OT: Cartalk: Is the new Honda Ridgeline a girly man truck?

[eddief]

I think I might want one:

http://www.caranddriver.com/honda/ridgeline
http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/2017-honda-ridgeline-first-drive-review

Thinking about ways in which it could be better than an SUV.

[Cicli]

It is.

I would still buy one.

[eddief]

you can get a full size bike, wheels on, in the second row, with the seat folded up.

[ptourkin]

I guess so. It's already made you insecure.

[54ny77]

Isn't that a Pilot with half the back cut off?

I'd prefer a Pilot all day long. And a real pickup for real pickup uses.

[thirdgenbird]

It's not a truck in the traditional sense. It is a front wheel drive unibody SUV with an open cargo area.

If you want the utility of an SUV but perfer an open/washable cargo area, it might be a great choice. If your expectation is to haul/pull heavy loads or regularly use it offroad, you are probably better off with a Tacoma. If your hope is to get a truck but have good fuel milage, don't full yourself. Actual fuel milage on the new pilot is barely better than a full half ton pickup.

Random side one, I am quite falimilar with the trail and creek crossing in these press photos.

[jds108]

... Actual fuel milage on the new pilot is barely better than a full half ton pickup....

Looks like best hwy mileage on the Ridgeline is 26. Compare that to the Ram with the little 3.0 diesel where best hwy is 29. (yes, I'm comparing gas engine to diesel engine)

So unless that Ridgeline ticks all of the other boxes, I'd just call it "meh". The only thing that would sway me towards a Ridgeline is if I didn't need traditional truck capabilities and demanded something with a car-like ride.

[firerescuefin]

Looks like best hwy mileage on the Ridgeline is 26. Compare that to the Ram with the little 3.0 diesel where best hwy is 29. (yes, I'm comparing gas engine to diesel engine)

So unless that Ridgeline ticks all of the other boxes, I'd just call it "meh". The only thing that would sway me towards a Ridgeline is if I didn't need traditional truck capabilities and demanded something with a car-like ride.

Fit, finish, and reliability are all pretty sizable issues. For the right buyer (who doesn't need a work truck)...pretty tough to beat.

[thirdgenbird]

Fit, finish, and reliability are all pretty sizable issues. For the right buyer (who doesn't need a work truck)...pretty tough to beat.

I agree. It would actually suit me very nicely but I would refuse to call it a truck.

[ofcounsel]

Thinking about ways in which it could be better than an SUV.

Trucks are always better than SUVs for carrying mountain bikes around...http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s81/ofcounsel/1053343_10151763009921057_1603529783_o_zpsutsfzqpw .jpg

[jds108]

Fit, finish, and reliability are all pretty sizable issues. For the right buyer (who doesn't need a work truck)...pretty tough to beat.

Absolutely, but as best I know, there isn't a whole lot of difference in reliability between Honda and the big 3 US makes in the last few years. The inside of the Honda looks great, but so does a new GMC, or Dodge IMO.

What do I know, just two weeks ago I bought the ugliest vehicle currently for sale: a 2016 Ram Promaster EXT diesel. Its selling point is 6'4" of headroom in the cargo area. But hey, I can fit a queen size bed, cooler, porta-potty, and a few bikes in back :)

[Anarchist]

I would like for this to be available here too ......

http://www.volkswagen.de/de/models/amarok.html

[OtayBW]

you can get a full size bike, wheels on, in the second row, with the seat folded up.I dunno. I drive a Tundra and run a road bike across the back with the front wheel off and a fork mount on the floor. Don't know that I can get one in there with both wheels. Check your data there, Girly Man! ;)

[Tickdoc]

Yes. But the interior looks really nice and I bet it drives decent enough. Damn that front end looks girly though.

[fuzzalow]

OT: Cartalk: Is the new Honda Ridgeline a girly man truck?

If there are masculinity issues stuck in somebody's head, yeah anything short of a Freuhauf semi won't be man enough.

And a real pickup for real pickup uses.

