Honda Ridgeline
It's been a while since I've run a Car Disgust, so before I kick this off I think it's appropriate to revisit what Car Disgust all about. I explain it all here, but the key point for today is the cars I feature in Car Lust are not necessarily better vehicles than those I feature in Car Disgust. A quick glance at yesterday's Car Lust (the AMC Eagle) and today's Car Disgust (the Honda Ridgeline) should thoroughly dispel that idea.
Car Lust/Car Disgust is all based on emotion and whether I'd rather sing praises or throw produce. And often, I like to sing praises about bad cars and throw produce at good cars. Got it? Good. Let's get on with today's feature.
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Far be it from me to criticize anything Honda does. Seemingly everything Honda touches becomes a huge sales success, revolutionizes its market segment, and offers a superior driving experience. However, the Ridgeline, Honda's first entry into the pickup segment, confuses me greatly. I had one as a test vehicle when it debuted and came away from the experience mystified at how pointless it is. It offers not-quite car comfort, with not-quite pickup utility, and winds up being less useful than either.
At the very least, this feature should dispel any remaining thoughts that I'm on Honda's payroll.
For starters, the styling is horrifying. Just as Frankenstein's monster was sewn together from mismatched portions of corpses, the Ridgeline is a macabre conglomeration of horribly mismatched parts. The front end, complete with cheap plastic fender trim, is borrowed from Honda's similarly freak-show Element.
Inside, even on my optioned-out test vehicle, Honda seemed to be working way too hard to establish the Ridgeline's tough pickup-itude. Not only was it ugly, but it sent the wrong message. The dashboard knobs were all oversized and felt cheap. The dashboard was made of hard, cheap, dimpled plastic that made a hollow "thunk" when you rapped your knuckles on it. It reminded me strongly of the plastic Coleman used to make ice chests out of in the 1980s.
The only load-hauling advantage the Ridgeline has over the Pilot is in hauling incredibly tall, narrow, dirty items. That's pretty much it. Considering all of the compromises involved in the design, and the as-tested price of $35,000, I just don't see the point.
Mochi Mochi on March 12, 2008 at 04:44 PM
I'm going to be short for a change. I love Honda. I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE the Ridgeline. It is pointless stupid and represents everything that is wrong and bad in present day auto design.
Rob the SVX guy on March 12, 2008 at 06:43 PM
Sorry Chris, I have to disagree with you on this one. While I won't comment on it's styling (it is ugly), I really like the ridgeline. Why? The same reason I like the AMC Eagle. Automotive integrity and honesty. So many truck owners are insecure 'mayons' who like to have penis, I mean, towing capacity contests, when in reality, they never come CLOSE to that towing capacity. They want this macho truck to make up for their own insecurities, even if they don't really need it at all. The ridgeline was designed differently. Instead of letting macho truck guys write down what they wanted (which would only be a list of things to be even more macho than their neighbor's/friend's trucks), Honda studied what people ACTUALLY USE pickups for. You know what they're used for, most of the time? Hauling people. A very small percentage of the time, they're used for truck specific activities. So, honda designed a truck that is as carlike as they could make it, complete with a trunk. It gets better MPG, it's quieter, etc. They designed a vehicle around the actual NEEDS of most truck owners, not their testosterone fueled insecurity checklist.
Hal on March 12, 2008 at 07:34 PM
Rob's "actual use" argument makes sense, but I vote for disgust. The vehicle is profoundly ugly.
SilentStorm on March 13, 2008 at 05:04 AM
Second that!
The Chevy Avalanche/Cadillac Escalade is just as huge, but still looks better. The Ford Explorer Sport-Trac actually looks somewhat endearing to me, and I kinda like its size more than the Avalanche, which seems a little on the "I'm making up for my shortcomings" range of overly huge.
There is just no appeal whatsoever to this hunka junk. Some cars may be, for lack of a better term, cute in an ugly kind of way. This doesn't even come close.
Chris Hafner on March 13, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Rob the SVX guy, since we appear to share the same brain, I'm a little reluctant to disagree with you. That would be verging on schizophrenia.
You're probably right about the Ridgeline doing what people need it to do - after all, Ridgelines are popular, and people certainly aren't buying them for their looks.
I'm still not seeing it, though, and here's why.
If the theory is that Honda built a pickup good for doing what people use them for, and that's just driving casually around, well, the Ridgeline is actually not great at that. The back seat is not a great back seat - it's a bit chintzy and not particularly comfortable. The front seats themselves are good, but everything on the dashboard feels cheap.
