I am not just bitching about the looks (they are silly but that is subjective). My issue is that this is what now passes for a “reasonable” small truck.
You are correct but that doesn’t matter to the buyer of this thing. They want to have this instead of a civic and a regular truck in addition often times. If it’s not a truck they feel emasculated.
You’re implying that a pickup truck is necessary or even desirable for camping. The civic would do fine, or a minivan or van if they have a lot of people and gear. But if they only camp once per year they wouldn’t realize that.
You are actually right. My friend camp with a car with only two doors and barely fits 4 people. and they are doing absolutely fine. Granted they only are a couple, but I imagine a camery can fit a family of 4 just fine, unless you are going to a extremely rurual place with terrible weather.
But I can kind of see the point people are making, that they might need a truck for work, and don’t want a second car for family trip. It some makes financial sense if you only have one car.
But I imagine renting a small SUV or a medium sedan for once a year vacation (with family of 4 or 5) makes more sense for comfort and the environment.
And I have yet to see any American family larger than 3 with only 1 car, so I am quite doubtful of the premise.
EDIT: after very unscientific search of a non-car-guy (aka me), it seems like this car is among the most fuel efficient truck you can buy. So if you ABSOLUTELY NEED a truck, a Ridgeline is probably better than a F150. We are likely indeed mad at the wrong crowd. That being said, I am still quite doubtful that a truck needs to be this large, but I dont think there are many small trucks in the U.S.
As a Subaru Baja owner, I disagree with your opinion. I’ve been able to safely haul 100 lbs propane tanks, as I feel much safer placing the tanks in the small bed than keeping it in the enclosed cabin of an Outback (or Odyssey). Upgraded the rear strut assemblies to mitigate the sag while carrying 20 bags of 40 lbs of wood pellets. The small bed lets me throw down a tarp and carry a reasonable amount of compost/manure without smelling up the cabin.
It also goes like a raped ape in snow. I find myself having a “snickers craving” during a winter snowstorm, just for the excuse to go driving to the grocery store (if they’re still open), hopefully finding someone to pull out of the ditch along the way.
I much prefer the boxer engine in the Subaru over the setup in the Honda (or Hyundai), but to each their own.
I like the Baja, this “thing” is not a Baja. It is so far from anything like that that it confuses me that you think that they are even in the same category.
I’d like to know why you think they’re not in the same category as both are:
unibody, not body on frame.
four door crew cab
small bed
Limited capacity, compared to a “real” pickup truck
With the center console in the rear seat, the Baja can only seat four compared to the Ridgeline’s five. The Ridgeline can tow significantly more; bed weight capacity is a bit more as well.
Obviously the styling is wildly different: the Baja is based of a decades old gen station wagon, whereas the Ridgeline is following the modern big beefy SUV trend. Maybe that’s where you’re coming from?
I have a ridgeline. I’m no way do I think I’m hot shit? I’m fact, I get shit for it not being a “real” truck. Odysseys have been on back order for years. You literally can’t buy one (this may have changed recently but that was a big part of why I ended up getting the ridgeline last year). I don’t understand your statement about how it’s not useful as a truck. I regularly have to move 4x8 sheet goods and it works just fine. When I was looking at cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs you’d be surprised at how many can’t do that. It’ll tow our family tent trailer, but not much else. It moves our family of 4 and dog. I don’t need all the seats a van provided. It has a little v6, not a hybrid like the mini van. Of course it won’t get the same fuel economy. Getting more than 20 mpg is pretty good for all the utility it provides. Also the top of the line “black” edition is 50k. I think starting msrp is 38k.
The ridgeline is a step in the right direction. It is the least amount a truck that a truck can be. Every ridgeline sold is an f150 that isn’t. You picked a weird thing to be mad at.
The one that was out front had a 4" or less bed. How do you move 4x8 sheets without it hanging out the back? (at that point a van makes a better truck).
I am not in the states so 50k is the base price I looked up here. I have a 3/4 shitbox truck with a v8 that is carbureted (for yard work and towing a 5th wheel a few times a year) it gets better fuel economy then this, please tell me you don’t think this is good on gas.
The 4 doors I’ve seen have around a 5’ bed (the newest ridgline is just over 5’), put down the tailgate and you get close enough to 8’ and then use some straps. The honda ridgline would probably be suitable for the majority of personal truck owners. If you use your ford F-teen-thousand that’s great, but for every one of you there are 3 “don’t scratch my rhino lined bed” mall cowboys.
I do agree that most people who buy trucks or SUVs should just buy a van though. Vans are awesome and people who think they are too cool to drive them are wrong. Vans are too cool for you.
Honestly the reason all these super big trucks exist now, instead of the small ones, is corporations getting around the spirit of the law, by following the letter of the law. When they tightened emissions controls around trucks, the way to get looser emissions was a larger truck. So they super-sized them and here we are today, with these stupid monstrosities.
The more I look at the new big little trucks the more I can not believe the bad fuel economy being sold as green-eco-greatness in these things.
A sibling of mine gets to use a fleet truck though work and they got a new ford platinum 1/2 ton truck, stupid fancy. That thing gets 12 to 14 liters per 100k, and that is not great but not bad. But the kicker is THIS THING IS A HYBRID! how does a 1/2 ton truck costing $100k with so much tech and eco marketing not even compete with a b2000 mazda from 1988 (supposed to be the same class fyi)?
What’s your definition notion of speed? This one major street in my town was restricted from two lanes down to one through lane with turn lanes. They also reduced the speed limit and adjusted traffic lights.
