Oh.. Darn..

I guess Honda wants to make sure the parts they have in stock to make a couple dozen 2010/11 models will move off the shelf before ordering more.

I ran into a former Ridgeline owner who said it would not pull his boat up a hill or into a strong headwind. He was driving a 2009 Chevy Avalanche and said that there was very little difference in MPG . He said that he will buy another Avalanche.

You would think with 16,464, Ridgelines rocketing off the dealership lots, Honda would be introducing a new or updated Ridgeline, ASAP. NOT. The official word, no new Ridgeline for at least another 18 months. Admit it losers, it is all over but the shouting. Honda is not going to pour more money into a dud. It can’t sell, so Honda is letting it die. Thus, if you want a real truck, it is going to come from Detroit.

Honda: It's coming, it's not coming. (insert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6TXMsvgQg theme here.)

They need to realize the Ridgeline was a market failure,move the vehicle way downsize,and maybe make a 4 door Dodge Rampage (1982-84) type pickup out of it(4 cylinder/FWD).That would appeal to low end pickup buyers,not the tiny niche the current model appeals to.

Too little too late traditional truck buyers will never buy Honda Ridgeline so who will?

Honda freaks who do not really need a real truck.

I don't mind waiting a little longer for the next Ridgeline. I love mine to death, and will probably just keep it and buy another when ever they do come out. I'm all about making the next Ridgeline lighter and more fuel efficient just please don't make it smaller. If Honda downsizes the Ridgeline I'll just keep my current one. I think it's the perfect size. Considering its nearly 78 inches wide and has 4wd it really isn't that heavy anyways. And any increase in fuel economy is welcome, I average 20.1 mpg in mixed driving which is just fine with me too. I couldn't be happier with mine. Out of the 13 or so new vehicle I've owned over the years this is the keeper, I will own a Ridgeline until Honda stops making replacement parts for them.

I get 19/20 mpg with my 2000 F250 Superduty 4WD pulling my boat, driving in town, hwy driving. Diesel power BABY!
I will get approx 500,000/600,00 on this engine and rebuild the bottom end and go another 1/2 million miles. A Honda Ridgeline will not accomplish that!

@ F-MAN , you must have the 7.3l International engine in your truck. No way the 6.0L or 6.4L could get that mileage towing, or last that long either.

Honda Ridgeline is not popular enough for them to worry about updating. Put a diesel in it.

Who cares !!

Funny that guys consider the Ridgeline a market failure. It outsold the Avalanche. Not every guy/gal wants or needs a full size truck.
Dodge is looking at replacing the Dakota (now there is a market failure) with a unibody.
Chev is looking at the Holden Ute (El Camino).
VW is considering bringing in the Amaruk.
I bet we will see other unibody trucks on the roads in the next few years.

I will never go back to ford or chevy after owning this truck. The ridgeline accels at everthing and still drives like new after 4 years and 30000 miles of hard use in remote salt air harsh north pacific environment . I would have already rebuilt the front end on any thing else. There is nothing I dislike about it. The reliability is exceptional.

I love my Ridgeline, rides and drives great and no issues pulling my 4K boat around.

I have a Ridgeline fir the past 4 years with zero issues. I will keep if for a long time. I use it as a truck and tow a 4ooolb trailer with no issues at all. They should just keep it the same as this would be real hard to improve upon. I owned Chevy and Ford PU's and they fell apart after two or three years. I love my Ridge.

I love my Ridgeline and couldnt imagine owning anything else!

I have been burnt so many times by the big three that I cannot justify buying another big three pick-up. Besides the Honda Ridgeline is built in the United States by real Americans not built in Mexico or Canada (last time I checked Mexico or Canada is not part of the United States of America). I think it is funny as hell when somebody tells me to buy American and they are driving a fake American truck sold to you by a company that does not care enough to employee Americans to build their trucks. All I have to say is if you need a Pick-up for towing over 5,000 lbs. buy an American built Toyota Tundra if you need a truck to go to Home Depot and tow less than 5,000 lbs. but an American built Honda Ridgeline. All you will have to do is change oil and rotate tires!! If you buy an “American” badged pick-up all I have to say is good luck with all that! Get ready to start replacing: wheel bearing, transmissions, air conditioning compressors, window motors/regulators, and heater cores…….Hummm what else did I replace??? I can’t remember. Oh ya make sure the dealer gives you the lemon law information packet; that will be your way out of the P.O.S.