Maybe this is where I'm struggling - for a pickup, the Ridgeline is pretty good at carrying people comfortably. So if the buyer's only choice is to buy a pickup, I can see that. But the compromises inherent in a pickup are still present in the Ridgeline (weird packaging in the passenger compartment, no real interior space for people and cargo). There are any number of cars, wagons, crossovers, SUVs that do a better job of transporting passengers in comfort.
But then, the Ridgeline isn't great at pickup-ish tasks either. And using it as a pickup, with stuff in the bed, precludes you from using the trunk. It feels like the worst of both worlds to me.
But again, I'm sure I'm wrong on this, because the motoring press seems to love the Ridgeline, and they do sell well. Maybe I'm missing the lobe on my brain that would allow me to properly appreciate the Ridgeline.
Rob the SVX guy on March 13, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Yeah, but the Chevy Avalanche crowd just wants their trucks to look as mean and intimidating as possible. I bet half of them have a gun rack and some sort of KKK sticker on them.
Frank Black on March 13, 2008 at 11:34 AM
I have to admit, their "Tough Meets Classy" ad with Chuck Norris walking into a fancy restaurant is one of my favorites. Perfectly done.
mochi mochi on March 13, 2008 at 08:43 PM
A Jeep Wagoneer, an old Chevy suburban (huge but honest old thing), any real truck ( perfect example mid 80's Dodge Power Wagon a la "Simon and Simon") - these I get. No problem. But the blending of a luxury car and a truck? This is just wrong. And what makes it even more wrong is that is comes from Honda. Honda is supposed to make small and mid sized cars that are smart, reliable, well made, and efficient. I'm sure it is reliable. Small this is not. Also not efficient and NOT SMART. This is a sellout.
This thing is just big. It's not good. It's much bigger than it needs to be and yet it does not use that bigness in any positive way. Compare the Ridgeline to an 80's power wagon. There is no comparison. The Dodge does it better, lighter, cheaper. I love Hondas - with a PASSION - but this is just wrong - it is off brand and dumb. Ok? If Honda made a nice little truck, or even a mid-sized truck I'd be happy. This is WRONG!
Rob the SVX guy on March 14, 2008 at 09:49 AM
Mochi, this isn't a luxury vehicle, at all. If you've ever sat in one you'd realize that. I don't understand luxury trucks either, but for that you have to look toward GM, Ford, and Chrysler, with their leather seating and fancy wood interiors, not to mention a lot of chrome. This isn't a luxury vehicle. It's just lacks the POS interior in most domestic trucks.
Chris Hafner on March 14, 2008 at 09:56 AM
You know, I think I've figured it out.
Above I said this: "There are any number of cars, wagons, crossovers, SUVs that do a better job of transporting passengers in comfort. But then, the Ridgeline isn't great at pickup-ish tasks either. ... It feels like the worst of both worlds to me."
This is exactly how I feel about the El Caminos, Rancheros, and Subaru Bajas of the world (for no meaningful reason, I put the Brat in a different category).
Perhaps the Ridgeline is just a four-door El Camino for the new millenium, with higher ground clearance and more truckish pretensions?
mochi mochi on March 14, 2008 at 10:45 AM
hmm... a hulking pretentious El Camino... no wonder!
Chris Hafner on March 14, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Rob: "Mochi, this isn't a luxury vehicle, at all."
Yeah - this is actually one of the things that gets me about the Ridgeline. Part of the upside is supposed to be that it's comfortable and quasi-luxurious, and it's really not really.
Unlike Mochi, I don't have a problem with luxury trucks and SUVs - I don't necessarily get the point, but at least then you have a real set of pros and cons. You give up utility, you get luxury. Weird, in a vehicle optimized for utility, but at least I uunderstand the trade-off.
But I didn't feel like the trade-off was that great in the Ridgeline. I had a Ridgeline the same week I had a Nissan Frontier tester to compare it against. The Frontier is your typical traditional pickup truck, and mine wasn't optioned up all fancy - cloth seats, etc.
The Ridgeline was only a little more comfortable, mostly because the ride was a little softer. The interior was only a half-step nicer than the Frontier. It actually felt like Honda wanted the interior to be not as nice to be more truckish. If luxury was the goal, they could've just imported the Odyssey or MDX interiors and it would've been very nice.
So it's really the fact that the Ridgeline *isn't* luxurious that gets me, combined with the fact that it doesn't really have a whole lot of truck chops either.
Either that or I woke up on the wrong side of the bed very day that I had a Ridgeline. That's been known to happen.
