Honda Ridgeline SUT

rsholland

That's from American Honda, which is not a competitor's web site.

 

Bob

naylor99

Bob -

 

Thanks - I feel a "D'oh!" coming on...

derodeo

A crew-cab truck really should have a rear window defroster. I thought the truck manufacturers had finally figured that one out. That is a big cab area! It would probably be more useful than the special heating provided for the windshield wipers. Though the Ridgeline does have a large overlap on the rear roof area that should help prevent snow and ice forming on the exterior of the rear window.

nowakj66

Is there a way to add this as a dealer installed accesory without getting the NAV?

rsholland

and there was no Ridgeline there! Hard to believe, considering the vehicle is supposed to go on sale March 1.

 

Bob

xwesx

It would probably be more useful than the special heating provided for the windshield wipers.

 

While I do not disagree that it would probably be a good idea to add a defroster to the rear window of a CC pickup, I must say that the one feature (heater-wise) I would really love to have on my Subaru is heated wipers - especially for the rear window wiper. In fact, I would gladly trade the rear defroster for a heated rear wiper on this car.

merrob

I was really worried about the lack of a defogger as it would be difficult to scrape off that rear windshield with those sidewalls but I saw rear window defroster mentioned in the features section of the ridgeline. Is this usually quick enough for the job?

55535432

No Ridgeline in their, when I saw one at Northeast Honda in Reisterstown MD. The suspense is killing me. Was planning to go on the Carshow on a Sunday, guess I'll spend my day elsewhere.

Kirstie_H

Just to clarify our policy, we now allow links to competitors' websites. We don't allow direct links to other automotive forums. Happy posting!

 

...and a belated welcome to jay_24.

rsholland

We don't allow direct links to other automotive forums.

 

Thanks Kristie. However, even that is a bit confusing. There are a number of sites out there in which forums are part of the site, but in order to access those forums you have to click on the home page, then click on the forums. So it's not a "direct link," so to speak.

 

The Vortex Media Group sites come immediately to mind. If you click on the home page of any of those sites you get stories, information, pictures—but no forums. Yes, there is a link button to take you to the forums, but the forums are not "directly linked." Are those type of sites still not allowed?

 

Bob

Kirstie_H

You can link to other sites that host automotive forums, yes. You can link to articles, reviews, etc., on other sites - you simply can't link directly to forums, or encourage members to visit the forums on those sites. Hope this makes more sense!

varmint

I also see rear window defroster listed as standard equipment. Not sure how much of the window that covers, though. The center portion of that rear window is also power operated, so you could just roll it down.

 

http://hondanews.com/CatID2139?mid=2005011039475&mime=asc

barneym

Is it just me or does anyone else think this thing is just plain ugly! It makes the Chevy Avalanche and Pontiac Aztek look like King and Queen of the prom. I like Honda's (I'm a CR-V Owner) and they are definitley on to something by making a light-duty pick up targeted more towards the family rather than a contractors. But other companies have tried and failed in doing this (Subaru Baja, Ford SportTrac). The Ridgeline looks like an Anime interpretation of what pick-up trucks should look like. Sorry Honda, I'll pass.

geneseedepot

There are so many people out there that will buy a Honda based on reliability alone that they will forgive ugly styling (me included). I drive a Civic Si. It's definately NOT a looker as exterior designs go. I thought about buying an Element (I still would, the styling doesn't bother me). I would buy a Ridgeline if I needed light truck capabilities.

 

Honda knows this and is able to sell designs they wouldn't have even tried 20 years ago. We will continue to see Honda-ugly as the dominant styling theme as Honda tries to differentiate their look. Most loyal Honda customers will forgive the look.

robr2

The Baja is too small, underpowered and too expensive. The SportTrac from what I understand does OK.

 

The Ridgeline may not be pretty but IMHO it's design is supposed to appeal to men - it's a rugged design.

robertsmx

Who buys "pretty trucks"?

rsholland

http://thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=8069&sid=275&am- p;n=157

robr2

Yes it has - I think by you!

jgriff

I’m one of those in between truck/SUV guys, meaning both I don’t want a big or small truck/SUV, and I want some real creature comforts. So the Ridgeline has my attention. Last year I looked at the Titan but, decided it was too big, too low MPG, and the QC was lacking so I bypassed.

