American Honda reported 2,472 sales of its all-new, second-generation Ridgeline pickup in June 2016, the truck’s first month of rather limited availability.
June was the Ridgeline’s first four-digit sales month since August 2014, the Ridgeline’s first month above the 2,000-unit mark since October 2008, and the best Ridgeline sales month since August 2008.
In fact, if American Honda simply maintained the June 2016 sales pace for the rest of the year, total 2016 calendar year Ridgeline sales would essentially match 2013’s total for an eight-year high in U.S. Ridgeline sales.
Indeed, on an annualized rate, based simply on the Ridgeline’s first month back from a long hiatus, Honda is already selling more Ridgelines than at any point since 2008.
Honda will soon be able to sell more Ridgelines. And the truck deserves to sell with far greater frequency than it will. “It’s absolutely phenomenal,” TTAC’s managing editor, Mark Stevenson, wrote after a San Antonio test drive. “The interior of the Ridgeline is vast,” he said. Torque vectoring, Mark wrote, is, “a freak-of-nature feature in the pickup truck segment that gives the unibody truck an unfair advantage when it comes to handling.”
But there are two key factors which will limit Ridgeline volume. First, Honda’s own production limitations. Second, though there’s a bed on the back, the Ridgeline is a unibody vehicle turned into a pickup truck, not a conventional body-on-frame truck like every other pickup on sale in the United States.
PRODUCTION
Honda builds the Ridgeline at its Alabama plant where it also assembles Pilots, Odysseys, and Acura MDXs. (Honda will increase Ridgeline capacity once it moves some MDX production to Ohio.) According to the Automotive News Data Center, Honda only earmarked 12 percent of its Lincoln plant’s production capacity for the Ridgeline in May, the truck’s first month of production. Honda isn’t going to severely alter the production formula to further constrain supply of the Pilot and Odyssey, two higher-volume products, in lieu of a Ridgeline for which Honda has admitted it has “modest sales expectations.”
Ridgeline sales maxed out at 50,193 units in 2006, the first-generation’s first full year. Honda would like to get back to that level, which would require adding to June’s volume by approximately 70 percent.
Based on the brief sampling period of June, it doesn’t appear as though the Ridgeline will eat into the continued growth achieved by traditional small/midsize pickup trucks.
ALTERNATIVES
Excluding the Ridgeline, sales of a midsize quartet — Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier, Canyon — jumped 24 percent to 36,422 units in June, equal to 16 percent of the U.S. pickup truck market last month.
Including the Ridgeline, sales of non-full-size pickups shot up 32 percent, a gain of 9,401 units versus the full-size sector’s 10-percent improvement, an increase of 16,466 sales powered largely by the Ford F-Series. The midsize sub-segment’s market share grew to 17.3 percent from 14.8 percent a year ago thanks to the addition of the Ridgeline, a 37-percent jump from the GM twins and an 84-percent Nissan Frontier uptick; despite flat Tacoma sales.
The Ridgeline is selling like it’s 2008, surging well beyond the post-recession “achievements” of Honda’s first-gen pickup. But it remains and will likely remain a relative bit player in the pickup truck arena. Only 6.4 percent of the midsize pickups and 1.1 percent of all pickup trucks sold in June 2016 were Hondas. Even if Honda managed to climb back to its best-ever sales pace, don’t expect the Ridgeline’s share to rise above 2 percent.
For Honda, if the Ridgeline doesn’t crumble after rising to such a level, that will be enough.
[Images: © 2016 Mark Stevenson and Timothy Cain/The Truth About Cars, Toyota]
Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook.
You’ve got to think, given the platform sharing with the MUCH larger volume Pilot and MDX, this thing is almost all profit for Honda. Maybe the first year’s production pays for the tooling for the unique bits and the R&D, and after that it’s gravy.
Yeah, it will never sell in Taco/Canyon/Colorado levels, but if Honda is making money they won’t care.
Build it long enough (the old one had a 10 year run) and the business case becomes much stronger.
Interestingly most of the 1st generation Ridgelines I see are still in the hands of their original owners.
They park them in a shady place at Cracker Barrel, so as not to fade that purple paint.
…then there was 2009.
It comes down to “conquest” sales. The current Colorado/Canyons were found with 90% of sales cannibalizing other GMs, although some of those lost sales are GM, barely profitable cars.
