Need a really good laugh tonight ???

It almost seems like some people feel threatened by the RL's very existence, and need to further justify their reasons for owning a taco. It seems to be a capable truck to me. Honda makes outstanding vehicles top to bottom, so it doesn't surprise me that the RL is also a great vehicle.

 

Talk about dismal payload and fuel consumption. Not even sure why Toyota bothers with the Tundra, while Ford keeps on knocking it out of the park with the F150. You can order the HD payload of over 3000 lbs, coupled with their new diesel...man, that is going to awesome. A truck that you can actually haul something and get decent fuel economy.

Long time Toyota fan boi here, but their current Truck offerings are underwhelming.

They castrated the HiLux when they made it into the Tacoma for the US market, they even stated it was built for comfort and not a work horse. The payload has gone down over the years, embarrassing a fricken mini-van with a the back half of it cut off can beat it. Gee-sas Toyota what the hell happened!?

 

I bought the RL in November. Built quality is spectacular. Features and function are well engineered. I haul muddy dogs, mountain bikes and shotguns - weekly. That "trunk"" is a perfect, lockable area for expensive shotguns, waterproof too. Easily holds +500 rounds of 12g shotgun shells, plus throw the golden retrievers (2) on top in the bed. I have a Leer XL cap on the back to sleep in when the weather turns warmer. A very nice daily driver. I live in the rural areas, so it has enough clearance and traction to get around just fine.

truck-ability - 1 filthy mountain bike can easily fit in the bed plus it's protected under the cap. Dogs can ride in back as well with the bike or guns.

Cry all you want about it not being a truck. Mine hauls dirty stuff I don't want in the interior of a SUV, has plenty of towing and more payload (more than Taco).

My 2010 Tacoma was not nearly as comfortable on long drives, worse mileage and frankly pretty loud with the tires I used. The RL is not ladder frame, oh well, it does everything a truck does by definition.

 

Unibodies have come a long way.

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/why-the-2016-mercedes-metris-laughs-at-your-luxury-truc-1709898144

It is kinda crazy how much people will pay for a Tacoma these days, these trucks used to a an economical alternative to a fullsize years ago. Not the case anymore. Seems like an awful lot of money to spend on a vehicle that can't haul very much.

The SR's price point makes sense for the platform....when they are $40-50K...I don't know, seems silly. Most of that is a bunch of fluff a true truck person doesn't need. I don't get this whole luxury truck movement. Trucks are meant to be used and abused...where are the interiors that you can hose out?

 

Meh. It's no Bro dozer to accessorize and play dress up with but I bet it can haul a couple bikes, kegs or tools around just fine. The interior... the part where you spend all the time that you aren't pounding monster energy drinks from your Yeti cooler in the mall parking lot is a metric f**k ton nicer than the inside of a Taco. They are both pretty ugly on the outside. One has a live axle, flibbery C channel frame, and drum brakes. The other has computer modeled stiff unibody, full IRS and 4 wheel disks.

I didn't shop them because the tow rating is too low but Accord comfort and decent handling really isn't a detractor for me. People shopping for what they actually need might prefer seats that adjust in more than one direction or a massive lockable storage compartment under the bed to keep your rifles out of sight.

You know guys in Rams with smokestacks don't think a Taco is a real truck either right? And their hat brims are way flatter than yours.

 

The same Hilux would not be able to keep its 2000 lb payload rating here, where we have tougher handling and rollover avoidance standards, which are tested at GVWR.

 

Chevy had to castrate the Colorado too because of our lame regulations. That new F150 with the diesel is looking real appealing, hopefully they offer it in the XL model, so you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

Looked at the Ram Ecodiesel, you can grab one of those for under $30K...but horrible payload.

 

I don't know the sales numbers, but I sure don't see many new Ridgelines on the road, but new Tacomas are everywhere. I like the RL interior, but that exterior is just not my taste.

 

The sales numbers for the Ridgeline are awful.

 

because you confuse them thinking its the minivan

 

It's not a truck, its a large car with an open trunk.

Very bad, maybe 15,000 a year or so. Tacos average about 150,000 a year, 3rd Gen is pushing 175,000 a year

 

I think the issue is reviewers seem to keep praising the Ridgeline because it's not like a truck. It's a ridiculous stance to hold when reviewing a truck for prospective truck buyers. And the sales numbers speak for themselves.

 

Actually they are shutting down some MDX and RDX production lines to keep up with demand for the higher trim level RLs. They have a months long queue for backorder on higher trim levels.. To say they're awful is simply not true, they are selling all they can produce. Honda forecast selling 40k in first year, looks like they'll crush that number.

 

Well I suppose what are good or bad sales numbers are subjective, then.

 

How do you figure that when they barely sell 15000 a year?

 

It's better than the Mini Clubman getting the "SUV of the Year" award...

The 1st gen Ridgeline suffered from #4 cylinder low compression. Hopefully the new "Earth Dreams" engine turns out reliable in the Ridgeline application. http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/...dgeline-engine-drops-4-cylider-84k-miles.html

 

Not near Tacoma numbers, but you are way off.

December 4085
November 3464
October 3371
September 3318
August 3437
July 3518
June 2472 (about 13 days of sales)
_____________________________________
20,228

 

ya I'm so way off...more like way correct.

Year United States
2009 16,464
2010 16,142
2011 9,759
2012 14,068
2013 17,723
2014 13,389
2015 520


Their sales figures suck, period. I'm sure they will sell more the first year or two because its a new model but that flame will burn out.

 

Ridgeline sales can't even compete with the Canyon. To each their own. I just think the van/truck looks god awful. But hey, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.

 

I suppose you have a point if you want to cherry-pick 1st gen RL numbers and completely ignore the most recent data.