Yep. Things bought for a purpose will always, ahem, trump things bought to cover up insecurities anybody can already see by the giveaway of the over-the-top things bought to cover it up. That fact can be guaranteed, it can be guaranteed.

[eddief]

http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/news/a29107/2017-honda-ridgeline-first-drive-review/

or fold back seat away to haul a mountain bike or big-screen TV in the cab.

[Ryun]

Just came back from drving the new Ridgeline out in texas.
Clearly it isnt a full size truck but for a mid size (Colorado, Tacoma, frontier) it seems to compare pretty well. Tows 5000, 4 wd works fine in off road conditions. The new torque vectoring handled the sloppy stuff very well

For those that need an heavy duty truck for towing a multi car trailer or horses, they wouldnt look at it but given how the vast majority of trucks on the road are actually used day in and day out, I think most people would find it to be more than enough truck .

[velomonkey]

"No matter how it’s outfitted, the Ridgeline is a no-brainer of a truck: unmatched in smoothness and comfort, and full of innovation well beyond its unibody construction. It deserved far more sales than it netted in its inaugural generation. Here’s hoping this one realizes its full potential."

Translation: if you're compensating in other areas this truck isn't for you.

[grawk]

I think the ridgeline is more than enough truck for anyone that's not doing crazy trails or hauling a boat or rv.

[William]

Well, I think the new one looks more "trucky" than the old model. That being said, I've always liked them for what they are. I would have no issue driving or being seen in one.








William

[Tandem Rider]

If you hafta ask....

[saab2000]

I'd rather drive a Honda Pilot. And if I wanted a mid-size truck it'd be the Toyota Tacoma. Hands down.

But I really kind of want one of these mid-size sport utes (sputes?) but I'd rather have the back area enclosed rather than open.

Gimme a Honda Pilot and we'll call it good.

[eddief]

of enclosing the bed will quickly make themselves known and then make it an even more interesting proposition. bike racks, tents, cab overs, tonto covers, etc.


I'd rather drive a Honda Pilot. And if I wanted a mid-size truck it'd be the Toyota Tacoma. Hands down.

But I really kind of want one of these mid-size sport utes (sputes?) but I'd rather have the back area enclosed rather than open.

Gimme a Honda Pilot and we'll call it good.

[ultraman6970]

I think honda needs to leave trucks aside and use those manhours to bring back a nice SW.

[AngryScientist]

probably no 6MT available?

[pjm]

The latest Pilot is basically a minivan disguised as an SUV.

[eddief]

I grew up on them, know how to drive one, but chuckle every time a car reviewer laments the fact that the car they are reviewing is not offered with a manual transmission. About 4% of cars sold now have sticks. Not saying they don't have their place, but am saying most drivers don't want them. Me too. If you live in or near traffic, you gotta be really bored to want to do that with a manual trans. Maybe in Bozeman.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/18/cars-manual-transmission-stick-shift-automatic


probably no 6MT available?

[AngryScientist]

The latest Pilot is basically a minivan disguised as an SUV.

perhaps this is a joke, but there is really zero validity to the statement.

i strongly believe small pickup trucks are wildly versatile and useful, and while this one is a bit bigger than i would prefer, if it is successful, more options may come to market.

full size trucks certainly have their place, but i see many many full sized pickups just driven as daily people movers, which is silly for that use alone.

[AngryScientist]

I grew up on them, know how to drive one, but chuckle every time a car reviewer laments the fact that the car they are reviewing is not offered with a manual transmission. About 4% of cars sold now have sticks. Not saying they don't have their place, but am saying most drivers don't want them. Me too. If you live in or near traffic, you gotta be really bored to want to do that with a manual trans. Maybe in Bozeman.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/18/cars-manual-transmission-stick-shift-automatic

i drive in the NYC metro area, and still prefer MT. but i definitely see your point, and the market agrees apparently.

[saab2000]

probably no 6MT available?

I've been driving manuals for 33 years. The first car I ever drove, a Datsun, had a manual. My current car (a 2006 VW GTI) has a manual.

