Good!
The V6 is more than enough power, and Honda really has no need for a V8. I have now filled up 5 times since I got my Ridge, and my average overall MPG is 19.0, and that is easily 75%+ city driving. And when you step on the gas pedal, it really moves out once it hits about 5,000 RPM's. It has the muscle to tow, and kept right there with the "Big 3's" V8 engines in the tests.
There is no other V8 on the market you could slap in the Ridge and have it get this good of gas mileage, and perform this well. I'm more than happy with the performance of this truck. I think more than anthing its a media thing to say "We've got a V8 with 300+HP".
Woopty doo! Its similar to listening to people on the CR-V forums talk about how they want a V-6 in there, for what??? The I4 performs the same (if not a little better) than the V6 in the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute, and gets 22 MPG city!
Its just the way a lot of us Americans think, too many want the big displacement numbers. Yeah Honda's have smaller engines, and they rev higher to hit peak HP, but they almost always provide the same (if not better) performance, usually better MPG, and are more reliable.
I'm perfectly secure in my manhood of my *small* 3.5 liter V6!
