New Horse Hauler

[wh500special 2,184]

Yesterday I replaced my 2017 Honda Ridgeline with a 2022 Honda Ridgeline.  Same thing, only 5 years newer and with 106k fewer miles.

When I bought the black one in 2017 it was the replacement for my 1997 F250 that I'd bought new 20 years prior (mentioned HERE ).  I expected to keep this one longer than I did, but I was ready for something new and I felt the deal worked out to be pretty fair so it was worth the expense of the upgrade.  The 2017 had held its value extremely well, but of course they aren't giving new cars away.  I was very optimistic when I traded my old body-on-frame full size for one of these but was a little skeptical it would handle my needs to my satisfaction.  To my delight, this first Ridgeline hit a home run for me and I hope this one comes close.

 

In the 5 years this generation has been out there have only been minor upgrades.  The front clip is a little boxier and they added a second exhaust tip to the rear.    The tires are the same tread as before, but they've added little sidewall tread blocks to make them look more aggressive.  These are concessions to those that are more interested in style than I am (those of you who have seen me can attest to this...).  I will admit that I was never crazy about the looks of my 2017, but I couldn't see the outside when I was in it so didn't really care. 

 

The only significant change was that the in-house Honda transmission has been replaced with a ZF unit with three more gears.  The prior 6-speeds have some sporadic heat management issues that have apparently been addressed.  Mine was always rock solid.

 

One of the things Honda has usually done was made their vehicles very easy to maintain.  They still put drain and fill plugs on everything so changing the fluid is easy.  Very easy for a DIY'er  This transmission apparently requires the thing to be a specific temperature to get the fluid level right, but they are apparently still generally easy to service.  We'll see.

 

The things that are surprising to me are how well the 2017 held up.  I take care of my things and I'm not hard on them so I didn't expect much degradation.  But in over 100k miles I still didn't have a single squeak or rattle and all the controls still operated with precision and solidity.  The only real issues that belied its age were the cracked windshield and some minor parking lot scratches and dings.  When I drove the new one with only 7 miles I was surprised how close it felt to the old one.  Honda doesn't have the quality reputation they once had, but they still screw things together really, really well.  I used to be a die hard Ford guy, but too many piddly things with my last several Fords have strained our relationship.

 

These things carry a bit of a reputation in some circles as being a NART (Not A Real Truck) because they lack a ladder frame, don't have bug chunky tires and lots of ground clearance, and have the engine sitting in there sideways.  But with 1500 lbs of payload and plenty of power they can hold their own for applications like mine.  And the fuel economy is decent for a 4500-lb brick.  My 2017 - and hopefully my new one - excelled at pulling my boat, getting lumber, and carrying trash.  The composite bed didn't show any wear from gravel or junk and doesn't need a spray-on or drop-in bedliner to thwart off damage.  The trunk under the bed is the best feature ever incorporated into a pickup truck, and the AWD has proven for me to be way superior to any part-time 4wd system I've ever had in other vehicles. 

 

 

It's no F350, but I don't need one of those monsters.

 

Anyway, this is my new horse hauler.

 

Steve

[squonk 41,121]

Just out of curiosity, how were the seats in the old Ridgeline? We might be scaling back to one vehicle in a few years and I need a decent seat. I had to give up my Tundra because of the crappy seats and back surgery. My GMC has Seats like a Lazy Boy and I love them but I don't want my wife driving a tank all the time and was thinking about a Ridgeline.

[dclarke 4,032]

That new red one is sharp, Steve. Nice upgrade! 

[wh500special 2,184]

Mike,

 

I've found this to be the most comfortable vehicle I have owned.  This new one seems to to have softer seats than the previous one, but I wouldn't classify either as Lazy Boy cushy.  They are quite supportive and fit well.  The back seat is less comforatble than the front, but still pretty nice.  From the B-pillar forward, this is the same cabin as a Pilot SUV.

