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Just how big is the Ridgline?

8K views 39 replies 18 participants last post by  SJMaye 
#1 ·
I have a 2016 F150 Supercrew 4x4. I feel like I am driving and parking a barge. I really like the looks of the Ridgeline. I have not test driven one yet. I thought it was just the right size for me until I looked at the dimensions on paper.

F150 Supercrew Ridgeline
Height 77.2" 70.8" 7" lower
Width 79.9" 78.6" 1" narrower
Length 231.9" 210.0" 22" shorter

Yes, 22" shorter is nothing to sneeze at, but is it enough to make it a pleasure to drive? I think I am looking for a small car with a pickup bed.
 
#3 ·
Ridgeline has a more usable bed then my previous trucks. Bed is easier to access, lower, flat, and the trunk is genius. All wheel drive is outstanding for daily use and excelled in the heavy snow we just got in upstate NY. Comfort level is very good compared full size trucks, much more accessible. Load and tow ratings are more than most people actually need. Much easier to park ! In short the Ridgeline is more than most owners need and a better daily driver.
 
#4 ·
Much easier to park ! In short the Ridgeline is more than most owners need and a better daily driver.
Parking is a big deal to me as well. 9/10 times I have to get back in my f150 to pull up or back to get it in the parking spot correctly. Just so big. I only need a pickup every once in a while to bring home something from the store. I had even thought of buying a sedan and renting when those occasions came up. Right now it is a great relief to me when I get to drive my wife's Accord instead of the F150.
 
#5 ·
I agree with Baddad......One of the best reasons to own a RL is its maneuverability! I had a F-250 TD and a Tundra and both were a pain to get in and out of parking spots, parking garages etc. The RL is perfect for me!!
 
#7 ·
Drive over to your Honda dealer and park your F150 next to a Ridgeline (or drive to a Home Depot and find a Ridgeline to park next to...). The difference may be only inches, but there is a larger apparent difference in real life.

In the late 1990s, the F150 was smaller than today, and the differences weren't as great. I attribute of lot of size differences to hood height and bed height. Modern full-size trucks have just gotten too tall in this regard, especially 4wd models. Part of that is because they need to house larger brake housings to keep up with the towing wars, but you really don't need all of that height and wheel well room if you're not towing 10k lbs or more.

Also, the Ridgeline's unibody comstruction gives it the interior dimensions of a full-size truck with the exterior dimensions of a "largish" mid-size. If you don't believe me, sit in a Tacoma, a Ridgeline and your F150 back-to-back-to-back. ;)
 
#8 ·
It is an incredible difference - especially if you are parking/driving around in urban areas. I don't know how I did it with a full size for so long. Parallel parking is a breeze due to the 22" shorter and narrow parking spots where I could barely squeeze into before are now a comfortable fit. As far as maneuverability - body on frame trucks are barges, while the RL feels like driving a car..
 
#11 ·
I drove Ford F-150 Super Cabs for 15 years and while I loved the trucks they were a PITA in tight quarters. I only need a truck about 5% of the time and when I do the Ridgeline is usually way more truck than I need. It has the largest, easiest to load bed of any mid size truck and as noted the trunk is amazing. The rest of the time it is like driving an Accord, smooth quiet and the handling is awesome. Don't lose sight of the fact that my 2019 RL has 1,477# of payload to go with its AWD, contrast that with the Ram 1500 4 X 4 Crewcab that comes in with 977#... so which one is a real truck? LMAO! Bought mine OTD for $39K nicely equipped and have heard of others doing even better. Car and Driver named the Ridgeline Mid Size truck of the year for 2017, 2018 and yes again for 2019. Works for me!

(y)
 
#12 ·
It's not just the size. You'd be going from a body on frame (the Ford) to a Unibody. Unibody construction handles much better. The Ridgeline also had torque vectoring AWD with rear half shafts that can overspin the rear wheels compared to the front, creating slight oversteer in a turn. It's a night and day difference in pavement handling. You need to test drive, and push the Ridgeline through some turns. There will be no comparison in handling.
 
#14 ·
My BIL has the F150 and "barge" is a great word for it. It's a great vehicle but OMG what a beast.

The best thing about the Ridge is that it handles and rides like a fine sedan!

p.s. Yes I have the 2006 but recently drove a 2019 for a couple of days, and then bought a Passport. I think when our 2006 dies I will try to talk the wife into another Ridgeline despite that she's disappointed in the Gen2 looks.
 
#15 ·
We were recently deciding what to replace our 2007 Ridgeline with (sold it to son in law). Hadn't made my mind up about the gen 2 RL style, and wanted to be "logical", so after leaving our RL test drive we stopped at the Ford dealer to check out the F150. I went in liking the F150 (and still do), and actually it drove better than expected, but instantly my wife said "get this if you want, but it's WAY too big for me to drive"....and it wasn't what I wanted either. Great truck/way too much bulk vs. additional capabilities....and actually it has less capabilities in some key areas (trunk, smoother ride, gas mileage, general ease of use).

