Honda Debuts a 1/2 Ton pickup

[james t]

Its front wheel drive. Yes, it has rear driveline for when the AWD kicks in, but its still a really big Accord with a bed on it.

Sideways motor in a pickup...... man what is the world coming too?

 

[F14CRAZY]

OMF! :thumbdwn: I forgot about that part about the sideways motor.

And, it's WWD.

 

[Stephen]

I don't know where Honda's head has been lately. Why do they think they can compete in the American truck market with a FWD V6 pickup truck? Thats blasphemy, truck owners will roll out of the dealerships laughing at this one.

Its like the Acura RL, they promised a full sized luxury car that could compete with the big luxury sedans like the LS430, 5 and 7 series BMWs, E and S Class Mercedes, what do we get? Some overgrown Accord with FWD based AWD and a V6 for $55,000. What a joke...

 

[BeauJ]

When Honda makes a V8 DOHC Vtec and drops it in something, i MIGHT pick one up.

 

[Stephen]

I don't know if thats ever going to happen, they said it was coming for the RL but they wussed out and threw their sideways V6 in there.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Toyota can do it, but Honda makes no effort. At least they have a V8, and remember the Cadillac/Toyota V16?

 

[Stephen]

Toyota has several V8s, they even have a V12.

 

[dreamr]

I am sure that several of you probably get the Offroad Adventures Magazine/4 wheel parts catalog.
Did you take the time to read their review of this vehicle?
It is rather amusing
Must be getting paid a lot for that review
here's the link
http://offroadadventuresmagazine.com/pastIssues/0502-issue/050206f-06-ridgeline.html

 

[snocross1985]

I had read the article. Its rediculous how much they rave about it. They make it sound like the best truck on the market. They must of had some money thrown their way to talk it up.

 

[F14CRAZY]

$28k base price :thumbdwn: WTF. Honda is supposed to be making cheap small cars. And the review is funny. They fun not one thing bad about it.

 

[ExplorerSportNu]

That thing is God awful looking :thumbdwn:

 

[F14CRAZY]

You could get a brand new FX4 level II for less and more capability (except for 4 doors)

 

[Stephen]

$28k base price :thumbdwn: WTF. Honda is supposed to be making cheap small cars. .

What gives you that idea? Honda sells many cars more expensive than that. Thats what a Honda Accord costs. $28,000 is the average price of a new car sold in America nowadays.

 

[snocross1985]

The Honda S2000 starts at $33,000...

 

[F14CRAZY]

I guess they got over that era.

 

[Stephen]

Not to mention Honda sells an $80,000 sports car, the Acura NSX, a $55,000 luxury sedan, the RL, a $30,000 entry sedan, the TL, the Honda Pilot SUV tops out over 30k, the Honda Odyssey Minivan is almost 40k (the Toyota Sienna Limited van IS 40k) .

These companies are not what they used to be, in fact they've always been more than that its just what they've exported to America.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Stephen: if my classmate were here, he'd say "F dat sheyt"

And what the devil is an "entry sedan?" Keyless entry? I wouldn't pay $30k for keyless entry. Or doors that open almost 90 degrees with swivel seats?

Which idiot would dump $40k into an import minivan? Soccer moms and working dads in the suburbs need to shop around before they buy. My mom's brand new this week Durango Limited 4x4 Hemi is less than $40k.

Hmmmm. V8, truck based, American (yes yes, debated), low range. Or front wheel drive minivan? One's cheaper than the other.

This world isn't getting any better folks.

My bad, an "entry sedan" is an "overgrown Accord." Hell, those have dual exhaust tips now.

Now the rednecks can have Calvin peeing on Honda.

(note: no part of the above post was made to insult or degrade anyone or anything, including the 2006 Honda Ridgeline, or the Acura RL "entry sedan,")

 

[Stephen]

By "entry sedan" I mean "entry level luxury sedan" the Acura TL, Lexus ES330, Cadillac CTS, Mercedes C Class, BMW 3 Series are all entry level luxury cars. They're also called "near luxury sedans", luxury branded cars priced between $30-$40k. The Acura RL isn't a near luxury sedan, I'm not sure what you'd consider it as its pretty mid model as they go.

As for the Minivans, plenty of people do. There are waiting lists for the Honda Odyssey months long, and dealers can't keep Siennas on the lot. The fully loaded versions have leather seating, HID headlights, power doors, ultrasonic park assist, DVD entertainment systems, GPS navigation systems, air suspensions etc. If I were buying a vehicle for a family and I were going to spend $35-$40k I would buy a Honda Odyssey or a Toyota Sienna without even looking at something like a Durango. They're just fantastic family haulers, much better than SUVs. They ride better, have flat floors so you can move around, have lots of different seating options, have lots of different storage options, they're easier to drive and park, and they're cheaper to insure and fuel.

Just because its not what you're interested in doesn't make it stupid, its the right vehicle for many people and dealers can't keep them on the lots. I rented a Durango a few months ago on a trip and hated it, not my thing, couldn't get out of it soon enough. Doesn't make it stupid though.

Gonna have to get used to it, the reign of SUVs like the Explorer, Durango etc is over. Minivans are back in, wagons are back in, crossover vehicles like the Infiniti FX, Lexus RX330, Chrysler Pacifica etc are back in. People buy them because they like them better, not because they haven't "shopped around".

 

[F14CRAZY]

Aye

 

[Stephen]

Someday, only one REAL truck will be left in a world full of imported, uninspired "entry sedans", overpriced minivans that they insist on calling "crossover SUVs," and front wheel drive, unibody, sideways engined "half ton" "pickups."

Its name? Explorer.

Don't bet on it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Explorer is gone within the next few years. Times change, gotta get used to it. Its not even a "real truck" anymore, IFS and IRS, unibody will be next.

No offense, its a little arrogant to call entry level sedans uninspired when you don't even know what they are...