Honda Ridgeline SUT

once_for_all · December 2004

What kind of mpg does your Avalanche get? I am hoping the Ridgline will clock in around 25 mpg.

Also, AWD is much different than 2 or 4wd. Owning a Subaru, I can testify of how much more traction it gets than the F-150 I used to drive.

John

srandyt · December 2004

I just clicked on the link in this post, got an error message, but went to the root dealer site. Altough there are no photos, the list of accessories is very rich. Toyota should take notice that their "everyone must want exactly the same three or four groups of accessories" mentality is so not right. (the toy Ridgeline is sold out, by the way)

trekman1 · December 2004

chuck999 · December 2004

Anyone have any idea whether Honda will include VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) on the Ridgeline? ...

This could be a major plus - a truck that gets 25-30 on the highway would be pretty attractive to lots of folks who rack up the miles in their work vehicles ....

On the other hand - seems like getting VCM into the Odyssey required lots of "sound cancellation" tricks .... So might be a while (if ever) ...

jchan2 · December 2004

if Honda added VCM to the Ridgeline, think about it this way:

Martha: "This truck is great. I can haul home a lotta mulch and peat moss while also getting what, 25 miles to the gallon. Gotta love the folks over at Honda"

And then you suddenly see swarms of stay home moms rushing in to their Honda dealers to get their hands on the trucklet (or truck) that Martha endorsed and praised.

jchan2 · December 2004

think about it this way:

Martha: "This truck is great. I can haul home a lotta mulch and peat moss while also getting what, 25 miles to the gallon. Gotta love the folks over at Honda"

And then you suddenly see swarms of stay home moms rushing in to their Honda dealers to get their hands on the trucklet (or truck) that Martha endorsed and praised.

atlgaxt · December 2004

My understanding is that the Ridgeline will get VCM. Adding the "sound cancellation tricks" to the Ridgeline would probably not be that hard now that they supposedly have it figured out for the Odyssey.

john500 · December 2004

Honda should have been / should be concentrating on competition in the compact pickup truck line. The small pickups (Tacoma etc) have good durability but horrendous wet weather traction. Build a small 4WD pickup with good traction, gas mileage in the mid 20's to 30 and in the $15,000 range. With the public perception of Honda's reliability, it would sell strong.

gary_william · December 2004

Honda could make a new uber-inexpensive truck to conquer the small truck market. Think about that Toyota has done with the Scion, and if Honda did that with the small truck market...? whup 'yota and Ford's butts but good. I love a Honda, but this truck just looks too much like an Avalanche which may be a good vehicle, but is like the Aztec = just too freakin' ugly. I admit that I must wait for the finished product, though.

once_for_all · December 2004

with all respect, I think the Subaru Baja sales prove that their isn't a market for a vehicle that small. They have had to dip their pricing down to below $20 k, and it has all of the features you mention above, including seating for 4, a moon roof, and a "pass through" between the bed and the cab.

The vehicle is great, but it puts 6 footer's heads into the roof.

John

robertsmx · December 2004

Baja doesn't compare to Ridgeline, Explorer SportTrac and Avalanche do.

andyman73 · December 2004

I like it, and am anticipating their arrival on the lots, so I can see one in real life. However, I expect it to be out of my price range. I have access to Ford's Z plan. So, for me, the Ranger is the financial choice. However, I will have to wait until the end of the decade for the new Ranger. Just bought the wife a new car 3 months ago. Just hope that either the Honda is competitively priced, or the future redesigned Ranger is a good one. I have owned 3 Hondas, and would be open to owning a 4th.

qbrozen · December 2004

he wasn't comparing the Baja to the Ridgeline. He was mentioning the Baja in response to a previous post that Honda should market a mini truck with AWD.

chuck999 · December 2004

Wife got MDX about 2 months ago, mostly based on side-curtain airbags for all 3 rows. (OTW would have gotten Pilot) ...