 

The truck in general rides exceptionally well.  It doesn't wallow or hop around.  Some of the modern full size trucks (like the air spring Ram) have very soft suspensions and definitely ride softer but not better than this.  The 4-wheel independent suspension helps a lot.  No axle hop on bumps.  The AWD is the same system that Acura calls Super Handling AWD (SH-AWD) and overspeeds the rear wheels a little bit to enhance rotation.  And it torque vectors so it handles well.

 

So, it's very comfortable.  But not like an old-school American car.

 

Steve

[Pullstart 62,902]

Is it primarily FWD until AWD is needed?

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Congrats, it looks pretty Sharp.

 

 

I had a Honda several moons ago and it had a pretty solid technic,
as long as the AWD is switched by a Manually Gearbox instead of a Haldex.

My own experiences with Haldex systems was not soo beautiful.

Opel announced no Service is needed because it has a „Lifetime filling“, 
instead all other manufacturer they urgently recommend a regular Service on the Haldex.

Never trust such announces of better ask yourself - how long is a Lifetime span?

 

i wish you a long time positive journey - without any Troubles.

[ebinmaine 67,527]

Well done Steve. 

 

That's one of the vehicles Trina's looking at for her next ride.  

[wh500special 2,184]

The AWD system is definitely front wheel biased, but it’s a fairly sophisticated system.  There are a few good explanations online of how it works, but the nutshell is that the rear axle is provided power anytime the vehicle is accelerating, cornering, or has detected slippage in one of the tires.  The rear axle is overdriven about 2% in speed compared to the front, so clutches are required to make the connection.  There is technically no rear differential; instead a clutch feeds each rear axleshaft independently and locks, slips, or unlocks depending on the need. 

 

Designing something to deliberately slip seems like a recipe for disaster, but these systems have proven to be very durable and are easily maintained.  It's not a Haldex system, it's proprietary to Honda.  There is a right angle gearbox that they call a transfer case on the rear of the transaxle that links to the rear end through a propshaft.  Both the gearbox and the rear axle are easy to drain and fill for maintenance.

 

The system has shown to be surprisingly capable of keeping the vehicle moving when off road, but it really isn’t intended as a hardcore offroad machine.  ANY of the other midsized or full sized pickups are better for that task.  Rather it is a “softroader” and is designed to enhance handling on slippery roads or on easy trails.

 

On my parents’ hilled gravel driveway I can come to a complete stop and then start up again even with significant throttle input and not spin a tire or fling out a rock.  In a situation like this the system essentially locks up the two rear tires while the open diff in the front does its best to shift its power side to side.  So in some situations, the Ridgeline is a three wheel drive unit unlike most part time systems (with open diffs) that have only one front and one rear tire driven.

 

Edit:  I mention this since even in 4wd neither my old F250 or dad's current F150 can get started from a dead stop without slinging gravel.

 

This is also amazingly effective on the boat launch or when pulling away from every stoplight in the rain on the way home from the lake.  When accelerating, both front and rear axles generate traction to get things moving and engage as needed once rolling to maintain surefootedness.  There are selectable drive modes that tailor the logic to different driving surfaces, but it really can just be driven with no operator involvement.

 

The traction control/torque apportionment isn’t a brake based-system that cuts power from the slipping wheel.  Instead it is a clutch based system that engages power where needed.  This is beneficial since it uses yaw sensing to push the outside rear wheel faster through a corner to help keep the vehicle on the intended path.  As long as you stay on the power, it’s amazing.

 

Again, if your use case is for pulling stumps, rock crawling, or mud bogging there are 1000 better options out there.  But if you’re like me and you drive on the roads your taxes are funding, deal with inclement weather, and occasionally run down sloppy gravel roads or slimy boat launches there isn’t a better system.

 

Since I’ve had one of these I’ve had several guys in built off road oriented trucks pull up close to me and rev their engines or get in front of me and blow a cloud of diesel soot my way.  Not sure what that’s all about, but clearly there is a group that isn’t a big fan of the vehicle.  But, again, it suits my purposes really well.

 

Did I mention it can hold plywood flat on the bed floor between the wheel wells?

