MM Special Full-Review: Honda Ridgeline
03-01-17, 02:57 PM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
Nice review.
I really liked the original Ridgeline even though I am not into trucks, it would be the truck I get because it drives and handles most like a car. 2 people on my street have them and they love them, owners seem to love them and don't want to get rid of them. My friend asked what truck I would recommend and I told him I would get a Ridgeline, he repeated that some people say silly things like it is not a real truck but I said it will do anything and more of what you would ever do with your personal vehicle unless you are towing a big boat which you aren't going to be doing. He looked at them and test drove them and really liked it, he admitted later he looked at one previously quickly and liked it but did not want to tell me to see what I would recommend at first. He had trouble finding a used one because people did not want to get rid of them but eventually found one and bought it. He loves it and is glad he chose it over a traditional truck truck. Another guy I know has a Tacoma and originally made cracks about the Ridgeline not being a real truck until he rode in it and drove it and then admitted it was nicer and drove much better then his Tacoma.
I like the styling of the older one, it had a unique rugged look. The new one has a more traditional more streamlined look which does not stand out as much but the updates are pretty good especially engine and fuel economy, I am no fan of touchscreens and it is unfortunate a touchscreen made its way into it but it is still a great package, it is getting very good reviews, better then the original from what I remember.
For what the vast majority of truck buyers do with trucks, the Ridgeline is more then capable, there are plenty of videos of Ridgelines off roading and taking some rough trails and steep hills that almost nobody would subject their daily driver truck to and my friend loads his Ridgeline up with firewood, duck decoys, towed a small boat, put lumber and dry wall in it, took it on the beach and camping, it has never let him down or was any less capable to other trucks.
I really liked the original Ridgeline even though I am not into trucks, it would be the truck I get because it drives and handles most like a car. 2 people on my street have them and they love them, owners seem to love them and don't want to get rid of them. My friend asked what truck I would recommend and I told him I would get a Ridgeline, he repeated that some people say silly things like it is not a real truck but I said it will do anything and more of what you would ever do with your personal vehicle unless you are towing a big boat which you aren't going to be doing. He looked at them and test drove them and really liked it, he admitted later he looked at one previously quickly and liked it but did not want to tell me to see what I would recommend at first. He had trouble finding a used one because people did not want to get rid of them but eventually found one and bought it. He loves it and is glad he chose it over a traditional truck truck. Another guy I know has a Tacoma and originally made cracks about the Ridgeline not being a real truck until he rode in it and drove it and then admitted it was nicer and drove much better then his Tacoma.
I like the styling of the older one, it had a unique rugged look. The new one has a more traditional more streamlined look which does not stand out as much but the updates are pretty good especially engine and fuel economy, I am no fan of touchscreens and it is unfortunate a touchscreen made its way into it but it is still a great package, it is getting very good reviews, better then the original from what I remember.
For what the vast majority of truck buyers do with trucks, the Ridgeline is more then capable, there are plenty of videos of Ridgelines off roading and taking some rough trails and steep hills that almost nobody would subject their daily driver truck to and my friend loads his Ridgeline up with firewood, duck decoys, towed a small boat, put lumber and dry wall in it, took it on the beach and camping, it has never let him down or was any less capable to other trucks.
03-01-17, 04:03 PM
#17
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. 
You would also (probably) like the ride of the big Ram 1500, which tends to be very quiet and cushy by truck standards, though, being a larger truck, it is not as nimble as a Ridgeline.
Yes, though the sales numbers themselves are not big, and many pickup traditionalists scorn it, the Ridgeline does have a small but cult-like following. You are correct that many of its owners rate it very highly.
I really liked the original Ridgeline even though I am not into trucks, it would be the truck I get because it drives and handles most like a car.
2 people on my street have them and they love them, owners seem to love them and don't want to get rid of them. My friend asked what truck I would recommend and I told him I would get a Ridgeline, he repeated that some people say silly things like it is not a real truck but I said it will do anything and more of what you would ever do with your personal vehicle unless you are towing a big boat which you aren't going to be doing. He looked at them and test drove them and really liked it, he admitted later he looked at one previously quickly and liked it but did not want to tell me to see what I would recommend at first. He had trouble finding a used one because people did not want to get rid of them but eventually found one and bought it. He loves it and is glad he chose it over a traditional truck truck. Another guy I know has a Tacoma and originally made cracks about the Ridgeline not being a real truck until he rode in it and drove it and then admitted it was nicer and drove much better then his Tacoma.
