What would Honda have to do to Snag Tacoma Buyers

Only vehicle sales will really open up the aftermarket companies to make pets for the ridgeline. Bottom line is they don't really sell enough units

 

Yeah, I don't see honda making a real truck... It will be better than the old one, but it will be a street light duty truck....
It will be comfortable and should get good mpg...

A pilot with a box..... Honda has a different customer base....

All the pics show little car tires......

And towing with the 3.5 still sucks..........

Toyota still needs to add a larger engine option to the Tacoma......

the 3.5 will work for a lot of people but I need a real truck with a truck engine...

If the Ridgeline beats the Tacoma in a towing test I'm going to flip....

Seams like the chevy is out towing the 3rd gen....

Sorry small rant....

 

Seems like its about to get a tad more interesting

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/the-diesel-colorado-and-canyon-are-finally-on-their-way-1750485886

 

Judging by this Teaser image, it has a gap:

 

As per the thread title question, Honda would first have to build a truck.

Honda builds cars, cars that are sort of SUVs, and SUVs that look like some sort of truck.

 

Should rename it "hedgeline" perfect for picking up potting soil

 

They would have to give me one so i could sell it (maybe?) and use the money to buy upgrades for my Taco.

 

Hopefully these guys all push Toyota a little more....



Ok back to the Ridgeline.....

 

A sub frame is not the same as a ladder frame. You can't get nearly the same level of strength out of a subframe. Not without bulking it up to the point where you loose the advantages in weight of a unibody design. Also, just think about it. If you have a subframe you have to make the truck FWD biased to avoid torquing the subframe joint points every time you apply torque. Not only that, but any load you put in the box will cause stress on the subframe which has a limited capacity again unless you over do it to the point where it may as well be a ladder frame. If you have some additional connection between the box and truck though you gain another point to distribute that force. So, while their may be a cosmetic gap to allow some flex without wrecking body panels, in all likelihood there will still be another connection to take advantage of the unibody design somewhere between the box and the truck. The connection will probably be just a few inches in to give the perception of a true gap where there is none and allow a break in the panels point for minor flexing.

 

^This looks like the small cosmetic gap I was talking about. That gap is too small if they intend to allow the truck to flex like any ladder frame vehicle. It suggests that their is likely some structural attachments just beyond with the gap being present to allow a slight flex without bending the body paneling.

Either way we will find out at the release . It's all a guess till then.

 

mileage on the old one sucked and the old 3.5 had no power.....

http://www.fuelly.com/car/honda/ridgeline

 

Toyotas had diesel in the Hilux overseas for awhile nowthey just need to bring it here

 

I think diesels in a mid size will flop. Anyone who needs the towing power would buy a full size and they cost WAY more than a gas version. Thanks to the epa they aren't as reliable as they once were, and a gas engine outlasts the rest of a vehicle now anyway. I guarantee the folks at Toyota took a long hard look at a diesel gen 3, there is a reason they didn't go for it. I think they were right not to.

Everyone wants a diesel everything until they look at the price tag and think "I don't need the extra power enough to pay that much for one." Just my prediction, I could be wrong.

 

My 2014 RL averages 20+ on every tank except during winter months. But, this is with a very light foot.

 

I purchased a 2014 Sport Ridgeline over a 2014 Tacoma for various reasons. My first Honda.

Likes:
More cabin space.
Rear seat lifts up out of the way vs. folding down.
Power sliding rear window.
"Trunk" with easy access spare tire.
2-way, "beefier" tailgate.
Seating position.
VTM-4

Dislikes:
Seats are too firm. Soil easily.
Drivers window rattles when partially down.
Bed scratches easily.
Crappy stereo.
Honda service (from my experience to date). Slow, sloppy.
Can't attach a snow plow if desired or wanted.

I'm a older guy now. Did the lifted show trucks and all. Like Toyota a LOT but the Tacoma leaves me wanting more. Then again, so does the Ridgeline. To date, aside from poor service, the Honda has been solid.

Would I buy the Gen2? Guess we'll have to wait and see but I don't think so at this time. Would I buy a new Tacoma. Again, probably not at this time. As mentioned, BOTH vehicles leave me wanting more and simply want the vehicle that works for ME at a price I can live with. When I am in the market again for a new ride, I will certainly give both a hard look as I did before.

 

lots of people on here could get away with no bed whatsoever, lol. I would bet that 80% of the trucks of any kind in my building's lot (probably 3k ppl work here) haven't seen anything in the bed in a year or towed anything ever, though almost every one is 4WD and probably half are full size.

In all honesty, the concept of the Ridgeline is better for most of the people on here, but it just doesn't command any testosterone.

 

Well vtm4 is terrible it isn't reliable and isn't very strong. Also you'll be replacing motor mounts and a tbelt at 105k

 

A 2.7 ecoboost Ranger could make a nice candidate for a successor to the Lightning and Tremor.

 

That's because Subaru's system always has some amount of power going to both differentials. Many others wait until the front loses traction to send power to the back.

My '08 Outback was a 45F:55R split under normal conditions. The non-VTD Subarus can vary that range more widely. On the Outback forum, some guys monitored the "Duty-C" solenoid with software on a laptop and charted it relative to various conditions. The Duty C is what dictates how much power goes to the rear.

It was found that starting from a stop or using full throttle any time, it is always 50:50, or extremely close to it. It will back itself down so less power goes to the rear when you are cruising, but even coasting downhill at 50+ MPH the duty C still allowed about 75F:25R.

I know Audi always sends power to both axles as well. Not sure about the others. The Honda system does not, and if I remember correctly the older Hondas were not capable of AWD at all above 25 MPH.