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Midsize Pickup Comparo
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Comments
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/9470/do-it-all-compact-pickups-page7.htm- - l
Having owned a 2003 Tacoma 4WD Xcab TRD for over 3 years I'm very familiar with the truck.
When you say "thats all around driving stop and go,highway,offroad too. If I clean my TRD airfilter could possibly get to 23mpg US" the BS meter goes off scale.
15-17 mpg in city and 18-21 highway is the typical mpg for a 4WD V6 pre-2005 Tacoma from my experience and it mirrors the experience of other Tacoma owners on other boards.
It seems Honda knows what its doing, even if we always don't, eh?
Here's the link to the information and data:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/05/02/005420.html
The Honda Ridgeline is the pickup truck for you if you're not sure you really want a pickup truck. I'm being facetious, of course, but not very.
The Ridgeline's sales were slow early on, however, partly because it was over-priced. In recent months, though, dealers have been discounting the truck (which is unusual for a Honda (HMC) product), and the average selling price has come down steadily, from $33,579 a year ago to $29,500 in recent weeks, according to J.D. Power.
Sales are starting to climb as a result: Honda sold 5,344 Ridgelines in March, up 37.9% from the same month last year
The other big negative for me is that the Ridgeline is pretty ugly, especially from the side.
Anyone able to provide sales numbers for April for all the trucks compared here? The sales numbers for the non-truck are already in this post.
The only driving talked about was slalom, 0-60, qtr mile, ect... That is hardly data to use for observed MPG data. Maybe I missed part of the article.
Did you read the comparison article?
Tacoma owners should enjoy it, Tacoma was rated number 1 overall.
Frontier was ranked Number 1 Fun to Drive, Number 1 Engine Performance, Number 1 Transmission, Number 1 Braking....
They are both great trucks, and features and value were the deciding factors that I chose a Frontier NISMO CC 4WD over a Tacoma.
If the Ridgeline was not so darn ugly, so darn expensive and if it offered an off road package, I would have probably purchased it.
Are you sure you know how to correctly calculate MPG? It seems as many people calculate MPG calculate as they incorrectly calculate net worth. :surprise:
My '05 Access Cab V6 4x4 6 speed, with a fresh air filter and Mobil 1 5w-30 averages about 17-17.5 in mixed driving, and I'm far from a stoplight racer. On a recent 60-70 MPH, 4 hour, all highway, all ~sea level, no traffic trip from Central CT to Provincetown, MA, it did 18.7 on 10% booze blend.
I have MPG data in my Quicken transaction "comment" field for every fill up since 52 miles, and I'm now showing 9700.
Do you have aftermarket tires? Have you GPS or otherwise verified the odometer?
Since the DC is slightly heavier than my AC, and Edmunds got 14.5, 21 1/2 in mixed driving sounds like a stretch...
Injection/Germany Rear/Mexico Tranfercase/Japan. Got rid of it at 79k never looked back. Point, mine was a Lemon for me,others swear by the little Rangers.Brotherinlaw got over 200k out of his 87 Ranger. You never know!
Create a thread to meet your needs if you like, a host will likely be happy to assist you, as they did me.
I now have a 2005 Frontier 4x4 6Cyl.
If I had not rolled my Tacoma, I'd still have it.
It got nearly identical mileage as compared to my Frontier.
While it had "only" 190 HP, it was plenty.
However, the engine in the new Nissan blows the OLD tacoma engine away. The 2005 Tacomas were on my list, but all things considered, I opted for the Nissan. I do not prefer the Tacoma styling, and in this area, to get what I wanted, the Tacoma was about $2000-3000 more.
I like the look of the Colorado/Canyon, but I think the engine is a little behind, and I have to question reliability. My first pick in the "American" arena would have been a Dodge, I think. Even though the Ranger is outdated, they are respectable trucks.
My Nissan was made in Tennessee, which is Why I put "American" in quotes. There is so much overlap between American and Foreign vehicles now.
Good luck to all with their trucks.