03-01-17, 04:27 PM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Well, among a number of other reasons, simply the size of one's garage. And Ford (currently) does not sell a truck the size of the Ridgeline in the U.S. market...though a new Ranger is coming in a year or two. (I will probably do a review).
In the meantime, I'd recommend that you at least go and see for yourself how the Ridgeline is built. Check out the exterior/interior materials and shut the doors. I think that if you do, you will agree that one is not buying junk. And, IMO, it drives as well as your Grand Cherokee, except for perhaps slightly slower steering response and a slightly less-efficient 6-speed transmission instead of eight.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-01-17 at 04:38 PM.
03-01-17, 07:46 PM
#19
Lexus Champion
I did not say that C&D only likes Honda. What I said is that they seem to like anything with a Honda badge on it.
03-01-17, 09:49 PM
#20
Lexus Fanatic
Saw the Ridgeline at the Autoshow. It is one well thought out vehicle with a sensational interior that is very room and well made.
Too bad it had no "macho" credentials. Most men will happily settle for a mediocre Tacoma or the GM twins. Lifestyle portrayal is what most people are after.
Too bad it had no "macho" credentials. Most men will happily settle for a mediocre Tacoma or the GM twins. Lifestyle portrayal is what most people are after.
03-01-17, 10:22 PM
#21
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Even Honda sometimes messes up. Almost everybody (in the review business), including C&D, panned the 2012 Civic. In fact, I panned it myself, even before I had read some other opinions, the first time I saw it on the lot. The fact that it underwent an emergency facelift/re-design for the very next model-year (2013) showed how badly the designers screwed up.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-01-17 at 10:25 PM.
03-01-17, 10:34 PM
#22
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Too bad it had no "macho" credentials. Most men will happily settle for a mediocre Tacoma or the GM twins. Lifestyle portrayal is what most people are after.
One nice thing, however, on the Colorado/Canyon, that the Ridgeline lacks, is the counter-balanced tailgate that makes raising and lowering it a snap, even for people without a lot of physical strength. (I honestly don't remember if the Tacoma offers that or not). The Ridgeline, though, makes up for that by having the dual-action tailgate that opens either up/down or swings out sideways....a feature, BTW, that Ford invented a half-century ago, in the mid-1960s, for its large station wagons.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-01-17 at 10:45 PM.
03-01-17, 11:29 PM
#23
Lexus Test Driver
Agreed. Honda seems to be slipping a little with some other of its other products, but the Accord and Ridgeline still seem to have that Swiss-Watch quality and precision in their assembly.
Sadly, in the truck world, that's correct. Many try to buy an image rather then a vehicle.....an image based on TV ads and the cowboy/ranching style of life rather than the typical suburban and on-road driving that most trucks will end up doing much, if not most, of the time.
One nice thing, however, on the Colorado/Canyon, that the Ridgeline lacks, is the counter-balanced tailgate that makes raising and lowering it a snap, even for people without a lot of physical strength. (I honestly don't remember if the Tacoma offers that or not). The Ridgeline, though, makes up for that by having the dual-action tailgate that opens either up/down or swings out sideways....a feature, BTW, that Ford invented a half-century ago, in the mid-1960s, for its large station wagons.
Sadly, in the truck world, that's correct. Many try to buy an image rather then a vehicle.....an image based on TV ads and the cowboy/ranching style of life rather than the typical suburban and on-road driving that most trucks will end up doing much, if not most, of the time.
One nice thing, however, on the Colorado/Canyon, that the Ridgeline lacks, is the counter-balanced tailgate that makes raising and lowering it a snap, even for people without a lot of physical strength. (I honestly don't remember if the Tacoma offers that or not). The Ridgeline, though, makes up for that by having the dual-action tailgate that opens either up/down or swings out sideways....a feature, BTW, that Ford invented a half-century ago, in the mid-1960s, for its large station wagons.