John F

If Detroit made trucks as bad as stated by your own personal experiences, how is it that Ford’s, GM’s and Chrysler’s truck sales are in the hundreds of thousands every year? The only possible explanation is that the majority of American truck buyers like spending money on unreliable trucks and like spending money on repairs. You would think that over the years, Americans would have realized what crap Detroit making, and yet they continue to buy trucks from Detroit. Why is this? And how is it possible that you and 16,463 out of 306,000,000 Americans figured this out while the rest of us did not? I suspect that you do not want to admit you purchased a turd and to cover this mistake, in your mind you think the rest of the world is crazy and only 16,464 Ridgeline buyers are sane. If this is the case, you win. I am crazy. I now, will go out and pay about 30% more for a truck than I should because it says Honda on the name plate. I am on my way to be a tea-bagger.

The Ridgeline rates best in class with quality. The only other comparable pickups are the Tacoma and F150.
Here are JD Power Stats on most reliable manufacturers"

Most Dependable Manufacturers
Which vehicles produce the fewest problems in the first three years of ownership?
J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study.

Most Dependable Manufacturers
Performance by make is based on problems per 100 vehicles for all models; a lower score is better.
The industry average is 170.

Nameplate Score

Buick 122
Jaguar 122
Lexus 126
Toyota 129
Mercury 134
Infiniti 142
Acura 146
Lincoln 147
Cadillac 148
Honda 148
Porsche 150
Audi 159
Ford 159
Hyundai 161
Subaru 162
Chrysler 165
BMW 166

Industry Average 170

GMC 174
Mercedes-Benz 184
Chevrolet 185
Mitsubishi 185
Volvo 186
Nissan 199
Dodge 202
Mini 205
Saturn 211
Kia 218
Jeep 220
Pontiac 220
Hummer 221
Scion 222
Saab 226
Mazda 227
Isuzu 234
Land Rover 238
Volkswagen 260
Suzuki 263
Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study

http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=buy&story=topDependBrd&subject=most_depend

http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1023941_ford-mercury-climb-initial-quality-rankings-lincoln-chrysler-fall-behind

http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/22/best-quality-cars-lifestyle-vehicles-quality-rankings.html

@Lou- I think the general argument is that if the Ridge was so beloved it would sell like more than a few people per year loved it. Just saying, I highly doubt people love a Ridge like they love a F150 or Silverado.

Toyota 129 and Honda 148. Want to bet for 2010 those numbers will increase with all the recall stuff going on?

I do not know how the JD Power numbers were calculated, or the parameters JD Power used to determine how one truck was better than another. But I know Consumer Reports gave Toyota a pass for years, just because anything made my Toyota was automatically better than any other manufacturer. With millions of defective cars made my Toyota and Honda recalling hundreds of thousands, how is it that JD Power and Consumer Reports didn't report any of these defects in their evalutaions?

@G-street - the posts on this site in favor of the Ridgeline would indicate it's owners love it just as much as Ford, Chev, or Dodge guys love their trucks. I think that the looks of the Ridgeline are "love it or hate it". It's not the type of vehicle that has a broad appeal hence the low sales. The truck market is very "traditional". Market penetration is difficult. Nissan, Toyota, and Honda have found that out the hard way.

@sugarland - the data I posted was based on each brands average performance. Trucks are included in the overall average for each "nameplate".
All of the 1/2 tons rate around average. That means around the 170 per 100 vehicles. The Toyota Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline, Ford F150 all rated at the top for pickups.
JD Power collects data and releases that data. The data is based on vehicle problems. A defect would be classified as a problem.
I haven't had time to look at JD Power's research criteria or even tried to see if it's available. Any good research would indicate it's parameters, and probability of error. Sample size whould also have to be included.
I've never heard anyone say JD Power was "biased". Consumer Report has been accused of "bias" and they did admit to it.
I agree that in the next year or two - Toyota will move down in overall ratings. If these current recalls are the only problems they have dispite how large they are, it might not affect the overall ratings much. Currently Toyota averages 129 per 100 vehicles. 3 recalls per vehicle would bring it up to 132 per 100.

