Honda Ridgeline SUT

indy93

Ridgeline is not a truck at all! It's a pilot with different body style. It is not made for towing, it is not designed as work vehicle, it's payload is very limited and its engine and trans are not made for truck type applications.(limited low end torque, 5 sp auto trans already prone to failure) Can you imagine what the trans failure rate will be? Most mfg's beef up their drive trains for truck use, not settle on high reving car V6 engines and weak transmissions. Honda still has not sorted out how to build a durable V6 tranny!

gearhead1

You should really do your home work before post to the world how uninformed you are. Have you researched this vehicle at all?

-It's not the pilot with a different body style. more than 90% new vehicle.
-It's not the same transmission.

slammie

I agree with Jerseybubba. Honda has plans in the works to make the Ridgeline attractive in the coming years. Goodies such as foglights, trip computer, outside temp., etc. that are not available now (shocking that Honda would forget these items)will certainly be available on future model years, along with greater horsepower, better towing capacity, more safety, blah, blah, blah, blah.

markjenn

I too think that a vehicle like the Ridgeline should be towing capable right out of the box. It doesn't have to have trailer brake hookups and the like, but it should have the hitch receiver and the electrical connections back there ready to go.

I like the Ridgeline a lot, but this discussion reminds me a great deal of the discussions when Honda came out with the original Odyssey "tall wagon" minivan and when Toyota came out with the 7/8ths-size T100 pickup. Both were good vehicles but they were never quite as capable as the vehicles they competed with and cost slightly too much for what they were. Both established beachheads in a new segment for Honda and Toyota, but were never strong sellers. And both were replaced in the next generation with much better value vehicles that competed head-on with the competition.

- Mark

jgriff

-It's not the same transmission.

Ha but indy93 still has a point, and that is Honda does NOT have a proven track record with their V6 trannies. They have been fighting it for the last 5-6 years. Which is part of the reason(s) I passed on the Pilot.

55535432

Well said mark,

Thats why it makes sense to pass on the first year models. Although I'm pro-Honda for life, Honda is kind of notorious in giving the goodies on an installment basis. My 03 very reliable leather Pilot has no moving middle seats. Moving middle seats were made available in 04 models. For 05 more HP and sunroof. For 06 I believe VCM and curtain airbags.

As much as the Ridgeline is an excellent package,I'm sure the succeding 07 and 08 models will make the 06 Ridgeline owners salivate and want to trade in. Bein there, done that on the Pilot. Thus after my lease on a 05 6 cylinder Nissan frontier is over thats the time I'll buy a Ridgeline as long as it sells way below msrp and gas prices is still below $3.00/ gallon.(Worse case forecast I read gas prices will be around $3.50 next year). Guess, I'll have to get a Civic when that time comes. Owning a truck will be a thing in my pass.

gearhead1

It's a more rugged tranny than the pilot from what the Honda Mechanic was telling me. I don't plan to tow so I'm hoping it will be even more reliable under light duty. We'll see.

philg87

Honda didn't forget these items. They know exactly what they are doing. First year models have problems so if you cut down on all the extra toys. The less chance you have for problems you have to fix for recalls. There plan was keep it very simple this is their first truck they didn't want to screw-up. The feedback from the customers will reflect the next model which probably will come standard with all the toys on their top of the line model.

crv16

Honda has done their homework with the Ridgeline. Did you realize that 84% of all pickup owners tow less than 5,000 lbs?

Honda's towing capabilities meet the needs of the vast majority of people who buy a pickup.

jay_24

Maybe, but with 4 passangers the Ridlgine tows only 3000lbs. (see owners manual and previous posts).

Many of the pop-up campers on the market are pushing 2500lbs empty. Travel trailers are 3000lbs on up. Add some water and goodies and its over your towing limit....

Something else just occured to me. With the high sides on the bed I bet towing a small 5th wheel wouldn't work. Before you laugh there are some small 5th wheel campers in the 3000lb range.

markjenn

Well, 84% of PU owners may tow less than 5K lbs, but that doesn't mean a higher tow rating isn't extremely useful as "headroom" to tow with better handing and less wear/tear to the vehicle, and to handle the occasional unusual loading situation (like towing while having four passengers or a load in the bed).

Another dumb move by Honda was not having a D4 tranny position in the Pilot even though the same tranny is used in the MDX and has D4. Having the ability to drop out of 5th and stay in 4th for moderate grades is vital for better towing. I wonder if the Ridgeline has the same issue.

It all has to do with where the Ridgeline is on the scale between an Accord-with-a-Home-Depot-bed vehicle and a true sport-utility truck. There is nothing wrong with the former if that's what you want, but these sorts of vehicles haven't been very successful in the marketplace (the Subaru Baja the most notable example) because people want utility and versatility in their vehicles, whether they regularly use the extra capabilities or not.

