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C&D's Colorado vs. Ridgeline Comparison

17K views 85 replies 28 participants last post by  yokev 
#1 ·
Anyone else catch this(July 2017)?
It's kinda funny, in an infuriating kinda way.
They compared a $44k Ridgeline(which comes in a whopping ONE cab/bed configuration),
to a $36k Colorado(v6 LT 4wd SHORT bed).
Their first paragraph was devoted to blabbering on about how the 'Mid-Size' class is bullshit, as there's nothing smaller.
Oh, and (something I didn't know) EVERY Colorado is LONGER than a single-cab, short-bed Silverado(you learn something new every day).
They ended this little diatribe with a curious statement. Words to the effect of mid-size pickups are for people who don't really need a pickup.
That should tell you right there how this little comparison was gonna end.
We'll break it down anyway:
The Colorado has MORE, ground clearance, power AND torque, front interior volume(the Honda has more rear, yay), a deeper bed(The Honda has more length(again, they tested a SHORT bed Chevy) and width, payload, and towing, and accelerates quicker in EVERY category they test it(0-30,60,100, 1/4 mile etc). It's also lighter by a tiny bit(25lbs), and they both stop from 70mph in 182'. Oh, and the Honda holds .77g on the skid pad compared to the Colorado's .74g-which simply means the Colorado is a truck, and the Ridgeline is a car.
They towed 4544lbs of Miata-on-a-steel-trailer, and of course the Ridgeline wheezed like an asthmatic kid, and the Colorado towed it just fine.
The Ridgeline carried a total of 24 2-cubic-foot mulch bags-IF you threw 3 into it's under-bed storage, and the Colorado(again SHORT BED) carried 23.
The Ridgeline of course won. Why?
Because you think you're in an SUV(it's of course based on a minivan), it's rear 'quarters' are more roomy, and it rides like a car.
Here's the rub: They based their 'review' on the viewpoint of someone who 'doesn't really need a truck', as the Colorado blew it away from a "I need a pickup" viewpoint.
I came away with a couple questions.. Usually PRICE plays a mild part(being a little sarcastic) in vehicle purchases, yet beyond listing each's, they didn't bother to touch on the fact that the Colorado was SIX-THOUSAND-DOLLARS cheaper.
Staying on that point, since the Honda was 42k, why didn't they compare an equally-priced Colorado? You know, a diesel, LONG-BED, Z71? And then of course, test both vehicles OFF-ROAD- which is part of every other 4wd 'REVIEW'. They grabbed two 4/Awd vehicles.
Because obviously(right or wrong), they wrote a 'review' to suit an outcome they chose beforehand.
OF COURSE people who buy Honda minivans don't need a truck. Most of 'em are coming from Civics etc. and were just fine with those pieces of crapola. The overwhelming majority of people who buy the Colorado and Tacoma actually USE their truck(s) for what it was designed for. Case and point: How many commercial Honda's have you seen? How many Colorado and Tacoma's? I see a bunch of 'em every-damn-day. Heck, I use the bed of my truck every fricken day. If I'm not hauling around my tools for work, I'm hauling my MTB's or motorcycle(s). If I'm not doing either of those it's because I'm hauling furniture for some member of the family.
Anyway, this is the first time I've seen a vehicle actually LOSE a 'comparison' because it actually did what it's designed to do better than its competition(see photo)
 
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#2 ·
You couldn't pay me to get a Ridgeline. It's literally a chopped minivan and is in no way a truck. Give me a Traverse and I'll put a bed on it. Same difference. The twins outperform the Ridgeline in virtually every category. Why it's repeatedly compared to real trucks like the Colorado and Tacoma is beyond me.
 
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#42 · (Edited)
C&D's Colorado vs. Ridgeline Comparison





I have the Colorado to use as a truck (towing,hauling,and going where a car should not be)
My 78 year old uncle bought the new Ridgeline to use as a car but be able to throw a weed eater,pressure washer,or gas cans in the back.

Good examples of who and why each is bought.
 