Got the 2019 RL in November, and it's far and away the right choice for us. We have 4 grown kids and it's kind of the "family truck", like our gen 1 was. In the last couple weeks I hauled 4x8 plywood sheets (fits easily due to the bed width), furniture, and cabinets (the other, non-RL son in law finishing his basement). And honestly, I love the way the thing drives - literally look forward to driving it.

One difference between the gen 2 RL and other trucks (including our gen 1 RL) is the forward visibility, which is superb because of the sloping hood. My wife hesitated to drive the old RL - I think due to the big square front fenders - but as soon as she sat in the gen 2 she said "I'd drive this one, no problem", and she does, which is helpful in terms of flexibility of who's driving what on any particular day....another type of versatility.

And as others have mentioned, I don't feel like I'm "giving up much". For example my gen 1 RL easily towed my subcompact tractor (1 ton + trailer, so ~3000#) and I'm sure this one will too, and I've never hesitated to put 1/2 ton+ in the bed. And I usually have tools, chain saw, golf clubs, etc. in the trunk, locked up tight.

Obviously, you need to drive one and see what you think. Good luck, whichever way you go.
 
#16 ·
"I don't see any Ram payload under 1400 lb on this page:"

All of these trucks come with options like towing and increased payload packages. I have seen three different late model Ram 1500 4 X 4 Crew cabs with the 977# of payload on the drivers side door sticker. Dodge/Ram has always been notoriously short on payload as their 4 X 4 and crew cabs add a lot of weight that comes right off of payload. Their towing capacity numbers are also a tad bit suspect as they tend to run out of payload way before they get anywhere near their alleged towing capacity.
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the input. I am encouraged about the maneuverability and parking comments. Also, the comment about the sloping hood. I had a 2002 F150 Supercrew 4x4 before buying this 2016. It had a sloped hood as compared to the 2016. It, too, was a large truck, but I found it easier to park. I will go for a test drive.

This next question is on a different subject. If I need a different thread please say so. When looking at the videos of the G2 Ridgeline's Garmin navigation screens look a lot like my old 2013 dash-mounted Garmin GPS. How are maps updated? How much are map updates? Should I instead look at just using Android Auto? What year was AA introduced to the Ridgeline?
 
#27 ·
The GPS works well. I updated the maps shortly after my purchase in January and it was quite easy. I think I heard that updates are free for five years. Others can confirm or tell us otherwise. Not sure how much they are after that. I went from a 2011 Ram crew cab to the RL. Zero regrets, although the Ram served me well (but yes parking was always tough).
 
#18 ·
Ck this site out for model/ trim levels comparisons. Compare 2019 Honda Ridgeline Trim Levels - MS Honda Dealer
I will say I drove my Brothers F 150 Crew long bed over the holidays for a week . I couldn't park that Monster or see my surroundings. The wheel base was like a limo. Everywhere I took it it was like planning strategic maneuvers. And the transmission shifted like it never had a happy place. These Ridgeline's handle and drive like a luxury SUV. Being built on the Pilot platform its really a joy to drive and maneuver especially in the urban metro type situations. I couldn't wait to get back home and drive my own vehicle. My 2018 has GPS with Apple car play which I really like. The maps are downloads and the Honda link system sends you reminders when they have a new one.The old system was disk under the drivers seat. Go drive one and kick the tires. I do know the lower trim levels don't have premium entertainment systems which may not give you what your looking for.
 
#19 ·
I cannot complain about the F150 power or transmission. It is the 3.5 twin turbo ecoboost. Plenty of power. I bought it originally in anticipation of towing a travel trailer. Those days will end soon and I am ready for something less massive to drive. I will get by the dealer soon for a test drive. I always put those trips off. I hate dealing with car salesman. My buying process is slow and deliberate. My experience is once they get me in for a test drive they put the pressure on to buy.

Thanks for the info on the GPS. The reason I ask about Android Auto is I thought I read that Honda only recently added Android Auto support. I wanted to know when that was in the event I ended up purchasing used.

How would you compare Honda factory vs Android Auto vs Apple CarPlay navigation systems?
 
#20 ·
I cannot complain about the F150 power or transmission. It is the 3.5 twin turbo ecoboost. Plenty of power. I bought it originally in anticipation of towing a travel trailer. Those days will end soon and I am ready for something less massive to drive. I will get by the dealer soon for a test drive. I always put those trips off. I hate dealing with car salesman. My buying process is slow and deliberate. My experience is once they get me in for a test drive they put the pressure on to buy.

Thanks for the info on the GPS. The reason I ask about Android Auto is I thought I read that Honda only recently added Android Auto support. I wanted to know when that was in the event I ended up purchasing used.

How would you compare Honda factory vs Android Auto vs Apple CarPlay navigation systems?
That's something I like about the F150 - innovative engine choices. The 2019 I test drove had a very small engine - 2.7 liter turbo - but it felt smooth & strong.

I hate the process too, and my wife won't even discuss the deal with them at all - test drive/color preference and she's out!

Early on when just starting to consider a new Ridgeline I clicked into a "see our price" kind of link for some random dealer, wondering where actual market prices might be. It turned out to be tied into TrueCar, which prompted emails from nearby dealers providing competitive prices. At first I thought "oh nooooo…", but it actually helped, as did this group.

