[shortspark]

Ian, what you described is exactly what I'm looking for. I sold my Ridgeline three years ago when it was obvious there would not be a second generation in the near future. Instead I bought a Mercedes ML350 SUV which has been the best vehicle in my over fifty years of ownership and driving experience.

At this stage of my life I want something that does not miss a thing with all the technology gadgets, comfort and safety features that are available and Mercedes prides itself and excels in those areas. Call it over engineered and complicated but that's okay because to someone like me who uses a Jitterbug phone even gps and blue tooth are considered complicated. I want the truck to be luxurious and have a badge of distinction with the uniqueness and exclusivity that goes along with that. And of course it has to be expensive and overpriced to have those things because they go hand in hand. In the end, it is only money.

The things I could care less about are what the majority of truck owners consider most important such as off road ability, towing or hauling capability and even gas mileage. Because I never put more than about 8,000 miles a year on a vehicle, gas mileage is not a factor for me although I understand it would be for people who drive a lot. I almost never let the tires of that truck touch terra firma, only asphalt. The most my Ridgeline ever carried in the back end was a few bags of mulch and I did not even own a tow hitch - and still don't.

My premium is placed on things such as comfort features, quiet and ride. I want a truck because I loved trucks since I was a kid and have owned several during my lifetime. I just think trucks are neat and always have. However, it must be unique, hence my attraction to the quirky Ridgeline and the reason I am still following it at this forum. There just might be a new Ridgeline in my future if they do it right and remember who their target market has always been.

In the meantime, this Mercedes should suit me very well what with its variety of gas/diesel options and several trim levels, including my choice of the ones I have read about - the leisure trim. I hope it comes to America because this truck will be built similar to the way the Ridgeline was built, ie, not for a typical truck buyer but for people like me in mind.

 

[shortspark]

Yes, an SUV does suit my needs better, or at least just as well, but that does not mean I can't have both. In fact, I owned both the Ridgeline and the ML350 for around six months before selling the Ridge to my buddy who insisted I sell it to him. If it were not for him I probably would still have them both.

I like trucks for a lot of reasons and sitting up tall overlooking traffic is one of them and the Ridgeline sat much taller, or so it seemed, than my previous mid-size truck, the Dodge Dakota. I liked that view from the Ridgeline a lot. I have had sedans too and I have learned to hate how low they put you. I will probably never own another sedan for that reason alone.

The Ridgeline was built for my needs and desires which are different (as I explained previously) in several ways from many truck buyers. It had to be unique and the first generation's innovation struck me right away as a very practical, thinking man's truck, unlike normal, work and utility trucks that have come before. I loved the two way tail gate and the unique unibody construction gave a car like ride and room for five easily - yet if fit in my garage perfectly. All the storage in the cabin was a big plus, as was the fold up rear seats. The in-bed trunk was Honda thinking and innovation at its best and something we have not seen much of since from that company. I used all these features time and again and they were not found on trucks, SUV's or any other kind of vehicle at the time. Did I "need" them? No. But they were great to have. It was a compilation of many factors that I really liked in a motor vehicle and it just so happened to have an open bed - that it was indeed a truck was the bonus.

 

[shortspark]

Well RTLagtor, I suppose it was a legitimate question considering what I had said previously and as such, he was entitled to an answer and response. I agree with you that his choice of words might have been a little different than I would have used in asking the question but I am probably much older than he is. I could be wrong about that of course but generally I find it is younger people who do not always take their time in choosing the appropriate words and phrases to address someone. So I see it all the time and pay no attention to it - no harm, no foul as far as I'm concerned.

 

[shortspark]

"Exclusivity"??? How do end up owning a Honda?

How did I end up owning a Honda? Keep in mind this is not just any Honda - it is a Ridgeline! Perhaps one of the most exclusive vehicles around if you look at the numbers. If we were talking Civic or Accord or even Odyssey I would agree that the term "exclusivity" could not possibly apply, even in a stretch. But it is spot on when talking about the Ridgeline. It is a "niche" vehicle, a true cult classic much like the movie "Night of the Living Dead". In 30 years it will be worth far more than any F150 on the road today. It has a place, a very exclusive place, in the truck market. It simply is not understood by most mere mortals. But we here are different and know better. Right?

