Honda Ridgeline going bye bye?

[Deanh]

Look at any other "pickup" with an integraded bed. It's not just honda. The Avalanche has those goofy support bars, as did the Subaru Baja. Though less noticable, both the Holden and Falcon Utes also have an awkwardly angled bedside.

agreed,, although the Acalance was BOF no?....irrespective, if its purely from a design/ style standpoint, i truley doubt would follow any of those leads....unibody does NOT have to be ugly....but I do understand where you are coming from..how CAN they integrate a bed with a body?....of course that is assuming they HAVE to be joined in the first place....interesting design parameter...how bout a HYBRID chassis...combine BOF and unibody.....hmmm

Edited April 12, 2010 by Deanh

[NickF1011]

agreed,, although the Acalance was BOF no?....irrespective, if its purely from a design/ style standpoint, i truley doubt would follow any of those leads....unibody does NOT have to be ugly....but I do understand where you are coming from..how CAN they integrate a bed with a body?....of course that is assuming they HAVE to be joined in the first place....interesting design parameter...how bout a HYBRID chassis...combine BOF and unibody.....hmmm

 

Well, I only mentioned Avalanche because it has the integrated bed/body, which seems to be the norm for all of the unit body "pickups" out there. Even with a frame, GM wasn't able to engineer the flex of the bed out of the equation without some bracing that is above horizontal.

 

As for a hybrid frame, that's exactly what the Ridgeline was. It still had a goofy bed shape.

[Deanh]

Well, I only mentioned Avalanche because it has the integrated bed/body, which seems to be the norm for all of the unit body "pickups" out there. Even with a frame, GM wasn't able to engineer the flex of the bed out of the equation without some bracing that is above horizontal.

 

As for a hybrid frame, that's exactly what the Ridgeline was. It still had a goofy bed shape.

worse than goofy I would say, but give Honda credit ...at least they topped goofy off with a face only a blind Honda loyalist would love....lol........

[SneakyE]

please explain "awkward unit body style/ func. limitations"....

 

 

 

I hope you don't get a flat with the bed loaded. I would love to see someone have to unload a bed full of mulch just to have to shovel it back in after the tire has been changed. I also hope they brought a shovel.

 

[Deanh]

I hope you don't get a flat with the bed loaded. I would love to see someone have to unload a bed full of mulch just to have to shovel it back in after the tire has been changed. I also hope they brought a shovel.

 

stupid design,,,exhibit 1.

[J-150]

Eh, I suppose. It's still a yuppiemobile though. Good riddance.

 

 

 

up until a few years ago, there was more yuppies buying F150s than Ridglines.

[J-150]

dont be surprized if ford doesnt adress this market...no BOF, slightly smaller than the ridgeline, better developed, BUT ( and this I beleive was Hondas GRAVE mistake ) RWD based and not solely avail in AWD.....dont poo poo unibody....one only has to look at the 40 mph 8 inch curbhopping Taurus PI....hmmm F100 anyone? small eco engine with moderate off road potential....6.5 ft bed....

 

 

 

I don't know of too many that will tell you that Jeep unibodies are not real trucks.

[J-150]

Because it's not too far removed from being based on the Odyssey minivan and suffers in capability accordingly?

 

 

 

still more capable than a Sport Trac

[J-150]

I hope you don't get a flat with the bed loaded. I would love to see someone have to unload a bed full of mulch just to have to shovel it back in after the tire has been changed. I also hope they brought a shovel.

 

 

 

Jeebus, give it up.

 

How often do people haul mulch for godsakes!

 

 

You don't like it. We get it. But you are hating because it is a Honda. If Ford used this design you'd be all over it. Oh wait. Ford is using underbed storage in the Sport Trac.

 

The Ridgeline is a nice package for what it is. It is an SUV with an open cargo area, versus enclosed. That's all it was ever meant to be. It was never supposed to be a Silverado/Ram/F150 replacement.

 

Remember what brought this truck about. The entire pickup/SUV craze when gas was cheap. The craze that gave Ford 4 separate SUVs of varying sizes. It gave us the Avalanche. And the Titan and Tundra. The Commander and Armada. The Porshe Cayenne and Hummer. Where are all these trucks now?

 

Titan soon to be dead. Tundra sales in the toilet.

 

Hummer dead.

Explorer to unibody.

Expedition to be brought back in line with the F150

Excursion dead

Commander dead

Armada most likely to die with the Titan.

Trailblazer dead.

Durango dead.

 

 

Keep that in mind with your hating. It is just a function of the market.