I went back and checked again. I did not see any kind of info on how many miles were in town, on the highway or 4Xing. Would make a big difference mileage wise.
The only driving talked about was slalom, 0-60, qtr mile, ect... That is hardly data to use for observed MPG data. Maybe I missed part of the article.
Did you read the comparison article?
Tacoma owners should enjoy it, Tacoma was rated number 1 overall.
Frontier was ranked Number 1 Fun to Drive, Number 1 Engine Performance, Number 1 Transmission, Number 1 Braking....
Ya, Nissan had more rebounds and assists, but the score at the end was in Toyotas favor....
Where di dthey get a 8100 pound towing capacity for the Taco? I have never seen it above 6500.
They are both great trucks, and features and value were the deciding factors that I chose a Frontier NISMO CC 4WD over a Tacoma.
If the Ridgeline was not so darn ugly, so darn expensive and if it offered an off road package, I would have probably purchased it
I didn't know you were disgruntled sugar! What is wrong with your gruntle?
Take your Tacoma to your dealer, I'm sure they can fix that gruntle.
Fish'in Critter!!!
I was under the impression your truck was an '05-'06. Since it's not, the comparison is silly.
P.S. As a beancounter, I assume you love the Ridgeline because you were able to take the 179 deduction? I am a 38 year old tax lawyer.
Past experience with Toyota and Nissan trucks.
Many loved it because it reminded them of a Freightliner road tractor. This thing looked like a TRUCK!
Others hated it with the bold grill and the hood that was higher than the fenders. The slightly bulged area (MUSCLE LINE) above the rear fender wells. Flat sides and straight lines were not a part of the new Dodge Rams. What in the world were they thinking.
I had always been a fan of the Chevy Silverado. But this NEW DODGE took guts on behalf of Chrysler. I bought a Dodge Ram in 96 and another in 98.
Look at the P/Us of today. Higher hoods than fenders, bold grills, muscle lines. Are they more tasteful than Dodge? They are to some, but not to others.
I look at the Ridgeline in the same way. Some love it while some don't. It definitely looks "different"!
It IS different. It does some things better than any other pickup . Period! Some things it doesn't do as well. It has a target and attracts that target very well.
It will do everything that 99% of "Family" P/U owner require. It is not a heavy duty towing truck and not a rock crawler. It will tow that Bass boat or the small to medium campers. It will being the goods home from Home Depot or Pike Nursery. If necessary,it will get you through the mud or snow. Meanwhile it will carry 5 folks in comfort near that of a sedan. Chances are that real world fuel mileage is also better that the other V6 or V8s. These are things that 99% of "Family" P/U owners really want and need.
I like the look of the Ridgeline, except for the area connecting the bed and cab. But the more I look at it I don't think it would look right if it was squared off like all the others.
It went after the typical family. It does that better than the others. So why not look different?
Kip
I suspect the tapered rear fender line (from roof to tailgate) is structural, much like the flying buttress on the Avalanche and the sport bars on the Baja are. Since the bed is part of the body, unlike "normal" pickups, I think that is needed for extra strength and/or bracing.
Bob
I think it would better if they bought the tailgate up to the same height as the side rails and if they would put a better looking grill in it.
My brother-in-law wants to put a 1954 Pontiac grill in it. That might be just the ticket if he can get it to work. That might also give you a clue as to how old we are.
okieScot
What are your thoughts on the Ridgeline?
Disclaimer (of course) - talk to your own CPA/Accountant about the details and requirements.
(2) previous Toyotas, 300,000+ in each, except for replacing a seat (not Toyota's problem, I ripped it with tools), nothing but joy. I beat the HELL out of those trucks. They were easy to maintain, fun to drive, and dead dependable. I drove both to the junkyard.
(1) Nissan Frontier, purchased because I thought Toyota's were too high priced at the time. Got a _great_ deal (dealership was moving across the street - no room, they were renting parking lot space all over town). It was a GREAT looking truck, Fiesta Red w/ chrome, alloys, and NO decals.
