[aljodo]

Anybody comment on the driving dynamics:
1. Steering feel
2. Throttle tip-in
3. Shifting performance accelerating full and partial throttle
4. Descending performance how does the logic work in real world conditions
5. Proper gear selection
6. Brake travel and bite
7. Braking nose dive
8. Towing performance
9. Loaded handling
10. Electronic stability control system - ability to power through scenarios requiring wheel spin such as mud or snow
11. Cylinder deactivation – can it be turned off, seamless in day to day driving

I cannot believe type of things:
1. Reports of engine generated whine heard in the stereo system.
2. Tailgate opening mechanism adjustment issues
3. Build quality issues in general
4. Power opening rear window failures

I would appreciate any comments to these items. Thanks

 

[Doobiewah]

Anybody comment on the driving dynamics:
1. Steering feel
2. Throttle tip-in
3. Shifting performance accelerating full and partial throttle
4. Descending performance how does the logic work in real world conditions
5. Proper gear selection
6. Brake travel and bite
7. Braking nose dive
8. Towing performance
9. Loaded handling
10. Electronic stability control system - ability to power through scenarios requiring wheel spin such as mud or snow
11. Cylinder deactivation – can it be turned off, seamless in day to day driving

I cannot believe type of things:
1. Reports of engine generated whine heard in the stereo system.
2. Tailgate opening mechanism adjustment issues
3. Build quality issues in general
4. Power opening rear window failures

I would appreciate any comments to these items. Thanks

Driving dynamics are truly an individualistic thing, IMO. For me, I was coming out of a '16 Tacoma 4x4 Ltd and it was night and day. We had also just finished a long test drive of a loaded short bed 4x4 Canyon with the 3.6. The RL was amazing compared to both, for both me and my wife. Handles amazingly well, smooth acceleration and trans. Good power band. Excellent braking. Can't speak to towing; however, a few have posted here on ROC about positive experiences. Have you watched many of the youtube videos available from various testers? Some really good information, there about some of your handling questions. None of us, yet, have had a chance to drive it in the snow. As to cylinder deactivation, it supposedly happens; however, I certainly can't tell (unlike the old cadillac V8, where you could actually feel it.)

As to your concerns:

1) I have tried to find that whine in my system, and can't hear it at all during any type of input (radio/sat/cd/bluetooth streaming).
2) No tailgate issues here and none on the 4 at my dealership that I played with.
3) I have looked for each and every one of the 'issues' that people have posted here and elsewhere and have found not a single problem with my build (yet, of course..). My wife and I looked long and hard (salesman said he'd never had anyone go over a vehicle as closely as we did) and could find no match to what some others have said.
4) No rear window power failures here and I haven't read that it is a major issue.

Just in comparison, go to tacomaworld and start reading about all of the issues plaguing the '16 Tacoma. Now, THAT truck has some problems. Overall, I think that the QC on this truck is amazing.

JMHO.

Robert

 

[northernlights]

I would think its to new of a vehicle to get any kind of response. Its only been made to the real world for a couple weeks. But like any vehicle there will be issues and theyll have to make that Problems and Issue thread 2017 Gen 2 if they havent already.

 

[daddy-o]

I will tell you my experience in the 2017 Sport. First a bit of history about me. I have a 2005 dodge dakota that I still love to drive, but gas is killing me with a v8. I have a family that includes two teenage kids. I have been looking for a new truck since around mid 2015. Not enough headroom or not enough room in the back seats was the typical issues. I do not want or need a full size truck. I have test driven colorado, canyon, tacoma, frontier, just for giggles the f150. My wife has a 2015 rav4. This ridgeline hits all the marks. Headroom is great, backseat legroom is good, seats are comfortable.
The drive I took was about 30 minutes, roads from a 25mph to 75mph limit. Shift points seemed to be right on. Steering was amazingly smooth. Braking, it grabs like any other vehicle, I didn't slam them but I did make a short stop. Of course it did make a little nose dive, but nothing out of the ordinary for a hard brake. Of all the vehicles I have driven and of all the ones I passed on, I have found a winner with this truck. I have not purchased yet, but I plan too real soon.

 

[northernlights]

Brand new vehicles are nice and tight arent they.

 

[Doobiewah]

Brand new vehicles are nice and tight arent they.

