Honda Slashes Ridgeline Production

[mustang84]

Autoweek

[bowtie_dude]

I thought the great thing about Hondas were that they sold without incentives? Guess not. ^_^ :CG_all: Edited November 2, 2005 by bowtie_dude

[BrewSwillis]

I love it. When Honda's don't sell, it's not because nobody wants them.....it's because the Big 3 had incentives. It's great that this Japanese company blames us (Americans) for their problems selling their Japanese branded vehicles in our country.

[Polish_Kris]

Honda should have never gotten into this trucking business. They should have stayed with what they were doing best 10 years ago. 4 Cylinder Civics and Accords, and nice sports cars, not this.

[Dsuupr]

Wow, you mean honda & Track, toyota Consumer, & Foreign Trend were wrong in saying the ridgeline is the best thing since slice bread?

[ShadowDog]

Funny, once they reported what CEO Takeo Fukui thinks is the problem, incentives, the word just keeps popping up in every one of the last 8 paragraphs but the final one. "BaaAAAaaa, BaaAAAaaa!" Says AutoWeek.

[evok]

Honda should have never gotten into this trucking business.  They should have stayed with what they were doing best 10 years ago.  4 Cylinder Civics and Accords, and nice sports cars, not this.

[post="37533"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

The Ridgline outsold the Avalanche last month. Almost 5,000 units sold versus 2,400.

Yup, I would say that is cause for gloom and doom over at Honda. Honda is just adjusting their product mix to control their variable cost. I say that is smart.

[BrewSwillis]

The Ridgline outsold the Avalanche last month.  Almost 5,000 units sold versus 2,400.

Yup, I would say that is cause for gloom and doom over at Honda.  Honda is just adjusting their product mix to control their variable cost.  I say that is smart.

[post="37562"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Maybe because people know that the new Avalanche will be out in a few months? Why don't you compare the Ridgeline to all of GM's trucks, because some of the people that didn't buy an Avalanche, may have bought another GM truck. You can compare Honda's truck line to GM's.....that would be fair.

[andy82471]

The problem with the RIDGELINE is that Honda wanted to build a car that rides like a truck without all of the positive attributes like high towing capacity, doing some serious off-roading etc. Did they really expect an ODYSSESY with a truck bed will light up the sales chart ? :lol:

[Cremazie]

Well, I think that just because you put a bed on a car and rise it up 12 inches you are not going to fool Americans into believeing that it is a truck. Come on.

[evok]

Maybe because people know that the new Avalanche will be out in a few months?  Why don't you compare the Ridgeline to all of GM's trucks, because some of the people that didn't buy an Avalanche, may have bought another GM truck.  You can compare Honda's truck line to GM's.....that would be fair.

[post="37572"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Avalanche is not due to be release for another 12 months or so.

No, I think that is highly unlikely given Octobers sales results of the Silverado being down almost 37%. And Honda is a niche product like the Avalanche. My comparision is very fair.

[evok]

The problem with the RIDGELINE is that Honda wanted to build a car that rides like a truck without all of the positive attributes like high towing capacity, doing some serious off-roading etc. Did they really expect an ODYSSESY with a truck bed will light up the sales chart ? :lol:

[post="37574"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I do not think anybody has read the article or understands what it says.

The Ridgline was never intended to cover the full pickup line of GM, F or DCX. Never. It was designed to add about 60,000 units a year to Honda's bottomline. And at current rates it is doing just that. And at a transaction price of close to $30k.

Given the markets current adversion towards trucks and suv's the Ridgline is holding strong in the market. And Honda is preparing to adjust their production accordingly if necessary.

Sorry folks the Ridgline is a success no matter if you like the vehicle or not or even understand the market they are going after.

Looking at October's sales, Honda was up 0.4%. Guess who was down almost 25%.

[Cory Wolfe]

Honda should have never gotten into this trucking business.  They should have stayed with what they were doing best 10 years ago.  4 Cylinder Civics and Accords, and nice sports cars, not this.

[post="37533"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

:withstupid:

[Sixty8panther]

I hope this thing dies a semi-quick death like the Edsel and Azteek. Everyone here knows how much I HATE this truck. :puke:

[NOS2006]

lmao this is HILARIOUS!

