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Toyota Tacoma vs Honda Ridgeline

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  • linkfeeneylinkfeeney Member Posts: 58
    if you really want the sport-trac
    you should able to get a low low price... no one buys them!!!
    Just like the rangers!! no one is buying them!!

    they want to get ride of the lot!! But Sport Trac and Ranger can't do other companies do...
    with Blistein shocks..or rear lock differential

    I was looking to buy a tacoma... but I need to buy a house instead before i get one i guess..

    Man i just wish i make more money!
  • beanctrbeanctr Member Posts: 99
    felixdacat13, I purchased a Ridgeline back in December 2005 after test driving the Tacoma and Frontier. The Tacoma and Frontier were both nice vehicles and I actually preferred the styling and horsepower of both to the Ridgeline; however, when it came down to functionality, the Ridgeline I felt won hands down. If you shop around, you should be able to get a good deal on any one of these trucks right now. When I purchased my Ridgeline (RTL) back in 2005, I got nearly $5,000 off MSRP. Also, like you, I felt the engine noise of the Tacoma was louder than I thought it should be (mostly when accelerating). I had owned a 2001 Tacoma and thought they could have improved more in this area when they did their redesign. Good luck with your shopping.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Wow, it's empty in here... I thnk I hear an echo!

    Anybody still cross-shopping these?
  • sparklandsparkland Member Posts: 120
    Here is why the Ridgeline should be considered by all those thinking about purchasing a pickup. These two people in the Ridgeline survived this crash because of the safety features included in the Honda. Scroll down to the bottom of the page in the link.

    http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/miscellaneous-general-honda-ridgeline-- discussions/21863-my-ridgeline-saved-my-life-2.html

    Brad
  • roadrangerroadranger Member Posts: 9
    I recently bought a 09 Jetta TDI for my wife.I drive a 95 Silverado Stepside.I need a new truck and I don't want an ethenol burner.I like the Ram with the Cummins,but it seems like an overkill for my purpose.I've looked at the Ridgeline and I like what I see.If it came with a good diesel setup,I'd probably buy it. PS:The 09 Jetta TDI is Awesome!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    What do you mean "Ethanol Burner?" A Flexible-Fuel vehicle?

    May I ask why you don't want one?
  • roadrangerroadranger Member Posts: 9
    No,not exactly.I mean anything that burns gasoline and whatever else our congress decides we should put into it,whether or not it makes economic sense.The diesel engine has always been a flex-fuel engine.Old Rudolf Diesel's first one ran on peanut oil.Diesel engines have long been more efficient,and longer lasting than gas engines,and now modern diesel technology has made them cleaner than gas engines.Our options are broader with diesels.We now run mostly on kerosene,but coal-to-liquid is another option.(check out Sasol in South Africa,and Rentech in the United States).Synthetic Diesel from natural gas is also feasable,as is Bio-Diesel from a variety of plants.Jatropha probably holds the most promise there,but soy,canola,and palm oil work too.All of these forms of fuel can be blended and substituted without any changes in the engines, and can be shipped through conventional pipelines.Ethanol can't,and makes no sense.
  • autohobbyautohobby Member Posts: 1
    Toyota and Honda both make the best vehicles out there, if you don't believe me look at any reliability chart in any year consumer reports auto edition for your answer, but for how much $ is it worth it? I own a ford love it, I know guys with dodge, chevy, swear buy em', it's funny some people just have the're brand. But it's a fact that these trucks are awesome. In my own research I particularly like the 2005+ double cab tacoma with 4x4 trd longbed. I like this truck because it is the best on gas, its toyota, its sharp looking etc. but the prices are high and stay there. I just test drove a 2004 tacoma doublecab with 16000 miles on it! They wanted 20! It's ridiculous! You can by a slightly used one for about 20k! The newer design in 05' really does set a benchmark for other automakers, Honda took a different direction with a unibody to give it car like handling and its also about 1000 lbs. lighter than a tacoma or frontier. Its not as off road capable, but the majority of us don't do too much off roadin', or not nearly enough as we want too! That truck idea in the Ridgeline is awesome, and leather and nav. and a locking rear dif. is a nice touch. (RTL) but to get 20+ hwy and 16+ city in a full size truck with 4 full size doors and a bed in any truck is amazing. The honda and toyota's are best at mpg's. Which matters more than ever. Look at the comparison charts on autotrader! I take some mpgs with a grain of salt but still the specs. don't lye. So if a tacoma gets 1 mpg more than honda, and it weighs 1000 lbs more thats something. The engines .5 liter bigger at 4.0 but that's dam good. The honda although puts out 255 hp at 5600rpm which is very impressive for a 3.5L V6. Here is where my thinking comes in...Tacoma 05+ can be long bed 141" wheel base = nicer ride. Ridgeline short bed 122" WB. 17" wheels on some ( same as trd sport tires=$$). Caps look weird and are pricey on that ridgeline. Toyota 05'+ V6 is a timing chain, ridgeline all...belt. If you drive 20000 miles a year that 1 mpg or more adds up. Gas is around $4 and it ain't goin' down. If you have this truck for 5 years that's 100000 miles, or a difference of about $1000 in gas alone. Or maybe your not keeping it forever and don't care, but In that honda now (105000) need to change the timing belt, which while your doin' that you might as well do the serpentine belt, plugs, idler, waterpump, etc. $$$, while that Tacoma won't need a timing belt. I've never heard of changing a timing chain cause the last too long. So the question is do you need a long bed, off road capability or do you like a trunk and maybe nav. and leather? But of course it all comes down to $. If the Ridgeline is the same year and mileage as a Tacoma and is 5k less I'd buy it. They do come with more standard options than Tacomas. Look.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Was recently thumbing through a 2013 Consumers Guide, Automotive addition.

