Author Topic: GM Ridgeline, and other American Inspired Trucks (Read 4077 times)

BigMike · « **on:** Jul 04, 2005, 10:14:18 AM »

Has anyone gotten a chance to check out the new GM Ridgeline?

I think it's un ugly piece of crap. I know Honda wanted to get a truck line going, but IFS rear suspension for a Truck?

I think it's funny that they had to go in bed with GM

I guess Consumer Digest is saying that its the best truck of the year and it has the nicest interior.... so I was just wondering if anyone has checked it out?

gonzo · « **Reply #1 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 10:28:27 AM »

DRIVERS LOG

2006 Honda Ridgeline RTL w/ nav
Also Featured: 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LS coupe
THE EDITORS OF AUTOWEEK
Published Date: 6/13/05
2006 HONDA RIDGELINE RTL NAV
DATE IN FLEET: May 27-June 10
AS-TESTED PRICE: $35,155
POWERTRAIN: 3.5-liter V6; 4wd, five-speed automatic
OUTPUT: 255 hp @ 5750 rpm, 252 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 4498 lbs

GRITZINGER: I find this a great truck for what most people need a truck for. It’s not a Ford F-150, and doesn’t try to be. But very few people really need everything an F-150 will do. It’s a little harsh on choppy pavement (probably thanks to engineering stiffness in the suspension to make it feel trucky), but otherwise it’s a nice driver. The Ridgeline looks a lot like a Chevrolet Avalanche, without the GM Midgate. As the Avalanche is priced about the same, why not choose the proven long-term performance of a Honda? I predict Honda will sell every one of these they can build.

RAYNAL: The bulk of pickup drivers would get along fine with the Ridgeline, I would think. It won’t tow 16,000 pounds like the Ram I drove last week (5000 maxes it out, says Honda), but will handle most other tasks as well as any. It drives like a Honda, so it’s comfortable, the steering is direct and properly weighted, and the engine is ultra-smooth, as is the trans. This truck sure ain’t cheap, though.

MANDEL: First, some of the things that prompt you to say, “Why’d they do that?” The overzealous grab handles on the interior are done for aesthetics over usefulness, an obvious attempt to impart the tough truck image into Honda’s first pick-em-up effort. And there is a sea of circles and such, on the display panel, the oversized knobs and switchgear. It looks incongruous with other trucks, and maybe that is my problem. Not only is Honda trying to change the way we look at trucks, they’re trying to change the tough truck DNA. The real boon to the truck market in the last 15 years has been the advent of extended cabs and full cabs. They’ve allowed for family members to tuck in behind something more than vestigial seating. Well, this is clearly more than that: This is a full-size, full-comfort back seat. Throw in the added composite truck bed with integral “trunk/cooler/toolbox” and you have something for everyday use by almost anyone. Can’t wait to see what the hybrid full-size sport/utility built off this thing looks like.

ROCA: When an uplevel F-150 Lariat costs $37,000, then yes, I’d say the Ridgeline is expensive. It may be a Honda, but it’s not a proven Honda. There’s more Buy American sentiment among pickup drivers than anywhere else, so I’m not sure this is the home run everyone predicts it will be. The Ridgeline carries two Honda signatures I really wish it would do away with: the column-mounted shifter, which I continue to have problems with in terms of slipping into gears other than drive; and the location of the sunroof controls, where only the driver can operate them. I also prefer the standard roomy center console of the domestic trucks over this little tray-like contraption.

red · « **Reply #2 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 01:51:22 PM »

they're not for off road use at all. transfer case only has 2h and 4h, no 4L. for the vast majority of people who buy trucks(wanting to be higher on the road, etc...) then its a great truck for that. comfortable interior, smooth on the road, pretty good on gas, and not bulking huge. tows enough for the majority of people(5000lbs i think). not a play truck or work truck, just a regular family daily driver.

mudmaster · « **Reply #3 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 02:00:44 PM »

Seems like a minivan with a bed to me

gonzo · « **Reply #4 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 02:08:29 PM »

raybie · « **Reply #5 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 02:11:10 PM »

real trucks have live axles!!

gonzo · « **Reply #6 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 02:15:49 PM »

$ 35,000

Quote from: mudmaster on Jul 04, 2005, 02:00:44 PM

Seems like a minivan with a bed to me

I agree minivan with a bed.