#5 ·
I like the "Even those that scoff at the minivan-with-a-bed styling must acknowledge the superiority of it's roomy and comfortable rear quarters."

lol nope. You can't give the styling a pass just because you couldn't make the design work with bigger seats. Plus I carry cargo far more often then I carry more than two people. If it was the other way around I would have gotten a minivan with fold down seats, an SUV or a hatchback with a hitch.

They compared apples to oranges then declared the apple superior because the orange tasted like an orange. Ugh, useless review.
 
#6 ·
Never send a import car guy to review a truck.

Now here is a story clearly where a truck guy reviews a truck.

GMC Canyon Denali vs. Honda Ridgeline: REVIEW - Business Insider

The real issue here is yes they both have beds but they clearly are two different class of vehicles.

On the list of priorities the back seat is low down on the list as often that is were the kids or dog end up. As for space the Honda may have just a little more space but the Colorado gas more than enough for two full size adults even on a long trip.

I do believe there is a segment for the Honda but not the mid size truck class. It is more Ute than truck. I believe even GM could explore this segement on a chopped Nox or Traverse.

While it would not be my kind of vehicle I could see people going for it. GM already sells a Montana in South America so such a vehicle could sell globally.

How about calling it El Camino.
 
#7 · (Edited)
When did the Ridgeline become a truck? I thought the Ridgeline was Honda's answer to the old Chevy El Camino.


LOL - I just saw the post above 8 mins before mine. We must be onto something.
 
#9 ·
Yeah, me too.
They're Chevelles with a bed installed in place of the rear seat and trunk.
Because of that, they had the cream-of-the-crop V-8s and driveline(until the mid-'70s on of course, but no muscle car survived the gas crunch/origination of CARB).
The Australians still get one in the quasi-original guise
 
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#14 · (Edited)
Here you go Car & Driver, is this what the people want in a mid sized pickup truck. The custom feeling of a car or mini van. That really has to be one of the dumbest articles I have read in years. Buy a Honda Ridgeline if you don't want a truck?
 

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#15 · (Edited)
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#19 ·
I have been around our marketing department and know that much of the magazine business is advertiser errr lets call it enhanced.


You spend money on advertising you tend to get a lot of a more positive image portrayed, better placement or more mentions.


Lets face it magazines are there to make money and that is how they do it. It is very tough today so things are not always geared for the full truth.

Cover cars and colors are all geared to sell magazines. Reviews tend to go softer on advertisers. Even Consumer Reports who has no advertising can play popularity of models or info to sell magazines. Besides they let their readers review their cars like they are not unbiased no matter the make nor always well informed.


Autoweek used to be one of the best unbiased as they did not relay as much on automaker advertising but I have even seen a little shift there too.


The magazines are just holding on by a thread or staple and I would be shocked if we have print magazines of any kind in 10 years that we care about.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Which would you choose ?

The wannabee on the left. . . or the Truck on the Right ? I choose the TRUCK !

The proof is in the pudding. The Ridgeline is based off of a Crossover vehicle. . . not EVEN an SUV. The Colorado/Canon is based off of it own original Body-On-Frame TRUCK platform. Ergo. . . IT IS a Truck.

 
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#24 ·
IIRC, they moved (back?) to Detroit some years ago.
I think they still have an office in LA though.
Hell, the more I think about it, the more I can't remember:surprise:
 
#26 ·
I see a lot of women drivers of the Honda Ridgeline in my area.

It's for the soccer mom who wants to be able to pick up cabinet handles at Lowe's while she sips on her iced coffee on the way home from Yoga class.
 