Result: much safer AND you reliably get through in less time. No stop and go, no weaving or merging, just slow and steady winning the race
I bought one and while I with they had a version that was compact sized instead of midsized, your hot take is terrible.
It is expensive, but my cars prior to it were a used 1992 Civic si I owned from 2001 till 2014, then I drove our 2005 Camry from 2014 till Dec 2022.
When buying a new car I wanted two primary things: a decent AWD ride and a bed I could put nasty stuff in and hose out after, like mulch and dirt. Something that did not work with enclosed spaces. I tried a few light trucks and they handled poorly or seemed cheaply made. The Tacoma has apparently needed to continue growing and is almost a full size now, too tall. The Ridgeline was the smallest one that seemed well made, had a decent ride, and has a bed I could hose out.
It sits lower than other trucks, so I generally feel small compared to other trucks. No idea why you think it is huge. Don't think I am hot shit, just someone who couldn't find a well made light truck and settled for the closest thing.
On a side note, it works perfectly fine as a truck and nobody buys trucks to seat 8 people.
Honestly I would love a compact fully electric or hybrid truck that gets better mileage but rides the same as a car with a bed in the back. A two seater or with a short back seat to load stuff in the cab so it is shorter would be even better!
I like the idea of a smaller and less expensive light truck and hope they are successful!
Local dealers didn't have one in stock to test drive when I was looking, I don't like buying the first year of a new or completely overhauled model. I also don't trust Ford to make a vehicle that I can rely on for 10+ years.
With Toyota's success with the Prius I was hoping for a hybrid Tacoma, but they only went hybrid with the Tundra (the bigger one).
A new Transit (at it’s smallest) in North America would be…
12" taller
10" longer
3" wider
$6,000 more expensive comparing base sticker prices (Cargo)
$11,000 more expensive comparing base sticker prices (Passenger)
Use 20-30% more fuel (using Fuelly data to estimate)
This is what grinds my gears about people saying to get a minivan instead of a mid-size crossover - yes I get ego is something to get past but MINIVAN’S ARE 80" WIDE THESE DAYS.
In fact, if that person bought an Odyssey instead of a Ridgeline, they’d net a total difference of five inches of length.
Yes, as has been pointed out buying an Odyssey would have been better, not that the Odyssey is good (also hate the enbiggening of minivans). I think people buying ridgelines are driving them empty and without passagers (like almost all trucks in north america), but are trying to justify having a truck. This thing is basically the “just the tip” of trucks.
If you have use of a truck bed, you likely are not buying this. If you think you would like the option of a truck bed then you are likely buying this.
It’s a different set of compromises. It’s actually pretty funny reading this because the Ridgeline is the odd-duck in pickup land with plenty of “not a real truck!! lol minivan!” derision.
Yea it’s not a body-on-frame, tow anything, crawl anywhere vehicle. But it’s a vehicle with an open bed for those with use for it and better fuel efficiency, interior space, comfort than its midsize competitors. It’s the truck most folks can likely do just fine with. Maybe someone wants AWD rather than part-time 4WD, a less trucky ride, etc.
Ignoring HyunKia engine quality and EZ theft, my Sorento can be considered a shit car since it’s not as good off-road as a 4Runner, not as nimble as an Accord, has less space than a Pacifica, uses more fuel than a Prius, cost more than a Mirage and tows less than a Frontier.
But on the flip side, it’s also better off-road than the Accord, seats more than the Frontier, uses less fuel and is smaller than both the 4Runner and Pacifica (gas) and tows more than the Prius. All about the point of comparison and compromises picked, maybe the Ridgeline will make more sense compared to a Tacoma - plenty of potential uses cases out there too that an open bed would be handy for, if you don’t understand it doesn’t mean it’s objectively dumb. (but not me at this time, except maybe a bed would be neat for my bike or trash.)
I think the styling is fine too, it’s just a basic pickup shape, no need to be so dramatic. Have you seen the first gen, or an Avalanche, Santa Cruz, Baja? I prefer this to the Silverado’s base front end too.
I guess I am just lamenting the death of neat small trucks and cars. This thing is not good on gas, the same size (width and length) as a full size truck, has the same visibility issues that plague new trucks, and seemingly is trying to be all things at the same time.
I get it, you don’t have a lot of options in today’s market, but this seems like we are going backwards.
Fuelly has the Ridgeline averaging 20 MPG with its competitors around 17-19 (likely bigger gap if you compare to full-sizers but will vary depending on powertrain) and the gap will likely be larger cruising so its fuel economy for a pickup is solid save for the newer and smaller Maverick (especially in hybrid guise) and Santa Cruz - their beds are shorter though at 4.5 and 4 feet I believe.
Gas V6 minivans are pretty similar too at around 20 MPG as well real-life.
Comparing crew cab short beds directly, the F-150 (not counting mirrors) is ~2 inches wider and ~20” longer.
But I agree on width though, I was considering a Passport and the 78.5” width of the Honda midsize family (also Pilot, Odyssey) is a turn-off although in minivan land the others are also chunky. Rather not shove an extra four inches into a parking spot if I can avoid it.
Honestly I’d commend a Ridgeline buyer for getting one as the “responsible choice” if it meets their requirements since that or the Santa Cruz are probably the least “I’m tough!” looking pickups.
Maybe that is what gets in my gears so much, that this is the more “responsible choice”. I was not comparing it to any crew cab (I think that four door trucks are a core issue) or any newer truck but the 1980s c20 it was parked near. I guess we have to look to the past for better fuel economy and size (and that is insane).
It is a Honda, I am sure it will outlast most other manufactures and be reliable. I just don’t get how something this size can feel small, is it something to do with the cab?
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