Ridgeline gets blasted in reviews

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

MARK PHELAN'S MAILBAG: 'Real truck buyers' sound off

January 20, 2005






BY MARK PHELAN
FREE PRESS AUTO CRITIC



The Honda Ridgeline got a lot of attention from the media when it was introduced last week at the North American International Auto Show. I think its trunk built into the truck bed was one of the highlights of the show.


But truck buyers, or as they call themselves "real truck buyers," the ones who buy F-150s and Dodge Rams, have a different take.




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The Honda Ridgeline is innovative, and a nice vehicle. But it's not a truck. It's a four-door sedan with a pickup box built on top of its trunk.


Joseph Smyk, Ann Arbor




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It will take more than a trunk to make true truck buyers consider the Honda. First, it is out and out ugly, and styling means a lot to truck people. Second, its payload and pulling capacity stinks, so what's the point?


Fred Nagher, Dallas




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It seems to me that Peter DeLorenzo (Autoextremist.com) was right in describing how mainstream journalists oversell anything from Japan and treat similar efforts from American manufacturers as so-so, catch-up engineering. Your column about the Ridgeline proves his point. The truck-trunk -- a good, but not great idea -- is proof to you why Honda engineers are gods and everyone else is a bumbling chimp.


Craig A. Ewing, San Francisco




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I got news for you and the Starbucks coffee-sipping crowd you seem to be writing about. This Honda is a fad and will never be bought by anyone beyond the twentysomething crowd that only relies on a vehicle to get him to work and back.


Joe Serdenkovski, Auburn Hills




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For the record, I'm a hazelnut cappuccino fan. Other writers pointed out that other vehicles have had some of the same features as the Ridgeline, such as a hidden trunk on some late '50s and early '60s quasi-truck Volkswagens. That's true but no one has put them all together as well as Honda.


Others who visited the show had their opinions on the hits and misses.




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I am a car guy from the '50s and '60s and remember driving Detroit iron with V8s. Those truly were the good old days. Lately, with the retro phase the Big Three is going through, the only one to nail it is the new Mustang. The new Dodge Charger is not the retro Charger Chrysler would have you believe. It is a four-door, for gosh sakes. Chrysler puts a Hemi in everything, slaps a name on it, and hopes it catches on.


William Tweedle, Warren




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A northern Michigan resident who visited the auto show did his own version of his highlights of the show. A few of them:


• Most creative concepts: The Ford Fairlane and the Ford Synus. At least they tried something different.


• Most positive trend: Finally, people are starting to pay attention to interiors.


• Most over-hyped vehicle: Dodge Charger. Nowhere as beautiful as the Chrysler 300, this thing just looks dumb.


•Best production interior: The Lincoln Zephyr. Hands down the best-looking interior of any production car at the NAIAS. I'd buy this car for the interior alone.


•Most promising makeover: Saturn. The new coupe and two-seater are really cool.


•Most common digital camera: Buy stock in Canon. They seem to own the digital camera market.


Jim Bielecki, Gaylord




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Finally, some old business. In October I wrote a story that said Mercedes would stop equipping several models with side-view mirrors that tilt down when you reverse. A Mercedes official says this isn't so.



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The tilting function of our side-view mirrors when reverse gear is engaged has not been dropped, as cited in the column. Virtually all our cars and trucks have this feature and it's been well-loved by our longtime customers for parking guidance and convenience for many years.


In fact, to prevent any unexpected views of curbside trash when reverse is engaged, the customer activates the feature from within our multifunction display. Secondarily, the mirror tilts only if the passenger mirror button (on the console or dash, depending on model) is also depressed. Conversely, if the driver's side mirror button is depressed, the mirror will not tilt. This is also covered in simple terms in our owner's manuals.


Because in cars, as in life, we need to back up on occasion, we like to help our owners do that as well as go forward under all conditions, too. Since some curbs have been known to suddenly reach out and bite wheels, we continue to offer this useful feature.


James M. Resnick, Public relations manager, East Mercedes-Benz USA

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

There will allways be flack & praise (lovers and haters). Many previews and road test's coming up will be no different the + & - after all we humans are very opinionated.

Two other forums that I checked into (Auto Week & Canadian Driver) were 90% bashers, oh ya I got sucked in and had a few scraps (but should have known better,but just couldn't hold back with thier bashing rhetoric)

I happen to like what I see (features & Spec's) of the Ridgeline and feel that it will not have any difficulty in finding it's rightfull place in the truck market.

Be it a Big 3, Asian or European product (do own or have owned all three) Just want a vehicle that suits my needs and requirements be it a 4,6 or 8 banger. No doubt about it we are caught up in the Global Economy ( just the other day I came acroos a product that was made .Canada Yep " a cucumber"

"Drive carefully watch the Car behind the Car in front of you"

"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch"

"Vive dui prosperaqui"

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

well said, crv

*applause*

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

abound wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")MARK PHELAN'S MAILBAG: 'Real truck buyers' sound off

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I got news for you and the Starbucks coffee-sipping crowd you seem to be writing about. This Honda is a fad and will never be bought by anyone beyond the twentysomething crowd that only relies on a vehicle to get him to work and back.


Joe Serdenkovski, Auburn Hills




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Ha!!!!! This guy needs to take a look at our age poll!!!!

