I wish they would put the lockable toolbox back in the side of the bed like the 70s... that was awesome

 

I know a lot of you guys don't like what Motor Trend has to say (Unless they're praising the F-150), but here's something you may find interesting.

Motor Trend Snippets (Ridgeline)

"If the folks at Honda have it their way, every garage in America would contain two CR250R dirt bikes, an AquaTrax watercraft, a Honda generator, and a new Ridgeline to tote them around. It's not a bad market strategy, especially considering the Ridgeline is a great truck for those who've been driving Accords to work and are looking to haul stuff and/or tone up their commuter-lane muscle.

It's not likely Honda will convince full-size-truck owners to trade in their big pickups for a Ridgeline, but we won't be surprised to see would-be four-door Tacoma, Dakota, Frontier, and Colorado buyers in search of its more nimble, carlike ride and the reliability and piece of mind Honda owners enjoy, considering the Ridgeline.

Rest assured, this is a real truck. Okay, maybe not in the F-350 Super-Duty Crew-Cab Power Stroke 4x4 paradigm, but it can tow (5000 pounds) and haul payload (1550 pounds); it has a five-foot bed [and] can go off-road.

Most body-on-frame truck owners will be looking for the nearest turnout in the canyon road in order to let the Ridgeline scoot by" (Vance 2006).

Vance, Brian, Motor Trend,
February 2006

*********************

"Honda has reinvented the modern pickup truck with a modern design that focuses on how consumers use trucks most of the time. "-- Ed.

By Editors of Motor Trend
Photography by the Manufacturers
Motor Trend, January 2005
*********************

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/2006...ine/page2.html
Magda, Mike (February 2005)

"The Ridgeline will fit the exact needs of many pickup customers and meet the demands of most others who don’t require severe-duty capability. Yet there is no pickup equal on the market when it comes to on-road manners and expanded utility in the bed.

Key to this remarkable balancing act is a solid frame and body structure... Honda starts with a closed-box, ladder frame...20 times stiffer in torsional rigidity than the “best performing body-on-frame compact truck” and has bending rigidity that is 2.5 times stiffer" (Magda 2005).
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It's not meant to be an F-150 killer, but it's a truck, at the highest level of the definition. (Seats, steering wheel, bed)

When you get into the details, the truck-factor begins to fall off, but for most, this is all the truck they'll need... As for want, that's different...

 

I don't care what Motor Trend says about anything. It's safe to say most car rags have a definite bias towards Honda and BMW and other foreign brands - just about everything else, especially if it's a domestic brand, is a piece of garbage to 'em.

 

no offence hersh but


PPPPFFFFHHHHHHTTTTTTT


...zap!

 

Amen! Couldn't have said it better myself. I don't even read that stuff anymore.

 

The accuracy and honesty of any vehicle article in Motor Trend is directly proportional to the amount of money recieved from the manufacturer.

Again I submit: "Steel reinforced composite cargo box". The Ridgeline is no truck.

 

I dont like the look of the RL (reminded me of the Avalanche), that said I'm sure it will last forever but I cant see how it can hold up to what the Ford, Chevy, or Dodge trucks can.

If you want an urban assault vehicle to make runs to Home Depot I'm sure its great and has a great ride.

Me personally, I'm brand loyal, bleed Ford blue and would only drive one pickup truck and it starts with F-___.

I have a crew cab with a 5.5 bed and some may say that isnt a real truck either but I put it through some good ATV/4X4 ONLY trails and it handled them great. That's a truck.

 

From 1972 - 2002, American manufacturers earned that distinction, especially where the cars are concerned. This is where Japan began to nip away at the Automobile industry, like so many termites on the wooden frame of a northeastern home. Their destruction (dominance) going unnoticed by GM, Ford & Chrysler, until it was too late.

The car-war is lost, now they are doing trucks, and naysay all you want (Not you quintin, I mean everybody) in Texas (DFW area) there are plenty of Titans, Tundras and Ridgelines on the road. The Ridgeline woudl be sellign more if it weren't so... ugly. But just think, they're in the road in droves even though they're ugly. What's gonna happen with the next generation when Honda fixes the "ugly" factor? Since unibody seems more susceptible to twists, what if they adopt a body on Frame? The new Tundra is going to be bigger than the F-150 and more powerful, with a 10,000 pound tow rating, and in 3 years or so, a new Titan will probably hit the roads, improved over the current design (which matches the F-150 in almost everyway, now).

