31st Jul 2007, 20:01
17:24, They weren't all recalled, only a few, and there was no error on Toyota's part at all. It was the manufacturer of the part.
1st Sep 2007, 00:52
I'm considering buying one of these Ridgelines. Yep, I don't need a full sized P/U truck. I test drove one and found it very nice (not as bouncy as my pals 06 F-150).
I've owned something from the "Big Three" at one time or another; a 93 Ford Aerostar was the last one, and it happens to be the one that drove me to buy a Honda.
I have an 01 Civic with 100k on it and going strong, and an 04 Odyssey with 65K on it, no major issues to date with either of them.
As for customer service, Ford doesn't have a clue.
4th Mar 2008, 12:29
I'm really surprised at some of the comments. There is a lot of misinformation, such as:
- "The Ridgeline doesn't have a full frame."
Actually, it does. The unibody design includes a fully integrated, fully boxed frame, end-to-end. If you have a chance to look at the diagram on Motor Trend's 2006 truck of the year article on the Ridgeline, you'll see what I'm talking about. This setup is reportedly as much as 20% stiffer than the best consumer body-on-frame truck (though that's unsubstantiated). One commenter was right that this unibody-with-frame design was pioneered by Jeep, but Honda is the first to attempt it on a full-sized truck.
- "The 3.5L V6 is inadequate for a real truck."
I have used my Ridgeline RTL (base, towing package) to move house twice now. That included towing a fully-loaded dual-axle 6x20 enclosed cargo trailer with the cab and bed also fully-loaded. Yes, it was slow, but it cruised at 70mph on the interstate without straining, and do you really want to be zooming all over the place with a fully loaded truck?
I've also used the Ridgeline to tow a 20' Bayliner I/O through the mountains of western North Carolina. Again, no problems maintaining highway speed, even on steep grades. Also no problems pulling the boat out of the water on an unpaved ramp. VTM-Lock really works well for low-speed situations.
The reason? Look at a Dyno graph of a Ridgeline -- the torque spread is a huge plateau from about 2000 rpm onward. Also, the axle ratio is 4.53, not 3.39 as stated earlier. You can feel that low axle ratio best when the truck steps off the line -- it's brisk. Really, if you look at the power "real" trucks were making just 10 years ago with their V8s, the ridgeline isn't much off of that.
Anyways, Honda has been blowing the doors off of American V6 sedans with smaller V6s for a long time (starting with the 2.7L Acura, which would shame a GM 3.8L of similar vintage). Our needs haven't grown beyond those times, just our greed. Still, for those of you for whom the 3.5L being inadequate is your main beef, Honda will be releasing both a diesel and a V8, at the very latest by the forecasted 2011 redesign. Stay tuned.
- "The Ridgeline is not a 'real' truck."
For once, we agree. The Ridgeline is a full truck only in size, not in towing or hauling capacity. However, I have not yet run into a situation where my Ridgeline wasn't up to task. Bottom line is, if you need a truck with commercial-grade capabilities, buy one that's rated for it from the big-three. Many of us don't need that kind of capability, and for us the Ridgeline is perfect.
Also, not having a solid rear axle isn't what limits the truck's towing capacity. Look under the rear of a Ford Expedition with a 9500-lb tow limit. You'll find independent rear suspension. Honda was not attempting to build a heavy-duty class truck, but if they ever do... watch out!
- "Toyota/Nissan did it better." No, they did it differently. Toyota and Nissan tried to build a better American-style truck. Honda tried to hone in on what a large swath of the American consumer really needed in a full-sized pickup.
Honda has never been known for having a lot of diversity in it's model lineups. It tries to find a profitable piece of the vehicle pie and build the perfect vehicle for that piece. In the case of trucks, it was a 4-door short bed. Anyone who thinks that GM pioneered this design with the Avalanche needs to take a look at the world market. 4-door short-bed trucks have been offered in other parts of the world for decades. That said, the figures that quote how many GM/Ford/Dodge trucks were built and sold last year need to take into account that those were ALL trucks, from the most lowly V6 single cab work truck to the fully loaded 4-door dually diesel. If you look at how many of those were 4-door single cab models, you'll find that the Ridgeline is much more popular than you're giving it credit for, especially with a new, unproven model in a VERY competitive truck market.
All that to say, if you really *need* a truck that will tow 10,000lbs, haul a bunch of building supplies, and do so with 5 or 6 adults aboard, don't even consider the Ridgeline. It isn't built for your needs. Buy a Silverado or Sierra. They are built for those capabilities, and are the MT truck of the year. However, don't besmirch the truck and those who want to buy it just because it isn't suited for your needs.
9th Jul 2008, 17:57
Over the past few years most asian import companies have grown substantially in their productivity. Now since the great and all knowing Toyota is one of the largest automakers in the United States, you will see the quality decline. Now that they have people buying their products no matter what, they can slack on quality, but don't take my word for it, and don't have snippy comments to it, just watch...
6th Mar 2009, 10:44
Bought an 08 Ridgeline RTL last week and we love it. Plan on towing a 18ft travel trailer - this is the biggest thing with it. We only think that backing up with it is kind of difficult, thinking about the back up camera being an option here. This is the only thing that I can see with it so far, it handles very well, not tippy, very safe 4 stars on roll over, 5 stars on front and side impacts.
Kid's and wife love it, very roomy on inside, engine runs very smooth, you don't even hear it running.
I'm replacing a 2000 Chevy Blazer with 102k on it, and about 4000k in repair bills associated with it, always been big on Chevy, parents worked there and all, but would rather make payments than repairs.
Plus 10 years from now, Honda will still be here. Last Chevy I will ever own.
7th Jul 2007, 17:24
Tundra reliable? That's pretty funny considering they were all recalled for camshaft failure, I'll take a Nissan Titan or any domestic pick up, or even a Ridgeline over one of those any day.