I think conquest sales are probably the reason Honda is making this. It’s for the loyal Honda owner who wants a pickup. They want to offer one so the customer doesn’t go elsewhere.
madanthony,
I think you are partly correct in your assumption that Honda is reliant on the Honda fan.
I also think this pickup will attract newer customers who don’t want a p!ss poor handling, BOF truck.
Here Ford and Holden sell their utes. They still do sell in reasonable numbers but not enough to maintain production for our very competitive and smallish market.
I think the Ridgline will not sell in Colorado or Taco numbers. I wonder if it is competing against GMC a little, but not much due to pricing and perceived prestige.
@Big Al from Oz:
“I also think this pickup will attract newer customers who don’t want a p!ss poor handling, BOF truck.”
The Ridgeline might finally be the Ranger I always wanted.
I owned a 1998 Ranger for 8 years, but had to get rid of it due to the lack of kid-friendly seats. I thought it would be way better with AWD and a diesel, and I’m willing to negotiate on the diesel (post VW scandal).
Maybe I’ll pick one up after we pay off the Model 3 we have reserved.
Madanthony is correct usually a ridge line in in the driveway with another Honda product, not Acura.
better to cannibalize your own sales than let your competition eat you.
Perhaps in your tribe but “Cannibalism” isn’t a good thing in the car biz. They don’t stray when truly “loyal”, but it’s not as simple as just looking at “sales”. It’s what GM is famous for.
JimZ,
There would be a negligible degree of cannibalisation occurring, but not much between the mid and 1/2 ton pickups.
Just look at the numbers of GM’s full size pickup sales.
The Colorado and Canyon bolster GMs pickup numbers with 75% of the people after a car/SUV. How many Corolla’s are taking sales away from the Camry? This would be similar in the midsize vs full size 1/2 ton market.
If that was the case of cannabalisation, Ford would not be interested in bringing the Ranger to the US market. Ford initially didn’t want the Ranger as it is too competitive against the F-150 and would of taken F-150 sales.
*would have. “Would of” is a corruption of the contraction “would’ve.”
Others have explained that to him, but that’s apparently the diction of aerospace engineers in OZ. Except anything you explain to him, he seems to forget by the next day or hour, like you never said it, or set him straight.
You guys are lecturing him about proper English. Ozzies hate proper English because it’s the language or their former jailers and deporters.
If he were to abide by your corrections he’d be acting too white.
To me the fact that the Ridgeline is not a separate body frame but a unit body is a plus. It gives a number of advantages in weight savings and packaging. Also unit body pickups are not as rare as you might think. Over the years there have been a number of them made and sold in the US. The ones I can think of off the top of my head are the early 60’s pickup based on the VW Transporter/Beetle chassis, the Chevrolet Corvair (my dad had one of those and it would go anywhere off road and was factory rated with just a tire upgrade to carry a ton of payload easily. Which he often did), the VW Rabbit pickup, the Dodge Rampage (based on the Omni platform), the early 60’s Ford Ranchero based on the Ford Falcon/Fairlane platform, Subaru Brat and Baja and my favorite, the Jeep Comanche, based on the Cherokee. It was available with a 2200 pound metric ton payload capacity. I exceeded that by a bunch, often. The structure and driveline took it great. The tires were the limitation. Suspension took it. Brakes, a bit over worked with over 2800 lbs in the box, so I would generally limit myself to under 2700 lbs payload. Did not tow very often even though I had a receiver hitch, wiring and load leveling/sway control hitch gear. I used it and the front factory tow hooks to yank and move things around and as a place to hook to when I got buried in the dirt and mud. Ford even had what was called a unit body F-100 which had a unit single piece cab and bed bolted on to a frame that contained the motor, driveline and suspension. And even today, a number of unit body trucks are built and sold outside the US by companies such as Fiat, VW and others. Most all of them are light trucks so you are not going to hook your 10,000 lb plus RV, Boat or 5th wheel cargo trailer to them, but for light load duties, these are good choices. Fiat even has pickup versions of the big (Ram Promaster) Ducato van, which is a unit body design. I hope Honda. Is able to sell enough of these to make them profitable and a long term member of their product line. I suspect the new upcoming Jeep and Ram small pickups are going to include some unit body models as well. I have seen photos of 2 versions of a Fiat Doblo pickup that may show up here as either a Jeep or Ram model. Looks like a Ram Promaster City with a properly integrated pickup box or a flatbed version with side panels that drop down to access the bed from 3 sides. Maybe the small to midsize pickup market is about to make a big comeback. I do not think everyone wants a huge full size pickup. But I have been wrong before. More than once.
