Ridgeline vs. Tacoma

[dem1980]

I am replacing my 03 Tundra with either a Tacoma or a Ridgeline (I am not considering the Nissian Frontier because the back seat is too small). I tow a 2500 lbs trailer for my business (lawn mowers) and I do a fair amount of highway driving. I am looking for better MPG. I get about 13 around town with my trailer and about 16-17 on the highway at about 70-75. In a year and half I won't be towing much anymore and I know the Tacoma would be much more suited for towing. I am looking to keep the truck for many years to come. I haven't driven either yet, but consumer reports seemed to like the Ridgeline over the Tacoma. They liked Honda's car like ride. I am looking at the RTS (i won't do leather seats) which will probably top out at 31620 with a hitch and running boards. Price is an issue, but not the top issue. I know I will probably be able to get a better deal with a Tacoma, but a few thousand won't sway me either way. I am biased towards Toyota...it would be my 3rd one and I have always been really happy with Toyota autos. Any help would be appreicated.

[Redrock Ridge]

Toyota does make great vehicles, but if you want much more interior room and more versatility, id definitely go with the honda.

Before I bought the ridgeline, I was almost sold on the tundra or the tacoma. I drove a tacoma and it was way too small inside, reminded me of a neon or a small compact car. The tundra is nice, but I didn't need that big of a bed to haul stuff around.

I ended up with the ridgeline b/c it is more on an SUV with some hauling room, SUT.

[gator1985]

I just replaced my '03 Tundra Access Cab with a Ridgeline RT ... same issue as Redrock Ridge, I don't need that big of a bed, plus the Ridgeline's rear seat is much bigger (a rear-facing infant seat would not fit in the rear of the Tundra unless my knees hit the steering wheel). I looked at the new Tacoma (had a '95 that was a great truck!), but by the time I added options to the Tacoma to make it comparable to the Ridgeline (4X4, 4 full doors, etc.), the Ridgeline was the less expensive way to go. Plus, it's a Honda!

[NC Blue]

I have an 06 Ridgeline. My previous vehicle was a 94 Toyota 4X4 with 151,000 miles on it. Didn't have any problems but I needed space for 2 baby seats. I drove the Tacoma crew cab along with the Ridgeline. If I were going to do a lot of off-road driving, then I probably would have gone with the Tacoma. The TRD package is very nice. I wanted leather and a sunroof and the crew cab was not available with that. The Ridgeline definitely has more interior space. Adults can actually travel quite comfortably in the rear. After driving the Ridgeline for a month, I'm very impressed with the handling, comfort and ammenities. I was in a panic stop in wet weather over the weekend where a guy in front of me slammed on his brakes in the fast lane to avoid hitting a pillow! The VSA kicked in and I had room to spare, then floored it, passing him very quickly. The V6 VTEC has very good power. They're both outstanding vehicles, but the Ridgeline fit my lifestyle the best.

[bigdave269]

Good question, Demi. When I went looking for a truck, I looked at both the Tundra and Tacoma before I bought my Ridgeline. The Taco was a very nice truck, but it was deficient in several things I wanted. First of all, you almost can't find a 4 door with 4WD. For some reason Toyota thinks anyone wanting a "family" truck wouldn't want to take it off road. It was the same with the Tundra. You can't even buy a Ridgeline without 4WD. Second, the Taco had a very small interior. If you are used to the room of a Tundra, squeezing into the Taco will not be fun. My Camry has more back seat room, for instance. As big as the truck is now, the Tacoma's interior was a big disappointment to me. So much so that I wrote it off the minute I sat in it. That and the fact that I couldn't get leather, sunroof and navigation in it (btw, the heated leather seats are awesome!). My choice was down to the Tundra and the Ridgeline. The Tundra (and the Taco) is an excellent truck, and anyone buying it will get years of faithful service from it. But driving the two back to back, my wife and I agreed that the Honda was a far superior road vehicle. You forget you are driving a truck, but you have all the advantages of having one.

Car and Driver also rated the Honda better than the Tacoma. They thought it's all around package was better than any other mid-size truck available. Go drive them and let us know what you think.