I'm kind of over it. Sitting in traffic, especially on an incline, or in traffic too slow to creep in first gear or too fast for first gear, sucks. You just sort of ride the clutch and there's no performance or efficiency gain today either.

Manual transmissions are the friction shifters of today's automobiles. And I feel qualified to comment after the cars I've owned and driven over the years with manuals. Virtually all of them have had them and they do very little for me that a good, modern auto won't do.

Maybe that 3rd gear, 5000 RPM pass on the freeway........:D But most of the time I am kinda done with them.

I'd drive that truck with an auto or manual. But at this point in my life I just prefer the sport ute. Or raised minivan if that's what anyone wants to call it. I drove a Yukon for 3 years after my dad died and it was nicer than I expected it to be.

All this said, if I get a new Miata/MX-5 it'll be a manual. I had one before and all the challenges to my masculinity faded when I drove it because it was a ton of fun and when I reminded the challenger that my day job involved a lot more vehicle than his day job involved. That pretty much ended it on the spot.

Don't worry about what other people think. Buy what you want and don't pander to insecurities of others. But my personal next daily driver will probably be an automatic.

[Elefantino]

Funny how things come around again. The 1998-2003 Ford F-150s all had the sloped, rounded noses, a departure for pick'em ups. Then Dodge came out with the Ram and by 2004 both Ford and GM had hardened the front ends of their trucks.

http://articles.dashzracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ford-f150-97-98-99-00-01-02-03-light-bulb-application-list-1.jpg

Now, sloped noses again.

http://buyersguide.caranddriver.com/media/assets/submodel/7055.jpg

[staggerwing]

While not directly addressing the original question, I don't think Soichiro Honda would have smiled happily upon this not-a-truck/not-a-SUV/not-a-mini-van amalgamation. I feel the same way about the bloated Accord CrossTour too. Of course, they would like be reliable.

Think I'll slink in the garage and make 'vroom vroom' noises while fondling the shifter in my S2000.

[Anarchist]

perhaps this is a joke, but there is really zero validity to the statement.

i strongly believe small pickup trucks are wildly versatile and useful, and while this one is a bit bigger than i would prefer, if it is successful, more options may come to market.

full size trucks certainly have their place, but i see many many full sized pickups just driven as daily people movers, which is silly for that use alone.

Perhaps you missed the "Honda PILOT"???

[54ny77]

Fuzz as you know I have a scratched & dented Ford 4x4 that I once maxed out about 2x the rated load capacity courtesy of an over-eager yard operator in Bedford who dropped in a little too much gravel. :hello: Yeah, that was an interesting drive home....the truck drove like a wiener dog walks: kinda sideways, wiggling back & forth. Laterally compliant! I was waiting for the chassis to snap, drove 35-40 mph the whole way home (much to the chagrin of people behind me) but it held. No friendly neighborhood LEO inquiring either, thankfully. Brakes sure were a little smelly!

I think there was a little more weight in the bed than a Ridgeline weighs in total. :banana:

I don't understand why guys buy massive pickups as daily drivers but for those of us who use/need 'em, they're an essential tool. And ya gotta have a longbed. None of this pansy 5' bed thing. What kind of real truck doesn't have an 8' bed? ;)

OT: Cartalk: Is the new Honda Ridgeline a girly man truck?

If there are masculinity issues stuck in somebody's head, yeah anything short of a Freuhauf semi won't be man enough.

Yep. Things bought for a purpose will always, ahem, trump things bought to cover up insecurities anybody can already see by the giveaway of the over-the-top things bought to cover it up. That fact can be guaranteed, it can be guaranteed.

[dancinkozmo]

just get a fit...it will hold all your stuff just fine...

[shovelhd]

Call me a girly man all you want. I owned a first year Ridgeline. It did me well for 145k miles. Two recalls and routine maintenance. You can fit stuff in a Ridgeline bed that you could never fit in a Pilot, plus you get the trunk. That's a short sighted argument. It's bigger inside than a Tacoma and the trim levels were better for the same money. It comes down to whether you need a 4WD pickup that you can take off-road often, or an AWD family pickup that's comfortable on long drives and can haul all the materials for your next home renovation project. It was a great fit for my needs. I replaced it with my JSW and a trailer.