Sorry - I realized my math was off - bigtime. 3 recalls per vehicle would put them at 429 per 100 assuming they had a base problem rate of 129 per 100. The gas pedal recall, and floormat recall affected roughly 50% of their products. That should pull them down to 329 per 100. That would put them at the bottom of the industry.

Sugarland Quote: “You would think that over the years, Americans would have realized what crap Detroit making, and yet they continue to buy trucks from Detroit. Why is this?”
First off Americans have realized that the big three have been building garbage for years. Why do you suppose that Chevrolet and Chrysler filed for chapter eleven; while Ford narrowly escaped the same fate only because if had a slightly better business practice? As for the amount of units sold this too is easy to address as the big three are contractually obligated to pay assembly line workers weather they are building cars or not (thus the poor business practice that led to bankrupsey) so they loaded up dealers and sold these units at a loss.
You cannot compare the Ridgeline to a full size pick-up as many people do and this is understandable as this truck is so well made. Rather this mid-size truck should be compared to a Ford Sport Track or Toyota Tacoma. Have you seen the price for a V8 Sport Track? You are headed towards 40,000 plus and I can guarantee you that that is a P.O.S. with no residual value; try trading that thing in.
As far as the low production levels of the 2009 Ridgeline; this goes back to common sense business practices. In case you were not around for the last year and a half the U.S. has had a little recession and the gas prices went through the roof. Well Honda not being contractually obligated to keep producing vehicles scaled back so they would not have to sell vehicles at a loss like the big three. Hell during the height of the gas prices you could buy a 40,000.00 Silverado for under 30,000.00 dollars!! Does that make dollars and sense?? Sure if you are on the receiving end but you do not stay in business very long conducting business like that. Bottom like if the Ridgeline is not making Honda money you can guarantee that they will discontinue the Ridgeline and that will be ashame but it’s a really good truck.
I am certainly not here to tell anybody what to buy, just expressing my opinion and my personal experiences. I know friends that claim to never have had a problem with their American branded pick-up truck but that sadly has not been my personal experiences.
In closing I would like to say buy American built and that’s exactly what I did. God bless America and keep Americans working!! My hat goes off to the assembly line workers in Alabama building Honda Pilots, odysseys and Ridgelines you guys build work class vehicles and prove that Americans can build excellent cars and trucks!!!

Any of you "market failure" people ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe the Ridgeline was to offer HIonda customers a light truck option in their line up and not to dominate sales? The Big 3 make their share of slow selling filler product.

John F

The reason Honda built 16,464, Ridgelines is not due to Honda’s efficient production schedules and first rate planning in hard times, but rather so few people would buy them. I remember when the Ridgeline first came out, Honda was targeting 50,000 a year. This has not happened, ever. I have not heard anything bad about the Ridgeline other than it is one homely over priced vehicle. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it is just most beholders think like me and not like you.

You write, "In closing I would like to say buy American built and that’s exactly what I did. God bless America and keep Americans working!! My hat goes off to the assembly line workers in Alabama building Honda Pilots, odysseys and Ridgelines you guys build work class vehicles and prove that Americans can build excellent cars and trucks!!! “

But those same workers made the Toyotas and Hondas that are being recalled by the millions and hundreds of thousands. Your logic seems to over look the facts. And what about those American assembly line workers in Detroit building cars and trucks, do they get your support as Americans or do you only support those workers in "Real America"?

You also state,” Bottom like if the Ridgeline is not making Honda money you can guarantee that they will discontinue the Ridgeline and that will be ashame but it’s a really good truck.” Honda is doing just that, they are not investing anything into the Ridgeline. They are letting it hang on hoping for an upturn in sales, for if Honda had the same confidence you have for it, they would have invested money and engineering to improve upon it. This is not happening. It may be a good vehicle, just not a good selling vehicle. 16,464 says it all, and it all is coming to and end for the Ridgeline. You may not want to admit it, but the actions of Honda prove my point.

