Honda: Ridgeline News
02-11-2010, 02:49 PM
#321
I'm really surprised it's getting renewed for a second season.
02-11-2010, 03:02 PM
#323
Whats up with RDX owners?
iTrader: (9)
02-11-2010, 03:47 PM
#324
The sizzle in the Steak
02-12-2010, 05:30 PM
#325
The sizzle in the Steak
The story was "wrong"....there is still hope the Ridgeline might die!
After a Honda executive either misspoke – or was misinterpreted – yesterday, the automaker was quick to confirm to Leftlane this afternoon that the 2011 version of its Ridgeline pickup will not be redesigned after all. Instead, the 2011 Honda Ridgeline will essentially carry over mostly unchanged from the 2010 model.
Honda Assistant Vice President for Product Planning Vicki Poponi was quoted by PickupTrucks.com as saying that a redesigned Ridgeline “is coming in ’11, for the 2011 model year,” but the Japanese automaker’s public relations team revealed to us that the 2011 model has already been configured and will be mostly the same as the current 2010 model. If anything, the year-to-year changes will be limited to paint and trim details.
Honda would not comment on the Ridgeline’s future beyond 2011 – standard operating procedure for automakers.
The Ridgeline represents Honda’s first foray into the truck segment, first unveiled at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show, and later launched as a 2006 model year. The Ridgeline was originally projected to sell 50,000 units annually, and early on it even surpassed that figure. In recent years however, sales have declined dramatically to just 33,875 sold in 2008, followed by a drop of 51.4 percent to 16,464 for 2009.
The Ridgeline received its last mid-cycle refresh for 2009.
Honda Assistant Vice President for Product Planning Vicki Poponi was quoted by PickupTrucks.com as saying that a redesigned Ridgeline “is coming in ’11, for the 2011 model year,” but the Japanese automaker’s public relations team revealed to us that the 2011 model has already been configured and will be mostly the same as the current 2010 model. If anything, the year-to-year changes will be limited to paint and trim details.
Honda would not comment on the Ridgeline’s future beyond 2011 – standard operating procedure for automakers.
The Ridgeline represents Honda’s first foray into the truck segment, first unveiled at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show, and later launched as a 2006 model year. The Ridgeline was originally projected to sell 50,000 units annually, and early on it even surpassed that figure. In recent years however, sales have declined dramatically to just 33,875 sold in 2008, followed by a drop of 51.4 percent to 16,464 for 2009.
The Ridgeline received its last mid-cycle refresh for 2009.
02-12-2010, 05:48 PM
#326
Whats up with RDX owners?
iTrader: (9)
Sweet!
01-07-2011, 09:05 AM
#329
Safety Car
Update
About a month ago, Honda said that it is killing the boxy Element crossover after disappointing sales. Rumors have previously said that the Honda Ridgeline pickup will also be put to rest… well, Honda is squashing those reports. According to Executive Vice President John Mendel of Honda’s U.S. unit, the Ridgeline isn’t going anywhere.
Honda sold a total of 16,142 units of the Ridgeline in 2010, the same as 2009. However, that’s still significantly behind the Toyota Tacoma, which sold 106,198 units and the Chevrolet Colorado, which sold 24,642 units.
Mendel said that the Ridgeline pickup has developed a strong following and has increased the Japanese automaker’s “share of garage.”
“We think we have a ways to go on the Ridgeline,” he said.
Nonetheless, Mendel did not say when the next-generation Honda Ridgeline will arrive.
01-07-2011, 12:10 PM
#330
The sizzle in the Steak
Keep selling the truck nobody is buying......Excellent Strategy!!!!
01-07-2011, 01:44 PM
#331
Whats up with RDX owners?
iTrader: (9)
They sold 16k 
What are their sales goals for it? I think giving it some real towing capacity may help sales.
What are their sales goals for it? I think giving it some real towing capacity may help sales.
01-07-2011, 02:05 PM
#332
The sizzle in the Steak
^^ Original sales goal was 50,000 units/year.
01-07-2011, 02:22 PM
#334
really? I think Tacoma is just meh...it's not ugly, but it's not a good looking truck either. I think the Ridgeline at least looks decent.
they need to shrink everything on the Ridgeline - make it smaller, make it lighter, make it cheaper.
they need to shrink everything on the Ridgeline - make it smaller, make it lighter, make it cheaper.
01-07-2011, 02:24 PM
#335
Senior Moderator
Decent? IMO the Ridgeline was the first of many ugly Honda's we've seen over the last few years. I think styling its probably the biggest thing holding it back from selling in bigger numbers.
01-07-2011, 02:41 PM
#336
Midnight Marauder
I'm a bit suprised they axed the Element but are keeping the Ridgeline since sales of both are pretty low.
