Talk me out of a Honda Ridgeline

It might just be me, but I buy what fits my requirements. The Ridgeline may be ideal. Around here I see lots of handyman vans but I do see handyman trucks. My neighbor across the street is a handyman. He uses an older F-250 crew with 8 foot bed with ladder racks.

 

If it's enough capability for you, you'll get a better ride and better mpg. Memes aside I actually don't mind the HPD version in white. But I'd powder coat the wheels black or switch in Methods, and the new storage in the bed at the back is useful (2:05). Do whatever makes you feel is right x function.



I'd maybe put a storage rack on the top too, kinda like this:



A buddy of mine, an early retired sargeant is moving from a 2012 F150 to a new Nissan Rogue, he's 6'8" and said it surprisingly has great head and leg room, ride was cushion, lots of nice safety tech, no longer needs to haul/tow and is tired of the "truck" ride. The guy's just doing what makes him happy and doesn't care what people think.

 

I owned 2 Ridgelines the early generation. What do I miss, all wheel drive all the time, the 2 way tailgate, the in bed secret storage compartment.. It had no problem towing my 19 ft. fiberglass boat..but when I got my 22 ft boat that's where I had the issue. It towed it 600 miles, but only once. Thats when I got my Tundra..bigger bed ,more towing capacity, more power, crewmax cab is awesome.. Don't think I'd ever go back to that size of a truck..

 

Looks like I was wrong about the payload. But, technically, it can not haul more than a CM Tundra. Despite the RL’s payload of 1500lbs, the RL’s bed is only rated for 1100 lbs. My payload is more than that and I believe includes me in the drivers seat and fuel in my tank, so all of my payload can go in the bed.

The AWD RL can tow 5k lbs. and has a slightly lower payload (as expected). Sounds like the RL has the opposite problem from the Tundra: it runs out of towing well before tongue weight takes up payload.







I feel much better about the kinds of loads I haul and tow in my Tundra, even if I’m a bit over Toyota’s conservative payload while still under my 4000/4150 axle ratings.

 

I don't think the Ridgeline was ever supposed to compete or be compared to the Tundra. It's Apples and Oranges. Maybe compared with a Tacoma would be more fair.
They are in different classes and have different market places.
I am not interested in owning a Ridgeline because I need and use a full size truck, but I can see the nich market that it fills. I think it is totally underrated for what it really is. A majority of Tundra owners (like the ones complaining about MPGs all the time on their grocery runs) could really do with a Ridgeline. But the small-peepee-compensation-syndrome prevents that.

 

Why do you have to bring anatomy into this ? Typically guys with small weiners have lifted trucks with ginormous tires lifted 8 feet off the ground. This hardly applies to the typical tundra owner. If you are going to bring stereotypes into this, at least be accurate!

 

The Honda Ridgeline gets an A+ in horrific design. They look like a minivan with the top chopped off.

 

Yeah the RL is more capable than I thought. But I’d pick a Taco instead. I wouldn’t trust the RL’s transmission.

I used to drive a Prius. Very boring car to drive, but I could put my foot through the floor all day long and get 48mpg. I couldn’t care less what people think about what I drive. I also couldn’t care less what other people drive.

 

The OP hasn't chimed in since the first page, two days ago. He either loved all our great suggestions and observations and is actively truck/van hunting, or he's huddled in the corner of his room wondering why he actually asked for our honest opinions.

 

Yep, damn skippy truth hurts!!!

 

Couldn’t agree more with everything that has already been said. The Ridgeline is better than the Tacoma for cabin room but not a true comparison to the tundra. The ridgeline is essentially a Honda pilot with a bed. All the components from the back doors forward were pilot part numbers. Over the years the RL has gotten more exclusive tooling, but at the gen 2 launch, the carryover parts made it a relatively low cost vehicle to develop. The push button transmission takes some getting use to but you can bypass putting it in park. Shutting the vehicle off will automatically put it in park.

 

Dear god no.....

 

Must be an early April fools joke..

 

Ridge line is not a truck enough said

 

I wish people who create a thread, actually have the courtesy to participate in it.

 

WTF really! Polar opposite! What’s there even to discuss? Apparently a lot!

 

I’m going to disagree. @Cpl_Punishment said “like everyone around here.”That’s a misstatement because plenty around here including me said get one if it fits and the OP likes it.
But, the OP also asked for opinions and opinions are what he is getting. It’s literally the only reason to make a thread like this.

Oh, appearance means lot IMO. If it didn’t there would be 1000s of Pontiac Aztecs running around and PT cruisers. Probably the ugliest vehicles known to man and gone for a reason.

 

Ok, so I employed hyperbole. Sue me.

 

Umm... that's speeled "hyperbowl". Its when you use a 2 quart Tupperware container as a cereal bowl for Saturday morning cartoons.

 

It is. Also, Chicago style deep dish pizza is a casserole.

 

Lasagna is pizza-flavoured cake.

 

Threadjack compleat!

 

I actually liked the looks of the first Ridgelines. I liked the front end. Wasn't crazy about the angled bed walls, but that was from a utility standpoint more than the looks. The new ones are hideous to my eye, but to each their own. For a vehicle that needs to be able to move a couch or appliance on occasion; there's nothing wrong with a Ridgeline. The daily driver side of it would probably be more livable than most other trucks, so that's a bonus in its favor. The only thing that nudges it out is if you actually want/need to do the heavier truck stuff on a regular basis. That, or if you just love the sound of a V8!

 

Before I bought my Tundra, I was hoping for Honda to make a full size V8 pickup if only to have one more reliable option on the market to boost competition. It's too bad the company has been having transmission issues lately.

 

Yes, Hondas are in general very reliable. If they can only figure out how to build a reliable transmission to match everything else.
We have had 3 Honda Odysseys between 2000 and 2016.
The first one had the transmission replaced at 70,000 miles under warranty (Honda extended the warranty to 70,000 miles due to the known issue, and when I took it in for my 70,000 miles service they gave me a new transmission, even though I did not have any issues with it yet. I thought that they had fixed the issue, but apparently not). We kept that van until 211,000 miles without any other issues.
2nd one, a 2010, we did not have that long because I heard rumors about transmission failures, which again my understanding (always believing the salesmen) was that it was fixed on the 2012.
We bought a 2012 and put 168,000 trouble free miles on it. but 2 friends had to replace transmissions on theirs, so it was hit or miss, but apparently more hit than miss. Now I still hear about transmission issues. SMH.

Overall though I think the Ridgeline will be a reliable truck if it suits your needs.

 

I’ll consider it.

 

My neighbor has a Ridgeline. He is retired and clearly it is his daily driver. Honestly, I've never given it a 2nd look until this thread. Seems to be a nice enough guy and a good neighbor.

 

Can't judge a man by his truck. Both my neighbours are fantastic and they both drive F150s. In fact, it I wasn't the combo breaker, we'd have 5 in a row on my street.