Honda’s have never really caught my attention and the first Honda that I have ever driven is my mothers new 2016 Pilot. I’m pleasantly surprised by its level of refinement. If the Rodgeline drives anything like the Pilot, I may consider it as my next truck.
It drives better than the Pilot. The longer wheelbase alone, alleviates the Pilot’s most glaring “flaw”, a steering so light and detached a mosquito flapping it’s wings in Tokyo, causes the Pilot to weer off course somewhere in Texas.
I compared the volume seller f150 (crew, 5.5box) to the Ridgeline, and while the new F150 is pretty darned good, the Ridgeline is a better pickup truck. The BOF trucks have gotten so “civilized” now, that their box has pretty much caught up with the Ridgeline in shrinkage. As has their cab in size. It’s just that they need much less tidy exterior dimensions, to get to the same place. 20″ longer and 6+” taller, for basically the same interior and cargo space.
Of course, if you want a truckier truck, Ford has those as well, and fat chance even Honda will be able to pull off a unibody Scab8, for 40K out the door, anytime soon.
And the Ford is a much better tow, as opposed to pickup, truck. That backup assist gimmick itself, makes the ever shrinking box much more approachable for the kind of customer most likely to trade box size, and rock hard commercial suspension, for cab space and a smoother ride. Just hook up a trailer and drive it around with ease almost sans any training, the few times you need more cargo room than the little box provides…..
And, fitted with at least one of two different engine choices, the Ford can tow 2 Ridgelines. While the Honda can barely pull the smallest of Ford’s lightweight new alu trucks…..
This truck makes sense for the “I want a truck to get mulch at home depot and pull my jet ski on the weekend” but I really need a car during the week crowd. Had I not needed to pull 5100 pounds of travel trailer and all the associated gear I’d have put it on my list when I replaced the Frontier. I sat in one this weekend and liked it, however the cab is not anywhere near as roomy as the full-sized crew cab trucks.
“And the Ford is a much better tow, as opposed to pickup, truck.”
Correct. Trucks now are more meant for towing (a trailer) than for hauling (in the bed). And that’s mostly for midsizers and half-tons, but also true to a lesser extent of HDs. Not that they /can’t/ haul (hello, 3,000+ lb.-payload F-150!), but they usually don’t.
“[T]he ever shrinking box…”
Easy, now. Available box sizes have not decreased since the SuperCrew/5.5′ bed was introduced in 2001.
Average box sizes have kept shrinking, despite minimum available having stayed the same.
And for the F150 in particular, the boxes have gotten smaller by having lower bedsides in the latest generation. Which, while perhaps a disadvantage for those engaged in max mulch and firewood hauling, makes the bed much more convenient as a “pick up” bed, for those of us shorter than Shaq. Nothing says “should’a bought a better suited vehicle”, like showing up at your white collar job with road grime under your white shirt’s armpits, from stretching over a too high bedrail to get something out of the bed of your Texas Limo.
They got lower in the ’15s? That’s news to me. I mean, I can tell they definitely didn’t get any taller, but they don’t seem any shorter either. Either way, good.
The ’17+ Super Duty beds, of course, are lower than the F-150 beds.
Did the sides get lower, or did they stay the same as the bed got higher (lower net sides)?
If I could ditch my lease without buying it out and wanted to buy a truck tomorrow… I’d go to a Toyota dealer first, walk right past the Tundra while trying not to hurl, and have a serious look at the Tacoma.
Y’all know I am a GMC fan, but the Canyon is wrong and the Sierra is too much truck and dollars for my current situation… and I’m a bit GM shy for some reason these days.
The Ridge wouldn’t do it for me right now. But I’m glad Honda has revamped it and hope it does well, I think its good for the market.
In America, Sierra’s are going for over 20% off MSRP in some cases. I just saw one with a $55,000 price tag financed for $43,000 with zero out of pocket from the buyer.
@Adam – GMC/Chevy was having a 20% rebate on 2016 full sized trucks in Canada as well. The Colorado/Canyon both sell at full MSRP.