Last night had snow over ice in MD. Roads were literally a sheet of ice. Crashes everywhere. I've owned lots of 4wd vehicles, and driven in Colorado through lots of storms.... but the way the MDX VTM system dealt with the icy roads was pretty astounding. Never slipped at all - even pushed it a couple of times - my 4runner would have definitely slid under these conditions (with identical Mich tires)

SO - if the ridgeline can do the same thing with a rugged pickup bed (and maybe a tinge better ground clearance) ... I'll be sold. New Toyota Tacoma looks great, feels solid but I doubt it handles icy or wet roads like VTM system does ...

If you haven't had a chance to push a Pilot or MDX on icy roads ... Give it a try. I'll bet you'll be impressed ....

(And to think, I'm a toyota kind of guy ....)

once_for_all · December 2004

Talking comparison points between the Ridgeline, the Baja, the Avalanche, the SportTrac, here are my thoughts:

Ridgeline and Baja--AWD, 4 wheel independent suspension, 20+ mpg, moderate towing capacity.

Avalanche and SportTrac--2WD vehicles with available part time 4WD (offroad use), solid rear axle (no independent suspension), higher towing capacity, poorer handling, low MPG.

If you throw in the size question, the Ridgeline will be more like the SportTrac (but not overgrown like the Avalanche).

If Subaru decides to continue the Baja, they will likely put it on the new B9X chassis which will put it head to head with the Ridgeline.

John

atlgaxt · December 2004

1. I was reading a review of the new Hybrid Accord. 0-60 in well under 7 seconds and 30+ MPG. The V6 runs on 3 cylinders at lower speeds with the hybrid helping. I figure Honda has to be thinking about an Hybrid Ridgeline with a similar set up. Now that would be an amazing truck worth waiting for. Has anyone heard any news regarding a hybrid version?

2. Apparently Ford is coming out with a new Sport Trac on the new Explorer platform. 30% more cargo room. IRS. I assume a V8 will be available, probably giving it better towing than the Honda. Seems that it will be a pretty direct competitor to the Ridgeline. Has anyone heard any news regarding timing? I think it will debut next month at the Detroit Auto Show.

robertsmx · December 2004

Official announcement:

In the spring of 2005, Honda will begin sales of the Ridgeline

kgeorge · December 2004

It's my understanding that big is what sells. The top three selling vehicles in the United States in 2003 according to edmunds (that's vehicles, not just trucks) were all full size trucks (ford f-series #1, Chevy silverado #2, and Dodge Ram #3). The number 4 spot went to toyota's camry and solara with just over 412,000 sold. Ford f-series sold over 845,000 vehicles. That's over twice that of the top selling car.

I like that the ridgeline is larger, more room for the family.

qbrozen · December 2004

you gotta remember when looking at those numbers, however, that the truck totals include everything from your neighbor who uses an F150 for weekend duty all the way up to complete fleets of dump trucks.

rsholland · December 2004

F-150  F-750, all being "F-Series" trucks? Is that what you're saying?

Bob

nowakj66 · December 2004

Any chance the Ridgeline will be more roomy in the driver's seat than the Pilot? Any chance for tilt and telescoping wheel?

qbrozen · January 2005

heck, i didn't even know it went up to 750 (but I guess maybe those are the dumptrucks and flatbeds, etc, I mentioned that don't have numbers on the sides?), but, yes, all F-series, I assume, includes anything with an F in front of the number.

cr v · January 2005

Hopefully most of the answers to all the questions will be answered here soon.

http://world.honda.com/NAIAS2005/

migraine777 · January 2005

The 2006 Ridgeline is scheduled to arrive around the middle of the yuear in 05 as an early entry 06, much as the PILOT did in 03. As of now, dealers know very little about the production vehicle, other than this...

- It will feature the PILOT's V6 engine, (as of this post Honda is not sure about using the new Odyssey's VCM system or not)

- It will host a 5,000 pound towing capactiy, surpassing the PILOT's 4500.

- It will use the same VTM-4 AWD system that the PILOT currently uses, possibly with some upgrades that will be reflected in both platforms.

