It could be worse - there's a Maverick XLT on a lot in Omaha with a $10,000 market adjustment.

LOL no.

 

It could be worse - there's a Maverick XLT on a lot in Omaha with a $10,000 market adjustment.

LOL no.

LOL, no is right. I'd say they are nice trucks for the price but once you get out of the low $30K's you're starting to reach into Ridgeline territory and the value just isn't there anymore. @ $32K for a Mav with almost all the features as my Ridge is doable. $37K ehh... not so much.

Honestly, I probably would of paid a small markup of $1K or so, but $5K is downright stupid to me.

 

How big is the trunk?

Just kidding; looks like it'd be fun to drive.

 

Go for it. You don't seem happy with the RL and you must be made of money. Life is too short.

 

Yeah, I like the utiltity of the Ridge but mine seems to be built by temp workers on a Friday afternoon....LOL. Mine has a host of other issues\quirks that bother me. I also have a low tolerance for trips back to the dealer for nagging issues like squeeks\rattles and obvious QC issues that should have been caught. The two Honda dealers in my area are not very good from a service standpoint, ,unfortunately. I'm not made of money but do well and cars are kind of a hobby of mine, so eating $4-5K over a year to trade into something else is no biggie to me.

Not many are willing to give up a deep walled bed. Depends on need, but yeah that keeps me in the Ridgeline for now, too.

This is a gripe I have with the ridgeline. We camp\hike a lot and you can't fit a majority of coolers in the bed of the Ridgeline with the tonneau cover closed. I originally was going to get a plug in cooler for our longer trips but the shallow bed in the ridge @ 17" so far has been impossible to find a decent sized cooler to fit back there. The Mav is almost 21" which opens up more possibilities. No doubt, the in bed trunk in the Ridge is very handy though!

I didn't test drive, but we did go visit a Maverick when they first came out as we were curious about this offering. They are a tad too small for my needs, but I am surprised to hear you thought the interior was of a better fit/finish. I thought it felt very plasticly and some of the interior was more misaligned than in my RL. Unfortunately, I don't remember what trim I saw, but if it were a bare bones base model, that may have been the reason. Being one of the first run vehicles could have also contributed to what felt like loose assembly... and it still had a 5k markup.

Yes, I'd say the overall assembly quality in the Mav was way better than my Ridge. No gaps around trim pieces, no squeaks\rattles etc. It's more utilitarian for sure but looks really nice, the tactile feel of the switches and knobs was good as well. I really liked the rotary transmission knob and the fact that when you put it in gear it went in gear right away. No 2-3 second delay like the Ridge.

 

^^If he was made of money he’d buy the Mav and park it in his 8-car garage next to the Bentley.

I am continually surprised how smooth the Ridgeline is to drive and how quiet. Sorry you have some rattles and whatnot, but mine is seriously quiet, even quieter than the GF’s Volvo.

I never drive the RL and think, drives OK for a truck. It just drives great. I have been willing to put up with BOF rides in my trucks in the past, but I am spoiled with the Ridgeline.

For a 30K or less truck I think the Mav is a great vehicle. I particularly like the light blue, which Honda seems to have borrowed for the Pilot. As stated it would be a good starter truck for a kid. No way would I pay a huge markup on a Maverick, nor a Ridgeline for that matter.

 

The lack of a trunk in the bed would kill it for me. Whomever makes a serious competitor to the RL better think long and hard about that feature...

 

Not many are willing to give up a deep walled bed. Depends on need, but yeah that keeps me in the Ridgeline for now, too.

 

HUN has a truck just like the RL with many of the same features..

2026 Santa Cruz | Sport Adventure Vehicle | Hyundai USA

Discover the 2026 Santa Cruz, a Sport Adventure Vehicle that combines the comfort of an SUV with the open utility of a truck bed. Build one at Hyundai USA!

www.hyundaiusa.com

 

HUN has a truck just like the RL with many of the same features..

2026 Santa Cruz | Sport Adventure Vehicle | Hyundai USA

Discover the 2026 Santa Cruz, a Sport Adventure Vehicle that combines the comfort of an SUV with the open utility of a truck bed. Build one at Hyundai USA!

www.hyundaiusa.com

The Santa Cruz is interesting, and no doubt a fun, sporty vehicle, but it's nowhere near the Ridgeline in terms of size and truck capabilities.