Rob the SVX guy on March 14, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Well.... I think part of it is the MAYA theory. Raymond Loewy coined this phrase, and is stands for 'most advanced, yet still acceptable'. Sometimes vehicle design is too far from what's commonly accepted, and this hurts them. People don't accept them, because they're too far advanced. Case in point? Chrysler Airflow. Honda did break the mold of the pickup stereotype, but not much. Once the current ridgeline is 'accepted', then they'll probably step it up and come up with something even more out there, and more useful.
mochi mochi on March 14, 2008 at 01:47 PM
Sorry guys I'm coming from a pretty different direction on this whole luxury thing. BMW's and Mercedes from the late 70's are about the highest level of luxury that I am comfortable with. And those seem spartan in comparison to today's econo boxes or basic trucks. I thought the interior of the Aveo rent-a-car I had when my Si was in the shop was pretty luxurious and I was happy to see hand crank windows. The only power anything my cars have ever had aside from vacuum assist brakes is the electric sun roof in the Si. My Squareback did not even have power brakes - it didn't need them. The only car my family ever had that had power steering was the old Falcon wagon.
In my head a formula ford or a lotus super seven is just about right. It may be wrong headed of me but I find myself suspect of anything that adds weight or saps power - perhaps this is also part of having cars with less then 2 liter engines. It also seems - dishonest - or like it is covering something up. Bare bones works for me - just give me quality in those bones. That's what I like about the old trucks. To me the Ridgeline is a luxury car. And in the same way that I am suspect of power luxury options, I have a problem with anything that is bigger than it needs to be while not returning some kind of useful efficiency of space. To me that is why the Ridgeline is a problem, and it bothers me that a company like Honda, that has been so effective at making efficient, unpretentious vehicles is catering to excess. To me excess is a thunderously huge car like the Ridgeline that has a massive envelop and a tiny bed - and looks pretentious.
Affe on March 15, 2008 at 09:32 AM
It ain't pretty, that's the truth. However, I've now had one for nearly two years, and I love it. Just a superbly functional, reliable machine. I used it to move from NYC to CA with a bed, trunk and cab-full of furniture, books , computers and other knick-knacks. Since then I've driven it all over CA, loaded with gear and people. Never a hiccup. It will handle mild off-roading with aplomb, easily climbs the Sierra with several adults, and my rifles and shotguns disappear into the in-bed trunk, safe from prying eyes. It handles and accelerates well in the city, and mileage on the highway, assuming steady driving @ a reasonable speed, hovers in the low 20's. Not a Prius, but not bad. The height and roominess are perfect for my 6'5" frame (I couldn't spend more than 2 hours in my Forester before my legs started cramping up).
It may have come off the bat wobbly, the hitter may have tripped while swinging, but no matter how ugly, it's still a home run.
Michael Strupp on March 15, 2008 at 07:58 PM
My father bought a Ridgeline about 18 months ago, and I was surprised at how nice the interior was. Although I could see how some may say it looks a little cheap, to me it gave the impression of kevlar or some other kind of high tech material, although it was plastic. It took a little time to get used to the ride, but otherwise, it was really nice. I would recommend it to others.
Ridgeline makes sense on March 28, 2008 at 12:02 PM
I have just leased a 2008 Ridgeline RTL. I LOVE IT.
I drove a BMW prior and also have had an american SUV.
I drove alot of vehicles at different price points and hands down this vehicle solved exactly what it was intended for and what i needed
And as far as any american pickup they are POS and ugly with NO style whatsoever with contatnt problems and issues and bad resale.
the day an american car company makes a vehicle with any thought and inovation at a decent price let me know
John on April 12, 2008 at 09:41 AM
I just purchased another Ridgeline yesterday, my second one in three years. After extensive research, and "hands on experience" here is what I came up with:
-If you like to drive around in a "box" on wheels--
buy any pickup truck other than the Ridgeline
-If you have an uncle who owns a gas station, and he gives you free gas--- buy any pickup OTHER THAN a Ridgeline
-If you like being nickled and dimed on accessories and upgrades--
don't buy a Ridgeline
-If you really like the ruff, tuff, hard truck feel
don't buy a Ridgeline
-If you really enjoy sitting in the service department waiting room drinking not so good warm coffee----don't buy a Ridgeline
-If you really like giving a dealer your hard earned cash because you don't mind crapy deals----don' buy a Ridgeline
-If you really don't enjoy comfort when you drive
don't buy a Ridgeline
-If you need to tow more than 5,000 pounds
don't buy a Ridgeline and keep that thing at a dock !