- Mark

slammie

I was being sarcastic.

once_for_all

I guess we can expect this with the introduction of an exciting new vehicle.

John

qbrozen

especially from a Toyota owner (if you are referring to the same post I'm thinking of, that is).

driver6

Mark asks, "Another dumb move by Honda was not having a D4 tranny position in the Pilot even though the same tranny is used in the MDX and has D4. Having the ability to drop out of 5th and stay in 4th for moderate grades is vital for better towing. I wonder if the Ridgeline has the same issue."
The Ridgeline gearshift has a button on the end that can be depressed to shift from 5th and move to 4th.

moparbad

especially from a Toyota owner (if you are referring to the same post I'm thinking of, that is).
Your as guilty as anyone with your stereotype of Toyota owners.

rsholland

7/8 of what? A fullsize truck? If so, wouldn't that make it a midsize truck—which is what Honda is marketing it as?

Bob

varmint

Isn't a full-size truck like F-150 a 7/8ths version of an HD? And an HD is just a 7/8ths version of Godzilla's roller skate?

jgriff

It's a more rugged tranny than the pilot from what the Honda Mechanic was telling me. I don't plan to tow so I'm hoping it will be even more reliable under light duty. We'll see.

Yes we shall see, time will tell. I know there have been a lot unhappy Acura fans over the last 4-5 years.

xwesx

The point wasn't about the 7/8ths.... it was about being 7/8ths but marketing/pricing as a 1. I am not saying good, bad, or ugly about any truck here, just hoping to keep the original poster's intent from being lost on the wrong focus.

tapnellaj

First of all The ridge payload is a 1/2 ton. That is what it is designed to compete against...and F.Y.I Honda has also built a 1000 lb cushion for towing capacity to make sure there are no "tranny" failures. And why on earth would the worlds best manufacturer design something that wasnt proven to be effective? And it is not the same as the PILOT.....until you know your facts maybe you should stick to what you know.....whatever that may be, but certainly you area of knowledge about Honda stopped when you said Ridgeline.

ecotrklvr

to those who bemoan the fact that the early models of, say, the Pilot, didn't have VSC, sunroof, etc - would you prefer Honda not offer the Pilot at all until those features were designed? That would mean another few years of selling re-badged Isuzu's that didn't have those all those options, either. Not a great alternative, in my view. Let's face it, there's only so many hours in a day to design these vehicles, and they seem to be fine out of the box - and to get better and more feature-rich with time. I can live with that.

explorerx4

had to pick up a part for my honda snowblower.
they has 3 'ridges on the lot. tried get a look the the storage area in the floor, but it was covered with snow. maybe they expect to sell a lot of them in arizona, where it doesn't snow or rain.

explorerx4

just saw a commercial with featuring a black ridgeline. when the cargo box was opened, i saw something pretty similar to a dale earnhardt '3'.
looks like lawsuit potential to me.

ecotrklvr

I've gotta admit, I hadn't thought about snow covering over the "trunk". But with a regular car trunk covered with snow, I always brush the snow off it before opening it anyway. If you don't do that, you end up with everything in your trunk covered with snow, and then either wet or frozen.

I'd get a camper shell for it anyway.

indy93

The Ridgeline only differs structure wise from the the Pilot/Odessey in that it has a steel frame gafted on to the back of the Pilot's unibody! The only drivetrain change is larger intakes and larger radiator core. No trans differences indicated by Honda's web site. suggest you do your fact check! And by the way...I was told two years ago by a Honda tech that the Pilot had a different heavier duty trans than the Odessey! Honda's still has trans issues with the 05 Odessey. (failures ?)

Name one major truck line that uses a FWD engine trans axel combination!

indy93

650,000 V6 Ody/Pilot/MDX transmissions 1999-2004 recalled and failures still being reported in 05's as well. Not to mention the TL's and Accord V6's. Excellent mfg yes world's best not by a long shot! See my 740 post!

rsholland

The Ridgeline only differs structure wise from the the Pilot/Odessey in that it has a steel frame gafted on to the back of the Pilot's unibody!

Oh really?

http://hondanews.com/CatID2135?mid=2005011038548&mime=JPG

Looks like a full-length frame to me.

Bob

jgriff

And don't forget the Acura CL, there were a number of multi failures there as well. A lot of owners were NOT too happy, made the switch to other non-Honda vehicles. A mere 225hp sport car tranny simply could not handle the load. To me it sounds like some piss poor engineering.

qbrozen

I guess I should have been more specific (didn't think it was necessary at the time). I'm not grouping toyota owners by any means. i was merely pointing out that one person came here who had recently bought a new Toyota (and admittedly picked it over a Honda) and posted one inflammatory statement against the Ridgeline. To me, this is obviously someone who is both being a troll and trying to justify their purchase in their own mind. The poster could have bought any competitor's vehicle and my statement would have been the same.

gearhead1

This is not the same tranny as the pilot. This is from the Honda Website. I also watched a video on this tranny, and now want it more than ever. A computer shifts the transmission making sure it stays at the top of the torque curve through gears 1-5 much the way I would drive with a manual trans.