OK, story provided to me by the sale manager at my dealership, so take it with a grain of salt:

He was in the completely last group to go through the Texas Ranch test drives with the RL, the Colorado, and the Tacoma. He had worked on the Toyota side of the dealership for 3 years and is a big Tacoma fan. He said that Honda told them all to just beat the vehicles up testing them, nothing but bare minimum safety rules on the driving loops. He was surprised at how the RL was rattle free when he drove several of them and that the Toyota and the Chevy rattled, creaked, and moaned throughout the test course. Said he wanted to speak with me, since I was trading a '16 Tacoma in and he sold hundreds of new '16 Tacoma's and thought they were great. We had a long conversation and he felt that the RL was actually, overall, and except for hard-core off-road prowess, a better vehicle than the new Tacoma.

Again, take this with a grain of salt; however, I was truly impressed IF the RL got beaten up along with the Chevy and Taco and came out of it still tight as a drum...

 

[jstanfi1]

I've driven my RTL-E about 1000 miles this past week (90 mile one way commute, 90% 2-lane highway)


1. Steering feel

Very good. More car-like than the G1, for better or worse. I think this is purely a matter of taste.

2. Throttle tip-in

With the ECON mode off, it's very solid and smooth. The truck feels powerful. With ECON mode on, it feels like a 4 cyl...it gets the job done but you feel like you have to work it.

3. Shifting performance accelerating full and partial throttle

Shifting is excellent as best I can tell, both up and down.

4. Descending performance how does the logic work in real world conditions

Too much flat ground here in Indiana to say.

5. Proper gear selection

Seems great.

6. Brake travel and bite

Seems perfect to me, but again, this is pretty subjective.

7. Braking nose dive

Minimal but noticable on a hard stop, especially with the CMBS

8. Towing performance

Much, much, MUCH better than the G1. Towing our 5000# of trailer and boat the truck isn't working near as hard, and the mpg is better too. You feel the stability from the 3" of extra wheelbase compared to the G1 too.

9. Loaded handling

Unknown.

10. Electronic stability control system - ability to power through scenarios requiring wheel spin such as mud or snow

Unknown.

11. Cylinder deactivation – can it be turned off, seamless in day to day driving

Haven't noticed it at all, so I guess it's pretty minor, but no, it can't be deactivated.

I cannot believe type of things:
1. Reports of engine generated whine heard in the stereo system.
2. Tailgate opening mechanism adjustment issues
3. Build quality issues in general
4. Power opening rear window failures

My VIN is #2300 and I've had zero issues so far other than a small dash rattle that I've reported and scheduled for service in a couple weeks when the timing is more convenient for me. None of the other issues some have reported.

 

[CCDAstro]

4. Descending performance how does the logic work in real world conditions

Too much flat ground here in Indiana to say.

I have to go to the other side of the Cascades to pick mine up so will have a look at this.

 

[jstanfi1]

Ha! Yeah that'll be a better test. I do have some small hills at the lake when I'm towing, and it seemed to handle those very well, so I suspect you'll be pleased!

 

[ReadyKilowatt]

I took a short test drive on Thursday. Found the brakes a little softer than I'm used to but they did slow the vehicle down. I didn't feel the "knee" where I can normally feel the brakes grab and modulate them like in other vehicles. Ran it through a small roundabout a little faster than I would in my F150 work truck and it felt like my Audi. Noticed the tach was sitting below 2000 RPM at 65 MPH (which is about where my TDI sits), but was able to pick right back up when passing. I'm sure there was more transmission activity going on than in my diesel, but I didn't notice it. Not sure if the cylinders deactivated or not.

They used Time Lord technology in the cab because it really felt bigger on the inside than the F150 work truck (not just because of the crew cab, just overall felt bigger in the front seat area).

 

[runsondiesel]

Not sure if the cylinders deactivated.

On my wife's '13 RDX I can tell the VCM is in 3 cylinder mode by looking at the instant mpg. 27 mpg or so in 6 cylinder mode and 32 mpg in 3 cylinder mode. I also feel something similar to an additional shift, or an old style lock-up torque converter engaging. Above 65 mph I don't find that it stays in 3 cylinder mode enough to help mpg much. Reports are that this new generation VCM is seamless. I'm hopeful.