[pjm]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmnsy54Ohmk

[Anarchist]

I've been driving manuals for 33 years. The first car I ever drove, a Datsun, had a manual. My current car (a 2006 VW GTI) has a manual.

I'm kind of over it. Sitting in traffic, especially on an incline, or in traffic too slow to creep in first gear or too fast for first gear, sucks. You just sort of ride the clutch and there's no performance or efficiency gain today either.

Manual transmissions are the friction shifters of today's automobiles. And I feel qualified to comment after the cars I've owned and driven over the years with manuals. Virtually all of them have had them and they do very little for me that a good, modern auto won't do.

Maybe that 3rd gear, 5000 RPM pass on the freeway........:D But most of the time I am kinda done with them.

I'd drive that truck with an auto or manual. But at this point in my life I just prefer the sport ute. Or raised minivan if that's what anyone wants to call it. I drove a Yukon for 3 years after my dad died and it was nicer than I expected it to be.

All this said, if I get a new Miata/MX-5 it'll be a manual. I had one before and all the challenges to my masculinity faded when I drove it because it was a ton of fun and when I reminded the challenger that my day job involved a lot more vehicle than his day job involved. That pretty much ended it on the spot.

Don't worry about what other people think. Buy what you want and don't pander to insecurities of others. But my personal next daily driver will probably be an automatic.

Years ago when I lived in Vancouver, the land of no moving traffic, I traded my manual for an automatic and have not gone back.

Stirring a manual around in city traffic is worse than being at the dentist.

[54ny77]

That's a great video.

Impressive vehicle.

Really like the in-bed "trunk."

Lots of cool engineering and features designed & built into the new Ridgeline.

I'll take one of these Honda's thank you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFAYu4Sr6bI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8JwgDAPPqg


:D

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmnsy54Ohmk

[ceolwulf]

Put it this way, I'd be much happier to see a Ridgeline approaching behind me than yet another 6000 lb lifted to the sky smoke belching "real man truck". Have a pretty good idea which one would be more likely to try to run me off the road and/or tell me to get the eff on the sidewalk.

[bart998]

I will soon be selling my fifth-wheel and will no longer need my 10 year old F250. The new Honda though is a non-starter. Girl truck at best. I wish Ford would bring in the Ranger they sell in Australia...

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2015/04/fords-2016-ford-ranger-will-not-come-to-us.html

But I guess the new Chevy or Toyota will have to do... maybe that new GMC Canyon diesel?

[FlashUNC]

Given the reviews I've read, I doubt there's a better midsize pickup out there. Unless its not about the truck. Which it rarely is for the brodozer set.

[sjbraun]

Can you stop with the "girl truck" comments? No need for disparaging comments directed at half human species.

[p nut]

As an owner of an F150, I'd have no problems driving the new Ridgeline. 90% of truck owners haul lots of air and tow a whole lot of nothing. Including yours truly. I like the ride quality and MPG of the Ridgeline. Maybe diesels get better mileage, but at the cost of higher maintenance costs. It also does well enough off-road. Again, for most people, it is good enough. People get too hung up on lockers, solid axles, etc. Funny to see some of these trucks with 6" lift, armor up the wazoo, never get off well graded dirt roads.

And got to love that built in cooler, especially after a long day on the bike!

[eddief]

girly man = 22.5%.

Not women...as such.

Can you stop with the "girl truck" comments? No need for disparaging comments directed at half human species.

[Cornfed]

I've owned mine since 2006 and the only thing I'd trade it for is a hybrid version of the same. Sure, my Silverado-owning neighbors tease me for my "mini-truck", but guess who always gets picked to drive to Tahoe? Smooth, quiet, and comfortable. And I seriously can't imagine life without the trunk.

Only things on the wish list: wish the bed was longer and wish the rails were level so I could mount a ladder/kayak rack.

[oldpotatoe]

Isn't that a Pilot with half the back cut off?