[CARBIZ]

Someone's maths stinks: March to September sales = 7 months = 25,787, for an annualized rate of 44,206 - nowhere near 60,000. What's worse: that is for a model launch! If you dare to compare the Avalanche (and I don't believe for one second that the guys I see in here would be caught dead in a Ridgeline!), the Avalanche is already a few years old, and probably has saturated its "niche." The HHR is another niche vehicle that GM aimed high, adjusted downward and then had to ramp up production again. It doesn't matter to me whether the Ridgeline sells or not. I saw one downtown in the gay ghetto yesterday and it convinced me that they could put an H on a turd and sell it.

[cmattson]

Honda Emblem aside, what would attract you to the Honda truck? Honda doesn't have a large history of building trucks in North America. It's gas mileage is very ordinary (only marginally better, if at all, in comparison to other trucks). It's bed is undersized, it's interior certainly isn't luxurious. It's exterior looks aren't drop-dead gotta-have gorgeous either. It's payload is relatively small, as is it's towing capacity. There are numerous competitors that outrank it in hp and torque. The Ridgeline is ordinary -- except for it's price. Now factor in the top-notch owner-loyalty in the pickup truck market. It's no great wonder on why the Ridgeline's sales are lackluster. The pickup truck market, in some ways, is a mirror-image of what the domestics face in the car market. The solution is to offer something innovative--like Honda did with it's magic seats on the 2nd-gen Odyssey -- or to offer a combination feature-set that is too hard to ignore. Take a look at the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan. It's styling is relatively sharp, while it's powertrain isn't leading-the-segment, it isn't lackluster, and it's price is simply outstanding. I don't have any doubts that the car will be a success for Ford.

[evok]

Someone's maths stinks:  March to September sales = 7 months = 25,787, for an annualized rate of 44,206 - nowhere near 60,000.
  What's worse: that is for a model launch!  If  you dare to compare the Avalanche (and I don't believe for one second that the guys I see in here would be caught dead in a Ridgeline!), the Avalanche is already a few years old, and probably has saturated its "niche."
  The HHR is another niche vehicle that GM aimed high, adjusted downward and then had to ramp up production again. 
  It doesn't matter to me whether the Ridgeline sells or not.  I saw one downtown in the gay ghetto yesterday and it convinced me that they could put an H on a turd and sell it.

[post="37619"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/...37556#post37556

Nice chart of increasing sales volume forgetting about the spike in Sept. resulting from the rise in gas. Production has been steady at 1,500 according to AN. y-t-d production is 56,000. Let me rephrase my statement, based upon an annualized selling rate using October sales, the Ridgline is projected to sell 60,000 vehicles in a 12 month period. Is that better math.

Least we not forget, GM originally planned to make a vehicle very similar to the Ridgline off of Lambda. I am sure they wish they had those sales right now as the market moves to unibody trucks/suvs for the average none commercial application.

[97regalGS]

Least we not forget, GM originally planned to make a vehicle very similar to the Ridgline off of Lambda.  I am sure they wish they had those sales right now as the market moves to unibody trucks/suvs for the average none commercial application.

[post="37634"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

what? GM thinking about doing something different then deciding not too? we've never heard of that before. :blink:

once again, someone else beats GM to the punch.

and let's not forget, the Ridgeline is not meant to go after all those die-hard truck fanatics, but it is another vehicle configuration off the Odyssey, MDX, Pilot platform. so 3 vehicles, 1 platform. nice move Honda.

one last thought. just imagine if Honda hadn't hired the Aztek styling crew to hit it with the ugly stick.

[97regalGS]

The Ridgline outsold the Avalanche last month.  Almost 5,000 units sold versus 2,400.

Yup, I would say that is cause for gloom and doom over at Honda.  Honda is just adjusting their product mix to control their variable cost.  I say that is smart.

[post="37562"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

one month of sales is irrelevant. gm's employee incentive prob pulled ahead a lot of sales.

do you have the avalanche full year sales chart for a more realistic comparison between the two? Edited November 2, 2005 by 97regalGS

[evok]

one month of sales is irrelevant.  gm's employee incentive prob pulled ahead a lot of sales. 

do you have the avalanche full year sales chart for a more realistic comparison between the two?