Ford, GM, and Chrysler are too strong in the full size area. If I were Honda, I would look at what they do best which is make fuel efficient vehicles. There is a market for a fuel efficient truck, and this is where I would put my effort. Fuel costs are only going to go higher, so slightly smaller but fuel efficient vehicles I think are the future. Not everyone needs to pull 5,000 lbs and carry 1,000 lbs or more.

They really need to improve the mileage. It's good, but not excellent, out of this world, which they need to break the back of naysayers. See the previous thread and comments "may diesel monster can tow blah blah blah while burning just a bit more than Honda!". Sure, Ridgeline gets an excellent mileage at speed, so you can cruise from Albuquerque to Los Angeles on 2 tankfuls, but who cares? So, weight is the key. But I don't know just how Honda is going to make Ridge to lose weight (BTW, remember that it's the same duo as Explorer and SportTrac, so both need to go on a diet). Also, historically whenever a vehicle went smaller, it lost. Honda would be better served by bringing a CR-V based truck to the market, IMHO. That will magically create a truck with a better mileage which is a tad more practical than Subaru Baha, and yet does not repel people who are used to Ridgeline's size. Or so says the armchair strategist in me.

The Ridgeline suffers from the same problem most of the current small trucks have - full size truck purchase price and operating costs with small truck capabilities.
Guys have been slagging the Ridgeline for it's fuel economy. Most of the V6 "compacts" are similar or slightly better in fuel economy. The Colorado/Canyon twins get similar MPG numbers to the 1/2 ton Silverado/Sierra.
Honda definately needs to boost the Ridgeline's MPG . A decrease in price would help. A more conventional style would also help broaden it's appeal.
My wife and I took one for a test drive. The main things I did not like was the huge "C" pillar, the sloped box rails which make getting a canopy, or cargo rack an expensive proposition, and the most important deterrent - price. It had a nice ride, felt very solid and well built.
I don't really need a full size 1/2 ton but for what I can get from the "domestics" with factory sales incentives, I can't rationalize the purchase of a small truck.

that ridgeline aint nothing but a smaller version of the chevy avalanche, hell honda need to come up with thier own design

Front wheel drive, V6, independant suspension, trunk in box - YEP - sounds like a scaled down Avalanche.

David only periodically leaves the trailer to see if his 88 Chevy with the ol' stars and bars is still out there jacked up on concrete. Nevermind the fact he has never seen a Honda before and is convinced the company is nothing but rumors. In his infinite wisdom from the 14" screen of his pirated copy of Windows 95 he has done all the comparisons of this so called Ridgeline to his illustrious god truck he struggles to comprehend known as the Avalanche. He isn't sure exactly what it looks like anymore but he knows what he wants and can only be denied by the size of his welfare check. The Ridgeline is an AWD vehicle by the way.

@ Mike - that was funny.
I know it's AWD, but I was trying to make a point that it wasn't a scaled down Avalanche clone.

I have sat in a Ridgeline, but never taken it out for a drive. That is a longer story, basically the salesman was an idiot. I was impressed with the interior of them. I have to say I don't even mind looking at them on the outside. I have driven an Avalanche, and I loved it. Would I ever buy an Avalanche or Ridgeline I don't know. They look similar, but they are far from being the same. I am with Lou I do not "need" a full size truck but when you look around there are just no deals out there on a smaller truck. I sat in a Colorado crew cab, it wasn't bad. Some may disagree with me on this, but I felt that the leg room in the back seats was comparble to that of a full size crew cab. Yes you don't have the width. I don't feel that everyone in the US wants a full size truck. It is up to the auto makers to start pushing the compact and midsize trucks. Price them according to their worth. Who in there right mind will buy a compact or midsize truck if it costs a little less, the same or a little more, to top it off with no significant MPG savings. The Ridgline is a niche truck. It will never sell as many units as the f series or silverado, but it could help itself.