I'd prefer a Pilot all day long. And a real pickup for real pickup uses.

Standard front wheel drive only? I don't get it. When I had a truck I threw stuff in the back, like a load of baby head rocks for a outside garden..seems like I would swoon if I did that with this 'truck'.

[NYCfixie]

Modern day El Camino?

Half car/SUV (unibody) and half truck?

[Climb01742]

Put it this way, I'd be much happier to see a Ridgeline approaching behind me than yet another 6000 lb lifted to the sky smoke belching "real man truck". Have a pretty good idea which one would be more likely to try to run me off the road and/or tell me to get the eff on the sidewalk.

+1

Full-sized pick-ups are, by far, the vehicle that regularly comes closest to running me off the road while riding.

[William]

Manual vs auto...

I've had them both and I still prefer manual...YMMV. :)







William

[mistermo]

I realize I'm the exception, but when my TDI Passat wagon needed a new transmission, I replaced the automatic with a stick. Manual trannies allow me to feel engaged with the driving experience. Most people don't care and would rather drink coffee or check their phones.

[William]

I realize I'm the exception, but when my TDI Passat wagon needed a new transmission, I replaced the automatic with a stick. Manual trannies allow me to feel engaged with the driving experience. Most people don't care and would rather drink coffee or check their phones.

I agree. Being able to choose my shift points on a winding backroad, rev it up and hold it out close to redline before I speed shift just feels good to me. I like the control and feel of being connected to the car. I rarely listen to music because I prefer the sound of the motor and shift by ear most of the time. I started on a manual and that's mostly what I've had over the years. A bonus is that today most people don't know how to drive them so it could almost be considered an ant-theft device as well. :D








William

[bbobway]

I liked the old Ridgeline - except for the styling. This new one looks great! If anything ever happens to my Tacoma, the Ridgeline will be at the top of my list as a replacement.

[AngryScientist]

Re;Manual transmissions

Agree also. Especially important for lower powered engines, when driving in very hilly areas, keeping the engine fat in the power band makes driving a "slow" car a lot more enjoyable than with an auto.

it's also a quirky mechanical thing. i prefer mechanical automatic watches too, when most people use a phone or an apple watch thingie for the time. the sweep second hand moving just makes me happy.

[54ny77]

Now you're talkin'.

http://cdn.boldride.com/chevrolet/1970/chevrolet-el-camino.2000x1333.Nov-25-2013_11.37.39.290407.jpg

Modern day El Camino?

Half car/SUV (unibody) and half truck?

[Vinci]

I was sitting at a light earlier this week (on my bike) behind a Ridgeline and was surprised at how small the bed seemed. It didn't even look like you could put a bike in the back without taking a wheel (or two) off.

Also, what's with the FWD?

For that price point, you could be well into a Tacoma and I think you'd have a hard time justifying the Ridgeline over it.

[William]

What more do you need???

http://continentaldivideride.com/zabbawack/Mount/4.JPG






:)
William

[bbobway]

Nice El Camino! My first "car" was a 1966 El Camino. It was awesome. Super practical, except for the one-row seating and being old.

[FlashUNC]

Standard front wheel drive only? I don't get it. When I had a truck I threw stuff in the back, like a load of baby head rocks for a outside garden..seems like I would swoon if I did that with this 'truck'.

The Ridge line can carry 1,600 lbs in the bed. How many rocks do you need?

[soulspinner]

Isn't that a Pilot with half the back cut off?

I'd prefer a Pilot all day long. And a real pickup for real pickup uses.

Ya. Horses for courses. For that money Id get a Tacoma.

[oldpotatoe]

The Ridge line can carry 1,600 lbs in the bed. How many rocks do you need?

Wasn't the weight but the rocks being dropped into the bed from a front loader at the gravel yard. Plus the other stuff I threw in there, not worrying about marring the finish of this Truck, it's a truck, work type, not a trophy. Weighed about 400 pounds BTW.