[NickF1011]

up until a few years ago, there was more yuppies buying F150s than Ridglines.

 

That's because they didn't have a yuppie alternative.

[Mr. Gumby]

still more capable than a Sport Trac

 

In what ways?

The Sport Trac is offered with a V8 while the Ridgeline only has a V6.

As per fueleconomy.gov site, the Ridgeline's V6 is rated for 15/20/17 mpg while the ST's V8 is rated 14/19/16; so the RL wins by 1 mpg, but...

the RL's V6 is rated at 250 hp @ 5700 rpms and 247 ft lbs @ 4300 rpm

the ST's V8 is rated at 292 hp @ 5700 rpms and 315 ft lbs @ 4000 rpm

So for 1 mpg hit, you can have 42 more hp and 68 more ft lbs of torque (at a lower rpm too). Which is more capable?

 

Also, while we're comparing the RL and ST...

The ST has more front and rear leg room, better ground clearance, a much better turning circle (~37' vs 43') and almost a 2,000 lb towing advantage over the Honda.

 

But you are hating because it is a Honda. If Ford used this design you'd be all over it.

The Ridgeline is a nice package for what it is. It is an SUV with an open cargo area, versus enclosed. That's all it was ever meant to be. It was never supposed to be a Silverado/Ram/F150 replacement.

 

If anybody is hating on it JUST because it's a Honda then that is pretty immature, but I really don't think that's the case. They hate on it because Honda marketed this as a full size, full capability pick-up truck. Yes, they intended it to compete head-to-head with the f150 and other 1/2 tons. Just because it fell woefully short doesn't mean that they can retract their original intent and pretend that the "real" purpose of the truck has changed. It failed and now "natural selection" will take care of it!

[SneakyE]

Jeebus, give it up.

 

How often do people haul mulch for godsakes!

 

 

You don't like it. We get it. But you are hating because it is a Honda. If Ford used this design you'd be all over it.

 

hmm... I presented a real issue with this vehicle and I'm instantly labelled as a Honda hater. FYI, I was interested in the Ridgeline when it first came but once I realized it wasn't what it was advertised to be and that there were serious limitations to it being used as a real truck I decided it wasn't for me.

 

Please use facts in your arguments and don't label people just because you disagree with what they are saying.

 

I like what Mark Twain says about this:

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

[J-150]

 

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."[/indent]

 

 

is this in reference to your dumbass mulch comment?

 

The ST is a POS. Does nothing well.

 

 

Oh yes, I'm going to tow a 30' cabin cruiser with my Ridgeline.

 

Give it up Chico. The Ridge is/was an SUV with open bed. Advertising references to full size competitors was all about chest thumping for buyers. It was an Ad Agency play and you fell for it if you think Honda was serious. The Ridge could work on a construction site about as well an Accord would do police service.

 

Kind of like how all those small dicked losers with too much back hair grunt about their Hemi whilst driving around in their Rams. Knuckle dragging chest thumpers. Only in the Ridgeline they were chest thumpers that wore Dockers and spent their weekends driving the kids to soccer games and ballet practice.

Edited April 13, 2010 by J-150

[papilgee4evaeva]

Give it up Chico. The Ridge is/was an SUV with open bed. Advertising references to full size competitors was all about chest thumping for buyers. It was an Ad Agency play and you fell for it if you think Honda was serious. The Ridge could work on a construction site about as well an Accord would do police service.

 

Ad agencies are in the business of saying what their hiring companies tell them to say. They don't freelance.

 

Per the comparison to the Sport Trac, that vehicle never advertised itself as a full-size truck competitor/alternative/replacement. It didn't need to with the F-Series under the same roof.

 

Kind of like how all those small dicked losers with too much back hair grunt about their Hemi whilst driving around in their Rams. Knuckle dragging chest thumpers. Only in the Ridgeline they were chest thumpers that wore Dockers and spent their weekends driving the kids to soccer games and ballet practice.

 

No, that was the Pilot.

 

The Ridgeline had Chuck Norris in its commercials. Even he couldn't sell the Ridgeline as something it wasn't capable of being, no matter how much Honda and the ad agencies they contracted tried to do.

[J-150]

Ad agencies are in the business of saying what their hiring companies tell them to say. They don't freelance.

 

 

 

 

ever worked in an ad agency?

 

I have and your statement is true 50% of the time. The other 50% of the time the agency is charged to help the client find their message all on their own.

[baggs32]

Because it's not too far removed from being based on the Odyssey minivan and suffers in capability accordingly?