There has got to be some Of the Dumbest people to ever own a Computer on here. At What point does the Ridgeline ever to Compare to a Super duty ?? please go stick yourself in a woodchipper. Ford Certainly makes One of the best if not Trucks if not the best , Now with that said Ford has some of the Biggest Retards that buy them.

@Doug- How does the Ridge compare? It's a "truck", It burns gas, it's supposed to be a truck, it's supposed to be tough, it's got an off-road/work prowess.. The list goes on and on. For calling everyone dumb I find it ironic that you cannot connect the dots of relativity between a F250 truck and a Ridgeline truck. The argument was that an F250 that's bigger, far stronger and more powerful gets better mileage than the Ridge. Thus, justifying the purchase of an F250 Vs. a Ridgeline on FE alone.

God people are stupid, eh?

How can you compare a HD p/u to a Ridgeline? MPG may be the same but are meant for totally different demographics. I see a lot of HD crewcabs and most of those owners would get by just fine with a Ridgeline.

The point I was getting at in my post was that you the Ridgeline is not in the same class as a full size truck. You can compare the Ridgeline to an F series or SIlverado but I believe it is not a fair comparison because they are not the same class of trucks. Comparing the F 150 to the Silverado would be a fair comparison. In reality I can not think of anything that is a fair comparison to the Ridgeline. Its bigger then the Colorado, Frontier, and Ranger. Maybe you could compare it to the Tacoma or Dakota. Honda made the Ridgeline to break barriers. They did a good job in that because it is hard to compare it to any exsisting truck fairly.

Just my 2 cents: I have a 1st year Ridgeline with 90K on the clock as of today. I had a couple minor issues resolved under warranty, but nothing that kept the truck from running. Other than that, it has been normal maintenance. The first set of brakes lasted 45,000 miles, the tires that came with it lasted 55,000. It is sturdy, safe and still drives like the day I bought it. That said, this is a niche truck - it is NOT a full size. It won't match the towing capacity or payload of a Chevy 2500 or a F250, but it will easily tow a couple PWC's or an ATV or two. At the same time, it is much roomier than a Taco or a Frontier. This truck was not made to sell 300,000 units a year, and I think Honda knew that when they designed it. I bought mine because it fit my family's needs of comfort with the capacity to haul the few things I might need to once in a while. It's not so huge that I can't park it at the mall or on city streets, but it's not so small that no one can sit in the back seat. I can take it off paved roads if I feel like it, and I don't slide around in the rain or even the occasional times I get to the snow. It has never failed to start and I haven't ground up the transmission in 30,000 normal use miles like I did on my 2002 GMC 1500 work truck. It is essentially the Subaru of the truck world - most people don't get it, but those of us that do are extremely faithful. If you feel you must put down the Ridgeline (and by extension, its buyers), I can only say that you must really feel that the one you bought is inadequate somehow. Seriously, we are long past the "my dad can beat up your dad" stuff that we used to see on the playground. I think all of us here bought the truck we could afford that fit our needs, and in the end, that is what it all comes down to.

I wish honda would come out with a truck as tough as a toyota, or dodge. I love honda and i love trucks, but i hate the ridgeline. It kinda looks like an suv with the back cut off, not great design.

"The point I was getting at in my post was that you the Ridgeline is not in the same class as a full size truck. You can compare the Ridgeline to an F series or SIlverado but I believe it is not a fair comparison because they are not the same class of trucks"
Here it maybe called a Ute, but its unusual styling might put it more into a SUV category.
What mystifies me is why Honda has not sold it outside NA?

I'm nearing the end of my 2nd Ridgeline lease, and I will buy a 3rd. Having purchased my 1st Ridgeline in March of 05, I've never been more impressed with a vehicle.

Having driven S Class Mercedes sedans for years, I grew accustomed to solid, roadworthy cars that performed well at speed, but were still nimble enough keep me engaged and excited about driving them because of its subtle sportiness.

I decided I wanted a sport utility vehicle and was horribly disappointed when I purchased my 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac....talk about dangerous. From it's narrow stance, high center of gravity and overall fit and finish, I waited until the end of the lease and off'd it as soon as I could.

