2010 Ridgeline Article - PickupTrucks.com

[cdepuydt]

Nicely said, Brandon...nicely said...!

[PLF]

Honda 3.7 V6 300hp

That would boost up sales for sure and probably get better mileage...

[RockyMtnRidgeline]

Well, I'm another convert. We had lots of trucks. However, counting only those with an open bed, we've had 17 pickups: 5 Fords, 5 Chevys, 1 GMC, 2 Dodges, 2 Toyotas, 2 Nissans and now a Honda.

I/we drove all the 09s several months ago. I liked the Tundra, but it was big, expensive overkill and the better sized (for us)Tacoma was too bouncy for my old bones over some of the 'roads' we travel on a weekly basis and lacked some of the other attributes we were looking for. I came back to the Chevy dealer who also has a Honda store down the road. I told the Chevy salesman, who we had bought from before, that we didn't need to tow more than a few thousand pounds, wanted a crew cab, a secure area to hide stuff (I'm a firearms instructor) and put junk so that it wouldn't stink up and trash the interior, a small bed for hauling dirt, gas cans, etc. that I could easily get in and out of, a top IIHS score (very important), a comfortable and quiet interior for long trips, stable and handled/drove more like a car than a truck, 4wd for the highly changeable weather(we live in the country at 6,000 ft.) and rough gravel roads, but didn't need an 'off' road oriented vehicle.
He smiled and drove us down the street in a new Silverado and we ended up going home in a vehicle put together in Alabama with an American built engine and transmission. Our taxi, by comparison, the Silverado half ton, like our previous Chevy, was built in a foreign country.
Now, some of my neighbors don't think much of our new vehicle and that's o.k. On the one or two occasions every year or so that we need to tow/haul something huge between us and town, they'll still come over and take care of it for us with their Cummins, Powerstroke or Duramax.

[kwoodman]

Originally Posted by PLF

Honda 3.7 V6 300hp

That would boost up sales for sure and probably get better mileage...

I vote for this.

[CMoody]

Originally Posted by RockyMtnRidgeline

I told the Chevy salesman, who we had bought from before, that we didn't need to tow more than a few thousand pounds, wanted a crew cab...

RMR, congrats on the new truck. I loved reading through your post, seeing all the "bullet points" you made and thinking "ridgeline, ridgeline, ridgeline", mentally checking off each one.

- Chip

[jimmychoi]

Originally Posted by canuck901

Honda will not stop sellng ridgelines...they are selling awesome for Honda...
is 2011 going to be a new style?
has anyone seen pics yet?

Are you sure bout that?

[RockyMtnRidgeline]

RMR, congrats on the new truck. I loved reading through your post, seeing all the "bullet points" you made and thinking "ridgeline, ridgeline, ridgeline", mentally checking off each one.
- Chip

Thanks.

[ridgelinejess]

I had read several articles saying the Ridgeline's will be discontinued. I sure hope not!

[sjbe]

Originally Posted by canuck901

Honda will not stop sellng ridgelines...they are selling awesome for Honda...

Awesome? I wish that were true. I think the most Ridgelines Honda has ever sold in a month was around 6500 and for most of 2009 the sales have been in the 1000-2000/month range. That is most definitely NOT awesome sales. I love my 2009 RTL but it needs some significant updates if it is to compete with Ford and Chevy and even Toyota. I fear the Ridgeline is just going to be quietly eliminated unless someone high up in Honda really gets serious about the pickup truck market.

Stuff I think Honda needs to do for the Ridgeline to compete

• Bigger engine option (V8 or super/turbocharged V6) or better yet a hybrid or diesel option. The current engine is solid and super reliable but not exceptional on either power or fuel economy.
• Less quirky styling - I know it doesn't bother us Ridgleine owners but most people think it is a relatively unattractive vehicle. I love my Ridge but I wouldn't call it beautiful. If Honda keeps the quirky styling they need to really make a way to personalize it much more.
• Better fuel economy (it's not bad especially compared to the competition but it needs to be better)

[misfit]

>>>>Less quirky styling<<<<
>>>>most people think it is a relatively unattractive vehicle.<<<<

really? the body style was the first thing that attracted me to the RL.