@Dave – I was intersted in the Colorado/Canyon trucks until my 5’8″ son sat in the back. He felt like he had his ankles around his ears if I set the seat at a comfortable position for me. The Tacoma felt more roomy in the back.
I’ll love to take a look at the Ridgeline but it would never be as a replacement for a 1/2 ton truck.
Current GMC owner here. The Tacoma just looks right. Something about the Cokorado/Canyon just looks off regarding the proportions and in my opinion the new Sierra’s with the huge LED lights just look goofy.
They do look goofy. GM punishes people that want a truck with the 6.2L V8.
Only the 6.2 trucks have the lit up front end?
No, but you can’t get it without additional brightwork up front. It makes the Sierra look even worse. The Silverado with the body colored grille look so much better.
I find the SLT and Denali to be the worst looking Sierras.
A used 15 Denali 6.2 8AT with the All Terrain grill installed, and sensible 18″ wheels is pretty much my dream truck right now.
(I know I just said I’d buy a Tacoma, thats just because what I want described here is unlikely to be found right now/way too expensive.)
The Sierra SLT/Denali grille without the All-Terrain package is a mess.
Yup, all that bright work makes it look so odd!
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/2015-gmc-sierra-1500-denali-pickup-truck/1181277444?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
Add more sensible rims and knock out that brightwork and you’ve got an absolute winner.
My dream truck is an F150 King Ranch in Bronze Fire with the Brown (Caribou) two tone. I’d probably rather have a next gen Expedition King Ranch though. Realistically, I’d get an F150 XLT with the FX4 and Sport Appearance packages in Ruby Red.
The Hyundai replacement tour is looking at about an 06 Civic. I am good with this because we could use it to keep the miles off the Verano, for all of our road trips and camping (even though the Verano is a superior highway cruiser).
Once we secure a capable secondary vehicle, my truck search becomes a lot more real.
crtfour, I couldnt agree more. The Canyon’s proportions are wacky, and the Sierra facelift is a step back over the 14-15.
Might buy a 15 Sierra cash in 2 years when the Verano goes back. They do depreciate in a hurry.
Agreed the 14-15’s look great
Especially the body color/grey grille on the All Terrains.
I thought I would really like the Tacoma. I drove one and not so much. It was hard to get in and out of. It is high off the ground but has a low roof. I’m only 5’10 and is really weird to have to step up while hunching over to get in it. Also the 3.5 is really under powered for it. I wish they had old 4.0 engine in it. Nice dash and ride/handling (for a truck. I wish the 4 Runner had the interior of the new Tacoma.
Neighbor has a Tacoma extended cab TRD that he loves, so he went to look at a new one. He’s over 6 feet tall and long of torso.
He couldn’t fit properly in the interior of the new Taco. He’s currently seriously considering a Tundra, he uses the bed to carry his Dual Sport motorcycle.
I’m over six feet as well. But most of that is in my legs. I’m quite comfortable in the Tacoma. As they say, YMMV.
Suggest to him, that he looks at a lightly used reg cab short bed Tundra. They are the hidden gem of trucks from the past decade or so. The Tundra’s reg cab, unlike any other reg cab, has so much space behind the seats, it makes an extended Taco seem cramped back there. And the Tundra’s wheelcut is much better.
As well, the rcsb has the same underpinnings as the longer ones, so you can add offroad lifts, long travels and other kit, and abuse it like a Baja truck. Just one with the turning radius of a Wrangler.
Someone at Toyota should be forced to clean sushi knives blindfolded for a decade, for deciding to deprecate it.
Yeah, that’s exactly the issue that I had with the Taco, I’m 6’4″ with a long upper body and it’s like bending a bowling ball in half trying to fit in there comfortably.
Thats one thing thats really bad in the Canyon. High floor, low roof.
My lady and I sat in both back to back at the auto show. Gut impression, the Tacoma was better in terms if ingress, egress and seating position.
I hadn’t planned on leasing a Tacoma. I had resigned myself to an F-150 or Silverado. I was looking for a basic truck to use on weekends. Then I ran into a local Toyota dealer at a county fair who had a decent lease deal on a Tacoma that was outfitted exactly as I wanted.
