Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid

[DC Car Examiner]

No, I along with just about everyone else, disagree with your perspective on that comparison.....Flex was NOT designed as a minivan. They are there own little entities.....always will be....

 

I didn't say it was designed as a minivan. If it had been designed as a minivan, it would have likely been a class-leading minivan, but it was not.

[Deanh]

Space efficiency refers to room within a given footprint. It takes an Avalanche or F-150 a lot more total footprint to offer a roomy cabin.

So, with that said efficiency can be had just by having the same cabin space but a smaller USELESS bed correct?....

[Deanh]

I didn't say it was designed as a minivan. If it had been designed as a minivan, it would have likely been a class-leading minivan, but it was not.

then I come right back to...then why did you compare two polarly opposit Genres?

[DC Car Examiner]

So, with that said efficiency can be had just by having the same cabin space but a smaller USELESS bed correct?....

 

Five feet? Hardly "totally useless."

[DC Car Examiner]

then I come right back to...then why did you compare two polarly opposit Genres?

 

I didn't. I compared two types of family hauler -- the minivan and the closest alternative for someone who doesn't want something that looks like a minivan.

[Deanh]

Space efficiency refers to room within a given footprint. It takes an Avalanche or F-150 a lot more total footprint to offer a roomy cabin.

actually, its callout time....the F150 with a 6 1/2 foot bed IS 24 inches longer...explains the BIGGER more usefull bed, the 7 1/2 inch better REAR legroom, a larger V8 engine up front with comparable mileage, superior payload, superior towing...ALL interior dimensions are larger ( significantly in rear legrooms case _....so HOW do you actually come to THAt conclusion?....7 INCHES in legroom DC....perhaps the EFFICIENCY was the Ridgelines demise....

Edited January 19, 2010 by Deanh

[Deanh]

Five feet? Hardly "totally useless."

for usage as a truck, yes it is....

Edited January 19, 2010 by Deanh

[PREMiERdrum]

I didn't. I compared two types of family hauler -- the minivan and the closest alternative for someone who doesn't want something that looks like a minivan.

 

And you reviewed them as minivans... shockingly, the 2 crossovers came in last.

[Deanh]

Five feet? Hardly "totally useless."

you are shooting yourself in your foot right now....the word "practicality" jumps to mind.....last place Honda Ridgeline.......

[RichardJensen]

The Ridgeline does have clear advantages in handling and interior space/comfort.

[RichardJensen]

The Ridgeline does what nothing else in its class can do -- drive like a car --

 

LOL!!!

 

Oh wait. You're serious.

 

Yeah. The Ridgeline drives like a car.

 

Like a 2-1/2 ton car that sits 6-1/2 feet off the ground and with horrendous visibility, concrete blocks for springs, and a playskool grade interior, etc.

Edited January 19, 2010 by RichardJensen

[Deanh]

wheres the bird? Edited January 19, 2010 by Deanh

[Anthony]

Thread Tangent Alert!

 

:hyper:

 

[DC Car Examiner]

you are shooting yourself in your foot right now....the word "practicality" jumps to mind.....last place Honda Ridgeline.......

 

Second-to-last, after the Sport Trac.

 

But I never said the Ridgeline was a leader in practicality. It's not. I've outlined repeatedly what its strengths and weaknesses are: driving dynamics and comfort, and utility, respectively.

[DC Car Examiner]

And you reviewed them as minivans... shockingly, the 2 crossovers came in last.

 

As family cars, for the people who buy crossovers as such.

[RichardJensen]

driving dynamics and comfort, and utility, respectively.

Driving dynamics: Having driven Ridgelines, the only 'driving dynamic' advantage they have worth mentioning is, well, I'm hard pressed to name one. They drive like trucks.

 

Of course I never subjected them to 'sports car maneuvers' as that would be absolutely ridiculous.

 

Comfort: Interior by Playskool, most uncomfortable rear seat I've ever sat in, EVER. E-V-E-R, outside of rear facing station wagon benches and super cab jump seats.

 

And I'm not even kidding about that. Those rear seats were the WORST. The ABSOLUTE WORST within my "I'm not a journalist, not even trying to be a journalist" purview.

 

--

 

Utility: It's the size of a truck, but you can't haul much or tow much with it. 90% of the joy of driving a truck, with less than 50% of its capability.

 

It's a flippin' sedan with the trunk lid taken off.

 

--

 

You are just killing me with these analyses.

Edited January 19, 2010 by RichardJensen

[Deanh]

Driving dynamics: Having driven Ridgelines, the only 'driving dynamic' advantage they have worth mentioning is, well, I'm hard pressed to name one. They drive like trucks.

 

Of course I never subjected them to 'sports car maneuvers' as that would be absolutely ridiculous.

 

Comfort: Interior by Playskool, most uncomfortable rear seat I've ever sat in, EVER. E-V-E-R, outside of rear facing station wagon benches and super cab jump seats.

 

And I'm not even kidding about that. Those rear seats were the WORST. The ABSOLUTE WORST within my "I'm not a journalist, not even trying to be a journalist" purview.

 

--

 

Utility: It's the size of a truck, but you can't haul much or tow much with it. 90% of the joy of driving a truck, with less than 50% of its capability.

 

It's a flippin' sedan with the trunk lid taken off.

 

--

 

You are just killing me with these analyses.