From what I glean about the pilots troubles: The pilot had a lubrication problem where part of the trans was not being lubricated effectively. This issue has been resolved, and Honda is standing behind it, which means to me that the Ridgeline's tranny has the experience of engineers that have learned from previous issues. We'll see. I'm looking forward to getting my Ridgeline.

Honda website:
5-Speed Automatic Transmission

The 5-speed automatic transmission was built with heavy-duty truck use in mind. Clutches, shafts, gear ratios and bearings have all been upgraded for towing and hauling. Transmission shift points have been programmed to take full advantage of engine torque, and shift times are quicker for more positive shifts. A high-capacity automatic transmission cooler helps ensure greater durability when towing in hot conditions.

slammie

Hey, that's good news about the tranny. I test drove a grey RTS recently and was very impressed. The vehicle is very well executed: great interior (comfortable, utilitarian, roomy, quiet, with many standard safety features [How 'bout that). The exterior is all business. The IRS, tailgate, and trunk are fantastic! Suspension is tight, well controlled particularly while cornering. I felt the truck was well proportioned: smaller than I imagined, but the bed size is adequate and it doesn't feel small inside. Really, there's not much to dislike, except for the price, although the price is not outrageous enough for me not to buy it.

I've always wanted a pickup, and I've test driven everything out there at one time or another, except for the new Toyota and Nissan. But because a pickup is what it is: 2 to 4 seats and an unsecure bed --I'm not a topper guy--incredibly big or extremely small unless you buy the Dodge and take your chances (I know that's now changed with the new Tacoma/Frontier), I haven't been able to justify purchasing one. I came very close to buying a Toyota T-100 some time ago and went with a Pathfinder instead, which I'm very glad about when I see T-100 owners struggling to get access to their back seat. I think the Ridgeline changes that for me as it it offers so much.

Oh man, the dealer had a green RTL with navigation on the lot. The green is very nice! I was very tempted to take the plunge!!! But I think it's prudent to wait a year or two to see how things shake out. Hopefully, next year the truck will have a trip computer and fog lights, and go for less than MSRP. Although I'm not holding my breath about the change in price I mean.

I think the Ridgeline will be a smashing success and appeal to a wide variety of folks who like me want a pickup, but won't sacrifice.

55535432

Hi Slammie,

Good decision to postphone your purcahse till the MSRP craze dies down.Ive got an 03 Pilot,(bought 1000 over invoice) very reliable but as the saying goes, no matter what company releases a first year model, their are always unresolved gremlins. My pilot have a minor quirk which gets worse when the weather gets cold. The panic alarm sounds about 3 out of 10x everytime I turned on the ignition key rather fast. None of my friends who own 04 and 05 Pilots ($800 under invoice)have this problem. Unfortunately none of the 3 delearships Ive visited could trouble shoot/duplicate the problem.I wouldn't push my luck with the Ridgeline, and hope that the fog lights, trip computer and improved tow rating become standard on the 07 models, just in time when I turn in my leased Frontier.

anythngbutgm

Checked out an RTL without roof this weekend. And I am far for a truck guy but the it is perfect for my needs. Plenty of room, comfortable interior (more functional than luxurious IMO) and plenty of motor, that's for sure. The exhaust note is far from intimidating, but handling and power were spot on. Excellent job, and this coming from an MDX owner. I was expecting a more truck like ride but was very impressed. Sticker was $32,100 for RTL without roof or NAV.

And regarding the V6 tranny issue, I think they missed quite a few owners with that one. I know 11 people with V6 Autos and not one has had a problem, not one... These are vehicles that go back to 98 and up to 03. Most recent, my father just traded his 01 MDX with 145,000 miles for an 05. My 03 has about 40k currently and I don't have any fears of the tranny failing.

tylermade

I was able to tow a 16 foot trailer over the weekend. Nothing terribly heavy on it, but it handled much better than my 2004 Tacoma would have. I could hardly tell I was towing anything. I'm more and more happy with my decision to cancel my 2005 Tacoma order and go with the Ridgeline. I still can't get over that truck-in-the-bed--there's nothing better!! And the interior is definitely more luxurious than the Tacoma. I just hope it keeps up!!

joshpio

Test drove the Ridgeline and was interested, but as usual Honda nickle and dimes you for everything. They tell you they all come tow ready , but if you want a hitch and receiver that is gonna cost you extra. How can it be tow ready without these features? Go figure.

varmint

Everybody else makes you buy the hitch and receiver... and the transmission cooler... and the wiring... Honda is meeting folks half-way. I'm working from memory here, but I think the only vehicles that are sold completely tow ready are the Ford HD pick-ups and the Trailblazer (unique integrated hitch).

once_for_all

if it was just nickle and dime, none of us would complain. But when it is $500 and $1,000, folks are profitering in a greedy way.