I really like the Tacoma. However, for my light duty application it is more truck than I need and the price paid for that is the typical shudder/skitter over rough roads resulting from the solid axle and BOF construction. I’d also like more power (I have the I4/5-speed manual). When the lease is up, I’ll take a serious look at the Ridgeline, but will still have the Tacoma in my sights (or may just buy the one I have).
I think it’s good to have this sort of option. Something spacious and comfortable, and bit more efficient than a big V8. It will be reliable, and suits the needs of many people who buy pickup trucks for the appearance, when they don’t really need them.
My only problems with the initial version were the horrible buttresses and overall appearance, and the crappy interior for the asking price.
Used, they seem to hold their value quite well. I think people hang onto them as mentioned above.
I never realized how horrible those buttresses were until Honda took them away on the 2017 model.
The interior of the 2017 appears to be a very nice place to be.
Corey I agree, something with a bed thats not a V8 BOF crew cab monster is a welcome part of the market place.
That said, I’ve never gotten the idea that these things are all that efficient, especially carrying a load or towing.
That was my misconception then – didn’t think they’d be that bad with the J35.
Seems like it’s a very flexible engine, by the way. I like how long it’s been around.
Oh for sure, nothing but respect for the Honda V6, just that its a big block of vehicle to move around.
“people who buy pickup trucks for the appearance, when they don’t really need them.”
Don’t frequent nurseries, estate sales, antique malls or yard/garden waste sites, I’m guessing. Not a lot of bro-ness taint to Honda buyers, so I don’t think your template applies here.
You read that as the opposite of what I was saying. The mainstreaming (in appearance) of the gen 2 Ridgeline will attract more buyers who would have perhaps purchased too much truck previously.
I know what you’re saying Corey but isn’t it a possibility that you purchased too much car?
Did you really need an M? Why wouldn’t a G have sufficed?
We all have things that we like and want more of (pu$$y, for example) and we all have those things which make us scratch our heads as we mutter out loud “why?”
For the most part we all buy too much vehicle when compared with what we need.
It’s just a matter of degree.
All you need is the bus and subway comrade!
Most people purchase too much car, I absolutely did. If they didn’t, cars like the Fit would outnumber SUV/CUV and sedans. Most people don’t need six cylinders, or leather, or cruise, power windows, etc.
I don’t think that large sedan quite compares to somewhat smaller sedan in the same way that massive truck compares to (the needed amount) of something Tacoma sized.
Oh and Re: G sedan. Don’t care for the interior design on the generation I was shopping, and it feels cramped in there. The M is also considerably less common, as I don’t like seeing myself at stop lights. There are now two other Ms in the parking garage with mine, and I don’t like it. That’s too many.
And does anyone need an Infinity when Nissan sells similar models for less? I know there are some things in RWD in the Infinity lineup but really, who needs RWD when FWD is so much more efficient packaging. And sure the Maxima is nice, but doesn’t the Versa meet your needs?
I’ll allow you a second to define “similar models” here.
Corey I’m right there with you. I had my 04 M45 for three years, and I think in that time I saw a total of 4 others on the road. What a great feeling that is.
Kemore,
The type of work you are describing would be best done with a large van, not a pickup.
Why would you want to expose antiques to the elements? Have you ever transported plants in the back of a pickup?
Most pickups are just a large car/SUV replacement with a big engine for 75% of pickup owners who don’t even use a poofteenth of their capability. Owning a full size 1/2 to many is just a statement, no different than the hairdresser set who buy a Wrangler to look pretty in.
To many owning a pickup is stating to all around “because I can”.
That’s why this Ridgeline is going to sell. It is going to sell to the person who wants the added utility, that handles.
I think it will sell in numbers that will make Honda happy…but not because of the reasons you suggest.
Problem number 1 is that it stickers for roughly what I paid for my decently equipped F150 XLT. Problem number 2 is that the EPA MPG is also not far off of same F150 XLT (You can insert your ecoboost MPG rant here…I am spot on EPA but some aren’t, I get it). Problem is most don’t care…they look at the sticker.
Now all that said I think this sells. But to buy this you have to not want a fullsized truck for whatever reason (Doesn’t fit in the garage, Don’t like the size, Don’t buy American Cars, Lifestyle Vehicle, whatever). The lifestyle truck buyers go Tacoma and will likely keep doing it as the Ridgeline’s forte is not offroading. The leftover customers in any one of those groups I think are vastly more likely to buy a Honda than the GM or Ford trucks. Combine that with the fact that Honda has likely been realistic with how many they expect to sell and that they share so much with the profitable and high volume Pilot and I think they can make this work very well.
