I dont think honda is gearing the ridgeline for insane offroading. The tires do stuggle in muddy terrain like you tested but i dont think this truck was ever ment to be a serious offroader. It was ment to haul a uhaul trailor or haul a camper but it was never ment to compete with a wrangler or a silverado. Its a midsize truck. Its geared towards 90% of americans who lets face it never really go offroading but own a silverado and want to go offroading. To me its the perfect truck for most americans who need to haul something but very rarely go offroading and when they do they probably are not rock climbing or own a ranch. I love my 2024 trailsport but i am someone who needs a truck to go on some BLM land with a few hills and a few rough spots but thats it. I dont need a silverado and i am ok with that. I need a bed to haul a kayak or a small boat and that is all. If you need a serious offroader then why are you even considering a midsize truck. The tacoma with the same features cost 50K plus while this is 46K. Why spend 50K plus on something you maybe go offroading once a year in. Plus these are way more comfortable on the road then a tacoma.
Very well said! Although we found the TrailSport trim to be a little lacking for our preference (HPD package is a better buy in our opinion... or a street focused trim), the Ridgeline is a much more realistic take on what the average American who wants a pickup should probably be buying instead of a "real truck".
Reminder, as with all the other midsized trucks, there is aftermarket solutions. A traxda 2 inch lift, no lo designs skid plates, and going up one tire size...for about $3k. Now the advantage offroad is about 5% to taco/ranger/colorado...stockish trims. Imho honda missed out by having such a tepid trailsport offering
Suzuki also took a risk on the idea that brand-loyalty for bikes is strong enough for someone to want that same badge on the truck they use to haul their bikes. That risk was the 2009-2012 Suzuki Equator, and less than 6,000 of them were sold throughout that entire period. The Equator failed because (1) it was launched right at the beginning of a recession that saw truck sales across the board take a major nose dive, (2) because Suzuki dealerships were few and far between, and (3) because it was based on an already existing and much more accessible pickup (Nissan frontier) The Ridgeline is successful because it is unique, versatile, practical, and accessible. The Ridgeline is more than "A Honda truck to haul your Honda toys", and Honda knows this. Its in-bed speakers and trunk make it the ultimate tailgater. Its lack of wheel-well bulges in the bed make it perfect for carrying anything that will need to be shoveled, scraped, or raked out. It has the ride quality and road manners of an suv, with the capability and practicality afforded by an open bed... and has enough towing and payload capacity to be able to exercise that capability and practicality. Having said all of that... it is getting old (this generation first went on sale in June 2016) and you have to shell out over $40,000 to get into one.
I think it needs a redesign to be competitive in the US market. It needs to increase ground clearance, offer a brake controller, increase MPG. Get rid of trunk and doughnut, no way to access if your hauling anything in the bed. The tailgate needs to be split. Also the sides of the bed need to increase offering more bed cargo space. Honda had several years before the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz yet those two stole the marketplace. I might be crazy but the numbers Ford is selling I can see other manufacturers coming to get a piece of that market. I don't think Honda will be able to keep their market share unless they produce what Americans want. I like the truck but think those changes are essential to keep or improve their market share.
Slight clarification, they do have a brake controller (at least on my 2020). It is the weird wire dongle in the glove box nobody knows what it's for. You take that and plug it into a spot under the dash and the end goes into whatever controller you want to buy. So, you are not wrong that its not fully there day 1....but it's a $100 controller off Amazon and 30 mins mounting it....voila!
@@CajunMusings Thanks for replying, that's good information that hopefully can help Ridgeline owners. Only it still does not help with what I was commenting on. You still have to add the additional wiring and 7 pin connector. So I think Honda should consider offering it as an option not an aftermarket. That is if they want to compete with other manufacturers and also customer satisfaction. Again thank you for the information, I hope it can help someone.
Never used it as a truck! Had it for a year. Sold it to Carvana! Had other mechanical issues! Calipers and suspension creaked like a 20 year old truck. That was my second Honda with major issues. I will never buy Honda again! 😢
Honda please push bottons for changing gears come on the worst thing you guys did pluss how it set up on the truck its accident to happen there bring back stick shift and stop the 1.5 turbos you have way better reliable options reason not to up grade to many 1.5 or hybrids which are expencier to maintainen in the future having the 2.0 2.2 2.3 come on the turbo destroying the 1.5s
@@kylebecker9673never used it as a truck. That’s why i bought it! Had it for a year. Sold it to Carvana, because it had other mechanical issues! That was my 2nd bad Honda, and both had transmission problems! At least Ford is honest on recalls, unlike Honda and Toyota!! 😮
Ridgeline is a legit good truck
For almost everyone, yes.
Omg that little dog just hanging around next to the RL haha...
Can we get a round of applause for the pup?
Love the criticism. I think Honda is going to hear what everyone is saying.
I think this truck lives up to what it is designed to do, short of having tires that weren’t quite up to the job
I dont think honda is gearing the ridgeline for insane offroading. The tires do stuggle in muddy terrain like you tested but i dont think this truck was ever ment to be a serious offroader. It was ment to haul a uhaul trailor or haul a camper but it was never ment to compete with a wrangler or a silverado. Its a midsize truck. Its geared towards 90% of americans who lets face it never really go offroading but own a silverado and want to go offroading. To me its the perfect truck for most americans who need to haul something but very rarely go offroading and when they do they probably are not rock climbing or own a ranch. I love my 2024 trailsport but i am someone who needs a truck to go on some BLM land with a few hills and a few rough spots but thats it. I dont need a silverado and i am ok with that. I need a bed to haul a kayak or a small boat and that is all. If you need a serious offroader then why are you even considering a midsize truck. The tacoma with the same features cost 50K plus while this is 46K. Why spend 50K plus on something you maybe go offroading once a year in. Plus these are way more comfortable on the road then a tacoma.