Exactly. Those wedge shaped supports going from the cab to the bed sides are not design elements BTW. Honda HAD to put them there for support because that's what you need to do when you chop a third of the roof off of a minivan.

 

I don't call my Escape a truck even though it is technically classified as one. It's just another car to me. Basically a Focus sized station wagon.

[papilgee4evaeva]

ever worked in an ad agency?

 

I have and your statement is true 50% of the time. The other 50% of the time the agency is charged to help the client find their message all on their own.

 

Fair enough. But the hiring company signs off on each ad in order to allow it to be presented to the public, correct?

[J-150]

Fair enough. But the hiring company signs off on each ad in order to allow it to be presented to the public, correct?

 

 

Oh definitely. There isn't anything done that isn't signed off by someone at the client.

 

But these guys can be really slick. The client comes in, the agency gives a dog & pony show and the client walks out thinking their Ridgeline will out tow a Superduty, even though they know it is incapable.

 

 

 

To clarify, the Ridge does nothing for me. I would never buy one. I see all of it's weaknesses. But I also see its' strengths and where it could have been a contender if packaged better.

Edited April 13, 2010 by J-150

[baggs32]

 

To clarify, the Ridge does nothing for me. I would never buy one. I see all of it's weaknesses. But I also see its' strengths and where it could have been a contender if packaged better.

 

I can see that too. I've always wanted a SportTrac but thought they were priced too high when optioned out the way I wanted. I can see what Honda wanted to do but they just executed it poorly IMO, mostly in the styling and lack of real 4WD. I also would have been afraid to put a bunch of stones, wood, building supplies, etc in its bed due to it's donor platforms.

[Mr. Gumby]

I can see that too. I've always wanted a SportTrac but thought they were priced too high when optioned out the way I wanted. I can see what Honda wanted to do but they just executed it poorly IMO, mostly in the styling and lack of real 4WD. I also would have been afraid to put a bunch of stones, wood, building supplies, etc in its bed due to it's donor platforms.

 

I totally agree on both counts. The Sport Trac is priced similarly to several f150 models and offers nothing that the f150 can't deliver (unless having an IRS is THAT important to you).

 

If Honda - or any other manufacturer - had made their "cross over pickup" a RWD with optional part-time 4x4 and if it got fuel economy around 19 city 24 highway I think it could sell a lot better. It would still have to cost less than a true 1/2 ton PU otherwise I think too many people cross shopping the vehicles would still go for the 1/2 ton.

 

I really think there will be a market for smaller, more fuel efficient pick-ups, whether traditional BOF or unibody. Maybe Honda will try again when the timing is better.

[NickF1011]

Maybe Honda will try again when the timing is better.

 

And hopefully after they hire some new designers.

[old_fairmont_wagon]

I totally agree on both counts. The Sport Trac is priced similarly to several f150 models and offers nothing that the f150 can't deliver (unless having an IRS is THAT important to you).

 

If Honda - or any other manufacturer - had made their "cross over pickup" a RWD with optional part-time 4x4 and if it got fuel economy around 19 city 24 highway I think it could sell a lot better. It would still have to cost less than a true 1/2 ton PU otherwise I think too many people cross shopping the vehicles would still go for the 1/2 ton.

 

I really think there will be a market for smaller, more fuel efficient pick-ups, whether traditional BOF or unibody. Maybe Honda will try again when the timing is better.

 

Or when they have a competitive product. Lets face it, it was near the size of a full size truck, with less bed space than most, less towing capacity than some base models, the same poor fuel efficiency when used like a regular full size truck, and an interior that was no better than the competition. Why would someone pay just as much as a full size pickup costs for a vehicle that is less than it in every way, and no better in any significant way?

 

The Ridgeline was a fail before it left the drawing boards.

[J-150]

Or when they have a competitive product. Lets face it, it was near the size of a full size truck, with less bed space than most, less towing capacity than some base models, the same poor fuel efficiency when used like a regular full size truck, and an interior that was no better than the competition. Why would someone pay just as much as a full size pickup costs for a vehicle that is less than it in every way, and no better in any significant way?

 

The Ridgeline was a fail before it left the drawing boards.

 

 

 

let's see if the D3 Explorer spawns a D3 Sport Trac.

 

Interesting to see if Ford can avoid all of the pitfalls Honda made.

[Mr. Gumby]

let's see if the D3 Explorer spawns a D3 Sport Trac.

 

Ranger replacement?

[jpvbs]