[benb]

Couple of thoughts:

The C&D article mentions honda designed the first gen Ridgeline and then let it rot without updating it, causing sales to drop off like crazy before they finally cancelled it. I wonder if honda is short on engineering resources or something, this is a very very frequent pattern with Honda. (Ridgeline, NSX, S2000, it goes on and on they have done this many times.) I generally think Honda is pretty brilliant and every little detail of their products generally makes me smile from an engineer's viewpoint when I see it but they always do odd stuff with product decisions.

Someone mentioned the dodge at 29 with diesel, that's a wash if the Ridgeline is 26 with gas. Probably the same gas cost since diesel is more expensive, but if the choice was a RWD or FWD truck I would want the RWD.

3500-5000lbs seems pretty weak, my Outback is rated at 3500lbs IIRC, but I bet Honda is right on the money with that 10% figure for trucks that actually tow. It's probably even more extreme if you cut out commercial buyers.

I've never owned a pickup.. I do love the idea of carrying bikes locked in the bed, especially with a bed cover.. I carry bike(s) so often the peace of mind of that setup would be huge combined with not worrying about trashing the interior.

[malcolm]

I think for what most people use a truck for especially if you are looking in that size range the ridgeline would be fine if not superior. Most trucks never see off road and if they do it's a dirt road and never really haul much except maybe mulch and stuff for the yard or occasional furniture. If you plan on rugged off road use the Tacoma sans the stock suspension is far superior. Does the ridgeline have a 4X4 version? I'm not sure.

It's like bikes it mostly aesthetics and what you like. For most of us there really isn't that many bad choices. Most modern vehicles are vastly superior to anything from 10 or more years ago with a few exceptions.

[Birddog]

We're on our third Pilot and as an owner I think the Ridgeline is somewhat lacking, although it could be useful in some instances. Personally, I would probably wait for the rumored re-introduction of the Avalanche/Escalade. I know cyclist owners of both makes and the Avalanche owners sing the praises louder and more frequently than do the Ridgeline owners.

[Tickdoc]

I want to go see one in person and take it for a test drive. Specifically, I want to see if the sloping and shiny car-like appearance is as revolting in person as it is in pictures. I hear it is a little sluggish from one review. I test drove the last version and it seemed fine.

[benb]

Most of those occasional uses like hauling furniture or yard waste/mulch make so little sense too... you're talking huge money to drive a pickup around for years for the # of times most of us would move furniture or yard stuff. Exception would maybe be if you owned a farm but that is very different than the typical suburban truck owner.

I think maybe I paid $50 last time I bought for mulch delivery. That was a load that probably would have taken 10 trips in a Ridgeline if you maxed out it's bed load rating. (They brought it in a full size dump truck)

I occasionally have to load my Outback and/or wife's accord with bags of leaves and such to take them to the town facilities and a truck would be much nicer for that since you dot worry about dirt in the bed but we're still talking 1-2 days per year for that. This is the first year I've got a compost solution going in the yard and that may completely eliminate the need to haul any of that stuff around except maybe for sticks from tree pruning. Those 25+ giant paper bags of leaves and stuff compost away amazingly fast if I chop them up with the lawn mower and then throw them in the composte. It is almost mind boggling how fast leaves disappear in a compost heap/bin.

New furniture gets delivered for free most of the time, U-haul is dirt cheap the rest of the time unless you're moving it hundreds or thousands of miles.

[slidey]

I'm not really a car person, I do have one, but primarily consider it as a conveyance from Pt A to Pt B.

Having said that, one of the most quirky yet desirable vehicles I came across was the Subaru Baja. If i'm not mistaken, those are out of production for a while now, but whenever I see these half-trucks, they remind me of the Baja, and purely on first impressions, the Baja still stands out, in a good way, to me.

[p nut]

Most of those occasional uses like hauling furniture or yard waste/mulch make so little sense too... you're talking huge money to drive a pickup around for years for the # of times most of us would move furniture or yard stuff. Exception would maybe be if you owned a farm but that is very different than the typical suburban truck owner.