    Not many "Midsize" Trucks left, but they picked the Ridgeline as their first choice. Frontier as second choice.

    Interestingly enough they said, the Tacoma is NOT RECOMMENDED.

    Cramped cabin, low seating position, noisy engine, spongy brakes, and "jiggle" ride were among their complaints. Only adjustment on the seats is forward and rearward and the seat back tilts. The did say the 4WD models are very good at off road work.

    Read somewhere that 95+% of P/U drivers never encounter more than a dirt road for their adventures.

    We tow a camper in the 3000# range, and the '09 Ridgeline handles it fine.
    Some of that involves the Smokey Mountains with 7% and 8% grades and it handles that way better than I thought it would. Actually maintained the 55 mph speed, although it had dropped back to 2nd gear and 5500RPM for the nearly 3 miles. Same thing coming back. Have done that on 3 different occasions.

    Sitting around campfires and talking with those towing similar size and weight of campers with Tacoma, Frontiers, and V6 Dakotas, it seems they pretty much experienced the same. Even those with full size P/Us with small V8s said the engines had to "WORK" on those grades.

    RL is rated to Tow 5K and Tacoma is rated at 6K. Personally, if my camper weighed 6K I would be towing with a V8.

    Most of the folks I've talked with said they have never driven a Ridgeline, "because they don't LOOK like real P/U trucks".
    I personally don't care for the "Look" of the RL behind the rear side door, but I can't see that when I'm driving it.

    In a recent trip from Atlanta to Indiana with the bed full of stuff, and the cruise doing most of the work we got 23.9 MPG driving the posted speed limits. Returning with an empty bed at posted speed limits and cruise, it was 25 mpg. Maybe a 4WD Tacoma will equal that, and maybe not.

    The wife has a '09 Toyota Rav4 Sport. We have used it on trips, but we both prefer to use the Ridgeline. Although the Rav4 gets 5-6 better MPG. The RL is simply more comfortable, to us.

    One poster said the RL looks odd with the camper shell on the back, and I agree. But I've had those shells on P/Us in the past, and getting to stuff next to the cab is difficult. Rather than do that I prefer an SUV.

    Getting to stuff next to the cab is a lot easier with the RL tailgate swung to the side than leaning over a traditional tailgate in the open position.

    Likely true that the RL only makes up 1% of Honda sales. WHY?

    THEY DON'T ADVERTISE THEM! If Honda would offer some kind of incentive to get folks to actually drive a RL, I believe the sales would increase tremendously.

    My understanding is that the Ridgeline will not be offered for 2014. But will return in 2015, with many issues addressed.

    Just my 2 cents worth.

    Kip
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
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  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    I am in the market for one of these. I checked out the Tacoma and told the salesman I was not sure if I would wait it out to see the Ridgeline. But the pricing is out and that is a factor.

    http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=1279754

    The base Tacoma 4wd is approximately $26,500. The Ridgeline front wheel drive has come in at three thousand dollars more. I would prefer a Honda as I think their engineering and quality is the very top. Given some of the paint and rust issues with my Celica, I would have liked to put in a protest vote against Toyota as well. But the pricing and overall quality of the Tacoma means that it will probably be the next vehicle.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A reporter is looking to speak with car shoppers who recently purchased a truck or SUV instead of a coupe or sedan because they were influenced (at least in part) by today's low gas prices. If this sounds like your experience and you're willing to help, please contact pr@edmunds.com by no later than May 24, 2016.
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