Just picked up my new Ridgeline RTL-E in Modern Steel Metallic. Loaded with accessories! Sport Grille, skid plate, die cast running boards, roof rails, tonneau cover, seat cover, all weather mats, spash guards, and of course the Ridgeline TENT! Looking forward to YEARS and YEARS of use =)
new RTL-E
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231 Posts
Mine should be on the way shortly, also same color.?
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46 Posts
Insert Jon Stewart-esque "Go onnnnnnn" from the Daily Show here... Please compare and contrast your RTL-E experiences vs. the latest-gen Tacoma you owned and sold after Toyota said forearm-numbing steering wheel vibrations & untraceable resonances were "working as designed."
Don't be modest. Whatever you can share that helps steer people toward the better vehicle is a huge help.
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608 Posts
Well, I have compared it elsewhere; however, here are a few highlights:
Compared to the Taco, the RL has an amazingly smooth ride and drivetrain. Taco wasn't loud inside; however, wasn't truly quiet like the RL. The cruise on the Taco was useless due to poor trans programming. The Taco needed RPM's to get out of it's own way, and when there, it was quite noisy. The RL shifts smoothly and has power on the lower end of the RPM scale, where the Taco doesn't. The Taco had a horrible driving position, and on top of that, you couldn't adjust the seat or steering wheel much at all to get comfortable....and this was on the 'Limited', where little things like no glovebox light just added to the frustration. Taco handles 'like a truck' in the corners. RL is much tighter in the corners and will take them much faster and more securely. RL has better room in the back seat; however, I wish the rear doors opened wider, like the Toyota. RL bed is easier to use, since it's flat. Love the bed-trunk. Toyota is easier to load and I did like the Taco's buffered tailgate.
RL has Garmin GPS built in. Taco has Toyota proprietary system which called for $180 map updates yearly if you wanted to stay up-to-date. RL gives you 5 years of updates for free, and says 'minimal' cost for after that...(we shall see what minimal actually is, though). Entune on the Taco is a fair system. The HondaLink has it's own quirks, so I would say this is a wash, except for the map issue, which is a Honda win all the way.
Mileage? I reported elsewhere that I could NEVER get the Taco over 20mpg. I have an 800+ mile loop I drive for work and when I drove the Taco on that loop last year, averaged 19.1 vs 24.6 (IIRC) on the same loop with the RL this past month. RL had A/C on the entire trip. Taco trip was in November in cooler weather without A/C. Cruising at 80 mph in the RL is effortless...you could tell the Taco was working hard at 80 and required much more attention just to stay there through the rolling hills of I-40. Arriving at my various locations, I was much less stressed from driving the RL than the Taco....and that, in and of itself, is huge.......not to mention the BIGGEST GRIPE:
Between 2100-2400RPM, there is a horrible buzzy vibration in the steering wheel of the V6 Tacoma. It is worse on some than others; however, it is there on every one I've driven. The issue was immediately reported to Toyota and the dealer and fully investigated. IT IS STILL THERE ON THE '17's! Toyota did nothing to correct this. My hands and lower arms would go numb on longer drives due to the vibration. Toyota legal and the dealer's response was "functions as designed." The engineers pointed to the hard rubber engine mounts and a one-piece exhaust manifold as the culprits. No TSB has ever been issued and it flummoxes me to believe that they wouldn't at least fix this issue (well documented by many on several forums) on the next model year. There are many posts of others who, like me, got rid of their '16 Taco due to this issues, and this issue, alone. A major biff on Toyota's part......heck, they re-programmed the Trans with a TSB that supposedly helps the shifting problem...but couldn't or wouldn't fix what, to me, is a deal breaker? Made no sense; however, that is the main reason why I dumped the Taco at a loss and will not consider a Toyota, again. Not saying that Honda wouldn't reply with the same firewall; however, with both the manufacturer and dealer basically telling me to stuff my issue, I've lost faith in Toyota as a company after owning several over the years.
Other Taco plusses: Handled quite well in 4WD with snow tires on board. Can't speak to the RL until winter on this issue; however, my snow tires are on order. I drive lots of fire roads and, so far, the RL has done a great job. Looked decent and more 'truck like'; however, I've gotten used to the softer front on the RL. The rest is minor, like having an accessible spare if the bed is loaded. I never towed with the Taco, so I can't address that as an issue. A lot of things are personal, so I will leave that and the minor things, to the reader to decide.
Well, there you have it. IMHO, the 'new' G3 Taco is just a failed G2.5 update and not a true re-design at all....now, if they would have put the 4.0L from the FJ in there..............(full disclosure: I owned an FJ for 6 years and it was far superior in every way to the Tacoma in terms of smoothness, mileage, performance, etc. On-road handling? IMO, better than the Taco....just sayin'....)
HTH
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380 Posts
CR on the Taco
From the recent road test for the "new" Tacoma:
The Tacoma is the perfect truck for landscapers and contractors. This beast of burden has a bulletproof reliability track record, a tough-as-nails chassis, and a durable composite plastic bed. For off-roading adventures, the capable Tacoma has few peers.
