Good watch as most of his stuff is. I did have to add some additional info in the comments. It's always disappointing when someone reviews a vehicle but you can clearly tell they have no interest in it and didn't do any due diligence before their review.

 

I loved how Doug said they are just starting to arrive , he must have done this video months ago

 

@Trackrider54 I would agree with your assessment. I've watched his other reviews and have long wondered how he's react to the Ridgeline. I wish he had the RTL-E instead of the HPD. I don't disagree with his thoughts regarding the HPD badging and attempt to make the truck what it isn't. Unfortunately, that condescending attitude came through for the rest of the review and was unable to focus on what the Ridgeline does incredibly well. Many of the items he wished for would have been included with the RTL-E, and the price wouldn't have been that different than what he quoted for the HPD.

 

That is what I put in my comment on the video. For $40k you could get a much more nicely appointed Ridgeline than the Sport. What he did was review a vehicle outside of it's intended purpose. It would be like reviewing a Porsche 911 and complaining about how small the rear seats are and the lack of storage space.

The Ridgeline is unique. There is no other vehicle on the market that equals it. Some people have a difficult time judging a unique item. They want to compare it to everything else. The Ridgeline is not a comparable vehicle to other mid size trucks simply because it offers things they do not. While the other trucks may tow more and be better offroad..that's really all they have over the Ridgeline. All the other factors the Ridgeline is the better vehicle. Why can't reviewers figure that out?

Well...I say that...but it took me a good year or so to even consider a Ridgeline. I was in the "it's not a real truck" crowd and only looked at one after a friend of mine asked me to drive their G1 Ridgeline on a 4hr trip hauling a motorcycle in the back. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it.

 

I think he did a fine job comparing it to what it is, an SUV with a bed instead of an enclosed rear. He mentions it in there many times. Rides and has an interior like an SUV with a back end that is open and less practical unless you need to haul big stuff. Pretty much spot on. No one other than Honda Fan Boys consider it a truck, its a CRUCK. Just something you have to overcome if you are worried about your image and status thinking you were in the big boy truck club going with the RL.

 

The Honda Ridgeline meets the dictionary definition of truck.

 

If the Ridgeline, Santa Cruz, and Maverick aren't "trucks" then what are they?

 

If we were in Australia, I think they, along with all the "mid-size" trucks would simply be grouped together as "Utes" if Honda built a right-hand drive model to sell there that is...

All this "NART" stuff is just American testosterone truck-nuts crazy.

The best selling vehicle in Australia is a diesel Ute: the Toyota HiLux.

Granted these are all BOF, but I can't imagine the same level of condescension there since their decades long love affair with the Ute included single cab big V8 unibody vehicles that have now gone out of production.

I mean look at this beast with a bed:

...who cares if it's "not a real truck" when you're comfortably doing massive burnouts leaving the home improvement store with a few bags of mulch and some plants?

 

Well, that was disappointing and ,to me, a bit prejudice.

 

Really not fair reviewing the truck with the HPD package. I don’t think he really wanted to do a review on the Ridgeline but found the sport was available and it just worked out that way. Then he sees the price and his review is out of context because he never relates dollar for dollar of each trim package. He just gets stuck on the cost of the HPD Sport all inclusive and neglects to comment on the virtues of other trims available and what they offer. He does like the Gen 1 though so he isn’t that bad!

 

He does like the Gen 1 though so he isn’t that bad!

I got all giddy when he expressed his desire of the G1 over the G2.

 

Honda is making a mistake by pushing out the overpriced HPD package equipped sport, the price of which one could buy a better equipped RTL or RTL-E, for reviews. It would be a different story if the HPD were anything other than an appearance package. It should have at least had some extra capability even if that were just A/T tires and a leveling kit.
I like Doug but he really didn’t seem to want to do this review. I don’t think he dislikes it he just can’t hide his disinterest in it.

 

I like Doug but he really didn’t seem to want to do this review. I don’t think he dislikes it he just can’t hide his disinterest in it.

He has indicated, in many of his videos, that he waits out and only reviews vehicles & specific trims (and colors) that 'he' chooses. Applying his logic to his own videos, I am compelled to believe that he did it on his own and probably had to film something or poke something with a stick.

Some of his videos are good, some are dry. Unlike Redline Reviews or SavageGeese, whose videos, regardless of what they review, are very consistent.

 

Yeah - it's really hard to review vehicles you're uninterested in and make them sound appealing. Well, maybe not for John Davis.

 

John Davis is the consummate professional car reviewer and practically invented the video car review. I've been watching Motorweek since the first season. I was 9 years old and still playing with my Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars. Cars were my world back then. I memorized every spec for every car no matter how mundane. I could see a car driving down the road and tell you it's HP, torque, and 0-60 time.

 

No VTEC laugh. That was a miss by Mr. Doug It is ok, he now has a cameo in the crazy Audi water balloon fight video