Incidentally I wish the US makers had taken this approach with the midsize models as well since it would further differentiate them from the fullsized trucks beyond “Hey look, a 9/10’s scale Sierra or F150.” I will forgive Ford though since I have always loved the Bronco and the Ranger is going to spawn a new Bronco. I will be interested in seeing how Ford positions the Ranger now that they have seen how the GM trucks overlap. The last model was nice, it just wasn’t especially small in my opinion unlike the last US Ranger. Honestly I’d have called it the F100 as it is closer in spirit to that and maybe, just maybe they’d lunk it in with the other F series sales which I know would really, really cheese you off.
drumming up fake demand.
What’s fake about it?
Straw-grasping Honda hate makes me giggle.
Must say, though, I really dislike the obese treatment of the front clip corners. Reminds me of the ’61 Ambassadors and, oddly, Coronas.
Makes me think of a bloated Oddyessy, but at least its not another “Angry 18 wheeler wannabe”, or whatever Toyotas making.
What an observation. I didn’t think anyone remembered those chipmunk cheeked Kanye looking troglodytes.
“I didn’t think anyone remembered..”
I was the typical 8-year-old-knows-more-cars-than-Dad, early attuned to an environment with riches like ’50s & ’60s Roadmasters, Galaxies, Impalas, Electras/Invictas… etc.
Anyone familiar with Frank Herbert’s Dune will understand why I feel like I was exiled from Caladan to Arrakis sometime in the ’70s but with no Spice as compensation.
And it just gets worse every year.
Is the money Honda is collecting fake?
If they’ll take fake money for a Ridgeline I might have to pick one up just for fun…
Here’s a test they should run, does this money have a cartoon man sporting a top hat on it?
You have to check for fake Monopoly bank cards now too. It’s not as easy as paper money forgery anymore.
I loved my 2007, 1st generation Ridgeline. I had to sell it due to the fact that I moved back home from snowy Halifax to Florida and that now I have to drive 90 miles round trip to go to work. The biggest problem that the first generation had was gas consumption. I’ve never got more than 18 mpg. That was downhill, downwind, in neutral ( joking, sort of). My average was 17 mpg. That was unacceptable for this kind of truck in 2007 and it is even more so now. It was a great vehicle. Never had a problem with it in my 127,000. I still miss it but it wasn’t serving my needs anymore. If the new Ridgeline doesn’t break 23-24 mpg consistently, then Honda will have a problem on their hands again.
The EPA-rated average MPG for the 2017 Ridgeline is 22 for the FWD model and 21 for the AWD model. It’s a big improvement from the 1st gen Ridgeline, but not much different from a comparably-equipped Colorado or Tacoma.
I would expect either the FWD or AWD model to easily meet 23-24mpg on a long highway trip.
On a mix of back roads and highway, I average between 20-22 in my 2015 I4 manual 4WD Tacoma.
That’s right in line with the EPA ratings of 19 city / 24 highway for the I4 with the manual transmission. Keep in mind, the Ridgeline is not available with a 4-cylinder or a manual transmission.
That’s a good point. I give a lot of power away to get that 2-3 mpg improvement. Since it’s a weekend truck, the overall gas savings may not be worth it. One nice thing about the Tacoma is that you can get the v6 with a manual.
Is part of it pent-up demand from drivers of older Ridgelines who had to wait an extra year for the new model?
I think that’s exactly it. Anyone who bought a first gen 3-8 years ago, wants a similar replacement, nothing on the market.
Finally Honda brings out what they’ve been waiting for. Strong first quarter/year sales. Then the demand dries up they return to 000s not 0000s a month.
I’d like to see the %age of buyers currently Ridgeline owners, currently Honda, and those that are brand conquests. My gut is very few conquests.
I always liked the buttresses on the Ridgline 1.0.
Why do so many people hate them, but Chevy’s buttresses are OK?
http://www.conceptcarz.com/images/Chevrolet/2004-Chevrolet-Avalanche-Image-001-1024.jpg
The new Ridgeline is nice, but IMO its looks are ‘me-too’.
Because the Chevy ones have hollow centers, and are clearly a trim item. The Ridgeline ones were solid, and looked like the child born when a minivan had molested an XJS.