  

I was one of Honda’s victims, as I had a ’01 Acura CL that lost it tranny at 36k. Without a doubt they (Acura) handle the whole ordeal first-class (loaner, extended warranty etc.). But it really left a lasting impression that even the best have faults. And I'm not 100% sure they have the tranny problems taken care of.

  

I since then had somewhat scratched Honda off my buying list, but every time I go looking, I keep coming back to looking at Hondas. Nothing else really hits the mark for me, I have been considering a ’05 Pilot. But some big changes must be in the works, as my local dealer has un-heard of $2500 discounts, on a very large inventory, or gas prices have really slowed SUV sales.

  

Anyway, I like the Ridgeline concept. I just can’t decide if an open or closed bed makes more sense for my lifestyle. The truck’s in-bed trunk is a real great idea. However I’m not sure how Honda can make the claim of putting golf bags in there, unless they mean just the bag and no clubs. I don’t believe that it is wide enough, I don’t think a 45” Driver won’t fit, straight in the bag.

  

You know it amazes me how it seems that the car designers just can’t win, it either too plain Jane (Pilot), or its too radical and ugly (Element). If Honda designed it like a basic truck, the critics would have simply called it a flop and dismissed it. I prefer something that is a little different, and not the run of the mill CamCord. The Subie Baja is too small, and the Chevy Avalance is too big.

rsholland

LOL! Must be geezing!

 

Bob

robr2

It happens to all of us!! Now where did I put my keys?

jay_24

Is the Avalache really that much bigger?

 

                 RidgeLine Avalanche XUV

Wheelbase 122 130 129

Overall Length 206.8 221.6 207.8

Overall Width 77.8 79.8 74.7

Bed Length 60 63 58.6

Bed Width 49.5 50 46

Front leg 40.8 41.3 46.9

Rear Leg 36.4 38.9 37

 

True there is 14.8 inches in length, but the width is only 2 inches different.

 

For the length, 6 inches is leg room and box length. The other 8 inches of difference is probably to fit the V8 under the hood.

 

For the Ridgeline is 36.4 inches of rear legroom enough? Its only 1.5 inches more than a Chevy Silveraado extended cab and 2.7 inches less than a silverado crew cab.

 

A game of inches.

 

Can decide "open" or "closed"? How about a Envoy XUV? Size is a touch smaller on the box, but better length on the interior.

robr2

How about a Envoy XUV? Size is a touch smaller on the box, but better length on the interior.

 

The Envoy XUV is going the way of the do-do. Sales have been pitiful.

jay_24

I didn''t say it was a good choice or a popular choice. Its just a choice for those that can't decide. Just like GMC couldn't decide either.

 

--j

varmint

I'm sure it's not just you. Plenty of people will be turned off by the odd looks.

 

For my part, I use the term odd, rather than ugly, because the styling makes as much sense as a crew cab pickup can make. Crew cabs are intrinsically odd-looking. The proportions are just plain awkward. The styling cues Honda has chosen actually do a decent job of hiding that fact. But those cues are like nothing else on the market. We have been trained to think that pick-ups look a certain way. Anything else is weird. Look at how much controversy Dodge started just by changing the way fender flares are handled with the original Ram.

 

My biggest disappointment is with the interior styling, not the exterior. I think Honda had a real chance to break the mold and give pick-up owners a stylish, yet functional interior. Instead they gave us pure function. Build quality concerns aside, that's nothing new compared with the current crop of trucks.

varmint

"Is the Avalache really that much bigger?"

 

Yep. 15 inches may not look like much on a ruler, but that's actually twice the difference between a CR-V and a Pilot. Chevy's own Colorado is 207" long, which is more or less the same as the Ridgeline. A quick peak around the stats shows that the Frontier CC and Sport Trac are both just under 206".

