A Ridgeline vs My Tacoma

Toyota says this is normal

 

I can't believe you married into a Ridgeline family. Make sure your wife knows you married 'down' and that you are entitled to 'extra favors'

 

Ridgeline just isn't as versatile as a Tacoma, Ranger, Chevy/GMC, Gladiator.

A Ridgeline feature that's nice is 50 inches between the wheel wells. You can forklift a 4x8 pallet into it, the only midsize that is capable of that.

The spare tire, there's actually room under the rear seat to store it there, one of the rear passengers will have their feet on it though.

Towing, Ridgeline doesn't have a selectable auto trans for downshifting/upshifting, and installing a trailer brake controller is difficult.

 

is that a Honda Accord?

 

Nice thread.

GM could convert this Buick to a fwd pick up if America buyers were really interested.

 

Here are YTD sales of Midsize Pickups:


Source: Automotive News

Notes:

1. In only 3 months on the market Jeep already sold as many Gladiators as Honda sold Ridgelines --despite a stop-sale order on right now
   
2. Less than 1 year out, Ford Ranger is already outselling Nissan Frontier

 

Yup you are definitely correct about the rear doors. They hardly swing out at all. Really wierd. It's like for little kids back there.

 

That is true, I just looked back at your comments and yours were not the sort that bothered me. I wasn't trying to call out people who were explaining why they personally prefer the Tacoma, and especially comments like yours that did still recognize the plus points of the Ridgeline. There's some sprinkled through more along the lines of 'Looks girly. Real men only buy body on frame. Ridgelines are junk', and nothing grinds my gears more than that sort of mentality(well, except for maybe my 3rd gen's rev hang and the massive ratio gap between first and second). I've had bro-dozer guys ask me why I'd buy a Tacoma when I could've had a real man's truck like an F150 for not that much more(well, I have a truck to use it off-road, not tow, and for that bigger is not better, it is actually much worse), and a lot of comments I've seen here are that exact same mentality.

I mean personally I'm with you on the handling, I've always been a big car guy in general and will always prefer anything that gives the driver more involvement. I love hustling a sporty car with good steering and crisp handling up a twisty road(been missing that since I sold my E36 BMW last year, need to get a sporty car back in my life) and I find traditional BOF trucks like our Tacoma or my Range Rover Classic pretty fun to drive even on the road because it's at least still a visceral and involving experience. Stuff like the Pilot and I assume the Ridgeline though I've never driven one I just find to be a boring middle ground. Yeah, I could probably whip the Pilot in the corners faster than my truck, but the truck's still more fun somehow even if objectively worse at it and the Pilot obviously doesn't feel nearly as crisp and tight as my BMW did so you end up in this mediocre middle ground. But, for most people who don't care about driving that much they're inoffensive, predictable and comfortable and they'll like the handling better.

 

I am sure the Gladiator will pass by the Ridgeline before the end of the year.

 

Haha I gotcha yeah bashing just for the sake of compensating for something isn't very productive. Always wanted an E36 and may still get one but I've got on my midlife crisis list a Cayman S (whenever used ones drop under 20k).

Wish I could explain more as you said the Ridgeline probably has a better CG and handling (softer, more responsive suspension, IRS) but the Taco is just more fun even on a regular road just because I can feel it. I've got no power to boast about (had wanted the Ridgeline as it is faster with better MPG) but I have a blast just driving my little 4cyl taco around all day. Have been itching to try 4lo but NJ sucks for places to go play in and I've got the base street tires so afraid I might get stuck going too crazy. Someday when these tires wear out I'll swap on a slightly better set.

 

Thanks, the bed rack is from SOS Offroad Concepts.

I have an OEM roof rack and one-piece Smittybilt Defender 45454 on an SOS aluminum bed rack from @EddyRRT's shop in SC. I had the bed rack custom sized in height and I took my time finding the proper basket so that it sits flush with the OEM roof rack when the arms are deployed. The way it sits on the bedside it dosen't cover the rails. The smittybilt basket is steel so it's almost twice as heavy as the rack.

 

So do these

 

OMG. Hahahaha.

 

We had a 1971 Ford LTD Country Squire “woody” growing up with the 1,000lb 3-way tailgate. Broke my finger when shutting it as a 12 year old kid. Still have scars.

 

At what Honda facility does your brother work? I noticed the GA tags, I work at the 6AT and 10AT transmission facility in Tallapoosa.

 

The ridgeline looks like a low rider not a truck

 

The E36 was fun, and I'd be open getting one again. If I could go back in time I would've gotten an E30 instead, they cost about the same at the point I bought my (non-M)E36. I've gotten to have some seat time in an E30 since and I just found it more fun to drive, and actually even liked the interior and seats better. Now though E30s have gone way, I'd go for an E36 M3 over an E30 325is for sure or save 5 grand and go for a regular E36. A Caymen S would be a lot of fun for $20k, a Porsche's definitely something I want to experience owning at some point. I know I want another sporty car in the relative future but I've been having a really hard time figuring out what I want exactly. Soft cap at $10k, hard cap at $15k, wouldn't mind just spending $5k and saving some money. I've been watching C5 Corvettes drop out of the corner of my eye and shit, on one had I don't see myself as a Corvette guy and that's a car that makes a really big statement I'm not sure I want to be making, on the other hand that's a hell of a lot of car for $10 grand not to mention reliable and cheap to maintain. Only other thing that's really tickled my fancy is a Fiesta ST, they were cheap enough to start with that they're already coming down towards $10k, boatloads of fun to drive and could take over a lot of the daily duties from the Tacoma and save me some gas.

Ah yeah that's rough. I grew up and now am back living in Oregon but I went to college in Eastern PA. I really got bit by the off road/overland bug when I bought an old 4Runner between my junior and senior years and got to start exploring the more off the beaten path parts of the PNW and then driving it cross country. Next thing I knew I was back in Pennsylvania and couldn't find anyplace to explore or play. I did have some friends I would go to an ORV park with which was a great place to build a lot of off road skills, especially as I was still new to it but pushing the limits on hard ORV park trails means some dents and scrapes. No biggie in my pre-dented $2500 car, wouldn't really have as much fun on those deliberately hard trails through tight PA woods in my Tacoma, especially if I was new to off roading.

BTW, I would stay away from the Pine Barrens unless they've posted some actual rules. While I was out there the rules very unclear(just didn't really address vehicle use rules) and not well posted, but I had two friends get some unbelievable tickets while exploring there with no idea that they were driving someplace they weren't allowed. No gates, no signs. Just a ranger and a four digit ticket.

 

I like the Ridgeline, but not as much as I like TWD- thats just good meme work.

 

You should get a ridgeline if it fits your needs, no sweat off my back.

 

I was on a ridgeline and I said to my wife "tacoma over" so I obviously choose a Tacoma on top of a Ridgeline.

Lmao