#28 ·
I see women and old(since I'm pushing 50, 'old' to me means 70+) people driving them.
I had the misfortune of getting off the freeway behind one today with a driver who had to have been EASILY over 80.
He was doing roughly 25mph as you would expect, but he'd wait til he was basically on top of the fricken limit line before he would STOMP on his brakes. I had to follow him through a 4-way stop after this before I could get around him, and he did the same thing.
It was comical to say the least. Picture Starsky and Hutch hauling ass through the city, then coming to a sliding halt.
Just remove the 'hauling ass' part, and this dude was doing the same thing.
I feel sorry for the service writer that gets that thing in front of him needing brakes every 3kmiles:surprise:
 
#27 ·
As the current owner of a first gen Ridgeline who is planning to make a Colorado his next truck, this article from C&D totally sums up why I'm NOT interested in owning a 2nd gen Ridgeline. All the things that they say make it great (ie, it's like driving a car), are the very same things that got a lot of us first gen Ridgeline owners bewildered and upset when they rolled out the 2nd gen. They went too far in trying to make it more car-like and really alienated a lot of us who were hoping for a step in the other direction (more ground clearance, true 4wd system, etc). My Ridge has been super reliable over 130,000 miles, but even if the new one has that kind of dependability I still have zero interest in it. I've never owned a GM product in my life, but after checking out all of the current mid-size offerings at an auto show a few months ago, it's clear to me that the Twins are by far the best option to choose from. Now I just wish I could afford the ZR2!
 
#29 ·
All the things that they say make it great (ie, it's like driving a car)
Not defending these C&D guys but I remember when the 2014 GM full size trucks first came out a lot of the reviewers kept saying "oh it drives so much like a car." I've even heard reviewers say the Coly and Canyon twins are very car-like. I just don't get this comparison. I drove a 2014 Sierra for three years and now I have a Colorado and I just done know wtf those guys smoking. Granted the newer trucks are a lot more refined that past models. But I don't think any truck I've ever driven has had any car-like ride qualities. However, being that the new Ridgelines are front wheel drive based, I can see how people can call them a minivan with a bed. lol
 
#30 ·
I saw a new Ridgeline about a week ago at Lowes. Truly, I would not buy that thing if it were $5000. It is just weird looking. It sits much lower than I thought which makes it look more like a car with an open bed. I like Honda in general - I've owned several of them (Accords) and my wife has a CRV now - so I'm not insulting it in an envious sort of way - but truly it's a very ugly vehicle. I was thinking to myself when I saw it "if I were driving that I'd be in a hurry to get out of the parking lot before I was seen."

C&D generally has a favorable view of the Colorado. It's rated well there. But they dropped the ball on the comparison.
 
#32 ·
Sometimes the truth hurts. Fact is the Ridgeline is a truck and a good one. The fact that all the GM fanboys don't think so doesn't change the facts. Another fact... Honda sold more Ridgelines than Canyons last month!
 
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#33 ·
If you want a minivan with the back chopped off....buy a minivan....but don't try to convince everyone and even more pathetic, don't try to convince yourself that it is a truck. Just drive your minivan...
 
#35 ·
Hey, if the Ridgeline meets your needs and wants, go for it.

My issue is that to get a comparable truck to my Canyon would have cost me several thousands more, I would have had to deal with those snobs at the Honda dealership, and when the emergency arose where I needed to tow that vehicle to Shreveport, I would never have considered it behind the Ridgeline.
 
#37 ·
And right there is why I won't have a Ridgeline either. I want a REAL switchable 4x4 system. I've had Colly pushing through a foot of snow. I shudder to think what Honda's AWD system would have done. I've driven AWD vehicles before, and the system doesn't come on until AFTER you are in trouble. No thanks. When I need to tow, I need to tow, and NOT be concerned that I have enough truck for the job. I don't hate the Ridgeline. It's simply not what defines as a proper truck IMO. Too many concessions exist with it in the name of what was being used to cut back on R&D costs.
 
#39 · (Edited)
I can appreciate some folks wanting the Ridgeline... but there is no way that I would buy that over a Canyon... I need the ability to use it for whatever I throw at it. In a year or so I will be looking to buy one.









And I too like a nice interior in a truck... for me, it needs some level of comfort and up to the latest tech standards. Having driven one (SLT Diesel) I find it perfect for what I am looking for and for replacing the X5.
 
#41 ·
Oh, and (something I didn't know) EVERY Colorado is LONGER than a single-cab, short-bed Silverado(you learn something new every day).
....and the CC V6 has a higher tow rating than the fullsize RC/5.3L! BOOM!
 
