How About a Hybrid Ridgeline?

[grego9877]

Originally Posted by hofffam

The Pilot, even in 2WD, does not get 50% better mileage. It is better, but more like 3 MPG in daily driving. It can get 25 MPG on the highway to my very best 20 MPG in the Ridgeline.

I have to say, I don't know anything about the rest of the stuff Alexander was talking about (although I find it implausible that Honda makes trucks that get poor mileage in order to please the oil companies), but I too wondered about his claim that the Pilot gets 50% better mileage than the Ridgeline. After I read his post I searched the net for any confirmation of that claim. Admittedly, the net is frequently inaccurate, but everything I saw (including EPA figures) said that the 4WD Ridgeline and the 4WD Pilot get the same mileage --- which is pretty much what I would have expected given the size and general configuration of the two vehicles. Also, the figures I saw on the net relative to the 2WD Pilot were consistent with your experience of the 2WD Pilot getting just a little better mileage than the Ridgeline.

Alexander, where did you get that Pilot mileage figure?

[alexander]

Originally Posted by hofffam

You like to make up stuff don't you?

I own a 2006 Pilot 2WD and a 2006 Ridgline. The Pilot, even in 2WD, does not get 50% better mileage. It is better, but more like 3 MPG in daily driving. It can get 25 MPG on the highway to my very best 20 MPG in the Ridgeline.

So you think Honda had a conversation with the Exxon CEO and Honda agreed to make the RL less fuel efficient? That is an idiotic statement. Wouldn't the RL sell like hotcakes if it performed as is but had 25MPG instead?

As for Chevy - they do some strange things. I don't know what car you are talking about but they do sell the Aveo here now. It is about the size of the Yaris. As for the hybrid Tahoe - I think it is impressive and the reviews have been good. It is too expensive - I think Chevy is trying to capitalize on hybrid-mania right now and priced it high.

Oh and if you need to tow 6000 lbs - two Ridgelines won't help.

I owned a Pilot fwd with cylinder deativation @ 85 which is typical So Cal freeway speeds I would get about 28mpg. In the RL which is in FWD mode at that speed gets roughly half. About 18-19

This technology is old hat for honda. even looking at a stock fuel curve for a stock motor it is running the level of rich a high hp turbo motor would.

So yes it is inferior, other items like the brake rotors that could easily be a two piece design lighter wheels and composite drive shafts all things Honda currently employs on other models.

Some people might consider this the realm of sports cars but a quick look at the rear diff says it all.

Lutz: U.S. not a frontrunner to get a new Chevy minicar. - Auto Shows/Micro Machines/Car Shopping/Hot Lists/Reviews/Car and Driver - Car And Driver

Actually the new MDX says it all - with a new larger engine and 50 more hp and higher compression it gets the same mpg - so....

[shovelhd]

Comparing a FWD Pilot to an 4WD Ridgeline is like comparing the Ridgeline to a Tundra. Two different animals. Our 2003 4WD Pilot without cylinder deactivation got about 1-2 mpg better mileage than the Ridgeline no matter where you drove it. VCM adds 1-2mpg. That's not 50%. More like 25%.

[Toobuku]

Bottomline, I am tired of doing squats to get into my vehicles! The only way I'm giving up my Ridgeline is when they make a hybrid or it's time for me to drive a golf cart on steroids!

[hofffam]

I don't believe 28MPG in a Pilot at 85 MPH. Sorry. Our 2006 2WD has VCM and best we have seen is 26 at about 70 MPH. The Pilot is a brick aerodynamically at high speeds.

Isn't the Acura RL the only Honda with a composite drive shaft?

Lighter wheels and brake rotors will have negligible impact on fuel economy. And the RL is a truck - so I'm not surprised that some parts might be heavier than they might be on other vehicles.

[rakapur]

anyone see this??? Turn any car into a plug-in hybrid for $3,300 : Yahoo! Green

from what i understand its some thing that can attach to any car and make it a hybrid i want to see that thing on a ridgeline and see if it would work

[RustyH]

Originally Posted by rakapur

anyone see this??? Turn any car into a plug-in hybrid for $3,300 : Yahoo! Green

from what i understand its some thing that can attach to any car and make it a hybrid i want to see that thing on a ridgeline and see if it would work

This is kind of opposite of how a hybrid works. The electric motor of the hybrid handles acceleration, when most of your gas is used. The gas motor takes over after you reach crusiing speed and the transmission allows your car to travel at higher speeds with lower RPM's.

This think might work on some very small, lightweight, FWD only cars, but I doubt it will work at all on the Ridgeline.

[shovelhd]

It works quite well on our Highlander, which is a big, heavy, AWD vehicle like the Ridgeline. The EV typically runs up to about 40mph, but if you're careful with the throttle, it will kick in at highway speeds. On city streets, I've been able to go about 2.5 miles on EV alone.