DC's agenda is becoming all too apparent....if it sucks ands its an import thats ok... Journalistic Import lieniency 101

[PREMiERdrum]

DC's agenda is becoming all too apparent....if it sucks ands its an import thats ok... Journalistic Import lieniency 101

 

He's been pretty mild with his bias here... he got chased away from GMI after placing sole blame from the Runaway Lexus crash on the California Trooper who was killed in the accident. DC aka Brady Holt says that the driver should have been able shift into neutral, despite being stuck at WOT and a mislabeled shift gate.

[DC Car Examiner]

He's been pretty mild with his bias here... he got chased away from GMI after placing sole blame from the Runaway Lexus crash on the California Trooper who was killed in the accident. DC aka Brady Holt says that the driver should have been able shift into neutral, despite being stuck at WOT and a mislabeled shift gate.

 

You're trying to hijack this thread in yet another way? Flex, then Ridgeline, now GMI and drivers' ignorance of how to stop a car with a stuck accelerator?

 

 

People on both forums seem to be confused as to which way bias seems to go...I have no preference toward foreign cars (far too many are overpriced, in fact), but there are far too many folks who interpret any defense against blind hatred of all things imported as import-lovin' bias.

[Deanh]

You're trying to hijack this thread in yet another way? Flex, then Ridgeline, now GMI and drivers' ignorance of how to stop a car with a stuck accelerator?

 

 

People on both forums seem to be confused as to which way bias seems to go...I have no preference toward foreign cars (far too many are overpriced, in fact), but there are far too many folks who interpret any defense against blind hatred of all things imported as import-lovin' bias.

then be honest..the Ridgeline is CRAP, if FORD made it it would STILL be crap....and if it was drivers ignorance regarding the accelerator, WHY is there a recall, WHY is the internet ABUZZ with similar situations....could it be YOU are in fact wrong...no...cant be....DC= Defender of Crap.... Edited January 20, 2010 by Deanh

[rmc523]

The Ridgeline does have clear advantages in handling and interior space/comfort.

 

When's the last time you've been in an F-150?

 

If 50k/year was the target, they would have needed to move more than 30 percent more to meet their target. And there's no reason that all those factors would lack mainstream appeal, whereas the Ridgeline's car-based design gave it a very obvious weak point against the traditional competition. (That's also what brings about its unique strong points -- driving dynamics and cabin space efficiency, not the silly storage box.)

 

Yeah, and as PD said, that 50K number was BEFORE the economic downspiral, but that had NOTHING to do with not meeting sales expectations, did it?

 

The Ridgeline does what nothing else in its class can do -- drive like a car -- and in doing so gives up what the competition can do -- work like a truck. That's the definition of going into a niche. Non-competitive in some ways so that it can go above and beyond in others.

 

So what's the point of it? So it's a truck that drives like a car but gives up the capabilities of working like a truck? You said it, not me...

 

may I remind you that supplied at a loss of capability, their design contradicts the main priorities of actually being considered a pickup....I wouldnt even stoop to comparing it with a pickup....Avalanche and Sports-trac maybe....and I ( and I have NOT sat in a Ridgeline so i am speculating ) would question space efficiency superiority, the F-150 Supercrew has LOADS of room......not to mention payload, towing.......

 

The F-150 is even more space efficient inside now that they gave it that flat load floor underneath the rear seats (which can be folded up).

 

Second-to-last, after the Sport Trac.

 

But I never said the Ridgeline was a leader in practicality. It's not. I've outlined repeatedly what its strengths and weaknesses are: driving dynamics and comfort, and utility, respectively.

 

So what product finishes behind Ridgeline if it's second to last, but the Sport Trac finishes before it?

 

Again, if one of it's weaknesses is utility, what's the point of it?

[DC Car Examiner]

When's the last time you've been in an F-150?

 

 

I'm looking at the Ridgeline as more of a Tacoma-class vehicle. Yes, you can certainly get more space in a full-size.

 

 

So what's the point of it? So it's a truck that drives like a car but gives up the capabilities of working like a truck? You said it, not me...

 

As if there's no middle ground in capability between an Camry and Tacoma....

 

 

So what product finishes behind Ridgeline if it's second to last, but the Sport Trac finishes before it?

 

Not sure what you mean. I mean only that it doesn't have a smaller bed than the Sport Trac.

 

 

Again, if one of it's weaknesses is utility, what's the point of it?

 

Honda seems to have figured that people who buy trucks without needing true heavy duty utility wouldn't mind giving it up, and sales didn't support that assumption.

[sullynd]

Isn't the Examiner the website where anyone can sign up to be a "journalist"?

[rmc523]

I'm looking at the Ridgeline as more of a Tacoma-class vehicle. Yes, you can certainly get more space in a full-size.

 

I was talking more about the comfort side, I shouldn't have highlighted the "space" part - but anyway, the current F-150 is pretty comfortable, even by normal vehicle standards, IMO.

 

As if there's no middle ground in capability between an Camry and Tacoma....

 

Well obviously Honda didn't find/build that vehicle then since it's not doing well.

 

Not sure what you mean. I mean only that it doesn't have a smaller bed than the Sport Trac.

 

You said the Ridgeline was "second-to-last, after the Sport Trac" - I guess I just don't understand what that means.

[Reigner92]

Is that a three bar grill i see?