2021 mid-cycle refresh Ridgeline

[aquariuscsm]

I’ve always like the Ridgeline. Very classy looking vehicles. A truck that’s not the least bit bro-ish.

“Driving down a red dirt road in my lifted truck with my fishin’ pole,my girl,my dog,listening to the latest cd by Jason Aldine”

 

[Skippy722]

Not sure why it matters that it is FWD based. Is this meant to be a canyon corner cutter? Heavy duty, day in and day out, tow pig? Something that people are going to empty a loader bucket full of rock into? or toss heavy tools and whatnot into the back?

In some ways it'd be nice if they had a dedicated FWD version, then it could have a yet lower bed height. The only good thing about the bed height of my "real" pickup is that the tailgate is at a good height for cutting wood on--the rest of the time it's too dang high.

Personal preference is all for me, I prefer RWD.

 

[DuckRyder]

Not sure how i feel about this one... I hate the gold wheels thats for sure... but I think I like the looks of the rest of it.

They have some very neat features... I think they would sell better if the optioning were handled differently, but I recognize at low volume it's not really practical.

 

[UncleDave]

IF handling and AWD performance mean anything to you the ridgeline is the king.

A canyon burner - no, but Its WAY more pleasant to drive in the mountains than ANY body of frame truck.

Unloaded half ton and larger trucks ride like bloated circus calliopes on wooden wheels on bumpy two lane up and down twisties here in the sierras

The AWD Ridgeline is RWD biased with the rears being continually 2.7% overdriven - and able to lock the clutches and apply it.

https://hondanews.ca/en/news/release/2017-Honda-Ridgeline--Technical-Specifications

Honda i-VTM4 progressively distributes optimum torque between the front and rear axles and dynamically distributes engine torque between the left and right rear wheels, with the capacity to overdrive the outside rear wheel by 2.7 percent to create a yaw moment that improves cornering precision.

 

[Rmay635703]

What are they driving then?

 

[JeffKeryk]

I got a pre-production pic... Honda wisely copied a '46 Dodge!

 

[Aichiguy]

Simple the back of the original was way too small but more importantly they use a unibody which is nowhere near strong enough for anything but grocery getting. It may be okay for some things but come on guys a truck it isn't and never will be. Small trucks are cool but this abomination isn't one of them, other vehicles of this type are long gone, the Baja and the VW rabbit "trucks" were big failures.

I recently had a pallet of topsoil set in the back of my gen1 RL. 1400 lbs. No problem.

 

[aquariuscsm]

The perfect touch was the two red Honda CR dirt bikes in the back

 

[UncleDave]

I like the Ridgeline and the new front end approves the appearance to me. My only real negative is the timing belt on the V-6.

Although I disagree on the front - To me how it works in terms of slipperiness trumps "looking like a truck".

To me the belt is the rigs only real downside- BUT my feeling on this is softening over time.

There has been an increase in chain problems since the advent of DI especially in trucks. Any search for timing chain issues and of cam phasers will find a plethora of customers with problems.

Net net - just having a chain doesnt guarantee a trouble free lifetime.

Dexos 2 was a result of manufacturers needing help with this problem.

The Hondas belt will be a maintenance item, but it likely won't be a nasty surprise.

 

[ctechbob]

I got to thinking about it. I'm not really anti or pro one way or the other, but I really honestly wonder if some of these OHC and DOHC engines with chains would be more reliable if they were designed without the plastic/metal guides. Something along the lines of using a tensioner and sprocket in the same sort of layout as some of the belt cars. It seems to me that a metal chain running on the guides is what causes most of the problems you hear about that chain motors have (Ignoring the Ford phasers, etc). Sure, you'd have sprockets and bearings in those that might fail, but at least bearings are...well, bearings, as opposed to metal sliding over plastic, regardless of what oil and how often it's changed.

Just something I'd been thinking about, especially after looking at the Audi picture I posted in one of the other timing belt threads.

 

[RooflessVW]

Re: timing belt

I wish everyone would go back to timing belts. Instead, they give us unserviceable chains that WILL fail - and that repair will cost many times what a belt change would.

 

[Trav]

I rather take the front off to do an Audi timing belt than remove the engine to do the chains. I don't mind belts at all.

 

[buster]

I liked everything about the Ridgeline except that it’s FWD/FWD based AWD. That immediately got it thrown off the list for me.

It's not FWD based. It also has true torque vectoring.

 

[RooflessVW]

It's not FWD based. It also has true torque vectoring.

It absolutely is FWD based.

If you don't spec one with AWD, which wheels are driven?

 

[Skippy722]

It's not FWD based. It also has true torque vectoring.

If you don’t opt for AWD, they’re FWD... yes it can shuffle power around like most other modern AWD systems, in Honda’s case “up to 100%” to the rear. Doesn’t change my opinion that I personally would rather have RWD/RWD based AWD or 4x4.

 

[buster]

It absolutely is FWD based.

If you don't spec one with AWD, which wheels are driven?

I'm talking about the AWD system, not the FWD model. The torque distribution is all over the place depending on the conditions.

 

[supton]

I might slowly warm back up to TB's. I think part of my dislike is from when I was driving past 30k per year. At least doing a TDi belt was like $700 at a shop, but I keep reading how it's more like $1,500 on a Honda, so, my head is filled thinking it's $500 per year for the timing belt ($1500 every 3 years).

 

[RTexasF]

I wish everyone would go back to timing belts. Instead, they give us unserviceable chains that WILL fail - and that repair will cost many times what a belt change would.

There are others too but Toyota's 3.5l V-6 is a pillar of dependability and has always used chain.

 

[UncleDave]

Belt maintenance is a downside - with caveats. As discussed.

There are a few upsides to belts.

1. It's easier on the oil. Removing multiple shear points from the system and contributing to long OCIs' up to 10K in the case of the ridgeline.

2. In my experience my belt cars have all had lower NVH than my chain cars, most of that is engine design but the valve train is definitely a contributor to NVH.

This particular J series engine is very highly refined and particular attention has been paid to friction and NVH, and the result is noticeable at all RPM - this thing is like sewing machine in its smoothness. Making day long higher RPM tows a bit more pleasant.

UD

 

[jeepman3071]

I like the newer Ridgeline. The first gen was a bit odd looking, the newer one looks better and having been in them I think they are a well designed vehicle for the market segment they are after, which is the person who needs a daily driver that can also haul things once in awhile. Comparing it to a full-frame heavy duty truck is foolish, because that's not what it is meant for. They are very comfortable to drive compared to your run of the mill Silverado or F150. Obviously if you haul a loaded trailer with a backhoe on it every day (most Silverados and F150s haul a ghost trailer let's be real) then the Ridgeline won't work for that.