The local dealer, where I'd bought an Odyssey and a CRV years back, came in with an excellent price, so when I went in to discuss I felt more OK than usual. Wound up getting it for about $300 below the initial price, but honestly their leading price was good enough. The $300 discount happened when I said "been researching in a RL owners group, and everybody's buying this model for $xx - I can show you" :).
 
#22 ·
Turkey Baster fluid extraction procedure. Rate 1.0hr ?
I cannot complain about the F150 power or transmission. It is the 3.5 twin turbo ecoboost. Plenty of power. I bought it originally in anticipation of towing a travel trailer. Those days will end soon and I am ready for something less massive to drive. I will get by the dealer soon for a test drive. I always put those trips off. I hate dealing with car salesman. My buying process is slow and deliberate. My experience is once they get me in for a test drive they put the pressure on to buy.

Thanks for the info on the GPS. The reason I ask about Android Auto is I thought I read that Honda only recently added Android Auto support. I wanted to know when that was in the event I ended up purchasing used.

How would you compare Honda factory vs Android Auto vs Apple CarPlay navigation systems?
I really like the compatibility of the Factory GPS/Entertainment system because it includes Apple play you can use your Music ,Google maps, Waze and so forth with certain apps that apply to your phone will show up on the Screen and you can use the touch screen on the dash that mimics your phone. I am sure Android works very similar. Also works well for sending and receiving text from voice. But when you use your phone as the master your also using cell data.
 
#24 ·
I really like the compatibility of the Factory GPS/Entertainment system because it includes Apple play you can use your Music ,Google maps, Waze and so forth with certain apps that apply to your phone will show up on the Screen and you can use the touch screen on the dash that mimics your phone.
How would you compare the factory Garmin navigation compared to Apple Carplay?
 
#23 ·
Back to size for a moment, FWIW attached is a table I made when shopping. This comparing dimension specs of the 2005 F150 Supercab (extended cab with half rear door, not crew cab with full rear door) I'd owned since new to the 2019 RTL-E that ended up replacing it.
Text Font Design Line Monochrome


My ownership experience has been that the RTL-E is much more maneuverable than the F150 in the real world of parking lots, etc.
 
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#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yes, 22" shorter is nothing to sneeze at, but is it enough to make it a pleasure to drive? I think I am looking for a small car with a pickup bed.
As others have indicated, it isn't the dimensions that make the RL more driveable, but its construction and powertrain with AWD. It's not only a pleasure to drive on-road compared to full-sized trucks, but also to other mid-sized vehicles with BOF construction and RWD--which is all of them on pavement. Test drive a Tacoma, then a Frontier, then a Ridgeline, and you'll see and feel the difference. It's pretty big.

Another thing I'll add is that is an easy truck to live with on long distance drives. I have literally driven this truck from Houston to both California and Florida, and at the end of each drive (sometimes up to 13 hours), I felt fine, whereas I'd be worn in a normal truck.

How would you compare the factory Garmin navigation compared to Apple Carplay?
I use Android with Google Maps. Garmin can be a bit out of date, but I like its interface, so I'll often use it because I don't have to plug in my phone. It's a bit harder inputting specific businesses into Garmin, which doesn't have them all, and you often need to have the exact address. I don't know if Apple's any better. I do know that my wife using Google Maps has spotted traffic jams that Garmin misses or is late on.
 
#28 ·
Garmin can be a bit out of date, but I like its interface, so I'll often use it because I don't have to plug in my phone.
Honestly, I did not want to offend anyone here, but the screenshots I saw of the OEM Garmin navigation system looked pretty dated. Actually very much like my 2014 Garmin GPS. Further, the comment on Garmin's missing points of interest etc. Just like my on dash Garmin. It bothers me you cannot enter directions while driving. I assumed the Ridgeline infotainment system had voice commands like my F150 Sync3. Can't you perform most functions by either voice or by interfacing the infotainment system.

I use my OEM nav system all the time. Go for a drive and intentionally not care about getting lost. Once I have had enough I say, "Navigate home". When on a longer trip I will sometimes plug in for Android Auto. Sometimes just to ask Google ridiculous questions.

I really appreciate the comment on TruCar. I did as you did. I filled in the blanks and was almost immediately bombarded by emails. Sort of turned me off, but using it as you did makes sense. I will do that when I am ready to buy.

Raining today. Maybe I can get buy for a test drive tomorrow.
 
#33 ·
Maybe these will help you picture. The side shot I found online. The rear parked shot I took, the f150 may have had a small lift. A member here posted the 1st gen tundra pic. I had a 1st gen tundra and the size was perfect, wish I could get a new one. But the ridglines size is pretty close.
 

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#36 ·
The Ridgeline compares to the original Tundra quite well. The first gen Tundra was a good size, but it got a lot of flack for not being bigger, so they made the next gen quite a bit bigger. It was also a good truck, but it was more than I needed. I'm happy to be back in something a bit smaller. It's also nice that it rides so well even with nothing in the bed. The original Tundra rode like a dream with a decent load in the bed. It was still better unladen than the current version laden I think, but the Ridgeline beats them all.
 
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