 

Steve

Edited August 5, 2022 by wh500special

[C-85 681]

Hi Steve,

 

Thanks for sharing about your new truck!

 

I have a '18 Ridgeline (RL) and love it.  Before this I had always had GM trucks and was nervous about going in this very different direction, but this has worked out extremely well!  What advantages does this have and why do I like this so much?

 

It's not high off the ground and very easy to get in and out.

 

It's wide.  We had looked at Colorado and Tacoma, neither is as wide.  With the RL it can carry (like someone else mentioned) a full sheet of plywood, or a snowmobile.

 

I use its dual function tailgate all the time, it flops down or swings open, which is especially handy when you want to get into the bed.

 

This truck is super comfortable, like someone else commented, the most comfortable I've ever had!  It's also quiet, which I appreciate.

 

My last truck was a '88 Chevy K1500 I bought new and had for 30 years until this '18 RL.  The Chevy had a 5.7L V8, and the RL has a 3.5L V6 and I was afraid that it wouldn't have enough power, but it does and more.  The MPG on the Chevy was around 12 and this RL gets around 25 MPG!

 

The RL doesn't have a high/low transfer case, which concerned me, but that hasn't been a problem either, I've hauled some wood, a double snowmobile trailer, and other heavy things over some steep hills in all kinds of weather and this thing has never hesitated, it has impressed the heck of my wife and I!

 

We liked the RL so much, when it came time to replace our '16 Honda CR-V, we bought a '21Passport, the RL's cousin!

 

 

Enjoy the ride 

 

C-85

[wh500special 2,184]

Excellent!

 

They fight above their weight.

 

In 2020 they replaced the 6-speed Honda trans with the 9-speed ZF.  The ZF initially had a terrible reputation in various cars but they've since tuned the problems away.  In this application, like in your Passport, they even put paddle shifters behind the wheel.  Kind of interesting.

 

You mentioned the width and that too is a big deal.  They are within a couple inches of a Full Size in width which reaps rewards in the cargo bed and in the rear seat if you need to carry three across back there.  In my case it also makes towing easier since the mirrors are out there further as a result.

 

Unlike my old 1997 Ford, the engine in this likes to wind out. WHich is a different experience if you're used to all the power being down low.  That can take some getting used to but even when it's running at higher RPM it's still quiet and smooth.

 

Give and take.

 

Steve

[C-85 681]

Hi Steve,

 

I thought of another thing that is very nice about the Ridgeline, the rear seat is a little higher than the front seats, so if you do have passengers in the back, they can see much better!  

 

After being a Honda customer, I've been very impressed with their engineering and the layout of the entire vehicle, it all makes a lot of sense!

 

C-85

[Evguy 556]

I looked at the Ridgeline, but coming from a supercrew f150 4x4, I wasn’t sure it was for me. I ended up buying a Chevy Avalanche ltz. I like the midgate, can put 8 foot stuff in the bed and with hard covers it keeps stuff locked and protected. 
Time will tell, I haven’t had it long.

[wh500special 2,184]

EVGuy,

 

I was never enamored with the appearance of the plastic cladded Avalanche, but when they offered it with the more sedate (no cladding) styling I recognized how smart of a vehicle it was.  I wonder how they would do in today’s truck obsessed market.   If you need full size towing capability sometimes but great people-moving capability all the time it would be hard to beat an Avalanche. 
 

C-85,

 

I too wondered about the power, but it’s proven to be way more than adequate.  Definitely more usable power than the 4.6 I had in my last full size. 
 

By the sunroof and chrome door handles it looks like yours is an RTL-E.  Both of mine have been  RTL’s.  There have been a number of occasions where I think i would enjoy the bed speakers that yours has.  Awesome party trick.

 

Ridgelines are not inexpensive.  But it’s very deceiving when you compare base prices of other trucks.  There is no such thing as a stripped-down Ridgeline.  They all (now) have standard AWD, crew cabs, V6 engines, and lots of fancy creature comforts.  When compared to the other midsizers - when similarly equipped - they are pretty close.
 

Steve
 

Edited August 6, 2022 by wh500special