-If you really need that long bed for that once a year haul from Home Depot---don't get a Ridgeline --well you could get the bed extender...nahhh never mind !
If you really enjoy wrapping up your gear in that big moldy tarp you have had since you were a kid ---don't buy a Ridgeline
If you don't like people rolling down the window at stop lights asking you where you got your vehicle and how much you paid for it-
don't buy a Ridgeline
Bottom line:
Educated consumers with clear goals in mind buy Ridglines
Don't knock it till you have bought one and if you have bought one and you don't like it---well then you are not an educated consumer now are you ???
Chris Hafner on April 14, 2008 at 04:29 PM
Hi John, thanks for the comment. Like I said in the post, I figure I'm in the minority here. But if I may quibble ...
> -If you like to drive around in a "box" on wheels--
Hmm. Given how unpleasing I find the Ridgeline's shape, I'd by far rather drive a box on wheels.
> If you like being nickled and dimed on accessories and upgrades
Really? I've seen a lot of Ridgelines decked out in official Honda accessories. I actually was under the impression Honda did a big business in that sort of gingerbread. Unless you're talking about options, in which case I agree--Honda does a good job of making virtually anything standard. The downside is you can't get a stripped version.
> If you really like the ruff, tuff, hard truck feel
Again, really? Most pickups on the market today are much, much nicer on the interior than they used to be. And compared to the SUVs with which it shares its platform, the Ridgeline really is nowhere near as comfortable. It's as if Honda consciously tried to make the Honda have that hard truck feel.
> If you really like giving a dealer your hard earned cash because you don't mind crapy deals
Actually, I think getting a deal works in favor of the domestic trucks, most of which are available with much larger rebates than the Ridgeline.
> If you really don't enjoy comfort when you drive
Compared to other pickups, maybe. But you also sacrifice much of a truck's utility, and there are a lot of vehicles out there that offer not-quite-a-truck utility that are much more comfortable to drive.
> If you need to tow more than 5,000 pounds
> If you really need that long bed for that once a year haul from Home Depot
> If you really enjoy wrapping up your gear in that big moldy tarp
So, in other words, if you really need a *truck.* The problem I have with the Ridgeline is you lose some of the capabilities of a truck while not really making up for that anywhere else. It's not as useful as a truck (or, arguably, an SUV), and not as comfortable as a minivan, SUV, or car.
> Educated consumers with clear goals
See, I think this is where I fall short. I *know* that I just don't get it. So can you help me out? What am I missing here?
Derek Mason on June 30, 2008 at 10:58 PM
I have had both a Tahoe and an Escalade and were very displeased with them after a short time. I just got a Ridgeline and think it is the best vehicle I have ever had. My dad is also considering trading in his Ford truck which is only a year old for a Ridgeline. That is all I really have to say on the subject because I really don't have time that some on this forum have.
I like real 4x4s on July 22, 2008 at 12:46 PM
I guess you can describe the Ridgeline as a modern day El Camino with 4 doors, and without a cool motor. It certainly isn't the tough truck that Honda marketing wants you to believe.
Shawn Peterson on October 05, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Being a factory mechanic most of my life, I have driven more vehicles than most.
Most recently a 07 Sportrac, other Ford and Dodge Full size trucks as well as lots of sport cars and motorcycles.
I just purchased this 08 Ridgeline BECAUSE I thought it was the best looking truck every made!
It may be a bit ahead of it's time. I remember being revolted when the first roundy egg shaped Thunderbirds came out in the early 80s. Now they look normal and boring.
The Honda Ridgline is by far my favorite truck ever and I love the way it looks so much I wash it frequently and keep it waxed.
As far as functionality it is perfect for me. I have the Honda hard bed cover which is great for hauling any work related parts or equipment with out having them inside the vehicle.
I usually keep the back seats in the up position for the inside cargo space as well. I had to unbolt the Sportrac seats for this option.
The under bed trunk is huge! I don't know what that other guy is talking about but I can get (3) 5 gallon buckets and other stuff packed around them and it is completely water tight and has a drain hole in case I spill something. I do wish they would have thought to install a 12V outlet, that would have been great for my rechargeable spotlight. Also even if the bed is full of stuff I can usually still lift the trunk lid enough to grab something out. Now if you have to get at the spare, that's a different story but I think the trade off is worth it, not to mention I have road side assistance so I just let them mess with the tire.
Shawn Peterson on October 05, 2008 at 11:39 AM
I posted some pics of my truck on Photobucket.
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh309/stitchsmith/DSC05293.jpg