I think maybe I paid $50 last time I bought for mulch delivery. That was a load that probably would have taken 10 trips in a Ridgeline if you maxed out it's bed load rating. (They brought it in a full size dump truck)

I occasionally have to load my Outback and/or wife's accord with bags of leaves and such to take them to the town facilities and a truck would be much nicer for that since you dot worry about dirt in the bed but we're still talking 1-2 days per year for that. This is the first year I've got a compost solution going in the yard and that may completely eliminate the need to haul any of that stuff around except maybe for sticks from tree pruning. Those 25+ giant paper bags of leaves and stuff compost away amazingly fast if I chop them up with the lawn mower and then throw them in the composte. It is almost mind boggling how fast leaves disappear in a compost heap/bin.

New furniture gets delivered for free most of the time, U-haul is dirt cheap the rest of the time unless you're moving it hundreds or thousands of miles.

That is pretty sound advice. Strictly cost wise, trucks and suv's don't make much sense. Although leaps in technology closes that gap. i.e. Our Subaru gets 30mpg highway and the F150 gets 24. Not bad considering how big it is and how much more comfortable it is. Long road trips are so much better in a bigger vehicle, even compared to the Outback. Loading bikes, skis, camping stuff, etc is so much easier in the truck. Rough backcountry roads are smoother with 32" tires. Safety is a consideration as well.

I know I'm still behind when it comes to cost of ownership, and probably would've been fine with another Subaru, but there are enough benefits that makes it worthwhile for me.

[benb]

Heh just more on the building material thing in the article, it's great the Ridgeline can haul an 8'x4' piece of plywood or sheet rock/drywall in the bed as mentioned.. I would be pretty disappointed in a truck that couldn't do that, I can put a 6'x4' sheet in my Outback with the seats down and if I was daring enough to leave the hatch open and tied down I might be able to do an 8'x'4' sheet and I have loaded 8' fence posts in it as well without having to leave the hatch open. But those are again rare events that would never justify a pickup for me. I've only had to buy drywall once in the last 6 years in our house and we just paid for delivery.

[malcolm]

Most of those occasional uses like hauling furniture or yard waste/mulch make so little sense too... you're talking huge money to drive a pickup around for years for the # of times most of us would move furniture or yard stuff. Exception would maybe be if you owned a farm but that is very different than the typical suburban truck owner.

I think maybe I paid $50 last time I bought for mulch delivery. That was a load that probably would have taken 10 trips in a Ridgeline if you maxed out it's bed load rating. (They brought it in a full size dump truck)

I occasionally have to load my Outback and/or wife's accord with bags of leaves and such to take them to the town facilities and a truck would be much nicer for that since you dot worry about dirt in the bed but we're still talking 1-2 days per year for that. This is the first year I've got a compost solution going in the yard and that may completely eliminate the need to haul any of that stuff around except maybe for sticks from tree pruning. Those 25+ giant paper bags of leaves and stuff compost away amazingly fast if I chop them up with the lawn mower and then throw them in the composte. It is almost mind boggling how fast leaves disappear in a compost heap/bin.

New furniture gets delivered for free most of the time, U-haul is dirt cheap the rest of the time unless you're moving it hundreds or thousands of miles.

Makes perfect sense. Most people don't apply this kind of thought to buying a car. If it were all about costs we would be driving 3cy gas engine econoboxes. Like bikes we buy cars mostly with our hearts not heads.

[benb]

That is pretty sound advice. Strictly cost wise, trucks and suv's don't make much sense. Although leaps in technology closes that gap. i.e. Our Subaru gets 30mpg highway and the F150 gets 24. Not bad considering how big it is and how much more comfortable it is. Long road trips are so much better in a bigger vehicle, even compared to the Outback. Loading bikes, skis, camping stuff, etc is so much easier in the truck. Rough backcountry roads are smoother with 32" tires. Safety is a consideration as well.

I know I'm still behind when it comes to cost of ownership, and probably would've been fine with another Subaru, but there are enough benefits that makes it worthwhile for me.