 

I agree that the Ridgeline is wider than most. But its length is perfectly normal for a mid-size.

mtbdad

I have a quick question. Is the Ridgeline and the Pilot the same as far as clearance, 4wd, and frame? I guess what I am asking, is if they are the same like the H2 SUV and SUT. I watched the Superbowl commercials and find it hard to believe that my Pilot can do all of those things.

robr2

No - according to Honda, the Pilot and Ridgeline share very little.

atlgaxt

The Ridgeline has a more robust frame. The 4wd systems are related.

 

I'm guessing that driving a Ridgeline or a Pilot the way that the vehicle was driven in the Superbowl ad would cause a lot of premature wear and tear if not outright damage to the suspension, structural components, etc. However, that is probably the same case for many advertisements for 4wd drive trucks.

xwesx

The Envoy XUV is going the way of the do-do. Sales have been pitiful.

 

The idea of the XUV is an excellent one, but the implementation was mediocre so the price differential finished it off, at least this time around. I mean, who wants to pay more for a compromise? I would not be surprised if a more successful implementation of this idea came around again in another 5-10 years.

 

This Ridgeline impresses me more and more. I do find it somewhat aesthetically odd, but I am not too impressed with the appearance of many vehicles these days (especially not pickups), so what's to be expected? Aesthetically, I would pick it over a Titan or F150 any day, and I'd pick the F150 over the Titan. I don't mean to compare it to vehicles "not in its class," but I'm just talking about aesthetics, not function/engine/towing/etc.

jgriff

I test-drove the XUV a couple of times last year, and I was very impress with the functionally and concept. My biggest problem besides being built on the problematic Envoy platform, was the poor handling, and the outlandish $38-43k pricing. Which ends up being totally bogus once GM starts offering their deep $8-10k discounts. Grossly overpricing is a real pet-peeve with me, especially when the quality is not there.

sportssedanman

How long before Acura gets a luxury version of this platform to compete head-to-head with The Lexus GX470?

jay_24

Honda's TV add claims 1/2 ton truck. To me that means its full sized. Dodge/Chevy/Ford only claim 1/2 ton on their full size trucks. The Colorado is claimed to be a compact truck. and the Dakota has long been the mid sized truck. The Honda web site only compares to the compact and mid size trucks.

 

A Silverado crew cab (short box) happens to be 10 inches shorter than a Tundra Double cab. So is the Silverado a mid size too? The Silverado can shed about 10 inches on width with a push of a button to fold its mirrors.

 

Comapring a Ridlgeline to a Colarado isn't fair since the Colarado is 11.2 inches narrower and almost 700lbs lighter. The Ridgeline is also 5.8 inches wider than a Dakota.

 

Just slightly confussed on what the Ridgeline should be compaired too. I think it makes its own size catagory. Bigger than mid size. Its as wide as full but a bit shorter.

 

-jay

rsholland

Honda's TV add claims 1/2 ton truck. To me that means its full sized.

 

If you go to the Honda web site, and check the comparison charts that Honda has provided in their press releases, you will see that Honda refers to the Ridgeline as either "compact" or "midsize." They never refer to it as a fullsize pickup, even though they do make some comparisons with fullsize trucks.

 

http://hondanews.com/CatID2135

 

Bob

xwesx

Well sure they do! Classifying it as such, it is leaps and bounds better than the "competition." But, then there are shoppers out there saying "it is priced too high for a mid-size." However, it is also comparable to 1/2 tons even if it doesn't size up quite as favorably. If you start looking at the price tag in that category, the Ridgeline starts to look quite good! It is all a matter of perception though. A lot of folks shopping for a compact pickup just think "compact pickup" and do not even consider vehicles that are not labeled as such. I think Honda is targeting the correct audience by labeling its product as a compact/mid-size. Even if it is a very large one!

varmint

I doubt very much Acura will take that route. The GX470 is more truck than could fit into the "performance luxury" image Acura states is their goal.

 

However, you may see a unibody on frame design used for the next MDX (2006). This type of chassis (similar to the LR3 and JGC) might be the new underpinnings for all of Honda's new light trucks. At least the mid-size ones.

varmint

"Just slightly confussed on what the Ridgeline should be compaired too. I think it makes its own size catagory. Bigger than mid size. Its as wide as full but a bit shorter."

