Honda Ridgeline Owners Club Forums banner
Cancel

If given a choice buying Gen 1, which engine would you have preferred?

  • Traditional V6 (VTEC, no VCM)

    Votes: 7 20.6%

  • Efficiency V6 (VCM, idle stop, etc)

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • Turbo 4-cylinder

    Votes: 2 5.9%

  • High Output Gas V8 (like Ford Coyote 302)

    Votes: 10 29.4%

  • Turbodiesel (4 or 6 cylinder)

    Votes: 13 38.2%

  • Prius-like hybrid

    Votes: 1 2.9%
  • Total voters
    34
  • Poll closed .

How Many Would Have Bought a V8 Ridgeline?

2352 Views 11 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  Dnick, 
Uncle Festus
Imagine we lived in an alternate universe where Honda had optional engines when you went in and bought your Gen 1 Ridgeline. Which of the following engine choices would you have preferred? Please vote...
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
speedlever
I chose the V8 version simply because while the current V6 is adequate, I believe the V8 would provide similar fuel efficiency but be more driveable from a low rpm torque perspective.

The negative would likely be difficulty in servicing the V8 shoehorned into the RL. Also assuming that VTM-4 operation would be unaffected.... which is not realistic.

I know Honda loves high revving engines. But for normal driving, I prefer more low rpm torque than the current J35 motor delivers. Especially in a truck.
Reply
Save
Like
C
I voted V8 also. Most likely due to that is what I am most comfortable with. If I knew diesel better, I might have gone that way.

I agree with what Speed said. Generally the current 3.5 V6 is plenty of motor for the RL. There are about 10 or 12 days a year I wish for a big beefy truck that can pull stumps from the side of the mountain but the other 97% of the time the RL does everything I truly need. I wish it had a lower gear sometimes.
Reply
Save
Like
W
Torn between a V8 and a turbo diesel.
Reply
Save
Like
coolbob
I'm very pleased with the current engine, it could use a bit more torque off the line, but otherwise suits my needs for power and efficiency quite well.

For the new RL I'd like to see a direct-injection, higher compression V6 (much more torque without a loss in efficiency) with 8 or more gears (granny gear would give a good launch, higher ratio at the top-end would give better mileage).

As long as I'm wishing, I'd like to see an Acura version with better fit&finish, more sound isolation and a more upscale interior and an upscale sound system with CarPlay.
Reply
Save
Like
Smokey619
I got to go V8, just something about them that it makes them more powerful, and that exhaust note is just the best. Maybe in the future, probably not.
Reply
Save
Like
rollinhonda
Based on the most modern engines, a 'small' V8 with the same mpg as the present Ridgeline would not be acceptable, IMO. I would expect at least a 2mpg improvement.
It if was geared right and super efficient it would not have to work as hard as the V6 does today. So I don't think that is an unrealistic expectation. But the next gen actually having a V8 would be!!
Reply
Save
Like
I
I'm the weirdo who voted for the Prius-style hybrid. Here, I'm assuming that in a pickup truck, engineers would still do the necessary changes and tuning for a truck applications of hauling and towing (as they did in real life with existing Honda engines and transmissions for the Ridgeline). So, it wouldn't just scale down for high efficiency under low load, but would scale up for high output under high load.

This would be the best solution for those of us who use the Ridgeline as not just a truck, but also as a daily driver and errand vehicle. I ended up doing far more urban driving than expected with my Ridgeline, and a gasoline hybrid would be much more efficient for short trips. I would go one step further and have a switch to force all-electric mode for when I know that I just need to go two blocks, but weather or health keep me from walking.

Also quite suitable (maybe better, but not on the voting list here) would be the AWD hybrid as promised by the Honda Earth Dreams literature from 2011, with conventional FWD and electric RWD, manually selectable. Sadly, nothing good ever seems to get reported about Honda's several generations of hybrid systems. Toyota appears to be the only one building them competently for long term reliability and efficiency in the civilian automobile market.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
4
6-cylinder turbodiesel.

Don't want a V-8 nor a turbo 4 AT ALL!

Std. 6-cylinder (I'd far prefer an inline 6, since this is alternate-universe-land) is very good, but I'd be happy to have auto-shutoff so long as they ditch the 'standard' starter and start it the way a Toyota hybrid car starts the engine.
Reply
Save
Like
Carsmak
I'd love to see the European Honda Diesel, which was out in the mid 2000's. If it's engineering had been allowed to develop, a V-6 & Turbo could have been epic. I know it had engineering issues, but it had promise.

If I had a 2nd choice, I'm with Ian, a Hybrid, such as the new Accord motor plus only electric motors in the rear, on my 3.5 mile drive to work would be great.

There are 3 - 5 v8 powered trucks in the market over the last 10 years, Honda needed to do stuff that was different. Honda is known for fuel efficiency they could have had the first 30+ mpg truck by now
Reply
Save
Like
C
One of the vehicles I test-drove when shopping was the Ford Explorer SportTrac. The one I drove had the V8, and I have to say, the torque was really really nice. Merging onto the highway was effortless.

I now have a V8 in the Lexus, and the torque is still addictive. But the 13.5 mpg is not.

How to get lots of torque in a fuel-efficient package? Hmm. Something like a turbo-diesel, perhaps.

Chip H.
Reply
Save
Like
D
chiph said:
One of the vehicles I test-drove when shopping was the Ford Explorer SportTrac. The one I drove had the V8, and I have to say, the torque was really really nice. Merging onto the highway was effortless.

I now have a V8 in the Lexus, and the torque is still addictive. But the 13.5 mpg is not.

How to get lots of torque in a fuel-efficient package? Hmm. Something like a turbo-diesel, perhaps.

Chip H.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^^^^^^^ ... My sentiments exactly! ! ! !
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Honda Ridgeline Owners Club Forums
Honda Ridgeline Owners Club, forum community to discuss reviews, accessories, performance, care, mods, and more.
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Second Generation Ridgeline (2G 2017+) 1G Problems & Issues Miscellaneous/General Honda Ridgeline Discussions Shoppin' and Test Drivin' 1G Mobile Electronics
Top