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#51 ·
I think we are just feeding the troll.

But, I hate to see a troll go hungry.

The Ridgeline meets the requirements for some people, so go for it. One of my requirements is my wife's approval, and she wouldn't let me park a Ridgeline in our driveway. It does most of what the average truck owner needs a truck to do. Problem is, in order to outfit one close to my specs, it probably costs at least $2k more than my Canyon, with Honda dealers typically not much on dealing.

What does the Ridgeline offer that my Canyon lacks?

1. Lay a 4x8 sheet of material flat in bed. --->I managed hauling 49" wide, 97" long MDF with no problem in my Canyon. Granted, if I wanted to haul sheetrock, I'd probably have to buy a sheet of plywood or other material to support it. Surprisingly, I have only needed to haul 4x8 material once in 2 1/2 years.

2. Overall bed capacity: I haven't found a load yet my Canyon couldn't handle. Even with the wider bed of the Ridgeline, capacity (volume) is better with my Canyon. Main downside is the depth of the bed means reaching over the side of truck can be a pain. I imagine reaching to the center of the Ridgeline bed is a similar issue. Outside of a little extra work to haul the 4x8 sheets, I have never even found myself wanting a FS truck bed.

3. Trunk. Neat option, but it requires me to give up the FS spare. And I know people say you can put a full size spare in there, but the Ridgeline manual gives instructions on how to secure the flat tire in the bed when you have to use the spare. ---> I may never use it, but I will take the piece of mind knowing there is a FS spare on board.

4. Turn the entire bed into a speaker. OOH, what a great option. I can only imagine the acoustic quality of the entire bed as a speaker. I assume the bed has to be empty, otherwise stuff will rattle. I have this vision of adding ice to the in-bed truck, it melting to water, and using the level of the water to tune the frequency of the bed. Only comes in the $40K and up trim levels to boot, I am sure a bunch of Dallas Cowboy fans love it as they park out at the Palace that Jerry built (with our tax dollars) in Arlington, paying $100 for a ticket and $50 for the privilege of parking and enjoying their tailgate parties. ---> I think there are better ways to listen to some tunes.

5. Towing: Sure, the Ridgeline tows 5000 pounds, and I have never exceeded that amount. But I towed 4500 pounds 4 months after I got my Canyon. If I would have been driving a Ridgeline, I don't think I would have undertaken that task. I agree the Ridgeline would tow my popup camper just fine. I have watched an Odyssey minivan struggle with a slightly heavier and less aerodynamic camper, and using pretty much the same powertrain? ---> I like the safety factor in towing my Canyon gives me.

6. The Ridgeline may offer some nicer amenities in the cabin, although from what I read, the entertainment system ain't one of them. I will say, my 2015 Canyon seems to beat out my 2017 Rogue as well for ease of use and overall capability. In cabin storage, how the seats fold up to allow cargo loading, etc. may go to the Ridgeline, but my experience is that for really large items, rear doors on most vehicles don't open wide enough to get some of these large packages into the vehicle.

The Ridgeline is targeted toward a certain customer, the driver who drives a car, crossover, or minivan, city-dweller who needs to haul 3-4 people and occasionally does a Home Depot run. Customer is willing to spend a good bit of money to get the true utility a vehicle with a bed gives.

The Twins are targeted toward a much broader range of buyers. (The trims levels shown in (*) are mostly Colorado versions, substitute end the similar Canyon trims.)
(1) Low end, fleet sales. (Base & WT)
(2) Similar usage to (1), but private individuals needing basic transportation at a reasonable cost. (Base & WT)
(3) People who drive an SUV but want or need a bed. (LT & Z71)
(4) People who already drive a truck or would be driving a truck, but the FS trucks have grown to large. (LT & Z71)
(5) People who need (want) the offroad capabilities of say a Wrangler, but need utility of a truck, also compete with a large segment of the Tacoma market (Z71 &ZR2)
(6) People who want a luxury truck, may incorporate some of the needs from (3) & (4), really a lot of the Ridgeline market as well. (Denali)
 
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