WHITE_TRASH · « **Reply #7 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 02:18:35 PM »

For the love of all thats holy it has a 3.5l V fawkin six in it and no low range. Im not even sure that big gay all would get caught wheeling that thing....

BigMike · « **Reply #8 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 10:08:42 PM »

BTW, I got lucky in the fact that I have no prior knowledge to this truck other than a couple of reviews, so I was a bit worried I might get flammed, but it looks like I was in the right boat

I've heard that the Ridgeline will "Revolutionize" the Pickup, and that this is the biggest change for pickups in x-number of years...

Mind over matter, its an ugly piece of poo. I hate the styling cues adopted from GM.

BTW, If I may cruise into another topic here: What do you guys think about the look of the new Tacomas? I HATE IT, but recently it has been trying to grow on me....

What's the deal with the crappy American box fenders? Is there such a huge demand for the Chevy Avalance POS that even Toyota had to mimic that boxy fender idea?

I do have to say that the newer Tacos look more masculine, but my favorite looking Tacoma is the 1st gen body style:

But now the Tacos have those boxy fenders, also just like the Honda Ridgeline, and I ask why, why America, why?

At least when Cadillac used the Avalance platform for the Escalade, they rounded the fenders and made it look decent:

Is there something I am missing though? Why do so many people like this ugly retro styling? It's beyond my thinking capacity

BigMike · « **Reply #9 on:** Jul 04, 2005, 10:11:39 PM »

Oh, and do I have to add the SSR?

Marlin actually likes how this one looks, but just speaking for appearance only, I think it belongs at the bottom of the pacific.

And here are a couple more Ridgeline pics:

This one looks good, but of course its just a concept version:

Check this out: Google returns a couple pics on the first page when you search for "honda ridgeline"

Yeah, that's what I want my $35k Truck's heritage to have

BigMike

ps. This is what a part of the Alphabit would look like if Q and R were eliminated.

PAToyota · « **Reply #10 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 09:55:20 AM »

I agree. First Ridgeline I saw was in a parking lot and my reaction was "WTF is that??" I'm sure it is the next thing in pickups only because 85% of the public don't buy pickup trucks to use as trucks. And I was sort of excited about the SSR after seeing it in the magazines, but seeing it in person quickly soured me on it. Just looks kinda strange.

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #11 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 10:07:09 AM »

Stupid men are the problem, we let our wemen's get the final say on what we buy these days. So now the auto manufacture's are taking this in to account when they are designing new vehicles. Us men folk need to put our foot down and stand up and say hey we wants a real truck, not these sissy half-assed open-back SUV's with 2 foot beds.

[note]
Not bashing women it's the truth, you gals are taking over. Soon we'll have our 1st. women pres........ I just hope it's not Hillary!!!
[/note]

A good example, just last week we bought a new vehicle since my truck only seats 3. My wife fell in love with the 4 door Taco,

I put my foot down since she wanted a car and we got a Focus.

BLACKDOG · « **Reply #12 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 10:10:09 AM »

Quote from: Rocksurfer on Jul 05, 2005, 10:07:09 AM

Stupid men are the problem, we let our wemen's get the final say on what we buy these days. So now the auto manufacture's are taking this in to account when they are designing new vehicles. Us men folk need to put our foot down and stand up and say hey we wants a real truck, not these sissy half-assed open-back SUV's with 2 foot beds.

[note]
Not bashing women it's the truth, you gals are taking over. Soon we'll have our 1st. women pres........ I just hope it's not Hillary!!!
[/note]

Amen to that!!

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #13 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 10:11:54 AM »

Quote from: BLACKDOG on Jul 05, 2005, 10:10:09 AM

Amen to that!!

