What would Honda have to do to Snag Tacoma Buyers

I think the ridgeline is completely stupid really, as said before it’s a tampon hauler/ chopped up minivan IMHO.


But I don’t feel that just because it’s not a taco their can’t be a thread about it. There is thread about the Colorado and several other trucks that are not toyota.

 

Ok so i didnt read through 31 pages.. but if the pictures on page 1 and 2 are the pics of the new ridgline.. why dont you get a subaru... That think is ugly as sin..

 

I'm guessing the FWD version will post the class leading mpg and the AWD will be right in line with the Tacoma. Maybe a mpg or two better. That's it. There isn't a whole lot of wiggle room with that engine and transmission plus we know the Pilot mpgs. They are at about 20 IRL combined so expect below that combined on a Ridgeline. The interior should be the largest. A transverse mounted engine plus more total length and width would suggest more cab space.

Yeah, the class is growing fast. The Jeep should be interesting to see. I wonder if it'll be a real midsized truck or just and open back Wrangler. It could easily eat into low end Ram sales though. The Ranger could be aluminum clad too. Ford is doing it on the Superduty and it wouldn't take a redesign to just slap aluminum all over the global Ranger and call it ready. Competition is good for sure . When and if I buy another midsized I will, as always, drive even the trucks I do not want just to see if there are any surprises that might change my mind.

 

If it drives anything like 2016 Pilot than i would not buy it.

Test drove 2016 Pilot, way too much wobbly, definitely not a confidence booster.

 

The article sucks. Well isn't that true of most vehicles? People tend buy what they want, not what they need. Do people need a BMW 7 series? Why not just buy Corolla?
After all it gets you from point A to point B..

 

Its not hard to tie stuff down in the bed, a couple straps and 3 minutes is all you need.

This article puts it very nicely. I think the ridgeline will meet many peoples needs but they wont get over the fact that the truck is fwd (or fwd preferred awd) and the fact that it's a honda.

"And this brings us back to the problem with the Ridgeline. It seems comfortable. It looks good. It has a roomy interior. It has a powerful V6. It has a large bed that beats most competitors. But is that enough for truck owners? Hell no! Most pickup owners will look at the Ridgeline and laugh, as they cruise around in their big, manly, full-size, V8-powered trucks, getting 12 miles per gallon because occasionally they have to carry a chair."

I am wondering what the MPG will be because I think that will be a big deal breaker. 30+ mpg may persuade people to pick up a ridgeline over a tacoma or frontier, even if max towing is 5500 (guessing). Pricing will also be a factor, but I doubt it will be more expensive than a 2016 tacoma.

But only time will tell

 

The difference is that Economy car buyers usually have a limited budget or are trying to keep their budget low. Most truck buyers don't care if something cost $5K more as long as they have more power, more truck, and more whatever to show for it.

The article is saying what most truck people who can think objectively are thinking.

BTW I predict impressive first year sales that tail off hard after 3 years... just like last time.

 

I honestly see this staying pretty niche, like the previous Ridgeline. It's a domesticated truck for urbanites who need a bed... basically a truck for old people and women.

 

Do you tie down everything in your bed? I don't. I'm not going to ratchet strap a hockey bag lol.

Yes, the bed height isn't the most important thing, but it is something I notice. I much prefer the deep box of the F150 to my shallow Tacoma box and I'm sure I wouldn't like the Ridgelines box the first time I forget my hockey bag back there.

 

This is a good article. It confuses the heck out of folks when someone actually buys what they need instead of what they can afford.

 

I've said this many times, but I'd bet my left nut something like this;

that gets 30 plus mpg and can do most of what the Ridgeline can do at less than $25k would sell well just because it's so different it makes it's own class. The Ridgeline will have troubles not be drowned out by the other trucks that already exist because other than "it's practical" we aren't talking about a really revolutionary truck. It'll still get right around 20 mpg IRL in the AWD configuration, which my wifes F150 V8 gets, and that's not good enough.

 

I would argue most Tacoma owners could afford something bigger but choose the Tacoma for practicality.

 

I'd argue that most choose it for image. Image of reliability. Image of capability. Whatever. Plus it's the perfect segway when the wife says a F150/Sierra/Tundra/Titan/etc is too big.

 

The same could be said for 2wd tacomas yet people all over the south and west buy them up all day long..

 

The Tacoma has proven its reliability over the years though. To say that Tacoma buyers have based their decisions off of "image" would be inaccurate for many of us, and probably slightly insulting to most of us.

 

The average folks don't drive to the Honda dealership to look at trucks and this isn't going to change it.

Toyota Tacoma's have a long track record with huge aftermarket support. We KNOW the Tacoma will be around for many years to come.

This new Ridgeline is first year truck (again) with zero aftermarket support and at this point until proven otherwise is a gimmick, just like the last Ridgeline. Sure there will be the few that will buy them, but with this continued design they keep pushing, it will never compete with the established mid-size trucks that have years of experience and support. You will never see Honda selling 15k trucks a month and isn't a game changer, it just has a few gimmicks that in all reality don't mean anything. A stored donut tire with an integrated ice-chest for your iced lattes? Oh, it's the door tailgate that will win folks over by the droves...lol. We've owned Honda cars and I've rode Honda motorcycles my whole life, but I would never even think about buying a Honda fwd truck.

 

I bought mine off image

I'm not insulted that trucks like mine, that are lifted, on 33's, and etc etc plus the whole reliability angle are what drives a lot of Toyota Tacoma sales.

 

I get that, and I don't disagree. what I meant by that was that it appears to have a split personality to me. It just looks "wrong". Car front end hung on a truck. I get the same feeling when I see a Porsche Cayenne or a Panamera - trying to make a SUV or a 4-door sedan look like a 911 is just dumb to me. Come up with something new. If people like it and want to buy it, then congrats to them. it wouldn't be hard to improve on the previous generation Ridgeline sales numbers, so it will probably be considered a success based on that alone. They way peel away a little bit of market share from their competitors, but I doubt that it will make that much of a dent in Tacoma sales.

 

Is it really still FWD?

 

It will be offered in 2 configs, front wheel drive or all wheel drive. Same engine and (tranny?) as the current Pilot.
http://www.cnet.com/roadshow/auto/2017-honda-ridgeline/