01-07-2011, 02:51 PM
#337
Safety Car
Truck Bed
01-07-2011, 03:36 PM
#338
The Third Ball
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I still maintain the ridegline is a great truck. I just borrowed my friends to pick up a piece of furniture. Drives great, the in bed truck is priceless for having to stow extra gear and things such as rachet straps.
Now my friend modded his out to make it look awesome...I can admit the looks dept in the front end of the truck needs help. The grille blows unless its body colored.
Now my friend modded his out to make it look awesome...I can admit the looks dept in the front end of the truck needs help. The grille blows unless its body colored.
01-07-2011, 04:12 PM
#339
Three Wheelin'
The problem with the Ridgeline is that Honda is trying to ride the fence. It's not committing to being either a true truck or a rugged SUV. The Explorer SporTrac didn't make it because Ford rode the same fence. The Avalanche does make it because it's big enough to store items in its bed (covered or not) and can tow the same as a Silverado or Tahoe.
I'm assuming Honda is appealing to the weekend warriors who need a small truck bed and like to tow their small watercraft or desert toys, yet still want to fit the vehicle in their garage. I'm not sure this is a huge market.
I'm assuming Honda is appealing to the weekend warriors who need a small truck bed and like to tow their small watercraft or desert toys, yet still want to fit the vehicle in their garage. I'm not sure this is a huge market.
01-07-2011, 06:09 PM
#340
Race Director
01-07-2011, 06:16 PM
#341
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A friend of mine has a Black/Black Ridgeline with the grille body colored. It looks and drives great. I kinda like it
01-07-2011, 07:50 PM
#342
I remember reading an article about how Honda came into an agreement with the supplier that makes the rubber/plastic lining the truck's bed. that same supplier was dealing with GM for the Avalanche.
so maybe the agreement with the supplier is what's motivating Honda to move ahead with the Ridgeline? sort of how the NSX kept getting built because Honda had an agreement with the alunimum supplier.
so maybe the agreement with the supplier is what's motivating Honda to move ahead with the Ridgeline? sort of how the NSX kept getting built because Honda had an agreement with the alunimum supplier.
01-07-2011, 07:52 PM
#343
The Third Ball
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01-07-2011, 08:11 PM
#344
Senior Moderator
Ive driven them, while i think they are a good (lifted unibody vehicle) truck they really arent a truck. The LACK of a low range or true 4wd turns me off. I also wish there was something more than an anemic v6 for a power plant.
01-08-2011, 08:32 AM
#345
AZ Community Team
I think a few things hurt the Ridgeline
1) bold styling, the Tonka truck styling was more geared toward the construction workers who marketing profiled for the Ridgeline features (large knobs and buttons spaced apart and easy to use controls) but the same construction workers don't want a ...
2) Unibody frame, limits the towing potential. My guess is the vast majority of truck owners want a body on frame.
3) No torquey V8
4) No low-range on the gearbox
Overall it's a pretty decent design, with a couple neat innovations (bed storage, independent rear suspension). Like to drive one sometime to see what it's like.
1) bold styling, the Tonka truck styling was more geared toward the construction workers who marketing profiled for the Ridgeline features (large knobs and buttons spaced apart and easy to use controls) but the same construction workers don't want a ...
2) Unibody frame, limits the towing potential. My guess is the vast majority of truck owners want a body on frame.
3) No torquey V8
4) No low-range on the gearbox
Overall it's a pretty decent design, with a couple neat innovations (bed storage, independent rear suspension). Like to drive one sometime to see what it's like.
01-08-2011, 09:42 AM
#346
AZ Community Team
Was curious and checked the towing and payload for the Ridgeline
Payload ~1500lb, so a true 3/4 ton
Towing ~5000lb, that's below the low-end of the F150 line (5700 for V6, 8000lb for V8 for the 126" wheelbase 4x4)
Payload ~1500lb, so a true 3/4 ton
Towing ~5000lb, that's below the low-end of the F150 line (5700 for V6, 8000lb for V8 for the 126" wheelbase 4x4)
07-25-2011, 12:06 PM
#348
Three Wheelin'
2012 Ridgeline Sport
Along with the Pilot, Honda is face-lifting its un-pickup truck, the Ridgeline, for the 2012 model year. While all models receive a tweaked front fascia—we’re expecting something with three chrome slats, similar to what’s being installed on the Pilot this year—the real news here is the introduction of the Ridgeline Sport, which is shown in the picture above.