 

Interesting comparison, thanks for sharing! I come here to learn more about the Ridgeline as a possible replacement for my Bronco Sport, platform mate to the Maverick, yet there are areas where Ford does alright. Appreciate the honest comparison. I find the seats uncomfortable (presumably the same seats the Maverick uses) & the vehicle overall a size too small for my liking, even if what I thought I’d need for the city. I value the technology & infotainment though, which as you found was better in the Ford. At the end of hte day though, I think someone pointed out already, do what makes you happy. As life is too short to worry much about a vehicle.

 

I didn't test drive, but we did go visit a Maverick when they first came out as we were curious about this offering. They are a tad too small for my needs, but I am surprised to hear you thought the interior was of a better fit/finish. I thought it felt very plasticly and some of the interior was more misaligned than in my RL. Unfortunately, I don't remember what trim I saw, but if it were a bare bones base model, that may have been the reason. Being one of the first run vehicles could have also contributed to what felt like loose assembly... and it still had a 5k markup.

 

I have seen, and driven a maverick, and like you thought the interior felt very cheaply made. My daughter was with me, and commented on the interior also " This feels like a toy from the dollar store".
Anyway, it was a hard pass for me, and hence why I drive Ridgeline now.

 

Nissan dealer in the area a couple weeks ago. 5K markup on a Frontier. No thank you!

 

Wow!

It's a nissan, they should be selling it for $25,000 off.

 

I thought the crazy markups went away with 2022 but consumers must be paying else it wouldn’t be happening.

 

I think some consumers are starting to wake up to how stupid that is and going to brands\dealers that are not adding markups. The sales guy kept talking about how much interest they've had in that Maverick but they all passed due to the markup. I expressed that I'd consider buying it if they got rid\reduced of the markup but they wouldn't do it. Whatever, fine by me, I'll take my business elsewhere. It's not like the Mav is some super magical really cool rare truck, it's neat but is a budget truck for sure and not worth a markup.

 

Im surprised your RL is like that. That would bother me as well.
In comparison my 23’ is super quiet and tight. Ill say its quieter in the cabin then my wife’s 22’ Jaguar.
I know that doesn’t help you any though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I looked at the Maverick a little on the lot, I like Fords, but that just didn't do it for me. Sometimes a person gets that gut feeling and can't quite put a finger on why. Plus, I'm a product of the 80's and it gives me the piss-shivers to think I would want a vehicle named "Maverick".

I think I want to take a look at the 2023 Canyon. I never liked it before, but after the updates the off-road packages look alright. 4x4, deep bed, 310 hp... but I haven't seen it in person, and I haven't been around a GM in years to know if it's garbage or not.

 

@22RTLE That sucks your build quality is lacking. I have a 17 and we did note quite the variation in assembly when car shopping. At the time there was inventory, so we were able to pick the vehicle with the most centered dash. As you pointed out, I'm sure pandemic build quality played a role in all the little issues you are having. Although the Maverick we saw was perhaps not the best specimen, likely also due to pandemic workforce, it did have a better fit an finish than the early 90's Fords.

If it's any consolation, while you are shopping for your next ride, your transmission might have a delay but it probably won't fail like it seems the 6 speeds like to do. lol

 

OP you approached the negotiation all wrong. You care about the net price. That’s it. What if they give you $10k more on your trade-in? A friend’s dad recently was in the market for a new Cadi. He was beside himself on a $300 admin fee. Went to another dealer to buy the EXACT same specd vehicle without admin fee… vehicle cost was $3k more. Ole boy couldn’t stop bragging about avoiding an admin fee. Was really thumpin his chest, too!

 