[post="37673"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

According to Oct AN data - there is a 93 (15,000 vehicles) day supply of Avalanches at the dealers. With gas as high as it is, it will be impossible for the vehicle to achieve the highs of close to a 100k sales a year. Year to date the vehicle sold 55k.

There are people here bashing Honda for something they do not understand. Particularly when sales of the Honda are increasing and sales of the Chevy have been cut in half from its highs. Honda is adjusting to future demand. Were it not for the DPH uncertainty, the Silao plant should be closed for a few weeks. Edited November 2, 2005 by evok

[cmattson]

I'm not ready to say the Ridgeline is a success or a failure. The fact of the matter is that some Honda loyalists have been waiting a long while for a Honda pickup truck; and you'll see an initial blip that results from that. As for gas mileage skewing numbers for/against either truck, that's a bunch of garbage as well - the gas mileage of each truck is comparable--and are nothing special (something Honda should be held accountable for-- the power of a V6, with the fuel consumption of a V8, LMFAO). A vehicles success or failure can hardly be judged in less-than-a-year's time. Look at Toyota's T100 and Tundra; Toyota's had a full decade of "full-size" pickup production and the have failed to gather any sales momentum at all. A decade plus of luke-warm sales and no increased market penetration and I think you can safely call the Tundra not much more than a niche offering in the pickup truck market. The Nissan Titan, regardless of it's numerous initial quality problems is more capable and has seemingly found an easier in-road into the market than the Tundra has at this point. Edited November 3, 2005 by cmattson

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Wow, you mean honda & Track, toyota Consumer, & Foreign Trend were wrong in saying the ridgeline is the best thing since slice bread?

[post="37552"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

My sentiments exactly!!!!!

And, obviously, some here are still sold on this turd of a "truck"

Oh, and I must give props to BrewSwillis for an excellent post... Next we'll see the FAILURE of Honda to create a capable truck and the FAILURE of the media to fulfill their obligation and push it off on the public successfully justified by " apparently only a few americans are intelligent enough to understand BETTER imports judging by their inability to fill the obligation to buy from companies that fuel our economy so much" a.k.a "The Ridgeline was so advanced and ahead of it's time"

Oh, and funny Honda is barely meeting HALF of it's yearly sales target if the PUKEline is so damn nifty.

What's worse: that is for a model launch! If you dare to compare the Avalanche (and I don't believe for one second that the guys I see in here would be caught dead in a Ridgeline!), the Avalanche is already a few years old, and probably has saturated its "niche."

Another excellent point.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Avalanche is not due to be release for another 12 months or so.

No, I think that is highly unlikely given Octobers sales results of the Silverado being down almost 37%. And Honda is a niche product like the Avalanche. My comparision is very fair.

Ever think it had to do with the record setting sales of the last 3 summer months and the lack of inventory?

[Polish_Kris]

:withstupid:

[post="37593"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

How is this a stupid response?

[Sixty8panther]

Honda Emblem aside, what would attract you to the Honda truck?  Honda doesn't have a large history of building trucks in North America.....

[post="37621"][/post]

Honda doesn't have a large history of building trucks PERIOD!

Unless you call these pickups. :lol:

[Cory Wolfe]

How is this a stupid response?

[post="37752"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

"I'm with stupid" aka "I agree with you" :AH-HA_wink:

[Sixty8panther]

http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index...wtopic=2435&hl=

[siegen]

How come everyone is bashing the Ridgeline? It is a Sports Utility Truck. It isn't designed to compete with Full Size trucks, and it isn't designed to tow 40ft boats or go off-road like a Jeep 4x4. It handles better than any truck or SUV on the road, and can do a bit of everything. A large majority of the F150, Sierra, and RAM drivers (those who don't use them for their intended purpose) out there would be better off driving a Ridgeline, due to its better mileage, better emissions, better handling (accident avoidance), and safety features. Edited November 3, 2005 by siegen

[Member55]

This is another example of why GM can't compete. Instead of offering rebates Honda will just cut production while thanks to UAW and job banks GM is forced to produce vehicles and sell them for no profit. You can't compete like that.