Take a look here: http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/p/sales-stats.html. If you punch in the Ridgeline you will find that last year's sales stats show 13,389 trucks sold. Now, punch in the MB M class that I bought (and that some people consider "exclusive") and you will find that Mercedes sold 46,726 of them during the same 2014 sales year - more than three times as many! This holds true for virtually every year the Ridgeline and the M series have been in existence.

So, I suppose it is all about how we define "exclusivity". Some people define it by using factors such as brand name, price paid, implied badge status, etc. But certainly one of the most important aspects of that term which we can put a finger on is how many are actually on the road in the hands of drivers. In other words, which vehicles do you see often and which are seen rarely? In that regard the Ridgeline wins hands down as not only one of the most "exclusive" trucks in America but one of the most exclusive vehicles period. Would you agree?

 

[shortspark]

Exactly RTLgator! I was one of the first to have a Ridgeline in the East Texas area which is a place of big Fords, Silverados and Rams. But this is oil field and ranch country and these are the kinds of vehicles you need here. Nonetheless, everywhere I went people were giving me the thumbs up and stopping to look at it. I came out of a grocery store one day and three different people were looking at it and of course I showed them all the bells and whistles. They were all very impressed and then one got in his truck and left - a massive, black Escalade EXT!

That died down some by the time I sold it but my buddy who now owns the vehicle says he still gets the looks every now and then and people still ask him questions about it. I can drive around in my Mercedes all day long and no one notices - and I like it that way. I felt more "exclusive" in my Ridgeline than I ever have in the Mercedes. I have a picture I'll paste that I hope comes out of when I owned them both.

Maybe this new Mercedes truck will be the cat's meow but I'm not holding my breath that it will even be introduced in America because Mercedes has foreign markets in mind where the mid-size segment is far more popular than here. Like you, I hope the second generation Ridgeline is even better than the first but something tells me I won't be as impressed this time around as I was ten years ago. I hope I'm wrong because I would love to have another Ridgeline and is the main reason I still keep up with its development at this forum.

 

[shortspark]

Yea, that explains it better Dnick and I certainly see where you are coming from now, especially from what you understood I said earlier. All in all, I agree with you on every point!

 

[shortspark]

That is exactly right, to each his own - one man's trash is another's treasure. The seats in my Mercedes SUV are quite good and support me much better than the Ridgeline. But then again they should because (as you say Ian), the thing cost twice as much.

I am sure that if this truck comes to America it will be priced quite high, especially for a mid-size. For this reason alone, I don't think they will be much in demand but will fill a niche, much the same as the Ridgeline hoped to do. The difference is that Mercedes will know how to promote it whereas with Honda, the poor Ridgeline seemed to be an afterthought after the first few months of its introduction.

 

[shortspark]

Sounds sweet. Thanks for the info.

 

[shortspark]

A better picture.

 

[shortspark]

I can't speak about the Porsche SUVs, other than to say the Macan and Cayenne are Porsche's biggest sellers so they must be doing something right. But I can speak to the MB SUVs because I own the ML350. This is not a "ridiculous" vehicle, as you described it - not by any stretch of the imagination. Anyone describing it (or any MB for that matter) as "ridiculous" does not have a clue what the brand is all about or its heritage. I have owned many different trucks and cars over the past fifty years and this has been the best overall and by a considerable margin. The engineering is top notch, the materials and fit/finish can not be duplicated by anyone else other than an exotic brand, and the safety and technology features are state of the art. If that is "ridiculous", sign me up.

Are there better values out there in terms of "functionality"? Sure, there might be. But there has to be a definition of both "value" and "functionality" to even begin the discussion because they can mean different things to different people. Just because the majority of drivers of Porsche and MB SUVs do not off-road, does not mean they are incapable of doing so. I would venture to say the same thing about Ridgeline owners. The current Jeep GC is considered one of the best off-road SUVs around and it was designed around the underpinnings of the ML. Look under both vehicles and notice how much stouter everything is in the ML. It was the Jeep that was the imitator.

And as far as advertisement is concerned, the ML (now the GLE) is shown on tv daily, and on various channels. It can not possibly be missed, especially if you watch any sports at all. Status has something to do with it for some people I suppose, but as I explained in earlier posts, I felt more "exclusive" in the Ridgeline and was noticed far more (at least at first) than I ever have been in the MB. In any event, once you reach my age, you will find "status" in an automobile is the least concern of all.