Who thought this was a good idea?
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?
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.
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:
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?
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.
Get a transit van
I don't want or need a van.
A new Transit (at it's smallest) in North America would be...
This is what grinds my gears about people saying to get a minivan instead of a mid-size crossover - yes I get ego is something to get past but MINIVAN'S ARE 80" WIDE THESE DAYS.
In fact, if that person bought an Odyssey instead of a Ridgeline, they'd net a total difference of five inches of length.
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.
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.
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?
Doesn't look any stupider than all the supercabs out there, kept spotless and without a scratch on their beds by shrivel-dicked truckbros who wear ball caps and wraparound sunglasses regardless of the time or weather.
Yes they all look and are functionally silly.
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?
Why is this thread full of carbrained douchebags rationalizing their planet-killers?
I think Lemmy has so little car culture they're desperately searching for anyone talking about cars and think this is a good place.
Or they're actual car fuckers who are deeply confused in many ways
Someone should start a "Fuck Cars Sensually" community, it could be for car fans shitposting things.
I’m a car dork, I also sub here for all the reasons this place exists but I’m assuming I’m lumped in with the “car-brained douchebags”. This is a misinformed take by OP picking on one of the “less-bad” pickup body-style vehicles one could pick because it… shares bits with a minivan? That’s the point of it - While it straddles the segments a bit with almost full-size width and mid-size length, it’s still going to net superior fuel economy (comparable the Odyssey too) than pretty most any gas-only crew cab, short bed pickup and he’s picking on it because it’s not “as useful” but that means more weight, using more fuel, etc.
It brings car benefits to a pickup shape and I much rather this exist than another full-size pickup with a chest-high pedestrian-wacker hood line or trying to convince a pickup buyer that they ackshually want a minivan because good ol’ American ego already struggles enough with accepting a unibody pickup. (cue truck-bro “NOT A TRUCK” and “LOL PILOT WITH BED” comments)
they also can’t be lifted as much (as easily) due to their suspension design so you might appreciate that too
My take is that these stupid new trucks are crap and developing in the wrong direction (also this one looks like a shopping cart, but that is subjective). If this is the "less-bad" pick up then there is no pick up worth buying (hey that might be a whole point as well).
I don't hate this because it shares anything with the minivan, I hate this because it is worse then the minivan and is trying to fill a place in the market that used to be cool. Stop buying stupid giant truck like things. This is not good on gas (20% worse then the Odyssey), not small, still has a "a chest-high pedestrian-wacker hood line" and sticking up for these things just encourages more of them.
Looked through the comments and was surprised to see nobody brought up the ford maverick - starts at 25k, 40 mpg for the hybrid version.
Comparing apples to apples, since the price of the Ridgeline here is $50k the maverick starts at $34,795 here, and the hybrid starts at $35,295 according to the ford website.
Still a lot better on both price and fuel (if true), but the four doors, huge size (about the same as the ridgeline) and short (4.5 foot) bed still make me sad. If they had a two door long bed version it would be cool though.
Just to make sure you're doing a fair comparison, how much is a new Odyssey where you're at?
I'm seeing the Honda Odyssey you're comparing things to cost 37k USD new, where the ford maverick starts at 24k new. At less than 2/3 the cost of what you're comparing to, the maverick seems like damn good value. At that price point you're comparing it to sedans like the Honda civic or Toyota Camry.
The maverick carries 4 folks with better mileage and can moonlight doing truck things.
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!?
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:
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.
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.
HA, I looked it up and this thing can tow 5000 lbs vs the Odyssey's 3500 lbs.
It's a truck its designed to be useful 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.....
It’s for people who go camping once a year and that’s about it
I would imagine a civic plus a normal truck is much more comfortable than this.
Have you priced out normal trucks? Who wants to own two expensive vehicles when one will do?
You are correct but that doesn’t matter to the buyer of this thing. They want to have this instead of a civic and a regular truck in addition often times. If it’s not a truck they feel emasculated.