Honda has, apparently, sensed that customers who are looking at $30,000 car-based pickups are interested in a bit of sporty flavor, and the Ridgeline Sport is meant to meet that demand. The Ridgeline Sport gets 18-inch aluminum wheels with black paint, a special black honeycomb grille, blacked-out head- and taillights, and black door handles and mirrors. We wouldn’t quite call it sinister based on this picture, but it seems like the Ridgeline Sport might make a better entrance in, say, Los Angeles than would a Dodge Dakota.
As per its usual routine, Honda is tight-lipped about other changes to the Ridgeline lineup, but does promise an improvement from the current car’s EPA fuel-economy rating of 15 mpg city and 20 highway. This may come by way of replacing the Ridgeline’s current five-speed automatic gearbox with a six-speed unit—but the automaker hasn’t said for sure.
07-25-2011, 12:12 PM
#349
AZ Community Team
It's a improvement over the previous front end. Wonde rif it will get the 6AT?
07-25-2011, 12:29 PM
#351
The Third Ball
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If they don't improve the hp then meh.
My friends ridgeline was just in a bad accident and he is looking elsewhere. Why buy a new car that's essentially 6 years old with no major improvements.
The ford f150 with the Ecoboost was VERY impressive.
My friends ridgeline was just in a bad accident and he is looking elsewhere. Why buy a new car that's essentially 6 years old with no major improvements.
The ford f150 with the Ecoboost was VERY impressive.
07-25-2011, 12:31 PM
#352
This looks pretty neat, but I hope they have more in-store than just exterior changes.
07-25-2011, 02:16 PM
#354
The sizzle in the Steak
Why buy the Ridgeline when you can get a truck like that!
07-25-2011, 03:18 PM
#355
אני עומד עם ישראל
I never knew the public was interested in car based pick ups period
07-25-2011, 03:42 PM
#357
AZ Community Team
^ Probably a good guess.
The Ridgeline was the last of the "loose" truck-trio platform concept out of Honda. The 2G Odyssey came first, the the MDX/Pilot, followed last by the Ridgeline. The idea was for lots of system and component sharing/commonality that would allow all three to be built at the Alabama or Canada production facilities.
The first two were being pushed really hard from Honda's dealers, I vaguely recall that the Ridgeline was mostly from the Honda marketing folks who noted how many Accord owners also owned a pickup.
Intent was a weekend hauler but I really never understood why they focused so hard on the construction owners input which bore the bold styling and large controls inside.
The Ridgeline was the last of the "loose" truck-trio platform concept out of Honda. The 2G Odyssey came first, the the MDX/Pilot, followed last by the Ridgeline. The idea was for lots of system and component sharing/commonality that would allow all three to be built at the Alabama or Canada production facilities.
The first two were being pushed really hard from Honda's dealers, I vaguely recall that the Ridgeline was mostly from the Honda marketing folks who noted how many Accord owners also owned a pickup.
Intent was a weekend hauler but I really never understood why they focused so hard on the construction owners input which bore the bold styling and large controls inside.
07-25-2011, 04:00 PM
#358
The sizzle in the Steak
07-25-2011, 04:14 PM
#359
The Third Ball
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The ridgeline is actually a great truck. The car platform made it very comfortable to drive. The trunk in the bed is awesome, and the flip up seats in the back made for a lot more storage as well.
My friend had his for about 5 years before it got smashed and he loved it, It performed medium to light off roading duties very well and held all of his gear.
My only complaints were its underpowered. You feel the weight from a stop. And those slopping pillars in the rear made it hard to see around. And honda kinda made it uglier with each refresh...though the 2012 sports package looks decent.
But again...the other have caught up...The rear in the fords have great flip seats as well, and the ecoboost is awesome.
The new Dodge ram is also really freaking nice.
So, why buy 5-6 year old technology when there is better on the market?
My friend had his for about 5 years before it got smashed and he loved it, It performed medium to light off roading duties very well and held all of his gear.
My only complaints were its underpowered. You feel the weight from a stop. And those slopping pillars in the rear made it hard to see around. And honda kinda made it uglier with each refresh...though the 2012 sports package looks decent.
But again...the other have caught up...The rear in the fords have great flip seats as well, and the ecoboost is awesome.
The new Dodge ram is also really freaking nice.
So, why buy 5-6 year old technology when there is better on the market?
07-25-2011, 04:23 PM
#360
AZ Community Team
Better to word it as unibody based pickup since the Ridgeline is based on Honda's truck platform.
In terms of car based pickups, ever heard of a Ford Ranchero or Chevy El Camino?
Almost three decades of production. Very long time ago, but car based pickups were popular at one time.
In terms of car based pickups, ever heard of a Ford Ranchero or Chevy El Camino?
Almost three decades of production. Very long time ago, but car based pickups were popular at one time.
Last edited by Legend2TL; 07-25-2011 at 04:31 PM.