[balthazar]

How come everyone is bashing the Ridgeline? It is a Sports Utility Truck. It isn't designed to compete with Full Size trucks, and it isn't designed to tow 40ft boats or go off-road like a Jeep 4x4. It handles better than any truck or SUV on the road, and can do a bit of everything. A large majority of the F150, Sierra, and RAM drivers (those who don't use them for their intended purpose) out there would be better off driving a Ridgeline, due to its better mileage, better emissions, better handling (accident avoidance), and safety features.

Funny; I've seen ridgeliner ads showing it blasting across rough terrain and with bedloads of stuff; if it isn't 'for that' it shouldn't be marketed that way.
Handling is assuredly a miniscule difference and not a factor for either the honda buyer or another product's buyer.
Why would you think the few minor differences you focused on would sway large numbers of consumers? These factors (emissions, handling, safety features) do not drive pick up sales in the least.

[The O.C.]

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/...37556#post37556

Nice chart of increasing sales volume forgetting about the spike in Sept. resulting from the rise in gas.  Production has been steady at 1,500 according to AN.  y-t-d production is 56,000.  Let me rephrase my statement, based upon an annualized selling rate using October sales, the Ridgline is projected to sell 60,000 vehicles in a 12 month period.  Is that better math.

Least we not forget, GM originally planned to make a vehicle very similar to the Ridgline off of Lambda.  I am sure they wish they had those sales right now as the market moves to unibody trucks/suvs for the average none commercial application.

[post="37634"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Hey I'm no Ridgeline fan.....but I bet you guys my first-born that Honda never even CONSIDERED targeting traditional F150/Ram/Silverado buyers with Ridgeline.

Avalanche? Maybe....maybe....but even that's not very likely....

In fact, if I remember correctly, they were trying to offer an alternative in the marketplace for people currently in unibody SUVs/etc., looking for a bit more towing capacity, etc., and with a more pickup-like bed in the back.

A Pilot owner looking for something with similar utility, but sportier and with a more rugged style....

[siegen]

Funny; I've seen ridgeliner ads showing it blasting across rough terrain and with bedloads of stuff; if it isn't 'for that' it shouldn't be marketed that way.
Handling is assuredly a miniscule difference and not a factor for either the honda buyer or another product's buyer.
Why would you think the few minor differences you focused on would sway large numbers of consumers? These factors (emissions, handling, safety features) do not drive pick up sales in the least.

[post="37946"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I didn't say it couldn't tow, haul loads, or go off road. I just said their are specific vehicles that do it better. I said the Ridgeline can do a bit of everything, which it can. Handling and safety are huge factors to consider when purchasing a vehicle, even if you plan on using the vehicle for off-road or hauling purposes (because 90% of the time you will be driving on normal roads amongst traffic with little or no load).

I still haven't seen a Ridgeline ad though. Maybe Honda is trying too hard to market this vehicle to the wrong type of people??

[97regalGS]

How come everyone is bashing the Ridgeline? It is a Sports Utility Truck. It isn't designed to compete with Full Size trucks, and it isn't designed to tow 40ft boats or go off-road like a Jeep 4x4. It handles better than any truck or SUV on the road, and can do a bit of everything. A large majority of the F150, Sierra, and RAM drivers (those who don't use them for their intended purpose) out there would be better off driving a Ridgeline, due to its better mileage, better emissions, better handling (accident avoidance), and safety features.

[post="37914"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

everyone is bashing the Ridgeline because next to arguing about which GM brand is the best and insisting that every brand needs a version of every platform, the next most popular sport is Toyota/Honda bashing.

sometimes the debates are an amusing read, but most of the time the ignorance portrayed and the emotional overreaction at the expense of facts is ..... well,..... undewhelming.

[Polish_Kris]

"I'm with stupid" aka "I agree with you" :AH-HA_wink:

[post="37839"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

oh, ok B)

[Polish_Kris]

This is another example of why GM can't compete. Instead of offering rebates Honda will just cut production while thanks to UAW and job banks GM is forced to produce vehicles and sell them for no profit. You can't compete like that.

[post="37925"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

This is one of the reasons the big Japanese like Honda and Toyota who have many North American plants do not want their plants to join the UAW.

[Sixty8panther]

This is one of the reasons the big Japanese like Honda and Toyota who have many North American plants do not want their plants to join the UAW.

