[25 Year Honda Owner]

In 2005 we had the choice between the RT, RTS, RTL w/o SR, and RTL/SR for 4 options; dropped the RTL w/o SR and later they added the Sport so we still had 4 options, A few years ago along came the RTL/SE so we now had 5 options, all AWD. Now we still have the RT, RTS, Sport, RTL, and RTL" T" in 2 WD and AWD for 10 options. Add the RTL "E" and Black addition in AWD only and we now hove 12 options. Sorry, I just don't understand the logic behind the sudden change in options.

 

[larryr]

Marketing - Someone is going to want one of the choices.

Too bad that the color palette is so poor. That is where I see a marketing problem - too many shades of white, black and greys.

 

[alevenso]

Someone figured out with more options comes more profit - its all about a bottom line.

 

[25 Year Honda Owner]

It seems like a production line nightmare to me. Can't think of any other 'same' body style that has that many options.

 

[outdoorliving]

It seems like a production line nightmare to me. Can't think of any other 'same' body style that has that many options.

Go to your local Ford/GM/Dodge dealer. Pick out a truck, pick your trim level, pick what engine you prefer, what packages do you want (i.e.,tech package to get a GPS, winter package to get heated seats, convenience package to get all the electronic goodies you thought were standard)

There could be a $10k swing on two different F150 xlt models.

I think Honda's system is MUCH more simplified than the majority of other manufacturers out there.

 

[zroger73]

Even 12 "configurations" (not counting color combinations) is still orders of magnitude simpler than, say, Ford.

I challenge you to find two, identical Ford trucks unless they were ordered at the same time for one customer's fleet use. Not only do you have multiple engine choices, but different cab configurations, bed lengths, drive wheels, axle ratio, option packages, individual options...the number of variations for the "same" truck is virtually endless. There are literally tens of thousands of possible combinations.

The total possible number of trim, drive, and color combinations from the factory for the 2017 Ridgeline is exactly 67 - each person who buys one will have one of 67 unique combinations of interior/exterior color, number of drive wheels, and trim level. Broken down by each model...

4 RT
10 RTS
2 Sport
20 each RTL, RTL-T
10 RTL-E
1 Black Edition

EDIT: Just looked at the Ford website. The F-150 has...

3 cabs - regular, supercab, supercrew
3 boxes - 5.5', 6.5', 8'
4 engines - V6, V8, and two turbo V6s
2 drive systems
8 different types and ratios of rear axles!!!
6 different trim levels XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited
13+ different paint colors - even more combinations since some are available in two-tone
multiple interior colors
dozens of option packages and individual options

See why no two F-150s are ever identical? Of course, with so many of them on the road, there has to be a variety or they'd all look like a fleet of taxis, work trucks, or police cars.

 

[cccbock]

It's all marketing driven as was mentioned. Not everybody likes more options, but nearly everybody complains when they don't have any options. It is the way of our world today. And as was also mentioned...huge profit motive.

On the production line, everything is component based. Plug in this or that option into the harness and away you go. They schedule manufacture of similar trims at the same time so the line doesn't need any changes at all really, only specific components. Like truck bed audio for example, they would build all those orders at the same time. So the few components that differ from the standard build would all be installed at the same time. The bed panels, head unit, switches, and appropriate harness all installed at the appropriate position on the line. Plug and play. A little more logistics, a lot more money.

 

[oarnold]

Confuse the customer until they hand over their wallet.