One of these pulled up at my workplace today and I can not get over how stupid they look and that got me thinking, who thought making a shittier version of an Odyssey was a good idea.
This thing can’t be useful as a truck, can’t seat as many as a van, costs $50k and burns more gas then an Odyssey (10l/100km hwy vs 8l/100km hwy). Does anyone who drives these things think they are hot shit?
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Honestly the reason all these super big trucks exist now, instead of the small ones, is corporations getting around the spirit of the law, by following the letter of the law. When they tightened emissions controls around trucks, the way to get looser emissions was a larger truck. So they super-sized them and here we are today, with these stupid monstrosities.
The more I look at the new big little trucks the more I can not believe the bad fuel economy being sold as green-eco-greatness in these things.
A sibling of mine gets to use a fleet truck though work and they got a new ford platinum 1/2 ton truck, stupid fancy. That thing gets 12 to 14 liters per 100k, and that is not great but not bad. But the kicker is THIS THING IS A HYBRID! how does a 1/2 ton truck costing $100k with so much tech and eco marketing not even compete with a b2000 mazda from 1988 (supposed to be the same class fyi)?
Crapitalism strikes again
I have a ridgeline. I’m no way do I think I’m hot shit? I’m fact, I get shit for it not being a “real” truck. Odysseys have been on back order for years. You literally can’t buy one (this may have changed recently but that was a big part of why I ended up getting the ridgeline last year). I don’t understand your statement about how it’s not useful as a truck. I regularly have to move 4x8 sheet goods and it works just fine. When I was looking at cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs you’d be surprised at how many can’t do that. It’ll tow our family tent trailer, but not much else. It moves our family of 4 and dog. I don’t need all the seats a van provided. It has a little v6, not a hybrid like the mini van. Of course it won’t get the same fuel economy. Getting more than 20 mpg is pretty good for all the utility it provides. Also the top of the line “black” edition is 50k. I think starting msrp is 38k.
The ridgeline is a step in the right direction. It is the least amount a truck that a truck can be. Every ridgeline sold is an f150 that isn’t. You picked a weird thing to be mad at.
The one that was out front had a 4" or less bed. How do you move 4x8 sheets without it hanging out the back? (at that point a van makes a better truck).
I am not in the states so 50k is the base price I looked up here. I have a 3/4 shitbox truck with a v8 that is carbureted (for yard work and towing a 5th wheel a few times a year) it gets better fuel economy then this, please tell me you don’t think this is good on gas.
The 4 doors I’ve seen have around a 5’ bed (the newest ridgline is just over 5’), put down the tailgate and you get close enough to 8’ and then use some straps. The honda ridgline would probably be suitable for the majority of personal truck owners. If you use your ford F-teen-thousand that’s great, but for every one of you there are 3 “don’t scratch my rhino lined bed” mall cowboys.
I do agree that most people who buy trucks or SUVs should just buy a van though. Vans are awesome and people who think they are too cool to drive them are wrong. Vans are too cool for you.
Those ford F-teen-thousands also have the odd super short bed. I guess I just wish for the olden tiny trucks like the VW one based on the rabbit.
Look up “chicken tax.” This is the real reason you can’t buy a small import truck.
Ford used to (and probably still does) ship small Transits to the states fitted to carry passengers and then rip out the seats to sell as work vans.
As a Subaru Baja owner, I disagree with your opinion. I’ve been able to safely haul 100 lbs propane tanks, as I feel much safer placing the tanks in the small bed than keeping it in the enclosed cabin of an Outback (or Odyssey). Upgraded the rear strut assemblies to mitigate the sag while carrying 20 bags of 40 lbs of wood pellets. The small bed lets me throw down a tarp and carry a reasonable amount of compost/manure without smelling up the cabin.
It also goes like a raped ape in snow. I find myself having a “snickers craving” during a winter snowstorm, just for the excuse to go driving to the grocery store (if they’re still open), hopefully finding someone to pull out of the ditch along the way.
I much prefer the boxer engine in the Subaru over the setup in the Honda (or Hyundai), but to each their own.
I like the Baja, this “thing” is not a Baja. It is so far from anything like that that it confuses me that you think that they are even in the same category.
I’d like to know why you think they’re not in the same category as both are:
- unibody, not body on frame.