[post="38074"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

One way or another we have to level the playing field. <_< :angry:

[Flybrian]

This 'Ridgeline gets better fuel economy' is another huge misnomer. It doesn't. Period. Look it up and you'll see a Silverado with a V8 putting out 40 more hp and a whole lot more torque gets the same EPA-rated fuel economy as a V6 Ridgeline.

The whole point is this: Ridgline is not a real pickup truck; its a Pilot with a bed in the back. Pickups buyers would never consider a Ridgeline because its useless - it can't tow much and its FWD-biased so even what it can tow, it can't do it with the stability of a regular truck, it can't haul much, and its pretty expensive for what you get. Likewise, Ridgeline buyers would never consider a real truck because they're too bulky, too uncomfortable for them, and (in their minds) suck more gas.

Comparing it head-to-head with a fullsize truck is a misnomer; car buying sites do it because there's no where else to categorize it and popular car magazines do it because they're idiots and don't really know shit about anything and already wrote about the Nissan Titan buying everybody.

It fills a niche for Honda to stop people from buying other midsize trucks, like the Colorado, Frontier, etc. In reality, though, it doesn't strike me as being that competitive. It looks funny, the interior is laughable even for a truck, and its sole 'innovation' is an in-bed trunk design that hinders access to the spare tire when it or the bed are loaded with things.

[evok]

This 'Ridgeline gets better fuel economy' is another huge misnomer. It doesn't.

I did.

Honda 16 / 21

Avalanche Vortec 5300 V8
2WD 4-speed automatic 14/19
4WD 4-speed automatic 14/18

[evok]

Ever think it had to do with the record setting sales of the last 3 summer months and the lack of inventory?

[post="37749"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Didn't you read my other posts, where I have shown that there is plenty of inventory. I have already addresses this and that is not the problem for the catastrophic collapse of the Avalanche.

[BrewSwillis]

All you Japan sympathiests can back the the Ridgeline all you want......and you can also call out others for "bashing"......but it doesn't change the fact that Honda has announced that they are cutting production due to slow sales:

TOKYO -- With Ridgeline sales starting out slower than expected, Honda Motor Co. is cutting production of the new pickup.

Honda is taking 3,000 units out of its January-March production plan. The full-year target was 50,000.

Honda CFO Satoshi Aoki revealed the plans to cut production during a press conference announcing Honda's earnings for the quarter ended Sept. 30.

Honda's production plans have nothing to do with some of us making fun of this poser trucklet. They just can't convince enough soccer moms to try a barely useful vehicle.

The fact that some brag about Honda's ability to scale back production when a vehicle doesn’t sell well, is also pretty sad. I believe the Ridgeline is made in the US, which means that Honda probably just fired a bunch of non-union hard working Americans due to the fact that they have decided to make an inferior vehicle that is not achieveing target sales volumes. Way to go Honda for firing American workers due to your incompetence. :AH-HA_wink:

[SingleStylish]

Can I have a show of hands for people who have driven a Nissan Frontier Crew Cab short bed and the Honda Ridgeline? Realistically the horsepower numbers and fuel mileage match. Towing capacity is about the same and the interior in the Ridgeline is much much MUCH better. Seriously, the Ridgeline is a nitch product and it does as much as the S2000 does for Honda. It is there to sell some more vehicles to Honda owners and does a decent job of it. I would trade my Reg Cab Silv. V8 for a Ridgeline if it weren't so damned expensive. If you ask me... that is it's only fault. Otherwise, it is perfect for the occasional around the house and outdoor use.

[97regalGS]

The fact that some brag about Honda's ability to scale back production when a vehicle doesn’t sell well, is also pretty sad.  I believe the Ridgeline is made in the US, which means that Honda probably just fired a bunch of non-union hard working Americans due to the fact that they have decided to make an inferior vehicle that is not achieveing target sales volumes.  Way to go Honda for firing American workers due to your incompetence.  :AH-HA_wink:

[post="38157"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

right. a much better idea is to have the UAW build them so that even when demand is low they still HAVE to pump out the vehicles, thus flooding the market with oversupply, thus forcing the company to offer huge discounts to move the product, which has a direct affect on the bottom line.

[cmattson]

I did.

Honda 16 / 21

Avalanche Vortec 5300 V8
2WD 4-speed automatic 14/19
4WD 4-speed automatic 14/18

[post="38148"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I'm sorry, I can't let you get away with that. How convienient to compare to the Avalanche.. a FULL SIZE truck. Why not the Colorado?