But this is America, we are free to complain. We are free to walk away. We are free to jack up the price to whatever we think we can get. I would rather be in American than anywhere else.

John

togloonda

it have the same center console as the pilot?

varmint

Well, sure, you can complain about the price. Everybody does that. But crying "nickel and dime" on a vehicle that comes either loaded or completely loaded seems a bit odd to me when just about everybody else makes you pay extra for the same hardware.

Most of them nickel and dime you on stuff like air conditioning, ABS, a sunroof, a locking or limited slip diff, sliding rear glass, stability control, air bags, bed liners, CD players, alloy rims, and many other items. When all of that hardware falls into the additional cost category... That's the definition of nickel and dime.

Frankly, the majority of complaints I see about Honda's packaging is that you can't delete stuff.

ridgeline_2006

If all Ridgeline buyers are willing to wait for 3 to 4 months, then the price will drop for sure. Gas price is going to increase this summer so the sells will be slow. Just wait if you can and will save some monies......

chuck999

Taco's, Tundra's, Titans and Frontiers can all be had with the hitch / wiring installed AT THE FACTORY (as part of package or as stand-alone option)

WHILE - with Ridgeline ALL hitches / wiring will be done BY THE DEALER ....

Is there a big diff? Does it matter? I.e. does anyone have experience with add-on versus factory hitch? ..

If the dealer has a good service department I guess it would be fine ... but if you take a look at the instructions (H-AND-A posts).. looks pretty complex. On the other hand the factory don't always seem to get things right either ...

Experience / opinions appreciated ....

centralcal

One thing I found out about the Frontier hitch (can't speak for the others), but if it comes from the factory, it is more integrated into the bumper and you don't lose your rear ground clearance/departure angle like you do with the add on/aftermarket hitches. I think this is a big deal if you do much offroading. Otherwise, most hitches are fairly easy to put on aftermarket.

markjenn

Here's the instructions for installing the Ridgeline's factory hitch:

http://www.handa-accessories.com/ridgeline/hitch.pdf

You can judge for yourself whether this amount of add-on work is reasonable for a vehicle in which Honda states (and I quote from their website):

"Tow Ready: The Ridgeline takes towing seriously."

I don't find that having the hitch itself be an accessory is that big a deal (why have non-towing owners drag around 75-lbs of hitch?), but IMHO it is just plain stupid to have dealer techs monkeying around installing relays, fuses, etc. under the dash to get an electrical hookup at the back. I'm not familiar with other competing pickups, but most SUVs these days have a socket at the back that is ready to go without all this rigamrole. You bolt on the hitch and you're done.

My cynical mind wonders if Honda deliberately does it this way to scare people to buy their own high-profit hitch since few aftermarket hitch mfgs are going to tackle trying to come up with this sort of integrated electrical hookup.

- Mark

mikefm58

Does anyone besides me think the Ridgeline is over priced when compared to the competition? I haven't priced the mid-size trucks like the Dakota or Tacoma feature for feature. But I have priced out a Tundra with the options I want (2WD, 8 cyl, crew cab, leather, sport package).

It comes in a couple thousand less than a Ridgeline and I don't have to pay MSRP plus.

The biggest reason I can see is that Toyota has more options available allowing me flexibility where as Honda has the three models with the only other options being things like NAV, XM, and moon roof.

jay_24

Agree.

My Dad got a Silverado (4x4) with the 5.3, power folding mirrors, towing package, steering wheel mounted controls (no nav or leather) for ~$26K.

The power folding mirrors knock off about 12 inches of width to fit in the garage. No other full size trucks have them. Cool option.

-jay

centralcal

I agree with hitches from the factory. How can most SUV's already have one, and a truck does not? This is crazy, just another way to get $$$.

slammie

It does seem that to outfit for towing is expensive, especially compared to other vehicles as reported in previous posts. This might be another factor or reason to wait a year or two so that Honda can address the issue. If enough people gripe, chances are they will do something. Also, won't aftermarket tow packages show up soon? And, aren't those typically cheaper?

To me, the tow $$$ aren't going to change my decision to buy this truck in the next year or two, especially after sitting in both the new Tacoma and Frontier at the MSP Auto Show....IMHO, the Honda is simply a much better engineered truck.

jay_24

IMHO, the Honda is simply a much better engineered truck.

I don't think we will truely know that for a couple years will we?

once_for_all

ridiculous.

Honda should have the wiring, control box, and relays pre-installed.

No excuse for a self-proclaimed "tow-ready" vehicle.

John