Sorry BLACKDOG, I added to my post.

gonzo · « **Reply #14 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 10:20:02 AM »

Quote from: Rocksurfer on Jul 05, 2005, 10:07:09 AM

Stupid men are the problem, we let our wemen's get the final say on what we buy these days. So now the auto manufacture's are taking this in to account when they are designing new vehicles. Us men folk need to put our foot down and stand up and say hey we wants a real truck, not these sissy half-assed open-back SUV's with 2 foot beds.

[note]
Not bashing women it's the truth, you gals are taking over. Soon we'll have our 1st. women pres........ I just hope it's not Hillary!!!
[/note]

A good example, just last week we bought a new vehicle since my truck only seats 3. My wife fell in love with the 4 door Taco, I put my foot down since she wanted a car and we got a Focus.

You think you won that one huh? Weather we want to admit it or not women do control parts of our world, in one way or another. Yes, we let it happen. I know.....I know.....I don't like it either

Think about it some time.

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #15 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 10:34:45 AM »

Yes I did win, we set out to get a car, a small car, with 4 doors, and inexpensive car. Yes we did get the top of the line Focus, but it cost about a 3rd of what that Taco was, and it was 2wd.

I win I tell ya, I did, I did.

gonzo · « **Reply #16 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 10:43:04 AM »

Quote from: Rocksurfer on Jul 05, 2005, 10:34:45 AM

Yes I did win, we set out to get a car, a small car, with 4 doors, and inexpensive car. Yes we did get the top of the line Focus, but it cost about a 3rd of what that Taco was, and it was 2wd.

I win I tell ya, I did, I did.

Good Job Rocksurfer

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #17 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 10:48:50 AM »

Quote from: gonzo on Jul 05, 2005, 10:43:04 AM

Good Job Rocksurfer

It was a trade-off though, we didn't set out to get the top-of-the-line of anything, just were going to get something with a/c and an auto-trans, but to get out of a 2wd Taco and be shund by my 4wd brethen I got her the cool looking with all the gadets Focus.

I think I got scammed.

gonzo · « **Reply #18 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 11:02:46 AM »

Quote from: Rocksurfer on Jul 05, 2005, 10:48:50 AM

It was a trade-off though, we didn't set out to get the top-of-the-line of anything, just were going to get something with a/c and an auto-trans, but to get out of a 2wd Taco and be shund by my 4wd brethen I got her the cool looking with all the gadets Focus. I think I got scammed.

I'm not that familiar with the Focus. I will have to hit the web to research it for my own information, but if you are satisfied then that's all that counts.

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #19 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 11:28:53 AM »

Quote from: gonzo on Jul 05, 2005, 11:02:46 AM

I'm not that familiar with the Focus. I will have to hit the web to research it for my own information, but if you are satisfied then that's all that counts.

Well let me clear that up, not scammed by the dealer, scammed by my wife into getting her the better Focus when she didn't get the Taco.

gonzo · « **Reply #20 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 11:48:00 AM »

Which focus did you get

mudguts · « **Reply #21 on:** Jul 05, 2005, 07:27:49 PM »

I just sold my 88 Runner daily driver and bought a Turd Focus. Bare bones with a 2l. I'm commuting 136 miles a day and it is cheaper than my 100 mile a day commute in my Runner. 37 mpg

I think the 2l motor is some kind of Mazda something or other

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #22 on:** Jul 06, 2005, 12:30:43 AM »

Quote from: gonzo on Jul 05, 2005, 11:48:00 AM

Which focus did you get

It would be the ZX4.

gonzo · « **Reply #23 on:** Jul 06, 2005, 06:17:21 AM »

Rocksurfer · « **Reply #24 on:** Jul 06, 2005, 06:50:22 AM »

Wrong color.

gonzo · « **Reply #25 on:** Jul 06, 2005, 06:56:20 AM »

Quote from: Rocksurfer on Jul 06, 2005, 06:50:22 AM

Wrong color.

It was just a WAG on my part.

BigMike [OP]

BigMike [OP]

Related Topics