03-02-17, 05:49 AM
#24
Lexus Champion
In Feb. 3,265 Ridgelines were sold in the U.S. and YTD (Jan-Feb) 5,946 units. Obviously nowhere near Ford, Chevy, Ram, Toyota numbers but probably trending in the direction Honda is hoping for.
03-02-17, 06:05 AM
#25
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I'd have to disagree. In the truck world, people buy what they were raised on, what they were born with, what their dad drove, or in Toyota's case, legendary reliability. Has nothing to do with cowboys and little to do with image. Has everything to do with connection, history, and habit.
Ironically, the cowboy-image was not only used to try and sell trucks, but, on occasion, too, even minivans. Pontiac tried to foster a rugged image of its Montana minivan, even though, in fact, it was no more of a classic Macho machine than a Lincoln Town Car.
03-02-17, 07:32 AM
#26
Lexus Champion
I will admit I would not purchase a Ridgeline purely on the "macho" aspect (lack thereof). There's nothing macho about it at all. It doesn't mean that I care what image I am portraying to others, or that I am concerned about what they think. I consider that rugged aspect of a truck to be a design choice, like how a car can be sleek while others can be boxy. It's just a design choice/preference. It would be a bit like buying a sports car that doesn't look sporty.
My Tacoma was a 2011, 4WD full cab, TRD Sport with the 6 speed manual and I loved it. One of the things I liked about it was that it was unapologetic in its "truckness", if you will. I liked the rugged, brash feeling of it. I don't need a soft cruiser for everything I do. Though we did take it on some long highway trips and were always without complaint.
I will 100% agree that the Ridgeline is a more comfortable, smooth cruiser, but I have zero interest. If I'm buying a truck, I want it to be a TRUCK. For many that may seem completely unreasonable and I'm fine with that, but that is what I would look for in this type of vehicle.
My Tacoma was a 2011, 4WD full cab, TRD Sport with the 6 speed manual and I loved it. One of the things I liked about it was that it was unapologetic in its "truckness", if you will. I liked the rugged, brash feeling of it. I don't need a soft cruiser for everything I do. Though we did take it on some long highway trips and were always without complaint.
I will 100% agree that the Ridgeline is a more comfortable, smooth cruiser, but I have zero interest. If I'm buying a truck, I want it to be a TRUCK. For many that may seem completely unreasonable and I'm fine with that, but that is what I would look for in this type of vehicle.
Last edited by JDR76; 03-02-17 at 08:47 AM.
03-02-17, 11:05 AM
#27
Driver School Candidate
These new Ridgelines are selling well. I work for Honda as a sales rep and we cannot keep them in stock. Honda finally sent us one where we are not allowed to sell it so we have a demo model. Same with the pilot. They are selling very well as well.
03-02-17, 11:30 AM
#28
Lexus Test Driver
Exactly why I hate the Ridgeline, its ugly and totally emasculating IMO. Its as if Honda deliberately made this thing look like a Pilot with a bed. Trucks are supposed to be angular, muscular, bulging fenderwells, the new Tacoma looks just downright righteous with its flared fenders, vertical, upright grill, long hood. The wheel/tire package is also great on the Tacoma, 16" or 17" wheels and big beefy high sidewall tires makes it look the business. None of this car-like low profile nonsense, this is a proper truck with the proper wheels and tires that look ready to work.
Not to derail, but I just recently saw this and was like "WOW!!"
Can the Honda Ridgeline do this?!?!
03-02-17, 12:43 PM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
When I mentioned the word "macho" lacking in the Ridgeline and present in the Tacoma, I meant it as a more broad all encompassing reference. The simple fact that the Ridgeline is not body on frame, and not a true "truck" goes against what Tacoma/Colorado offers. Add in the Toyota or Chevrolet marketing and you will have a lot of people simply dismissing the Ridgeline. Marketing also plays a huge role in what truck people choose and how its view. The Toyota Tacoma can get away with its c-channel frame and lack of driver seat height, and sort of 2.0 redesign off a 2005 design because it has a much higher equity.
03-02-17, 01:05 PM
#30
Lexus Test Driver
This happens with nearly every new Honda model, including the last Ridgeline.