[JAnthony]

My buddy got a Tacoma about the same time as I got the Ridgeline. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. His is a base, mine is a base - he wins on price. Make a Tacoma as close to a base Ridgeline as possible, I win on price. Take the base 4x4 off road, he wins. Want space & a locable trunk? Get a Honda. Want something that drives like a well made sedan? Honda Again. Towing? Honda (remember, base vs base). Cargo? Are we talking volume or weight. He has a 6 foot bed, I only 5 but 1500 lbs wins in that department. I'm not a truck guy, and I LOVE my truck. I went to buy an Element, and the RL drove so much better, roars like a lion when you hit the gas, and has that really cool power rear window for flipping people off! OK, that probably wasn't what Honda had in mind, but admit it - some people just ASK to be flipped off. Figure out what you want from a truck and it should be a simple choice.

[bigdave269]

JAnthony wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")
I'm not a truck guy, and I LOVE my truck.

Maybe you have a point here. There are plenty of previous truck owners that are buying the Ridgeline, but I think there are far more that have not previously owned a truck. I was never a truck guy before having the Ridgline, either. Now I can't imagine being without it.

[JAnthony]

bigdave269 wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")JAnthony wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")
I'm not a truck guy, and I LOVE my truck.

Maybe you have a point here. There are plenty of previous truck owners that are buying the Ridgeline, but I think there are far more that have not previously owned a truck. I was never a truck guy before having the Ridgline, either. Now I can't imagine being without it.

Oh, I had a Ranger 4x4 and I hated it. Unless you had a couple hundred pounds of stuff if the bed, it drove like...well, a truck. Didn't corner worth a damn, got all of 17 mpg, antilock didn't work in 4x4 mode, was a part time 4x4 system, jump seats were a joke... trucks and most SUV's drive like trucks, with the RL I have to remind myself I'm driving a truck.

[Robert]

I love Toyota products however the Toyota seemed primitive in options compared to the Ridgeline. The Honda I felt had much more room and was much more versatile. Not to mention the controls on the steering wheel are a great feature. I too went with the RTS, as I hate leather. I wish I could have gotten the RTL with out leather. One draw back on the Honda is the transmission, as hesitation and drag is something to get use to. Honda says this is normal and I have read many posts on this subject. In addition, Honda seems to hold their value over the long run better. Let us all know if you get one,

[totalcontl]

My Honda is the best truck I've ever purchased. I not a offroad type of guy, but I love mud puddles in roads. I don't believe the 4wd hype concerning this vehicle. However, I'm never in the backwood off of God's beaten path so I really don't 4wd. I like/love my truck and so does my wife. I had to buy her a new minivan with all bells and whistles to keep her out RT moon/navi/leather.

[bigdave269]

I used to think I would hate leather seats until I actually bought them. My wife was the one who insisted on having them. The RTL's seats are perforated, so it allows air to pass through so you don't sweat too much in the summer. The heated seats are awesome for the winter months. But the really nice thing about the leather vs. the cloth is that I slide in and out of the truck without messing up my clothes. Cloth seats always seem to grab my pants, especially jeans. Another is that I don't worry about my kid having spills in the back seat. All of my future vehicles will have leather seats (yes, the Camry has leather).

[wb1dby]

I test drove everything (for benchmarks and features) then narrowed my list down to 6. From that 6 (SUV & p/u) it came down to the Tacoma, Frontier and Ridgeline (which I originally thought I'd never be able to afford). The Tacoma even tho it's larger than a few years ago still was very trucky riding. The Frontier rode so much better than the Tacoma. Then it was the Frontier vs. the Ridgeline.

Since I wasn't interested in off-road prowess, the 4x4 vs awd didn't make a difference. Both were about the same price. For what I needed (towing a small popup camper) and living with it day to day, the Ridgeline vs the Frontier was NO comparison. The Ridge rides sooo much better, was much larger and more comfortable inside, better quality materials inside and out, truck and much more. But it was the ride that made the difference to me.

I work for myself and average 80/20 city/highway and about 300 miles per week. The Ridgeline rides so nice, you'd swear it's not a truck!

Now if it'd only snow up here so I can go play in the snow with it!