Let's see here.. let's start with exterior dimensions:

Ridgeline: wheelbase = 122, length=206.8
Colorado: wheelbase = 126, length=207.1
Avalanche: wheelbase = 130, length=221.6

Hmm. The Colorado definately seems to be a closer match.
Let's take a look at towing capacity:
Ridgeline: 5000lbs
Colorado: 4000lbs
5.3l Avalanche: 7900lbs

Hmm. Again, the Colorado seems to be a closer comparison.

How about hp/torque?
Ridgeline: 247/245
Colorado: 220/225
5.3l Avalanche: 295/335

Hmm. Yet again, the Colorado seems to be a closer comparison.
Price? Priced for comparable features (as close as I could get them, anyways):
Ridgeline RTS: $30,625
Colorado (crew cab, LT3): $27,990
Avalanche: $37,885

Need I continue? Ok, Curb weight:
Ridgeline: 4494 lbs
Colorado: 4062 lbs
Avalanche: 5654 lbs

Clearly, the Colorado is a closer comparison to the Ridgeline. Gas mileage? 17/22 for the 3.5l Colorado.. as compared to 16/22 for the Ridgeline. While the Colorado has slightly less hp/torque, it's also hindered by having just a 4spd transmission.. so I think it equates fairly well when you look at the whole picture.

You want to know what's an even closer comparison to the Ridgeline? A DCX minivan: with the 3.8l engine, it puts out roughly 210hp/240ft-lbs of torque, tows 4000lbs, has an even larger "trunk", definately has more flexibility, has AWD, and gets 18/25 mpg... it also costs thousands less. Face it: the Ridgeline doesn't offer anymore flexibility/capacity than anything else on the market. It's wrapped into an odd-looking exterior, and an even odder-looking interior. The "H" symbol on the price pushes the sticker about $3k higher than anything comparable. Personally, I'm not at all surprised by it's current sales performance. I'm not ready to count Honda out of anything. Take a look at the 1st generation Odyssey "minivan". It didn't even have sliding doors. Take a look at what the 2nd generation Odyssey did in comparison. Honda is relentless in their pursuit of a market. GM would be wise to take the Ridgeline seriously--even in it's current lackluster form. To GM's credit, I think that they have. We've all heard about the Lambda chassis and what is to come off of it (crossover's, suv's and pickups). If that's true, than Honda's niche will get even smaller.

[The O.C.]

I'm sorry, I can't let you get away with that.  How convienient to compare to the Avalanche.. a FULL SIZE truck.  Why not the Colorado?

Let's see here.. let's start with exterior dimensions:

Ridgeline: wheelbase = 122, length=206.8
Colorado: wheelbase = 126, length=207.1
Avalanche: wheelbase = 130, length=221.6

Hmm. The Colorado definately seems to be a closer match.
Let's take a look at towing capacity:
Ridgeline: 5000lbs
Colorado: 4000lbs
5.3l Avalanche: 7900lbs

Hmm. Again, the Colorado seems to be a closer comparison.

How about hp/torque?
Ridgeline: 247/245
Colorado: 220/225
5.3l Avalanche: 295/335

Hmm. Yet again, the Colorado seems to be a closer comparison.
Price?  Priced for comparable features (as close as I could get them, anyways):
Ridgeline RTS: $30,625
Colorado (crew cab, LT3): $27,990
Avalanche: $37,885

Need I continue?  Ok, Curb weight:
Ridgeline: 4494 lbs
Colorado: 4062 lbs
Avalanche: 5654 lbs

Clearly, the Colorado is a closer comparison to the Ridgeline.  Gas mileage?  17/22 for the 3.5l Colorado.. as compared to 16/22 for the Ridgeline.  While the Colorado has slightly less hp/torque, it's also hindered by having just a 4spd transmission.. so I think it equates fairly well when you look at the whole picture.