How much better do you think the truck is on the backcountry roads? I would expect the Outback, etc.. to be better than most trucks other than the Ridgeline when you consider C&D's remarks about the unibody construction delivering so much better of a ride, and the truck is going to have a stiffer suspension to handle heavy loads. I'd expect the truck to be better than most but maybe not stuff like the Outback and Grand Cherokee that have 9" of ground clearance with lots of suspension travel, relatively big tires, and unibody chassis.

Funny thing with my Outback is the ride gets better on rough roads & dirt when you give it more gas. :cool: One of the little things that annoys me that Subaru did is the Outback is like 1 tire size away from qualifying for the beach/trail passes around here. I forget what it is but it's basically like the car has 225/55/17 tires and if they just went to 245/60/17 or something it would be able to get a trail sticker.. and it probably wouldn't degrade on road handling much.

[p nut]

How much better do you think the truck is on the backcountry roads? I would expect the Outback, etc.. to be better than most trucks other than the Ridgeline when you consider C&D's remarks about the unibody construction delivering so much better of a ride, and the truck is going to have a stiffer suspension to handle heavy loads. I'd expect the truck to be better than most but maybe not stuff like the Outback and Grand Cherokee that have 9" of ground clearance with lots of suspension travel, relatively big tires, and unibody chassis.

Funny thing with my Outback is the ride gets better on rough roads & dirt when you give it more gas. :cool:

I've had the Outback for 4 yrs now and the F150 for less than a year. In Utah, one thing we don't lack is backcountry roads. Some spots get pretty rough, washboard, rocks, etc. Subaru does pretty well, but nothing like airing down 32-33" tires to 15 psi. The truck is more sure footed as well. And I had in my head it had more suspension travel but not sure on that. But I agree, Subaru is no slouch. I love taking it "off-road" as well.

[Climb01742]

This would be my choice:

[eddief]

and from a company you can trust.

This would be my choice:

[Birddog]

and from a company you can trust.

Ooooooh, OUCHIE!

[ripvanrando]

I dunno. I drive a Tundra and run a road bike across the back with the front wheel off and a fork mount on the floor. Don't know that I can get one in there with both wheels. Check your data there, Girly Man! ;)

Possible with the CrewMax but I traded mine for a real frame on truck, a Land Cruiser.

[dancinkozmo]

This would be my choice:

epic fail in the frontal impact crash test

[ripvanrando]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmnsy54Ohmk

The lockable trunk is a really nice feature when going hunting in many states or transporting a firearm across state lines.

It looks like a nice vehicle.

WRT to less than masculine trucks, the F150 is generally referred to as a Baby Truck or at least that is what the boys at the range called my old F150. A real, manly man would be driving the F350 or maybe the F250 if down on their luck.

[avalonracing]

I guess so. It's already made you insecure.

Well played :D

[p nut]

WRT to less than masculine trucks, the F150 is generally referred to as a Baby Truck or at least that is what the boys at the range called my old F150. A real, manly man would be driving the F350 or maybe the F250 if down on their luck.

Doesn't help that I've got a tiny little 2.7L in my F150. :) I think it's a bit much of a truck personally, but it's sure nice on long trips with the family. Rear seat is ginormous.

[benb]

If you gotta have an F350 to be a real man what do they think of you riding your bicycle? :rolleyes:

[54ny77]

girly man such small tubes, ya!

http://i.imgur.com/iyKg0ve.png

If you gotta have an F350 to be a real man what do they think of you riding your bicycle? :rolleyes:

[paredown]

Interesting review--makes me want to try one out.

I'm currently driving a 2003 Tundra--the 3/4 size truck before they dosed it with steroids to compete with Ford and the rest.

It's the econo/stripped model, so V6--and it is rated for 1500 pounds and towing capacity of 5000 pounds, so pretty close to the current Taco or this Ridgeline. I like the full sized bed, since I am still doing a fair amount of construction, but I think I could work with the small bed.

Of course, I have had loads of 2000 pounds plus in the Tundra--and my question would be if the unibody is over-engineered to take that kind of abuse.

[Tickdoc]

Well lookee here:
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--b8puLKyU--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/b44fhvie3diqzguxwzml.jpg