family car pricing (ie $20K) would have made it a nice option for families that want Home Depot utility but don't need to tow or haul.

I'm not saying doing those things would make the Ridgleline "successful", but it wouldn't be in the demised state that it's in now. It should have never ever been marketed as a work truck even a little. It should have had a soccerdad commercial with him picking up a fridge from Lowes or something. I don't care if the Ridgeline was in the Baja, it's a joke to classic truck types. It should have strickly been a family alternative vehicle.

caddyowner

I thought we were talking about the Ridgeline, not the Toaster?

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

un4given

Good! I won't be missing the POS

IS-SV

If that was the case I would have posted a pic of my Cusinart.