You want to know what's an even closer comparison to the Ridgeline?  A DCX minivan: with the 3.8l engine, it puts out roughly 210hp/240ft-lbs of torque, tows 4000lbs, has an even larger "trunk", definately has more flexibility, has AWD, and gets 18/25 mpg... it also costs thousands less.  Face it: the Ridgeline doesn't offer anymore flexibility/capacity than anything else on the market.  It's wrapped into an odd-looking exterior, and an even odder-looking interior.  The "H" symbol on the price pushes the sticker about $3k higher than anything comparable. Personally, I'm not at all surprised by it's current sales performance.  I'm not ready to count Honda out of anything.  Take a look at the 1st generation Odyssey "minivan".  It didn't even have sliding doors.  Take a look at what the 2nd generation Odyssey did in comparison.  Honda is relentless in their pursuit of a market.  GM would be wise to take the Ridgeline seriously--even in it's current lackluster form.  To GM's credit, I think that they have.  We've all heard about the Lambda chassis and what is to come off of it (crossover's, suv's and pickups).  If that's true, than Honda's niche will get even smaller.

[post="38181"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I seriously don't see the same level of cross-shopping between Ridgeline and Colorado as I do Ridgeline and Avalanche.

Colorado doesn't offer a fraction of the functionality and "style" of the Ridgeline and Avalanche.

I think in this case, looking at the REALITY of the marketplace, you are far more likely to have people shopping functionality, style, utility, etc. than you are having them shop Colorado and Ridgeline JUST because their weights, prices, and overall size are closer.

I can't disagree with your dimensions you quoted, but I gotta tell you my impression is that Ridgeline has WAY more room inside than Colorado....and seems way bigger on the outside. Perception is reality I think in many people's minds.....

[BrewSwillis]

right.  a much better idea is to have the UAW build them so that even when demand is low they still HAVE to pump out the vehicles, thus flooding the market with oversupply, thus forcing the company to offer huge discounts to move the product, which has a direct affect on the bottom line.

[post="38174"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

So it's all about you then?....and what price you get to pay?

The Big 3 have been selling vehicles effectively here for about 100 years, and alot of that with the UAW. Then the Japanese come here with their anti-union efforts so they can hire and fire at will......that's really something to be proud of as Americans.

[Sixty8panther]

I did.

Honda 16 / 21

Avalanche Vortec 5300 V8
2WD 4-speed automatic 14/19
4WD 4-speed automatic 14/18

[post="38148"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

That's pretty damn close for a "truck" wiht so many compromises.

[SingleStylish]

So it's all about you then?....and what price you get to pay?

The Big 3 have been selling vehicles effectively here for about 100 years, and alot of that with the UAW.  Then the Japanese come here with their anti-union efforts so they can hire and fire at will......that's really something to be proud of as Americans.

[post="38187"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I'll be frank... Honda is much smarter than you think. The Honda Ridgeline can be built right beside the Pilot, Accord, TSX, TL, etc... flex manfucturing allows this and no one will be laid off as a result of change in product mix.

BTW... this is one process the UAW has fought in the past...

[97regalGS]

So it's all about you then?....and what price you get to pay?

The Big 3 have been selling vehicles effectively here for about 100 years, and alot of that with the UAW.  Then the Japanese come here with their anti-union efforts so they can hire and fire at will......that's really something to be proud of as Americans.

[post="38187"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

no, it's not about me.

my point was that Honda can decide to alter production to meet demand whereas GM (because of union contracts) just keeps on building.

and perhaps your comments should have read 'the americans, in their ivory towers got caught off guard when the first oil crisis came that during the switch to smaller FWD cars started building shitboxes that pissed off the american consumer so that when the japanese came to market with high quality products they sold like hotcakes.

btw, last time i checked, toyota and honda were making MORE investment in north american plants.

[BrewSwillis]

I'll be frank... Honda is much smarter than you think.  The Honda Ridgeline can be built right beside the Pilot, Accord, TSX, TL, etc... flex manfucturing allows this and no one will be laid off as a result of change in product mix.

BTW... this is one process the UAW has fought in the past...

[post="38213"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I guess your right.....and that's probably why they are also not "real" trucks.

My friend's Sterling Heights assembly Chrysler plant will be making the Sebring/Stratus(Avenger) replacements, and will also be able to make the Caliber/Compass/Patriot. But I don't know if the Belvedere plant (Caliber/Compass/Patriot) will be able to make the Sebring and Avenger. The UAW will allow for this now......which means less overall employees (unemployed Americans)........which is directly related to the Asian competition.