The Ridgeline is really a very poor SUV version of a truck, they need a small truck based maybe on the Fit or Civic at a good price and I am sure it would sell.

 

I agree with the truck but what Honda really needs to do is jump the market and bring their euro 1.6L and 2.2L diesel to the states. I would love a diesel fit or civic.

 

Two words: Jeep Comanche.



Only a small fraction of trucks sold are to people who need trucks. The rest are to "truck people," people who only need trucks as part of a delusional self definition and peer pressure. The XJ Cherokee was a great SUV and a pickup version was a no-brainer from a utility perspective. But it was a non-starter from a marketing perspective- Jeep people aren't truck people and vice-versa.

Do you really think manly, truck driving Murricans are going to run to the nearest Civic & Insight store to buy a "real" truck? Honda is a wonderful combination of every positive and practical automotive attribute- and that's why they fall flat in the truck/SUV market: because practicality and utility aren't what truck and SUV buyers are looking for, no matter what words come out of their mouths.

Some years ago, Jon Stewart did a brief news item about the latest and greatest pickup on the market. After listing its stats, he paused and said "Hey, that can tow the boat I don't own up the mountain I don't live near!" And that sums up the truck market here: chromed out 4x4 quad cabs with 20" tires that never carry more than a couple bags of groceries. Honda is never going to succeed in that market because it's a lie.

 

Has Honda ever made a body on frame vehicle?

 

If motorcycles count.

 

You could just get a Toyota truck ;)

 

What's your point?
Some people just need a truck for light duty gardening and the Ridgeline fits the bill. I think Honda Ridgeline sales are on target with their sales goals.
Plenty of trucks out there so no need for Honda to compete in other segments. I really can't see Honda making a better truck than a Chevy Silverado or Colorado, but then again the average home improvement / gardening person doesn't need a bigger or better truck.

 

They are working on it, but don't expect a V8 to power it.

2017 Honda Ridgeline Shows More Traditional Styling

 

I have 2 Toyota trucks, but would like a Honda.

 

Owned a Isuzu SUV, honda was selling them re-branded for a while. The Isuzu Amigo/trooper V6 (3.0 liter and up) is a Acura designed engine. Maintenance nightmare when something breaks, the honda dealers would not even work on troopers or amigos, they only worked on tier branded products.

The ridgeline is a car. Dont care if it has a bed or not. There have been many attempts to market and they all died because they just didn't sell a big enough number. The Ridgeline survives because of the perception of honda reliability, so they have that going for them. People I've known that used them as a truck are typically less happy at about the 7 year mark than other honda owners.. Towing is the big killer.

US Market ....
1. VW Pickup - 6 years
2. Elcamino - 1959–1960 & 1964–1987 = 13 years ish.
3. Ranchero - 1957 - 1979 about a 20 year run..
4. Subaru brat - about 7 years
5. Subaru Baja - 3 years

 

I always thought it a dumb design to put the spare tire in a cavity beneath the bed. So if you're hauling a load of mulch in the bed and you get a flat, you'd have to remove your mulch to gain access to the spare tire?

 

I did, 20 years ago. 423,000 miles on my Tacoma and it still runs like the day I bought it.

 

Nissan Frontier Four Door 4.0L 6-Speed Manual owner here. It's a decade old and I love it as much as when I bought it new. It's easily garage-able, is perfect for my family and household chores, and is a blast to drive. Nope, no interest in a full size truck.

The new Honda Ridgeline begins at something like $42,000 (!?!) and my local Honda dealer sells them as soon as they arrive. At least the new gen looks like a truck.

 

The new generation looks nothing like a truck. It's a honda pilot with the rear 3rd row portion converted into a bed.

I'd be embarrassed to say I owned a truck and drive around in that thing. You better take some estrogen blockers if you own one of those, BC your next post will be about your sex transition surgery. Lol

Seriously, it's hideous.

 

Agreed it's a Pilot....and as long as you don't turn around and look behind you, you'd never know there was a truck bed following you around.

 

Agreed. 10char.

 

There's no reason to bother developing a full-size truck. It's a very well-served market in the US. Unless you can do it better, in some way, than the existing players ... there is no point.

And the development costs for a full truck platform would be immense. The only way I see this happening is if Honda decided to get into the commercial vehicle business, which is probably something they'd be pretty good at. But it won't be happening. They are quite happy to stick with the whole honda MOTOR company bit, and let the OEMs take the margin pressure of being a designer and assembler. Mowers, snowblowers, etc are always at a premium if they have a Honda engine.

 

Back in the day, that was the truck, then Toyota came to town...

 

Old Thread I know.
But I'd say I love trucks. But I can't afford one. Really good trucks are at luxury car or beyond prices. They are great machines BUT way beyond my budget.

The first 2 new vehicles I owned were early 90's stripped down Nissan Pick-Ups. And they were great.
And at the time, they were actually one of the cheapest forms of transportation you could buy.

The drawback, was they weren't very safe by todays standards. No airbags, ladder framework...crash test results were horrific.
Todays trucks are built to much, much higher safety standards. But the trade-off is the more they embrace no compromise between truck and most luxury vehicles, the more expensive they have become.

I don't think the age of the affordable small pick-up is ever coming back. But I wish it would. I'd like to be able to own a useable, safe pick-up, that falls below the full or mid-sized luxury vehicles being produced today.

I recently went to an auto show and while I was impressed with all that the modern pick-up offers, I was also shocked at the sticker price.

Actually, the fold down storage room possibilities of The Honda Fit is part of the reason I bought a Fit. I feel it's an affordable and UTILIZABLE vehicle. With the seats folded down, I almost think of it as a small sub-compact pick-up.

 

yah small pickup trucks are a hard sell in the usa i think. trucks need to be powerful and big, military grade aluminum. lol