One of the few vehicles I sold without running it into the ground. PITA to self-service, construction quality not even close to Toyota (packing tape on underhood harnesses, cheesy body clips, etc...) wierd emmissions related problems nobody could find, several recalls. When it was two days old, the windows wouldn't roll up over 35 MPH, due to air flow sucking them outward. Three trips to dealer to resolve. Sold the Nissan after 50 months and only 39k, but I was happy with the resale value. This and a Subaru Outback were the only two vehicles I've not driven to the grave.
Today - I'm in an early 2005 Tacoma V6 TRD Offroad 4x4 Access Cab. I got caught with noisy leaf springs and the cab mount rattle, but missed the very early water leak. The springs really weren't a big deal, the service manager _offered_ to fix it when I mentioned them in passing during a conversation about the under-cab rattle. I'm impressed with Toyota's ability to make running changes to the line, as the issues I had were identified, solved, and didn't affect later builds. I've had Jeeps built _10_ years apart with the same problems (rear brake cylinders).
Both '05 Tacoma issues were fixed by the dealership with zero hassle. Radiant Red paint is flawless after 14 months. The truck is the best of 20+ vehicles I or my wife has ever owned. My only minor complaint is with the 6sp shifter, I plan on installing a short shift kit. Salesman lets me run it through the dealership wash twice a month, and parts dept. sells me accessories for online price and OEM oil filters for $4.
While I was shopping, I easily could have again purchased a Frontier for less than the Tacoma. The current Frontier displayed some of the same corner cutting as my other Nissan, but looked better than it used to be. Chose to wait 6 weeks and pay about $1200 more for a similar Tacoma, and I'm still very, very happy.
I think the Frontier is nice, I just thought the Tacoma was a tick better. Both are milleniums better than a Colorado or Ranger!
You payz your money...
But it is very hard to fault the 300,000+ miles you put on the Toyotas. Obviously Toyota builds a rugged and reliable Truck.
Kip
Is there any fact in here, or just opinion (there's nothing wrong with opinion, we all have them, but just wondering where you get the idea of better performance and on/off road capabilities).
Also, is there a need to put down the Nissan trucks and buyers (plastic Nismo)? Just seems a little out of line, but that's just MY opinion.
If anything, a lot of people (myself included) give credit to Nissan for spicing up the styling and creating it's own design language,
while others remain fairly bland (I like Hondas, but the Ridgeline isn't stylish, and personally, Toyotas are bland to me, and the hood scoop just screams rice-rocket). I realize neither truck is "exciting", but Nissan is the more exciting of the two IMO.
2005 Tacoma 4.0L V6 245HP 283 lb/ft torque
2006 Tacoma 4.0L V6 236HP 266 lb/ft torque
9 fewer horses on the '06, where did they go? Are they hiding in the hood scoop?
Maybe Tacoma needs that hood scoop for that premium unleaded sucking, premium performance 4.0L V6?
Rear Headroom (in.)
Tacoma 35.2
Frontier 38.7
Rear Legroom (in.)
Tacoma 28.2
Frontier 33.6
Rear Shoulder Room (in.)
Tacoma 57.7
Frontier 58.3
Rear Hip Room (in.)
Tacoma 53.6 Frontier 58.0
Frontier has more space for passengers in the rear seat than Tacoma. Half size doors...LOL!
It seems like folks either love or hate the Ridgeline, will argue Toyota / Nissan to death, and seem to agree that the GM entry is a step down (but it is quite a bit cheaper), and that the Ranger needs to be updated.
No one ever mentions the Dakota.
Then I realized that when I was truck shopping last year, I spent all kinds of time (hours!) with the Toyota and Nissan, drove two Ridgelines(An extra foot of bed vs. a real back seat killed it for me), did a quick but decisive drive of a Colorado, drove right by the Ford and Mazda dealers, but totally forgot the Dakota existed.
We all have our own needs, options, and tastes, but where are the Dakotas?
Fish'in Critter!