[Merged:] HONDA RIDGELINE: Honda's 1st Pickup Truck

[hagiber]

DECEMBER 27, 2004

ASIAN BUSINESS

Honda's First U.S. Bruiser
With the Ridgeline, it jumps into a crowded -- and lucrative -- market

It boasts a chiseled physique meant to appear carved from a single block of metal. It has four-wheel-drive, a hardy V-6 engine, a 1.5 meter-long open cargo bed in back, and a decidedly outdoorsy name -- the Ridgeline. The manufacturer? Not Ford (F ), Chevrolet (GM ), or Dodge. Try Honda Motor Co. (HMC ).

Honda? For years the Japanese company has prospered by churning out solid and reliable compacts, sedans, minivans, and small sport-utility vehicles. Truth to tell, the Honda lineup was a trifle boring, and in the U.S. -- the company's biggest market -- pickups weren't part of the mix. The top Japanese management thought pickups didn't fit the brand's image.

Today, though, Honda is looking to the spunky Ridgeline to help revive its flagging fortunes in North America. Sales will begin in the spring after a splashy kickoff with a pair of 30-second spots during the Super Bowl on Feb. 6. Critics snicker that the Ridgeline lacks a V-8 engine, can't tow big trailers, and shares some of its underpinnings with a minivan. Then there's the matter of the four-door cabin, roomy enough to haul the whole family

But the bold new addition to Honda's lineup is key to its bid to retain once-loyal drivers fleeing the brand for beefier vehicles. Although Honda hasn't announced pricing, it will compete with the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, and Nissan Frontier, all of which cost under $30,000. "Honda customers are typically buyers of compacts and minivans, but now they're clamoring for pickups," says Takeo Fukui, who stepped in as Honda's president 18 months ago. "The Ridgeline helps us meet that need."

3.5-Liter, High-Output VTEC® V-6 Engine
• Half-Ton Payload Capacity
• Four-Wheel Independent Suspension
• VTM-4® 4-Wheel Drive System
• Fully-Integrated Closed-Box Frame with Unibody Construction

[cyberdoc95]

Add ko lang some of the reviews and introduction for this new Honda Pick-up I've read on the net. I'm also attaching pictures after the links.

Reviews/Introduction:
1. About.com :
http://trucks.about.com/od/2006truck..._ridgeline.htm

2. NewCarTestDrive.com
http://www.nctd.com/sneakpreview.cfm...ne&ReviewID=66

3. Motorcities.com:
http://www.motorcities.com/contents/04K9A572601882.html

Pictures: (Use IE to view Pix. For some reason, pictures can't be seen when using Firefox. Sorry po)

[quiksie]

parang hindi pwede sa hakutan ito nakakatakot loadan hehe! Pero ganda ng specs niya

[karlbo]

wow.... nice truck from honda....

[carlocaraddict]

nice truck!

[BlueBimmer]

most futuristic pickup nakita ko, sana launch yan dto

[RafRaf]

parang yung sports truck concept ng mitsubishi shown earlier this year...

pero kakaiba siya... parang sporty na armored and dating... especially yung silver...

[ebbfolls]

Pardon my expression but, that is one ugly truck. Looks like it got its looks from Honda's own 'Element'.

No offense, but if I ever get to be given one, I'd sell it and buy a fully loaded Revo, and a Honda XR 400r, and use the rest of the money towards a home renovation.

[notEworthy27]

parang hybrid ng explorer and vigo. :D pero all in all. ok na ok!

[RafRaf]

Pardon my expression but, that is one ugly truck. Looks like it got its looks from Honda's own 'Element'.

No offense, but if I ever get to be given one, I'd sell it and buy a fully loaded Revo, and a Honda XR 400r, and use the rest of the money towards a home renovation.

hmmm... it does ressemble the element... from the front... which to me isn't that bad at all IMHO...

[pajerokid]

pwede!

[ebbfolls]

hmmm... it does ressemble the element... from the front... which to me isn't that bad at all IMHO...

Raf,

Dont take this badly but, to me, the Element is one paradigm for bad taste. I am aware of the generational disparity and I agree with the eye of the beholder philosophy, but I just can't see how one would ever agree with it's design.

Interestingly, there seems to be a substantial demand for cars of this kind in Japan. Most carmakers there appear to have their own entry for this particular market. There seems to be a trend there towards cars that look more fun and 'cute', rather than purposeful and proper.

I can accept the looks of some off-beat vehicles like the M-B G500 and the Humvee. At least, the G500 has the classic looks of the pre-automobile era "carruaje"; and the Humvee is functional. But the Element looks like it was conceived by a kid who draws cars with boxes and circles. The direction of this design trend is just all too new for me; and also unnecessary.

[mazdamazda]

that is ONE FUGLY truck!!!

[RafRaf]

Raf,

Dont take this badly but, to me, the Element is one paradigm for bad taste...

none taken... to each his own, as they say... it's not my top choice anyway... I just admire it...

what I like about it was the way the 4 doors all swing out in such a way that you dont have a column in between and can load things in pretty easily... the seat configurations... the amount of space available for different loadings... 4x4 capability... the plastic panels around the lower body (I'd rather have scratches on these plastics than on a glossy painted panel)... but I know I'll never be able to get one (sigh)...



back to the topic... there are also some familiar lines on this honda pickup with the mitsu SUT concept but still very distinct...

[notEworthy27]

to my eyes, the element isreally nice.

[ebbfolls]

...what I like about it was the way the 4 doors all swing out in such a way that you dont have a column in between and can load things in pretty easily... the seat configurations... the amount of space available for different loadings... 4x4 capability... the plastic panels around the lower body (I'd rather have scratches on these plastics than on a glossy painted panel)...

A minivan's sliding door's are more efficient. Plus you can have them with power assist.

The Element's 4x4 capability is rather useless with its lower ride height. A minivan's fwd, engine-over-the-driving-wheels setup can be just as good for urban duty, so other than the styling, I dont really see any other selling point to this car.

[ebbfolls]

to my eyes, the element isreally nice.

What do you like so much about it?

[jim]

personally i want to say this.... yeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkk!!! it doen't look like a pickup. parang ganyan yung mga sasakyan na ina-assemble sa amin sa cavite (not joking!!!) they should have gone with a brusko type muscle pickup design than that one na parang abnormal yung likod (parang kinulang sa bakal kaya pinagkasya na lang kung anong meron).

just me :-)

[notEworthy27]

What do you like so much about it?

well as eye candy ok na ok. but then the features won't be of much use to what its supposed to.

[ebbfolls]

well as eye candy ok na ok. but then the features won't be of much use to what its supposed to.

Well, you better be ready to spit it out, cause, check out what the guy above you said.