And though the price nears that of discounted full-sized trucks, the compact Tacoma tenaciously holds its value.
Hence, the Tacoma's cult following. But make no mistake, the Tacoma drives like a primitive, agricultural-era relic.
For all of Toyota's claims that this is an all-new truck, key features seem as though Toyota slept through the past decade's advances in truck technology and interior design.
Today's modern full-sized trucks feature a quiet cabin, a semblance of handling responsiveness, and a tolerable ride. But the compact Tacoma has none of that.
Unlike other V6-powered Toyota models, our tested Tacoma never feels quick from a standing start or when passing -- despite the robust acceleration figures as measured on our track. Fuel economy with the not-so-smooth six-speed automatic transmission is 19 mpg overall on regular gas, quite good for a truck and a clear improvement over its predecessor.
Out on the road, the Tacoma's handling is ponderous, and its slow and numb steering never connects the driver to the front wheels. Clearly clumsy around corners, it never felt unsafe.
Fuel economy with the not-so-smooth six-speed automatic transmission is 19 mpg overall on regular gas, quite good for a truck and a clear improvement over its predecessor.
The chassis's propensity to jiggle and shudder delivers a Metallica snare-drum beat to your spine. Wind and engine noise drown out any chance of conversation, even at modest speeds. Braking performance is subpar.
Inside, it still has a too-high step-in, a too-low driver's seat, and a ceiling that scrapes scalps of those entering the cabin.
The front seats are flat and uncomfortable, have limited support, and offer only the most basic adjustments. The rear seat in our crew cab is no better, with hard padding, cramped leg and foot room, and short cushions -- although it flips up to reveal useful storage bins. Outward visibility is decent, but the narrow, shallow windows make it less commanding.
From the recent road test for the "new" Tacoma:
The Tacoma is the perfect truck for landscapers and contractors. This beast of burden has a bulletproof reliability track record, a tough-as-nails chassis, and a durable composite plastic bed. For off-roading adventures, the capable Tacoma has few peers.
And though the price nears that of discounted full-sized trucks, the compact Tacoma tenaciously holds its value.
Hence, the Tacoma's cult following. But make no mistake, the Tacoma drives like a primitive, agricultural-era relic.
For all of Toyota's claims that this is an all-new truck, key features seem as though Toyota slept through the past decade's advances in truck technology and interior design.
Today's modern full-sized trucks feature a quiet cabin, a semblance of handling responsiveness, and a tolerable ride. But the compact Tacoma has none of that.
Unlike other V6-powered Toyota models, our tested Tacoma never feels quick from a standing start or when passing -- despite the robust acceleration figures as measured on our track. Fuel economy with the not-so-smooth six-speed automatic transmission is 19 mpg overall on regular gas, quite good for a truck and a clear improvement over its predecessor.
Out on the road, the Tacoma's handling is ponderous, and its slow and numb steering never connects the driver to the front wheels. Clearly clumsy around corners, it never felt unsafe.
Fuel economy with the not-so-smooth six-speed automatic transmission is 19 mpg overall on regular gas, quite good for a truck and a clear improvement over its predecessor.
The chassis's propensity to jiggle and shudder delivers a Metallica snare-drum beat to your spine. Wind and engine noise drown out any chance of conversation, even at modest speeds. Braking performance is subpar.
Inside, it still has a too-high step-in, a too-low driver's seat, and a ceiling that scrapes scalps of those entering the cabin.
The front seats are flat and uncomfortable, have limited support, and offer only the most basic adjustments. The rear seat in our crew cab is no better, with hard padding, cramped leg and foot room, and short cushions -- although it flips up to reveal useful storage bins. Outward visibility is decent, but the narrow, shallow windows make it less commanding.
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380 Posts
Dropped by the dealership to sign some paperwork today. They have sold six RLs in just over a week all trims but RTL Es or Black Edition which are not on the lot yet.
The third E arriving with mine has a deposit on it. The E trims remain few and far between.
Seems like 42,000 is Honda's build target.
The third E arriving with mine has a deposit on it. The E trims remain few and far between.
Seems like 42,000 is Honda's build target.
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608 Posts
Welcome to the ROC, currygoat...what interior color did you get? Any dealer added accessories? Inquiring minds want to know...
Also, if there are not Pics, it didn't happen!
Thanks Doobiewah.
Got the black interior.
Dealer accessories: Running boards, body side moldings, front mud guards, rear mud guards, motorcycle bed extender and all weather mats.
Here's a pic the night I picked it up.
Attachments
Not to derail the thread but your problems with the new Tacoma was the reason I took it off my list when I finally get around to buying in a few months. I tracked your issues on TW. Congrats on the new Ridgeline. It's rapidly becoming my top choice.
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238 Posts
Traded my 2016 Tacoma 4x4 TRD Sport for my Black Edition and I couldn't be happier. The Taco rode rough, had very little power until 3500-4000 rpm, trans shifted constantly, NO power seats and driver's position was too low. Seats were hard and uncomfortable. Poor gas mileage. Rear drum brakes!
Tacoma's are very reliable but pretty primitive compared to the Ridgeline.
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