Confused and dissapointed

4624 Views 28 Replies 16 Participants Last post by UnicornKaz, Aug 22, 2016

Ridgekid

Discussion Starter · Aug 18, 2016

After doing research and going to see a new Ridgeline, I am more confused. Sorry if my questions have been discussed here but I haven't been able to answer my questions.
I have a 2007 RTS and there are things that I would like on a new Ridge but it seems that I have to go to the RTL-E to get them. In addition, I don't understand some of the features so here goes.

Is the sliding rear window only available on the E and the Black? I use it often for long items including fishing poles

Heated mirrors ? Only again on E and Black?

I don't understand what it means if you dont get AWD. Is there an equivalent to what my 2007 has, four wheel drive on demand?
If you don't get AWD is the tow capacity only 3500 lbs???

I use my truck for pleasure and for working and don't need all the fancy doodads .
I really walked away really dissapointed. I wanted more towing capacity , a longer bed option, and heated mirrors but I didn't expect to have to spend almost $45k.

1 - 20 of 29 Posts

phineas

· #2 · Aug 18, 2016 (Edited)

Ridgekid said:
After doing research and going to see a new Ridgeline, I am more confused. Sorry if my questions have been discussed here but I haven't been able to answer my questions.
I have a 2007 RTS and there are things that I would like on a new Ridge but it seems that I have to go to the RTL-E to get them. In addition, I don't understand some of the features so here goes.

Is the sliding rear window only available on the E and the Black? I use it often for long items including fishing poles

Heated mirrors ? Only again on E and Black?

I don't understand what it means if you dont get AWD. Is there an equivalent to what my 2007 has, four wheel drive on demand?
If you don't get AWD is the tow capacity only 3500 lbs???

I use my truck for pleasure and for working and don't need all the fancy doodads .
I really walked away really dissapointed. I wanted more towing capacity , a longer bed option, and heated mirrors but I didn't expect to have to spend almost $45k.

If you lived in Canada, a lot of the stuff that you need to get to the RTL-E for is available at lower levels. So that's always an option. :grin:

I think the whole forum agrees with you about the rear window, even folks like me who have an RTL-E. I think there should be a manual window option at the very least. The RTL-E has an electric rear window, which is nice and all. But a manual window would've been fine in my book. To have a pickup truck without such a window through most of the trim levels is a huge mistake.

Most trucks have part-time four-wheel-drive. The Ridgeline doesn't offer that. Your choices are front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD). With AWD, traction to all four wheels is always available, if needed. The Ridgeline uses a pretty good set of electronics to control wheel slip and ultimately maximize traction. It's yet to have an objective, comprehensive off-road test by an independent authority. We're going to see those soon though. But bottom line, if off-roading is your thing, the Ridgeline is most likely not the best choice for you.

And yes, FWD-only Ridgelines are rated at 3500 pounds for towing. It's 5000 pounds for AWD.

Last I checked, the Tacoma didn't have heated mirrors at all. You might want to check out the Canyon/Colorado, which have the tow rating of 7000 pounds. The Tacoma is a little less than that as I recall, around 6500 from memory. The Tacoma definitely comes in longer bed configurations both with and without the double cab.

You should look at the Ridgeline bed carefully; it's a lot more functional than the Tacoma short bed. Yes, it's very shallow, which bothered me a lot before I bought it. But when it comes to real-world loading, I've been getting a lot more stuff in the back of the Ridgeline than I ever did in my Tacomas. (That's especially true if you include the trunk.) Having an almost fully flat floor that's 5 feet wide is a bigger deal than I realized.

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JJ13

· #3 · Aug 18, 2016

Ridgekid said:
Heated mirrors ? Only again on E and Black?

Heated mirrors are on the RTL-T as well.

tinsoldier

· #4 · Aug 18, 2016

There is also the moonroof too that is only available in the RTL-E and BE.

S.T.U.V

· #5 · Aug 18, 2016

I know its dumb but sometimes to have one item you need another item installed...Like for example heated mirrors and a sunroof only come on a higher model together because the harness is in the same loom that feeds them both. This is just a made up scenario...I ran into something like this years ago but cant remember what it was...

I can see maybe if the rtl-e had a sub and a power rear window that both those would run in the same harness so it would only be beneficial for production costs(obviously not the consumer) to have them both in the vehicle..Maybe?

Border411

· #6 · Aug 18, 2016

Heated mirrors are on all AWD models.

Reactions: 1

phineas

· #7 · Aug 18, 2016

S.T.U.V said:
I know its dumb but sometimes to have one item you need another item installed...Like for example heated mirrors and a sunroof only come on a higher model together because the harness is in the same loom that feeds them both. This is just a made up scenario...I ran into something like this years ago but cant remember what it was...

I can see maybe if the rtl-e had a sub and a power rear window that both those would run in the same harness so it would only be beneficial for production costs(obviously not the consumer) to have them both in the vehicle..Maybe?

Well, for sure, the sunroof and the rear window go together, they have integrated user controls and I'm sure a shared mini harness branch in the roof. That's the reason why I was saying that it should probably be a manual rear window on other trims. That of course, would give them three SKUs for the rear window. I can't recall whether the RTL-T and lower trims have a rear window defroster, but I'm betting they don't.

Blueboy

· #8 · Aug 18, 2016

phineas said:
Well, for sure, the sunroof and the rear window go together, they have integrated user controls and I'm sure a shared mini harness branch in the roof. That's the reason why I was saying that it should probably be a manual rear window on other trims. That of course, would give them three SKUs for the rear window. I can't recall whether the RTL-T and lower trims have a rear window defroster, but I'm betting they don't.