- It will have a 5 foot long bed, approximately 4 foot, 2 inches wide.

- It will have an onboard capacity of 1,500 pounds, greater than any other trucks in this class.

- Their specifically stated competitors are the new Toyota Tacoma Double Cab, Explorer Sport-Trac, and Nissan Frontier Double Cab.

I, along with many others, will be seeing the production model February 2nd. So watch for my post after then, and as far as other questions, contact your local dealer around that time, as many will have better knowledge of the production model then!

Can't wait! Stay posted!!

migraine777 · January 2005

I would agree partially with this post and the whole American way of "bigger is better" ...lol

As far as sales numbers go, you're right, those inclue fleet and every other kind of Ford thingie on the planet...and this is exactly why they market them that way. To ensure they keep the #1 selling vehicle mark, however un-realistic it is to we the consumers.

As far as the best selling car, again, that number is slightly askew, as Toyota sells to fleet rental agencies, Honda does not. The Accord actually outsells the Camry nearly every year (2002 was an exception) in actual sales to consumers purchasing for either small business or personal use. If you look a little more in depth into the sales figures, you'll realize that Honda outsells most of it's competition when it comes down to PEOPLE buying automobiles, and THAT is what Honda is about. The people that buy their product, the people that stand by their product and the people that survive due to their commitment to excellence.

cr v · January 2005

The Ridgeline will be produced in Alliston Ontario, to make room for the new model all production of the Odyssey minivan at HCM's No.2 line will shift to HMA Lincoln Alabama,with the production start-up of the 05 Odyssey in the fall of 2004.

chuck999 · January 2005

Gosh - I was thinking that maybe Honda would show a "production" model at Detroit Auto Show next week. Vaugely recall that someone from Honda had posted here that "production" was already started / starting ....

Frankly, if Honda shows the same SEMA prototype in Detroit I don't see how they're going to generate any new publicity ......

varmint · January 2005

I suspect he means the dealers' ride and drive will be February.

cr v · January 2005

Chuck 999

I am more than positive that you will see the production model at the NAIAS. Honda publicity on this seems more secure than FORT KNOX. I have been trying to keep up to-date on this at the Honda Digital News web site.

http://www.hondanews.com/ If this link does not work (and why I don't know) In the GOOGLE Search Engine type in Honda Digital News., it's loaded with info. Good surfing.

Maurice

migraine777 · January 2005

Yea, I meant the Ride and Drive is February 2nd. I'm pretty positive the production truck will be there. However, it'll just be pictures and talk....after the 2nd I'll know entirely too much about it...=P

cr v · January 2005

How right you are ,it will only be pictures and talk. I have allways kept the attitude that the best thing about a product is the (Propaganda that proceeds it). I think we all look for quality,dependability,re-sale and etc in a vehicle. But with that said it is us mortals that lay down the $$$ to find out (we the guinea pigs of the Corporate world).But I do feel confident that the Ridgeline will be built on a proven power train, and I really have to question myself why do I even think about it because my current run-about vehicle 2000 CR-V has served me well and suits my needs. My all your decisions be good one's.

kgeorge · January 2005

FYI

There is a new picture, albiet a rather small picture, of a red ridgeline on the honda website. On the honda automobile home page, the picture pops up when one rolls their mouse pointer over "ridgeline truck" in the list of models.

cr v · January 2005

Here is a link to check out if you don't already have it.http://www.detnews.com/index.htm

Honda is still in the Fort Knox mode,maybe soon they open the gates.

cr v · January 2005

Sorry about that the link didn't work for me will try again.

<http://www.detnews.com/index.htm>

If this one does not work type in Detroit News Online in Google.

robertsmx · January 2005

Official specifications (and details) are out. Here is a link to the official specifications.

