http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/09/h...rn-after-2012/



What will become of the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck after the 2011 model year? Honda isn't saying, other than to confirm earlier reports from the Chicago Auto Show that "there would be no significant change to the Ridgeline through the 2011 model year." That said, PickupTrucks.com has apparently heard from reliable sources that Honda's innovative unibody truck won't be renewed for another go 'round after the present model's rapidly approaching expiration date.

It's no secret that the Ridgeline has failed to live up to Honda's lofty sales goals of 50,000 units per year. In 2009, Honda moved just 16,464 total units, which may not be enough to justify the expense of a major remodel. Alternatively, Honda may be taking a wait-and-see approach to the compact pickup truck market – just in case there's a rebound from the current segment-wide sales slump. Stay tuned.

 

Getting rid of this model would be one of the smartest moves in years for Honda.

Honda doesn't have the know-how, or engineering experience and expertise to make a real truck (even if they wanted to), and this model simply proves it.

 

I like the Ridgeline. Well, except for it's looks. A used one will likely be my next chore truck when the Dakota gets too rusty.

 

The Ridgeline is somewhat like the Explorer based Ford Sporttrac that also wasn't a big success.
Honda was smart enough not to waste funds trying to compete in the full size pickup catagory,though.

 

Same here. It really was the expense of this trunk 1st, then its looks 2nd IMHO for the reason why it didn't sell as much. There are so many people out there that buy trucks and never really haul stuff around. We have a double cab Tacoma and rarely use the actual bed of the truck and never go off road at all. Got the double cab simple for the kids booster seat to fit nicely in the back, and a truck simply to haul stuff every once in a while when needed. Other than that the more the truck drives like a car the better for me. There are a lot of people that want that as well. However $30K+ for a truck is just too expensive no matter how good it drives.

 

A full-size unibody pickup truck with a V6? I wonder why it didn't sell.....

 

Yea, but my Tacoma DC has a V6 too? That truck sells like hot cakes. The Ridgeline definitely rides way better and handles a lot better than my Tacoma. What is not to like about that if you are only doing light duty with the truck?

 

good riddance.

 

Good move by Honda. They should stick with building small, economical, fun to drive car. It is GM and Ford's job to build truck.

 

the ridgeline is a good urban pickup for light tasks like runs to home depot.
i see them every now and then. too bad it didn't look better. might have been a better seller.

 

The Tacoma is a compact pickup, where a V6 is a lot more worthwhile, and it's actually unusual for a V8 to be offered (the slightly larger Dakota being the only exeption that I'm aware of) in that class. It also has a real frame, so it CAN do some work if you ask it to. The Ridgeline, being a full-size pickup, outweighs the Tacoma Double Cab by a full 1,000 lbs, despite the theoretical weight advantage of not having a frame.

Despite being a size class down and carrying around a half-ton less of itself, the Tacoma's engine is larger AND more powerful than the Ridgeline's. That's why it's a joke.

 

I was talking to a guy in our neighborhood who owns an 06 Ridgeline. He loves the thing. He and his adult sons go fly fishing and use the trunk for their wet stuff. He said the 4wd drive got them to every stream they wanted to fish.

 

the bed is not big enough to even be considered useful

 

Yea, but for those that generally hate the way trucks ride like I do, but need the open bed every once in a while to take furniture and whatnot to the storage unit on weekends, the unibody truck is perfect. It rides like a car, has room like a car inside, nice leather seats, and does everything it needs to do for what those type of buyers will ask of it. In fact, I'm planning on lowering my Tacoma DC to try and make it drive and handle more car like.

Yes, it is a niche market truck, but so are SUV's when you think about it. It is a pretty wide truck though and like I said it is an expensive truck. If it were $25K I think it will sell much better. I would have bought the Ridgeline buy used ones were in the $20K range and a new 2010 Tacoma DC was $25K. Pretty much a no brainer there. They could improve on the concept and make it a much more worthy payload truck if they wanted to. For a first attempt at it I'm impressed with the truck aside from its looks. Of course, like I said I don't buy a truck to haul heavy stuff around so I'm a different type of buyer.

 

SUVs are not a niche Chris. SUVs and trucks make up 50% of the market.

It's ugly and does the usual Honda job of getting V8 MPG with a V6. It's clear it was meant for loyal Honda fans who buy anything no matter how average, substandard or ugly.

The fact is Honda aimed low with the Ridgeline and it failed. Toyota at least aimed high with the Tundra even as it isn't doing as well as planned.