There are few vehicles made that feel as roadworthy, solid, safe, comfortable that epitomize what I consider the Swiss Army Knife of vehicles like the Ridgeline does. For me, it's a car, truck, mini-van, sport ute all wrapped up in a reliable, set it and forget it package. I can tow a backhoe (small one) take my family on vacation, take my 4 best friends to the Giants game, commute to work, haul trash on the weekends, move friends, go out to dinner all in a comfortable vehicle that does everything right.

For my taste, I've driven the F150's, F250's, Silverado's and the Ram, but they are simply too big, often too noisy, too crude and send a very strong image of the driver. The Ridgeline says refinement, taste, polish and offers it's owner the ability to eliminate the need for a car and a truck, so it also says responsible stewardship of your resources.

At the end of the day, do we really care about mpg? If mpg was an issue, I'd by a commuter car, cmon!

You can take the die hard, ford, chevy, dodge owners comments and chalk them to simple jealousy since they've never driven a Ridgeline.

Keep up the great work Honda!

I thought long and hard about what kind of vehicle to get to replace my minivan.

"I needs" included: need to fit 2 kids & 1 dog & 1 wife, skis, bikes, tow a trailer, take stuff to the dump, drive in crazy snow storms, pick up people/luggage at the airport, feel comfortable, feel safe, fits in my garage, handle slight off-roading to trail heads, respectable gas mileage, good consumer report ratings, and KNOW that it was going to last a long time.

"I dont's" included: NO MORE MINIVANS, no diesel fumes / noise / repairs, bad sales tactics, company future unknown, too big to park in tight parking garages/lots.

The only fit after many test drives in new models from Tacomas, Rams, and F-150's for me and my families needs was the Honda Ridgeline...with a retrax cover to secure excess gear. And dudes/ladies, it has a built-in trunk that can be used to keep beer cold in with a drain plug! ..we have a winner!

As a weekend warrior, I love the functionality of the Ridgeline. Its the most innovative truck out there, hands-down. The only thing that has held it back is the styling. I know I would have one in my driveway if it was so downright ugly. Fix the styling issues Honda and you will have something.

Poor sales numbers have a lot to do with poor mileage and its durability. Those that wanted a Ridgeline have one and simply haven't seen a reason to upgrade yet. I would pick up a redesigned model that had better fuel efficiency, improved "looks" and a better turning radius. My only three complaints having owned one (and I have also owned a few trucks in my life).

I've owned almost every make of truck available in North America, Ford, Dodge, GM,Toyota and now Honda since 2007. Firstly to compare the Honda to an F250 or 350 diesel, is stupid. In fact it really does't compete with the F150 or other full size half tons and that is likely why it hasn't sold in the same numbers. It will pull a trailer as well as any half ton with a v6, but it doesn't have a v8, so stop the comparison. Having said that it pulls my cargo trailer very well. I live in a very mountainous area, I have no issues with pulling a 1200lb load.
I would buy a diesel version in a heart beat.
Now if you want to compare fit, finnish, drivability, reliability, the only real competition is the Toyota. I have never had such a well built truck. At my cabin my neighbour with a Tacoma 4x4, cannot back up my snow covered driveway, they make it half way up before they start to slip and cease to make further headway. The Honda crawls all the way to the top, no stops, no sideways slipping. It is a unique truck and unless I was needing to pull a very large heavy load on a regular basis. I would never again buy a truck from the big 3.
All my big 3 trucks spent too much time getting the same things repaired over and over again. Poor design, poor quality, and this is the area where the big 3 can't compete. I want to drive my truck, not park it at the repair shop. As far as pricing, the big 3 are not cheaper to purchase and when you consider the repair/down time, they are no deal at all. If you have never driven a Honda truck for any length of time, you cannot comment, as you have no real knowledge. I was a Chev man for many years, and finally gave up with the poor product. I will not go back until they can demonstrate in a real world comparison, they can make a decent product.

I guess it is quite possible that there won't be a second generation Ridgeline. I think they are planning some update or new for Ridgeline