Honda Ridgeline Road Test

[chims]

The Honda Ridgeline is a half-ton pickup truck that brings real style to the otherwise very boxy pickup truck category. And this particular vehicle is as comfortable as a dinner engagement as it is hauling a 4,000 pound boat like the Regal 2300.

It is the only truck to come standard with front-wheel drive. The Ridgeline has automatic, variable torque management which can instantly shift from front-wheel only to 4-wheel drive in slippery condition.

 

[AZjeff]

Most of the guys here aren't interested in real style in their pickup truck... or FWD.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Most of the guys here aren't interested in real style in their pickup truck... or FWD.

Nope. But to be honest, a car based truck, or something between the two, would work for me. Sub 5k towing would be fine for me. But at that point I might as well do a crossover or similar.

Honda's big problem for me IMO is the fact that I can't put the transmission into 1st and have it stay there. Like driving around in a field, or down a long hill. yeah I could ride the brakes. The timing belt isn't that often but it's still there, while most everyone else has left that behind.

 

[benjamming]

or slip-n-grip AWD

 

[chims]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Most of the guys here aren't interested in real style in their pickup truck... or FWD.


Don't think so. A few maybe.

 

[Pelican]

Never really considered it as a "Real" truck, more like an "El Camino". It's just a small niche type of truck.
They killed it once and then revived it, but I think that sales will make the decision! R.I.P.

 

[slo town]

I must be missing something. Why are we talking about a 13 year old truck?

Scott

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by benjamming
or slip-n-grip AWD

Yeah, I thought about that too, but I think most continuous AWD setups are like that, and for good reason, so as to keep mpg's high. It'd be nice to proactively "lock" stuff in, at least for low speed work; but for all I know, all new cars probably have "snow" mode, "sand" mode, etc where you can alert the car to what its on and it can "lock" for you.

 

[double vanos]

Two deal breakers for me are timing belts which the ECM will tell you when it's necessary to replace them. That represents a lot of $$ just about the time you paid it off (hopefully).
The second is cylinder de-activation which shuts down half the engine. Don't like that particular technology but I admit I'm a Luddite - less is more is my credo.

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted by SLO_Town
I must be missing something. Why are we talking about a 13 year old truck?

Scott


Wondered the same...

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The first-gen Ridgeline doesn't have VCM

 

[Skippy722]

Make it RWD and it would be perfect.

 

[WrxRcr]

You can lock the transmission in 1st gear, I did a rallyx this way.

 

[Railrust]

Are we talking about the Ridgline in general, the new ones or the old ones?

In general I think they're ok, they look ok, they drive like an SUV and the interiors are decent. I think overall they are a good practical, part Truck, part SUV. A capable up and down the highway commuter...half decent fuel economy. Where they're obviously lacking is in towing capacity, bed size, power, truck type stuff.

I think they have a big advantage in parking lots...they're easier to park, they don't stick out as far, the turning radius is tighter. They're not going to be as bumpy and rough driving as a truck. You're going to get a little bit better fuel economy. Stuff like that. They're not cheap, you'll pay truck like prices and not be able to use them for "work". When I was looking for a truck I briefly considered the Ridgeline, but when I saw the prices I figured...why not just get a real truck?

 

[LoneRanger]

Since when is a FWD unit-body vehicle called a truck. I thought trucks were body-on-chassis.
.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted by LoneRanger
Since when is a FWD unit-body vehicle called a truck. I thought trucks were body-on-chassis.

The VW Caddy would like a word with you.

Just like the Ridgeline, it was as hardworking as most truck buyers actually need.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by WrxRcr
You can lock the transmission in 1st gear, I did a rallyx this way.

How do you do that? Everything I've read says you can't. Did you do some sort of modification?

Originally Posted by LoneRanger
Since when is a FWD unit-body vehicle called a truck. I thought trucks were body-on-chassis.
.



If you go down that path of "BOF tows more / carries more" then no 1 ton truck can compete against a class 8 tractor. Nevermind a traditional 1/2 ton.

In the end a truck is a vehicle where passenger space is reduced so as to make more cargo space. BOF or unibody, doesn't matter, it's in its usage. Ridgeline has a bed that you can toss stuff into.

In some ways I'd rather have a unibody design. It seems like anything painted chassis black rots way faster than anything painted body color.

 

[WrxRcr]

It has a 1st gear select, 2nd also. No modifications. I bounced the rev limiter a few times in 1st, did not upshift to 2nd.

 

[gofast182]

Originally Posted by benjamming
or slip-n-grip AWD

WRONG. It has a full-time proactive system.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by WrxRcr
It has a 1st gear select, 2nd also. No modifications. I bounced the rev limiter a few times in 1st, did not upshift to 2nd.

That doesn't jive with anything I've read on the web. Now that I look again, I see that 2nd gen does not have the ability to lock into 1st, but I can't confirm that for 1st gen.