Interesting observations. My take...I looked at RL's, Mavs, and Tacomas (we had one in the past...an 04?). I was most impressed with the ride, fit and finish (inside and out) of the RL...period...not just for a truck. It's like an airline cockpit in my 23 RTL-E...everything is dead-on flush, and it was by far the quietest of the three...not even close. I'm not really put off by the tech, as it's not a priority for me, but I get it...most feel Honda is behind there. I feel like some folks (not referring to anyone in this thread) are really into the tech to the point that they're more likely to accept drivability issues over tech issues. They're looking for a head unit with a vehicle rather than a vehicle with a head unit. Oh well...I do tons of stuff that others find backward too. I don't drive aggressively, so I didn't pay much attention to that, but I can say that when I need to accelerate hard...it does.
I guess I've been lucky with Hondas. This RL is my fourth Honda since 88, and every one has been like that (two Accords (88/97) and a CRV (06). Is it possible that there is that much variation in QC? I'm not defending my choice, and I agree...you drive what feels good to you...within your budget.
As far as the market adjustment thing...first thing I told my dealer when I walked into the office..."I just want to be clear, Honda has just released their inventory numbers and announced their chip shortage was essentially over. I'm not going to be paying a market adjustment (5K on the Monroney sticker) and I don't need a car. If that's going to be an issue...just let me know and we won't waste your time." I left with a signed contract so...

 

Glad to hear you are happy with your Ridge. I also want to be clear, the Ridgeline is really an amazing truck, there is a reason I purchased it in the first place. It's utility and ride really are top notch and unmatched in this segment. Mine for whatever reason seems to have missed QC checks and has some really annoying things going on which is why I started to look in the first place. Since you can't get Mav's without ordering one and the next-gen ridge is still a ways away, I'll probably just end up trying to work through addressing the issues with my Ridge as painful as that may be.

We'll see though, the Mav would make a good first vehicle for my kid when he starts driving in a few years so that's a factor as well. If order banks open back up later this year I may drop an order for one and ponder what to do while I wait the 12 months for it to be built LOL.

 

Glad you walked away. I would never do business with that dealer again. The same thing happened to me when I bought my 2021 Ridgeline Sport. I finally found a dealer (AutoNation) that was selling a MSRP. All the others in Northern VA were adding on $5-7K. Well AutoNation has my business for life. Period.

 

Wouldn't buy any Ford product at this time, they have money problems, production quality issues, as well as parts supply shortages.
trainman

 

I haven't had any issues with my RL so far, except for the non-functioning wireless charger! The build quality, the ride, the overall handling is excellent in my opinion. Speaking to dealer adjustments, the local Honda dealer in my town had a $3000 up charge that he would not budge from. I said thanks but no thanks. I drove to a larger city near me, Phoenix AZ, and found exactly what I was looking for, color and interior, and with no dealer markup. In fact he discounted it by $2000 and it was still in transit. So sometimes you need to widen your search area to find the deal that will work for you.

 

I did not read every post on this thread, but I will tell you that I can’t stand the looks of those Ford mavericks. I know that it’s just a personal opinion, some people can’t stand it looks of the Ridgeline either. But I really don’t like the looks of that Maverick, so it’s an absolute no for me. Sometimes a vehicle comes along that I (just my opinion) just could not drive, and that’s one of them. That said they could be a great truck.

 

Same opinion. The Maverick looks to me like some kind of cheap fleet vehicle used by mall police. Based on demand, clearly many others love the truck (FAR more demand than Ridgeline), although I suspect much of that is due to the $23K starting price. Of course the Ridgeline gets lots of hate while I think they are great looking trucks, so beauty is in the eye of the beholder ... I also think pugs are good looking dogs, while many others think they look terrible and aren't "real" dogs ... hmmm, I see a pattern here with my preferences

 

'nuf said

 

@Cabman Looks like new model growing pains. I have 5 recalls on my 2017.

 

I too don't love the Mav's looks. But I do like it's lower entry price point (if you can find a cheap one).

 

A Baja-style roll bar / light bar behind the cab might make the Mav look better, but the inside acute angles would need to be rounded at the same radius as the truck's bolsters.

 

I wonder if some people wonder about Ridgeline owners’ thoughts about their Ridgelines.

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/ford/maverick/reliability

 

Ridgeline scored 80 in comparison to Maverick's 81, but I thought Mav had a bunch of recalls and TSBs last year?

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/honda/ridgeline/reliability

Ridgeline did score #1 overall to Maverick's #4:

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/honda/ridgeline

 

Just a update. I've given up on trying to find\order a Maverick for now. I've tried working with around a dozen dealers in and out of state and they all have been fairly horrible to deal with. All want $5-10K markups and used ones are at least $5K over what they originally MSRP'd for. The only way this truck makes any logical sense is at or below MSRP. Forget it, they're not worth the hassle or the money.

I may order a 2024 if order banks open back up but I'm kind of soured on the brand now so I'm not sure I even want one anymore.