In 1970, no one took those ugly little Honda Civics, Datsun Maximas, B-210s, Datsun 240z's, Honda Accords, and Toyota Corolla's seriously. Now look, Toyota Dominates the auto market, they dominate the luxury car market (Lexus), they have 5 different SUV's, and two serious trucks (Tacoma & Tundra). Honda/Acura is in 2nd place in the car department, the Pilot is sellign liek hotcakes, the Odessey is the benchmark for all minivans, Nissan, once teetering on the brink of oblivion is profiting $1,800 per vehicle sold, compared to $just under $200 for Ford, and under $180 for GM, so it's safe to say they're back.

Don't get me wrong, I love Fords just like you do, and I'll be the first to say that America has come a LONG way since the 90's in product build quality and reliability. Japan no longer enjoys the huge lead they used to have; but, they still have the lead, and the perception is still engraved in the minds of the masses that if you need a car, buy a Toyota, Honda or Nissan. If you need a truck, buy a Ford, Chevy, Dodge or a Toyota.

America has done well recently (Chrysler 300, Chevy Impala, and Ford Fusion/Lincoln Zephyr/Mercury Milan) We've shown we can build good looking, great handling, reliable (so far) cars. But, is it too little, too late?

Now Japan is focusing on the truck market. It may be 10 - 20 years, but sooner or later, the last strong hold will be compromised, unless America finds a way to always be better... If not, we'd better be significant in the car arena, or the big three will be Toyota, Honda and Nissan, as they acquire GM, Ford and DC.

 

Hersh I agree with a lot of what you say but....

Eroding loyalty for sedans is one thing but I think the Japanese will have a much harder time cutting into the truck market. Sure right now the perception is (and rightly so) that the Japanese trucks aren't up to par with their American counterparts. However they will eventually get there with capabilities. But unless there is a gross inequity with quality you will not see Ford/GM/Dodge guys jumping in large numbers to the Japanese models.

Yea we rag on each other's trucks but truth be told I bet most of us would drive the other American trucks before we jumped to the Japanese models. Foolish maybe but the loyalty runs a lot deeper than the sedan crowd.

 

just wait till the 3/4 and 1 tons hit the market in a few years. not only are they coming with a quality product, but they are actually building the things on American soil, crazy to think you will buy an american truck built in canada, or a Japan truck built in Texas. they are breaking down barriers everyday and they are not building plant to lose, i promise they have done the research and have long term plan to be a hugh player in this market.

Loyalty will only go so far, i think we will see hugh changes in the market over the next 5 years. sooner or latter ford $$$ problem will start effecting the confidense in people (and more important, Companies)

How is that Ford has the best saling vehicle in the largest market (f150, America) and they are in trouble? come on, how much better do they expect sales to be? Toyota has twice as much cash as ford or chevy.

Vadar, just think how many people and friends and family toyata will have a financial impact on. I am doing business with Toyota in Texas and since they are putting money in my pocket i will have to think about them on my next purchase. not only the workers but the towns that will benefit, the part suppliers, the mcdonalds down the road, and people like me that will sevice things in the plant.

Domino effect

Art of War - defeat the enemy from within. As with marriage or old line companies, what makes them great will usually be the end. All the towns and suppliers that are loosing jobs will turn against the detoit auto makers for taking away the work.

 

I agree....but like I said unless there is big quality difference you aren't gonna see a huge swing.

Ford/GM need to get their house in order. They aren't losing the SUV & truck race - they are losing the car race. There are tons of reasons but the quality of their trucks aren't one of them.

And if the people who are losing their jobs want to be honest with themselves they'll look that the unions as much as they look at the company themselves.....think there is a reason why the plants the Japanese do build in America are non-union? Too much headache.

Ford has to build in Mexico because the UAW will kill them if they try to build a non-union American shop.

Ford isn't without blame but they aren't solely to blame either.

 

where does motor trend get its writers?
city folk?
france?

the ridgleline a real truck.

thats funny - oaw