- four door crew cab
- small bed
- Limited capacity, compared to a “real” pickup truck
With the center console in the rear seat, the Baja can only seat four compared to the Ridgeline’s five. The Ridgeline can tow significantly more; bed weight capacity is a bit more as well.
Obviously the styling is wildly different: the Baja is based of a decades old gen station wagon, whereas the Ridgeline is following the modern big beefy SUV trend. Maybe that’s where you’re coming from?
The Baja is a car that has a cut out back bed, this is a massive van turned into a truck. The size and mass seem so different.
I bought one and while I with they had a version that was compact sized instead of midsized, your hot take is terrible.
It is expensive, but my cars prior to it were a used 1992 Civic si I owned from 2001 till 2014, then I drove our 2005 Camry from 2014 till Dec 2022.
When buying a new car I wanted two primary things: a decent AWD ride and a bed I could put nasty stuff in and hose out after, like mulch and dirt. Something that did not work with enclosed spaces. I tried a few light trucks and they handled poorly or seemed cheaply made. The Tacoma has apparently needed to continue growing and is almost a full size now, too tall. The Ridgeline was the smallest one that seemed well made, had a decent ride, and has a bed I could hose out.
It sits lower than other trucks, so I generally feel small compared to other trucks. No idea why you think it is huge. Don’t think I am hot shit, just someone who couldn’t find a well made light truck and settled for the closest thing.
On a side note, it works perfectly fine as a truck and nobody buys trucks to seat 8 people.
I said it looks silly and I am confused why someone made it.
I do feel your pain of not having any choice of a small truck, but this thing is silly.
Honestly I would love a compact fully electric or hybrid truck that gets better mileage but rides the same as a car with a bed in the back. A two seater or with a short back seat to load stuff in the cab so it is shorter would be even better!
My favorite part is that the Odyssey can store larger items because of the removable back seats. If you need to move a fridge, don’t call the guy who owns a truck, call the guy who owns an Odyssey.
You probably don’t want mulch in your odyssey though. So call the guy with the truck if you’re buying mulch.
I’ve done mulch in an Odyssey, just lay out a tarp. Most tarps are already bigger than a modern truckbed too.
You shoveled a bunch of mulch into the back of your minivan?
Yeah, with the seats taken out on top of a camping tarp. It’s got a WAY lower bed than a truck, so it’s easier to load and unload too.
How’d you get it out? Just pull the tarp?
I see people with trucks to this all the time, you put the tarp down (so you don’t scratch your fancy bedliner) and when you want to empty it you use a shovel or whatever then grab the tarp in the back and pull it. Ta da, you dump the rest of the stuff out the back and get nothing left behind.
Maybe it’s just easier to get all the mulch out when it’s on a tarp
The best thing I can say about it is that I’ve seen worse.
All the old guys here are salivating for these and buying them up so fast. It’s fucked. You’re 70. You drive 20kms an hour under the speed limit and can’t lift over 10lbs. What the fuck do you need this ugly thing for?
Ehh. Not very happy with the look but my 2010 ridgeline has been tried tested and true. Great trucks. But they do feel small.
It is a Honda, I am sure it will outlast most other manufactures and be reliable. I just don’t get how something this size can feel small, is it something to do with the cab?
I used to drive a Pontiac Vibe, which is a resticker of the Toyota Matrix.
With all the seats folded down I could comfortably transport 8 foot long 2x4s in it.
I wonder how many of these ridiculous crew-cabs can’t say the same?
It seems like trucks are getting bigger and less useful every year. I am flabbergasted by how many times these giant Canyonero like monstrosities are outdone by station wagons and hatchbacks. Hell even some of the former cars have become SUVs (like the outback below) but seemingly lost space/utility:
How it started:
How it is going:
This would probably sell in Australia, where the two most popular cars are the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger.
They account for about 25% of the cars on the road and they get nothing but contempt when I’m driving around them.
Ford Ranger.
Wait, the Ranger is that big now!?
Checking the Wikipedia article on the Toyota Hilux reveals that ~1995 was peak pickup truck, and everything since then has been objectively a step in the wrong direction. I know this community is Fuck Cars, but this version was indestructible and actually amazing for the kind of shit people bought them for. Not many people would buy this to drive the kids to school or do the weekly shop. Actually, we had one when I was a kid, and I would ride in the back sometimes (just on farm roads in the UK) and it was awesome.