RTL-T has rear window defroster. Has much stuff the E has except for some of the nanny systems.

speedlever

· #9 · Aug 18, 2016

AWD is standard ONLY on the -E and BE models. Otherwise, AWD is an option.

Are heated mirrors part of the package if you have some lesser trim than E or BE but have the AWD option? IE, does the RTS/AWD have heated mirrors?

Here's a Honda page where you can browse the different trim lines:
http://automobiles.honda.com/ridgeline

Bockstar

· #10 · Aug 18, 2016

speedlever said:
Are heated mirrors part of the package if you have some lesser trim than E or BE but have the AWD option? IE, does the RTS/AWD have heated mirrors?

According to Hondas site heated mirrors comes with AWD on RTL and RTL-T.

TommyDeVito

· #11 · Aug 18, 2016

Bockstar said:
According to Hondas site heated mirrors comes with AWD on RTL and RTL-T.

I think you are right. Heated seats = heated mirrors. Heated steering wheel is still a $500 option.

Dman77

· #12 · Aug 18, 2016

Honda is weird in the way they package things. My AWD RTL-T comes with heated side mirrors. Yes, the sliding rear window is only on the E or Black but is that really a "make it or break it" deal on a truck. I mean you could go get a tacoma or a colorado with a sliding rear window, but then you get that "truck like" driving experience which not much of us want that's why we already have or own a Ridgeline.

speedlever

· #13 · Aug 18, 2016

Bockstar said:
According to Hondas site heated mirrors comes with AWD on RTL and RTL-T.

So no heated side mirrors on RT, Sport or RTS models with AWD?

lslick23

· #14 · Aug 18, 2016

phineas said:
Well, for sure, the sunroof and the rear window go together, they have integrated user controls and I'm sure a shared mini harness branch in the roof. That's the reason why I was saying that it should probably be a manual rear window on other trims. That of course, would give them three SKUs for the rear window. I can't recall whether the RTL-T and lower trims have a rear window defroster, but I'm betting they don't.

My RTS has a rear window defroster so I'm thinking all trims do.

Bockstar

· #15 · Aug 18, 2016

speedlever said:
So no heated side mirrors on RT, Sport or RTS models with AWD?

Not if you believe Honda.

FTM1

· #16 · Aug 19, 2016

Ridgekid said:
After doing research and going to see a new Ridgeline, I am more confused. Sorry if my questions have been discussed here but I haven't been able to answer my questions.
I have a 2007 RTS and there are things that I would like on a new Ridge but it seems that I have to go to the RTL-E to get them. In addition, I don't understand some of the features so here goes.

Is the sliding rear window only available on the E and the Black? I use it often for long items including fishing poles

Heated mirrors ? Only again on E and Black?

I don't understand what it means if you dont get AWD. Is there an equivalent to what my 2007 has, four wheel drive on demand?
If you don't get AWD is the tow capacity only 3500 lbs???

I use my truck for pleasure and for working and don't need all the fancy doodads .
I really walked away really dissapointed. I wanted more towing capacity , a longer bed option, and heated mirrors but I didn't expect to have to spend almost $45k.

All Generation 1 Ridgeline models had the same Variable Torque Management 4-Wheel Drive System.
The 2017 Generation 2 Ridgeline comes in Front Wheel/2WD model like your average FWD Honda car & has a tow rating of 3,500LBS it also comes with push button Intelligent Traction Management = optimize handling for that type of terrain 2WD only gets Normal & Snow mode don't get confused with this terminology here there is a difference. The 2017 AWD Ridgeline G2 is different from the G1 Ridgeline. So AWD version has tow rating 5,000LBS
AWD version has (I-VTM4)AWD System Intelligent Variable Torque Management So this has a Torque Vectoring rear differential (like Acura MDX & Pilot if needed can transfer torque in moment to rear wheel aids in handling sending power to the outside rear wheels like when cornering to reduce turning radius or reverse torque vectoring boosting it to the inside while changing lanes at highway speeds to improve stability see Honda/Acura Torque Vectoring to understand. The AWD version also gets Intelligent Traction Management but the difference on it from FWD model is it has Normal/Snow /Mud/Sand to optimize handling for that type of terrain.

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Ridgekid

Discussion Starter · #17 · Aug 19, 2016

I guess my point was that I expected some things that I didn't like about my 07 RTS to be addressed in the new model. I don't have a rear defogger and never needed one. I do use the rear sliding power window often.
The side mirrors need heaters. In the winter it is often impossible to use mirrors due to ice or fog. I don't need or want a sun roof. It's just something to break when I put a load on the roof.
My current RTS has a 5000 lb towing capacity and I was hoping for more, not less.
I currently use the manual 4WD when I haul my boat on the ramp and in high snow mounds. I don't off road

I just expected improvements or at least more options at the lower trim levels. I am not sure what Honda built. An upscale ' tricked out truck' or a vehicle that is a truck but does a good job at being a personal vehicle. I was expecting the latter.

Nutbread

· #18 · Aug 20, 2016

Ridgekid said:
My current RTS has a 5000 lb towing capacity and I was hoping for more, not less.

Does the new Ridgeline have less?

speedlever

· #19 · Aug 20, 2016

Nutbread said:
Does the new Ridgeline have less?

The FWD versions are 3500 lbs towing.

The AWD versions are 5000 lbs towing.

Nutbread

· #20 · Aug 21, 2016

speedlever said:
The FWD versions are 3500 lbs towing.

The AWD versions are 5000 lbs towing.

So the answer to my question is no. The fact that the 2WD has a lower rating is irrelevant. Apples to Apples the tow rating on the Ridgeline didn't drop. Not every configuration of the F 150 is rated to tow 12,200 lbs but ask someone what the tow rating of the F 150 is and I'll bet they give the max.

1 - 20 of 29 Posts

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