There are plenty out there that hate the Ridgeline’s buttresses because “Honda COPIED the Avalanche!”, and the Ridgeline “isn’t a REAL truck!” and “Honda is JAPANESE and the Avalanche is AMERICAN!!!!” on and on…
I laugh at the “COPYCAT!!!” comments because in spite of the vaguely-similar buttresses, there are, like, hundreds of differences between the two trucks.
Where’s your Avalanche now, Moses?
I’m kind of impartial to these buttresses. Be it on a Ridgeline or an Avalanche.
I do like butts though. Especially round, shapely ones. You think Honda has any of those lying around?
I hated both sets of buttresses, on pure aesthetic and “awkward to put a canopy on” grounds.
Lord there is nothing more ridiculous looking than a topper on an Avalanche.
As aesthetically painful as it is, I think an Avalanche with a well-sealing topper is perhaps the single most versatile vehicle ever made. Topper on and with the mid-gate removed, you have what is basically a fullsize SUV with a dog-proof cargo area, which is air conditioned. You’ve got pickup qualities with a significantly shorter wheelbase. A smoother, better articulating rear end thanks for the Suburban based rear coil-sprung axle. Love it!
I wasn’t aware that people were so attached to the buttresses. The few I know who got an Avalanche were primarily drawn to the rather large pile of cash that Chevy had placed on the hood.
I assure you, I’m quite firmly attached to my buttress.
Does anyone know if it keeps the ladder frame under the uni body like the last generation? That really helped with truck functions on the previous one.
Honda is killing it right now. The Ridgeline, CR-V, HR-V and Civic are all capacity constrained with high consumer demand.
I expect this will be a good year to own stock in HMC, especially as the Takata thing gets resolved.
Honda needs to move Ridgeline out of Alabama. Rednecks at the factory will sabotage the production because in their view “it ain’t no truck”
I assume you’re making a joke here, but just in case people don’t get the joke — Honda has never had any sabotage issue at any North American plant.
I think it’s hard for people who live in Scandinavia to make any US north-south jokes which work.
I was reminded of some of the older accusations, mainly when Honda had to do an oil ring recall at least a few fans screamed “SABOTAGE!!”.
…and that conjured up the image of an old LTD with a cherry light getting air in a Beastie Boys video.
Hardly. The “rednecks in Alabama” (the state in which I live) are fairly happy to have decent jobs.
Still, don’t expect more Ridgelines soon. In Alabama things moving slo-o-o-ow
Is that you, Neil putting her down?
You might want to keep in mind the Southern man don’t need him around anyhow.
That’s a great-looking pseudo-truck, although from some angles I see Subaru Baja…thankfully the Honda isn’t stomach-acid yellow.
I could see myself driving this, but something tells me my bride would prefer a Pilot.
I wonder how long it’ll take before someone builds a truck cap for the Ridgeline…
I’ve seen one on a gen 1 before, and it was an abomination. Let me see if I can find a pic.
http://www.heavyhaulertrailers.com/store/image.aspx?src=1594_02_RIDGELINE_HONDA.JPG&Size=1200
That didn’t take long.
That’d make a darn nice big sedan but then they’d never be able to resist ass-lifting the rear 3/4 and ruining that sweet greenhouse.
Well the RLX exists and it’s not bum-raisey.
http://www.jlcars.com/images/2016/Acura/RLX/Sedan/exterior/2016-rlx-exterior-with-advance-package-in-graphite-luster-metallic-bridge-7.jpg
One of the more airy sedans these days.
“Well the RLX exists and it’s not bum-raisey.”
Shoulda specified “nice, big, *lifted* sedan”. Low rollers are scuzzy snow rollers.
A lifted AWD sedan has always been a very limited thing! And none of them were/are big.
-Legacy SUS
-S60 CC
You ask for too much, senor. Those examples were barely lifted, as well.
And for the record, on good tires a Quattro or AWD something else can be plenty decent for most use. *end tires discussion now*
OK, don’t matter to me. I can’t afford nothin’ but my ’92 S-10 no how.
Don’t forget the one that started it all, the AMC Eagle!
Kenmore,
That’d make a darn nice big sedan (inferring the Ridgeline).
Well, that no different than 75% of pickups sold in the US.
I’d say more Ridgelines will be used as a car/SUV than BOF pickups.