Very well said! Although we found the TrailSport trim to be a little lacking for our preference (HPD package is a better buy in our opinion... or a street focused trim), the Ridgeline is a much more realistic take on what the average American who wants a pickup should probably be buying instead of a "real truck".
Reminder, as with all the other midsized trucks, there is aftermarket solutions. A traxda 2 inch lift, no lo designs skid plates, and going up one tire size...for about $3k. Now the advantage offroad is about 5% to taco/ranger/colorado...stockish trims. Imho honda missed out by having such a tepid trailsport offering
You can't have a damped bed with a DUAL ACTION TAILGATE!
False. Ram.
@@1offgarage Ram doesn't open fully its only barn doors so not False
Suzuki also took a risk on the idea that brand-loyalty for bikes is strong enough for someone to want that same badge on the truck they use to haul their bikes. That risk was the 2009-2012 Suzuki Equator, and less than 6,000 of them were sold throughout that entire period.
The Equator failed because (1) it was launched right at the beginning of a recession that saw truck sales across the board take a major nose dive, (2) because Suzuki dealerships were few and far between, and (3) because it was based on an already existing and much more accessible pickup (Nissan frontier)
The Ridgeline is successful because it is unique, versatile, practical, and accessible. The Ridgeline is more than "A Honda truck to haul your Honda toys", and Honda knows this. Its in-bed speakers and trunk make it the ultimate tailgater. Its lack of wheel-well bulges in the bed make it perfect for carrying anything that will need to be shoveled, scraped, or raked out. It has the ride quality and road manners of an suv, with the capability and practicality afforded by an open bed... and has enough towing and payload capacity to be able to exercise that capability and practicality.
Having said all of that... it is getting old (this generation first went on sale in June 2016) and you have to shell out over $40,000 to get into one.
Nah all that was is a rebadged frontier
@@YouYou-tg7qe .... that's exactly what i said in the comment...
A young Stephen Root on the left. 😅
Excuse me, that’s my stapler.
I think it needs a redesign to be competitive in the US market. It needs to increase ground clearance, offer a brake controller, increase MPG. Get rid of trunk and doughnut, no way to access if your hauling anything in the bed. The tailgate needs to be split. Also the sides of the bed need to increase offering more bed cargo space.
Honda had several years before the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz yet those two stole the marketplace. I might be crazy but the numbers Ford is selling I can see other manufacturers coming to get a piece of that market. I don't think Honda will be able to keep their market share unless they produce what Americans want. I like the truck but think those changes are essential to keep or improve their market share.
Slight clarification, they do have a brake controller (at least on my 2020). It is the weird wire dongle in the glove box nobody knows what it's for. You take that and plug it into a spot under the dash and the end goes into whatever controller you want to buy. So, you are not wrong that its not fully there day 1....but it's a $100 controller off Amazon and 30 mins mounting it....voila!
@@CajunMusings Thanks for replying, that's good information that hopefully can help Ridgeline owners. Only it still does not help with what I was commenting on. You still have to add the additional wiring and 7 pin connector. So I think Honda should consider offering it as an option not an aftermarket. That is if they want to compete with other manufacturers and also customer satisfaction. Again thank you for the information, I hope it can help someone.
@@HuronRiver-ke8xn It has a 7 pin connector on all models already.
Never used it as a truck! Had it for a year. Sold it to Carvana! Had other mechanical issues! Calipers and suspension creaked like a 20 year old truck. That was my second Honda with major issues. I will never buy Honda again! 😢
Sorry to hear that
Honda please push bottons for changing gears come on the worst thing you guys did pluss how it set up on the truck its accident to happen there bring back stick shift and stop the 1.5 turbos you have way better reliable options reason not to up grade to many 1.5 or hybrids which are expencier to maintainen in the future having the 2.0 2.2 2.3 come on the turbo destroying the 1.5s
Buttons & screens are cheaper than knobs & sticks unfortunately.
Takes bootleg AT tires into soft mud, surprised at low performance -- details at 10 :D Wrong tire for sure
Sadly those tires just were not up to the challenge.
@@1offgarage So buy an RTL or Sport and use the money saved to get some KO3s or Wildpeaks mounted.
Maybe it’s not the tire but the driver. An older model with street tire did better in arguably worst conditions on Driving sports TV.
🤷🏼♂️
I suppose that is always a possibility, but as Eric said: a Subaru Crosstrek accomplished the climb in the same conditions.
That’s a Maverick!!
It's a maverick that isn't going to break records for recalls.
@@kylebecker9673That’s correct, but I’ll take all the recalls my Maverick has had over my 2020 Ridgeline transmission replacement!! 😅
@@ramonahumada4 did you overload it or it was just a bad transmission? 2020 is pretty new for that.
@@kylebecker9673Honda is also known for bad transmissions on there 6 bangers.
@@kylebecker9673never used it as a truck. That’s why i bought it! Had it for a year. Sold it to Carvana, because it had other mechanical issues! That was my 2nd bad Honda, and both had transmission problems! At least Ford is honest on recalls, unlike Honda and Toyota!! 😮
Still not a real truck
Tomato tomato
Call it what you want, but it's outperforming "real trucks."
@@trl1980 lol sure