Towing: 5000 lb

Payload: 1549 lb

robr2 · January 2005

The specs say:

Body Type Integrated Closed-Box Frame with Unitbody Construction

Body Construction Boxed Ladder Frame with Unitbody

I thought Unitbody and frame were mutually exclusive. Or is that ladder frame?

crawfish · January 2005

I don't think VCM will really help much to Ridgeline:

This is a truck with workload -- VCM just cannot generate enough torque to pull it

If they put VCM on it, it will end up with this: VCM will not be active for most of time.

bamacar · January 2005

Here are the pics both of the exterior and interior. $27-32000 - Ouch! Should be in showrooms by March.

http://autoshow.msn.com/as/article.aspx?xml=Honda&shw=autosho- w2005&src=autoshow2005AutoMaker

qbrozen · January 2005

that pricing is right in line with Pilot pricing, so not a surprise at all.

I think the anticipated naming convention is a mistake. Why change? Everyone is used to and knows the LX, EX, EX-L nomenclature (well, ok, EX-L isn't exactly badged on the vehicles). Giving this one vehicle different naming will only serve to confuse people, IMHO.

varmint · January 2005

The unibody frame is augmented with rails running through it. It's like a reinforced unibody.

This is pretty similar to what we see already in the Pilot. Hondanews.com used to have pics of the Pilot's chassis without the unibody on it(looked like a sleek ladder frame). These are no longer featured on their website, but you find direct links earlier in this thread.

**Edit**

Nevermind, I did a quick search and found a direct link myself.

robertsmx, "Honda Ridgeline SUT - 2006" #119, 12 Sep 2004 5:10 pm

robertsmx · January 2005

Here we go...

Ridgeline is utilizing a hybrid chassis, primarily unitbody for the front, and ladder frame set up for the rear.

More pictures available here.

robr2 · January 2005

Got it. Does anyone other than Honda do this?

cr v · January 2005

Finally a updated web site.A few details on the final production model. The link is long (hope it works)

<http://automobiles.honda.com/new_models/landing.asp?bhcp=1&BrowserDetected=True>

xwesx · January 2005

Ah! That's an interesting feature..... storage under the bed....

bamacar · January 2005

Trucks tend to be noticeably less than the SUVs they are based on so I still believe it may be a bit high. Probably higher than any of Honda's stated competition- Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Toyota Tacoma, and Nissan Frontier. It may be more inline with some of the V8 competition especially if it not discounted right out of the gate. I was hoping for a slightly lower price, and with the help of VCM (not in specs) a little better fuel economy. Glad they put the power sliding rear window though. Wonder if the stereo is MP3 compatible? I agree the LX, EX, EX-L nomenclature would have been easier to follow.

varmint · January 2005

"Ah! That's an interesting feature..... storage under the bed...."

I was thinking that was a bit gimmicky, at first. but now that I think about it, I see a lot of small trucks with "job boxes" taking up cargo space in the back. The swinging tailgate would make access to this compartment pretty easy from the rear of the truck.

Not a huge feature, but not a bad idea, either.

qbrozen · January 2005

Yeah, i guess you're right about the trucks being a bit less than their SUV counterparts. I think we'll have to wait and see what happens. Maybe that expected price is simply based on the Pilot, but it will come out less. OR, maybe they'll be adding content not found on the Pilot.

robr2 · January 2005

Don't forget that the Ridgline shares very little with the Pilot according the the press release.

robertsmx · January 2005

There may be some similar trucks that have lower MSRP, but that is without AWD. Explorer SportTrac starts at $27K if you want AWD, but if youre okay with 2WD version, the base MSRP gets down to $25K. Avalanche would be another direct competitor but it now starts at $34K and goes up to $43K.

I suspect, Ridgeline will be the most car-like of these pickups, while being capable to perform similar duties. Even in base form, it appears to be equipped with stability system and electronic brake distribution.

qbrozen · January 2005

I think I missed that press release. Which one was that. I went back through some of the links posted here, but couldn't easily find it. Now, I do see that, on their website, they say "built from the ground up." So does this mean that this is not on the Accord/Odyssey/Pilot platform? It doesn't weigh much more than the Pilot, nor does it tow or carry much more, so I'm not sure what the point would be to developing it all new from the ground up.

Honda Ridgeline SUT

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