The popularity of pickups now is just insane. I can’t understand why they’ve gotten so massive, and are owned by so many people who are clearly not using them for any work type purpose.
Most drivers in north america drive alone (76% https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-22/how-americans-commute-to-work-in-maps) The idea that the standard vehicle should be a large truck seems insane. That Hilux might be a terrible choice for commuting but its looking more and more sensible then these bloated excused phobia of vans, cars, or bikes.
HA, I looked it up and this thing can tow 5000 lbs vs the Odyssey’s 3500 lbs.
It’s a different set of compromises. It’s actually pretty funny reading this because the Ridgeline is the odd-duck in pickup land with plenty of “not a real truck!! lol minivan!” derision.
Yea it’s not a body-on-frame, tow anything, crawl anywhere vehicle. But it’s a vehicle with an open bed for those with use for it and better fuel efficiency, interior space, comfort than its midsize competitors. It’s the truck most folks can likely do just fine with. Maybe someone wants AWD rather than part-time 4WD, a less trucky ride, etc.
Ignoring HyunKia engine quality and EZ theft, my Sorento can be considered a shit car since it’s not as good off-road as a 4Runner, not as nimble as an Accord, has less space than a Pacifica, uses more fuel than a Prius, cost more than a Mirage and tows less than a Frontier.
But on the flip side, it’s also better off-road than the Accord, seats more than the Frontier, uses less fuel and is smaller than both the 4Runner and Pacifica (gas) and tows more than the Prius. All about the point of comparison and compromises picked, maybe the Ridgeline will make more sense compared to a Tacoma - plenty of potential uses cases out there too that an open bed would be handy for, if you don’t understand it doesn’t mean it’s objectively dumb. (but not me at this time, except maybe a bed would be neat for my bike or trash.)
I think the styling is fine too, it’s just a basic pickup shape, no need to be so dramatic. Have you seen the first gen, or an Avalanche, Santa Cruz, Baja? I prefer this to the Silverado’s base front end too.
I guess I am just lamenting the death of neat small trucks and cars. This thing is not good on gas, the same size (width and length) as a full size truck, has the same visibility issues that plague new trucks, and seemingly is trying to be all things at the same time.
I get it, you don’t have a lot of options in today’s market, but this seems like we are going backwards.
Fuelly has the Ridgeline averaging 20 MPG with its competitors around 17-19 (likely bigger gap if you compare to full-sizers but will vary depending on powertrain) and the gap will likely be larger cruising so its fuel economy for a pickup is solid save for the newer and smaller Maverick (especially in hybrid guise) and Santa Cruz - their beds are shorter though at 4.5 and 4 feet I believe.
Gas V6 minivans are pretty similar too at around 20 MPG as well real-life.
Comparing crew cab short beds directly, the F-150 (not counting mirrors) is ~2 inches wider and ~20” longer.
But I agree on width though, I was considering a Passport and the 78.5” width of the Honda midsize family (also Pilot, Odyssey) is a turn-off although in minivan land the others are also chunky. Rather not shove an extra four inches into a parking spot if I can avoid it.
Honestly I’d commend a Ridgeline buyer for getting one as the “responsible choice” if it meets their requirements since that or the Santa Cruz are probably the least “I’m tough!” looking pickups.
Maybe that is what gets in my gears so much, that this is the more “responsible choice”. I was not comparing it to any crew cab (I think that four door trucks are a core issue) or any newer truck but the 1980s c20 it was parked near. I guess we have to look to the past for better fuel economy and size (and that is insane).
It’s a truck its designed to be useful doesnt matter what make or model you can use it for transporting goods and items long distances
A dang El Camino is looking more like a rational useful truck when comparing to these things. The joke cars of the past are outdoing the modern car. Wild times.
Oh and the Chevrolet El Camino has 1000 lbs more towing capacity then this…
costs $50k
You just answered your own question there dude
Is it because they are expensive? So this is the same psychology as rich college kids buying race cars in congested cities?
Yes. Tons of people buy giant obnoxious overpriced pickup trucks as status symbols.
But it looks like shit! A minivan with a welded on trailer deck out the back would be more sexy!
They’re not buying it for the looks… The more useless it looks the more it becomes a fancy way to announce that you’re rich.
Some people actually think anyone else cares about this dumb shit.
I am not just bitching about the looks (they are silly but that is subjective). My issue is that this is what now passes for a “reasonable” small truck.
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