I like this one for only one reason:
Its the only halfway “modest” truck on the market, its not some angry 18-wheeler/Dodge Ram derivative that every other truck has become.
to me, this one is one step forward, and one step backwards. It now proportionally resembles an actual truck, but the Pilot front end looks totally out of place on it.
I agree there, its that “cooporate face” Hondas been using, it could use a more “butch” front end like the original Ridgeline.
I’d prefer the clinically clean simplicity of an ’82 Civic’s face, suitably stretched. Yes, round headlights, or at least their assembly.
It’s a modest truck, but not a modest price.
I briefly looked at the Ridgeline while picking up transmission fluid at a Honda dealer. Looks like a Pilot with a pickup truck bed. The interior styling is normal with most of the weirdness of the 1st generation Ridgeline removed. I prefer the more truck-like shape of the previous generation Pilot and think those rectangular shapes would work better with a pickup truck bed.
“Looks like a Pilot with a pickup truck bed.”
Good, ’cause that’s what it is.
It’s good to see these are selling in the number they do and most likely at a price premium.
The release of these newer and more modern midsizers that are in some cases more refined than a full size 1/2 ton illustrates that size isn’t as big a rage as some would like to think.
When the US version of a lightened global Ranger is released you’ll again see another lift in midsize numbers.
We’ve been lucky in the respect we’ve had refined midsize pickups for quite some time now.
Honda need a little diesel to go with this to make it a great and economical cross country tourer.
It does look a little odd, but you could live with that. All Honda need to do is lift the pickup a couple of inches and I think it would change the stance and overall appearance of the Ridgeline.
Good work from Honda. It’s building a pickup that is usable by 75% of the car/SUV pickup owners.
Honda needs to make right hand drive variants for our markets …….. with a diesel.
BAFO, BAFO, BAFO,
Is it your belief when you destroy these pages and other sites with rapid fire BS and other nonsense, do you really think your crap will pop up as fact on search engines, and no one could possibly keep up and respond to most of it?
Well if so, I think you’re partly right.
Wow! TTAC is working today for me! It hasn’t crashed ………………..yet.
Unfortunately for the rest of us
Glad to see this doing well. I hate the way most other trucks look – their exaggerated toughness screams compensation, especially when you see they aren’t actually being used to haul anything. I really appreciate the subdued, normal look of this one. It’s an honest get things done utility vehicle. If I needed more towing capabilities than a minivan or the cargo characteristics of a bed, I’d look here first.
Just imagine how cool it’d be with more bed and 2 fewer doors. A real honey bucket for the childfree.
Same here. I used to love full size trucks but there isn’t a single 2016 model that I really like with regards to styling.
“if I needed more towing capabilities than a minivan”
This thing isn’t built any more robust than a minivan so if it’s rated to tow more that’s strictly something that came out of the marketing versus engineering department. I suspect most mini vans would make better tow vehicles due to higher curb weight.
“This thing isn’t built any more robust than a minivan”
Care to defend this point?
Agreed that the base platform is shared, and it is a transverse-engined vehicle with a transaxle. But Honda really beefed up and reinforced and re-engineered the unibody and suspension components substantially, to the point of being barely recognizable if you looked underneath the two vehicles. I’m a dyed in the wool fan of traditional BOF construction for certain applications, but it’s unfair to the Ridgeline engineers to make a statement like that.
“This thing isn’t built any more robust than a minivan”
You, sir, obviously have no clue the abuse a minivan has to endure. Imagine 3 kids growing from puking, cr@pping babies into belching, fighting teenagers. Imagine countless nannies and au pairs for whom vehicle care is the lowest possible priority. Imagine your kids’ friends, and all the food they smuggle on board, and then leave there, half eaten. The dogs. The dried mucus. The bread found months after it was deserted under a seat.
All of this INSIDE the vehicle, not in some steel bed coated in plastic that can be easily hosed out.
as gtemnykh said, Honda did beef up the structure on the Ridgeline. A bigger part of the towing advantage vs a minivan is the AWD. Both the Ridgeline as well as the pilot are only rated at a minivan esq 3500 lbs in FWD configuration. You have to spec the AWD on both to get the 5000 lb rating.
Honda should run a jump-the-shark ad where a Sierra or F-150 is dumped into its bed, rather than just stones.
Hahahahaha that would be a very interesting ad! :)