 

Bob likes to call it a wide body mid-size. If the physical dimensions make you think of it as a tweener (I'd agree), then look to the pricing and capacities next.

 

BTW, this wide-body stuff is nothing new for Honda. Both the Pilot and MDX are wider than most of their competition. (Some folks have complained about squeezing them into small garages.)

rsholland

Bob likes to call it a wide body mid-size. If the physical dimensions make you think of it as a tweener (I'd agree), then look to the pricing and capacities next.

 

Or "Fullsize Lite," take your pick.

 

Bob

Kirstie_H

Don't forget tonight's member-to-member chat - it's open mic night, so come and discuss whatever's on your mind.

 



 

http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html

 

6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Drop by for live chat with other members. Hope you can join us!

varmint

Howzabout "Mid-Size Grande"?

 

Nah, Starbucks probably has that one trademarked.

dock

A few thoughts

1.The comment about the XUV's time will come. I remember when Studabacker had a wagon with a slide roof just before they went out of business.

2. Style is in the eye. I'm one of the strange few who liked the Toyota T100 and have put 109,141 miles on mine with no problems. The Ridgeline looks fine.

3. Wide in a high stance vehicle is always better as far as roll over safety is concerned.

jgriff

3. Wide in a high stance vehicle is always better as far as roll over safety is concerned.

 

Amen brother.

 

I think Honda does a pretty good job addressing safety. Although I felt they should have added SAB to the '05 Pilot, rather than delay it another year.

 

I think the Ridgeline looks is just fine, can't wait to see it in person.

jay_24

Agree, but won't a longer wheelbase help prevent getting sideways to begin with?

Width isn't the whole story its the center of gravity as compared to the width.

--jay

robertsmx

The squarer the foot print the less prone the vehicle will be to roll over. Both, MDX and Pilot follow this rule. Ridgeline has a longer wheelbase with both though (and of course, it needs to).

varmint

Yeah, width alone is not enough. CoG must also be taken into account. So far, I see no reason to suspect that the CoG for the Ridgeline is higher than similar vehicles. And the handling comparisons we've seen thus far all point toward superior overall dynamic stability.

Of course, we have to wait for testing before there's any "proof".

glycinemax

Saw this about the Ridgeline in Power Electronics...

"Feb 16, 2005 2:48 PM

BorgWarner will provide its electronically controlled, all-wheel drive InterActive Torque Management II (ITM II) system to the 2006 Honda Ridgeline, the mid-size front-wheel drive-based pickup with which Honda Motor Co. will officially enter the truck market. BorgWarner will also supply components for the vehicle's transmissions, and clutchpack assemblies for the ITM.

Compared with passive, mechanical all-wheel drive systems, the ITM is said to offer better handling and fuel economy, improved security, and more flexibility, according to Cindy Niekamp, president and general manager of BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems.

Patented technology in the ITM system senses when a vehicle's front wheels slip and instantly transfers power to the rear wheels. The system controls the rear wheels individually to offer side-to-side or single-wheel torque management.

The system is based on electronic innovations developed for rear-wheel drive systems for larger sport utility vehicles in the mid-1990s. BorgWarner plans to adapt the technology for use in front-wheel drive vehicles, including minivans, station wagons, cars and crossover vehicles (sport utility vehicles on car platforms)."

http://preview.powerelectronics.com/autoelectronics/truck_uses_sy- stem/index.html

FWIW

jgriff

Based on the pictures (since very few have seen a Ridge in person), with only a 5' foot bed and the raised sides does it look like maybe the bed maybe fairly aerodynamic? Meaning that maybe there may be little need for a bed cover to cut down on drag, at highway speeds.

varmint

TOV has a video which includes the LPL talking about aerodynamics of the bed and tailgate. I don't recall the details, but the sides and overhang above the rear window are supposed to be better for managing air flow.

varmint

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2005-02-17-rid- geline_x.htm

Essentially more of the same in this review.

rsholland

http://wardsauto.com/ar/auto_compact_ridgeline_fullsize/index.htm