:) :)

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

I'm with you CR-V:

I bought the Ridge becuase I thought it was innovative and there was nothing really like it out there. I saw the ad on TV and went to my Honda Dealer the next day to check it out. I was back there the next day to test drive it and owned it the next day.

I'm almost 63 and it fits my needs perfectly. I wanted a full size Cab with the capability of a short bed to haul a few things with. True, I see 150's, 350's and 2500 pickups go by me that are BIG, HIGH and really look like what they are "PICKUP TRUCKS". But, they can't help looking at my Ridgeline... I know it looks good and it drives good, and I feel proud driving it. I had one Pickup Truck almost hit the center wall looking at my Ridge..

"Happy Motoring" to all the Ridgeline Owners.

Cordially,

Gary

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

me too. even to the age. I got rid of a full size Avalanche and it was not near the truck this isncomsg wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")I'm with you CR-V:

I bought the Ridge becuase I thought it was innovative and there was nothing really like it out there. I saw the ad on TV and went to my Honda Dealer the next day to check it out. I was back there the next day to test drive it and owned it the next day.

I'm almost 63 and it fits my needs perfectly. I wanted a full size Cab with the capability of a short bed to haul a few things with. True, I see 150's, 350's and 2500 pickups go by me that are BIG, HIGH and really look like what they are "PICKUP TRUCKS". But, they can help looking at my Ridgeline... I know it looks looks good and it drives good, and I feel proud driving it. I had one almost hit the center wall looking at my Ridge..

"Happy Motoring" to all the Ridgeline Owners.

Cordially,

Gary

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

abound,
I'm responding to the other people in Phelan's article. I don't mean to be insulting you.


But truck buyers, or as they call themselves "real truck buyers," the ones who buy F-150s and Dodge Rams, have a different take.


For every person that calls themself a 'real truck buyer' that tows big trailers and does hard core off roading in areas that require a high clearance, there are more than three 'real truck buyers' that use their trucks to tow small trailers, off road on easy trails or not at all, and generally use their 'real trucks' the exact same way they would use the Ridgeline.


The Honda Ridgeline is innovative, and a nice vehicle. But it's not a truck. It's a four-door sedan with a pickup box built on top of its trunk.

What part isn't a truck? The AWD? The crew cab? The 2.5 ton tow rating? The 0.75 ton bed capacity? The bed?



It will take more than a trunk to make true truck buyers consider the Honda. First, it is out and out ugly, and styling means a lot to truck people. Second, its payload and pulling capacity stinks, so what's the point?

If looks were that important, we'd all be driving Ford Mustangs, Mazda RX-8s, and Nissan 350zs. Try towing something with those. So you think the Ridgeline is ugly - who cares?

The payload and tow capacity are very respectable. You can tow any sedan on sale in the US (except the monstrous Volkswagen Phaeton...), or even another Ridgeline. That's a hefty capacity.


It seems to me that Peter DeLorenzo (Autoextremist.com) was right in describing how mainstream journalists oversell anything from Japan and treat similar efforts from American manufacturers as so-so, catch-up engineering. Your column about the Ridgeline proves his point. The truck-trunk -- a good, but not great idea -- is proof to you why Honda engineers are gods and everyone else is a bumbling chimp.


This I will tentatively agree with. GM and Ford are really making some good products now, and the automotive media won't give them the attention they deserve. On the other hand, the Japanese automakers can do no wrong.


I got news for you and the Starbucks coffee-sipping crowd you seem to be writing about. This Honda is a fad and will never be bought by anyone beyond the twentysomething crowd that only relies on a vehicle to get him to work and back.

You know, 30 years ago the Big Three representatives were saying "this Japanese car industry is a fad and will never be bought by anyone". Look how that ended up.

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

The Ridgeline is nothing new. The Sport Trac has been out since 2001. Indeed, catchup is the word. :D

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

I like my Ridge. In my opinion, Ford is junk. Sorry guys but it is. I had a Cobra, nothing but problems, ticking motors, lousy cheap parts.

The only cars I will buy from now on are Toyota, Honda, Acura or Lexus or the new Corvette, which I love and may buy a new one soon....

Seriously, and I mean this honestly, American cars from Ford and GM are junk. The sport trac is a big piece of junk, a buddy bought one, nothing but problems.

Not trying to flame, just providing my opinion.

Joe in CT

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

Well from the looks of things around here in the "toubleshooting" forum, there a lot of "junk" to be thrown around. I haven't had any problems with my ST (and I've beaten the crap out of it), and had it over a year now. Ford trucks are very reliable. Maybe not so much with the cars, but the trucks are solid.

[Ridgeline4wd_Archive]

Wow, this is a hot topic. Start bashing the Ridgeline here, and you are bound to ruffle some feathers.

A couple of those letters are patently ridiculous. Ridgeline ugly? Who could honestly say that GMC's or Dodge's truck styling is any better than the Ridgeline? The Ridgeline a sedan? Maybe he's thinking about the Subaru Baja. Honda a fad? I can't quit laughing over that one.

In all the driving I do, I see hundreds and hundreds of pick-up trucks on the road every day, in all sizes and trim levels. 99.5% of the ones I see are empty and not pulling anything. That means they are likely being used as commuters 99.5% of the time. So all these pick-up drivers bought a truck because they needed something to get to work in, but occasionally have to haul something. That describes me to a T. Why would I want any other truck that the Ridgeline for that purpose? it is the most comfortable and versatile TRUCK out there.