What makes the RL differant vs. other Hondas?

[S1njin]

Hey Gang,

As luck and good fortune would have it, we now have a 2nd Honda in the stable. My wife is driving a 2012 Odyssey Touring Edition.

*must be nice to have all that fancy stuff*

At any rate, in driving the van it seems every bit as powerful as my truck. In fact, aside from the extra gear in the tranny, I'm hard pressed to really feel or see any difference at all. I'd like to believe there is SOMETHING more robust / better with the truck. I just assumed there were things that were more 'heavy duty'.

Problem is, I'm not a expert like many of you are. Can somebody give me a bulleted list of the key differences in the engines and transmissions? I'd imagine this would also apply to Pilot / RL owners too, though again I'm not certain.

Thanks much !

[Parsec]

There are certainly more qualified people on this forum to comment on your question, but just to give you an idea of how different the Ridgeline is: it only shares approximately 5% of its parts with the Pilot (and presumably the Odyssey).

[rollinhonda]

I think it has more to do with different kinds of utility. One is more about moving people, with still good room for cargo as needed, and the truck is for carrying loads while still offering comfortable seating for 5.

Granted, you could carry a lot in the Odyssey with seats rearranged, and only 2 on board, in a nice weatherproof space.

But the truck has less height limit, plus can carry dirty, smelly, or otherwise impractical cargo that you may be reluctant to carry in a van or SUV.

If you take the Pilot, Odyssey and RL you have some very viable choices that should fit many different lifestyles.

[S1njin]

I have the utility of each pretty squared away in my mind, I was just wondering if there was anything more 'Heavy Duty' about the RL's innards then one would find in the van. I mean, at work last week I had 3 people tell me that my truck is a Pilot w/ the butt end lopped off the back. From reading on this forum I know its more based on the MDX, but as to what's exactly different I don't know what to tell them.

[kevin_stevens]

For starters, it has two frames - a traditional ladder-based frame welded to the unibody used in the Honda vans. The combination makes the torsional rigidity up to 20x stiffer than domestic trucks..

It has towing capability enhancements, including oil and transmission coolers.

I believe the cam profile and other engine internals were specifically selected for the Ridgeline purposes.

KeS

[rollinhonda]

As KS points out, the tougher parts of the Ridgeline are unique, and what set it aside from conventional pickups. While towing limits may be more conservative than many trucks, the tough platform and IRS offer benefits in ride and handling, and the standard AWD system offers benefits in unfavorable road and weather conditions.

[S1njin]

Originally Posted by kevin_stevens

For starters, it has two frames - a traditional ladder-based frame welded to the unibody used in the Honda vans. The combination makes the torsional rigidity up to 20x stiffer than domestic trucks..

It has towing capability enhancements, including oil and transmission coolers.

I believe the cam profile and other engine internals were specifically selected for the Ridgeline purposes.

KeS

That's what I'm talking about !!! I knew there had to be some specifics that I just didn't know !

[tpevehouse]

Isn't it geared differently than the Pilot as well? Correct gear ratios are everything when you're towing.

[Rickman]

Pay load and Towing capacity????

[Ian Brantford]

This early interview will shed a lot of light:

http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/200...interview.html

Here is a bit more regarding the engine:

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/f...647#post186647