JT vs Honda Ridgeline

[IWantAJeepGladiator]

I know it has gotten some flak in another thread, but I am now considering this "truck" if the JT comes in too high on price . The Ridgeline gets good reviews and seems to be closest to the JT in terms of lifestyle features, while having a decent sized interior space. It also has a slightly longer bed .I know the front looks like spit, but I think it is something others could consider. Looks like you can actually get "deals" on them too. I know it's nowhere near the Jeep in off road abilities but that isn't where the majority of JT daily drivers will spend their time. Other than the non-locking tailgate and small spare tire space, what do people think about it?

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[Sorbs]

I've always considered Ridgeline buyers people who justify needing a truck bed for their Labradoodles while cross shopping a Subaru Forester. . .

 

[K enny]

Despite what most think the Ridgeline IS a truck. It is the most comfortable, smoothest driving truck I have driven but it is a truck. Towing and payload is comparable to other mid sized trucks and mine never refused to do anything I asked it to do plus it has 5 star crash test ratings too. As far as the locking tailgate goes I still do not understand the big deal since if you are going to secure anything in the bed you are going to have to have a hard tonneau cover or a cap and either one of those will probably lock but you can get an aftermarket power lock or Honda has recently released a lock for the tailgate which I assume will eventually come on the truck if it does not already.
All that said I still want a Gladiator.

 

[Slojo]

The big factor is personal preference. Car makers do a good job of emphasizing certain features and characteristics over other items. This is why a Ridgeline truck exists. Body on frame SUV type vehicle with a unique truck bed appeals to certain people. I like Hondas and I really like the interiors and how they drive but it isn't what I wanted in a truck. I lifted my Jeep and my truck. The Gladiator has an appeal but I believe people are going to be in sticker shock when it hits.

 

[Jake]

As a back up plan I did check into getting a lock for a Ridgeline tailgate. And you can get them from a company called something like Pop A Lock. Materials don’t cost a lot. But look at the videos of the install. Looks like it takes time to run the power wire under the car and the into the cab and then into the fuse box. All this equates to a few extra dollars for the labor. I don’t think any hard tonneau cover will help you to lock the tailgate of a Ridgeline as suggested above as may be possible. Just pull on the tailgate of any locked Ridgeline and they will open right up.

I could probably live with the issue of not being able to get a flat tire into the space where the spare stows since it’s not high enough for a normal tire. But I do go down some dirt roads to launch kayaks and a Ridgeline looks like it’s made off of a car platform so I would expect some rough rides for this.

Simple solution for all of the above is for Jeep to price the Gladiator at the right, low price that would please soooooo many people,

 

[IWantAJeepGladiator]

Simple solution for all of the above is for Jeep to price the Gladiator at the right, low price that would please soooooo many people,

AMEN!

 

[misanthrope]

I know it has gotten some flak in another thread, but I am now considering this "truck" if the JT comes in too high on price . The Ridgeline gets good reviews and seems to be closest to the JT in terms of lifestyle features, while having a decent sized interior space. It also has a slightly longer bed .I know the front looks like spit, but I think it is something others could consider. Looks like you can actually get "deals" on them too. I know it's nowhere near the Jeep in off road abilities but that isn't where the majority of JT daily drivers will spend their time. Other than the non-locking tailgate and small spare tire space, what do people think about it?

I drove the Ridgeline when I bought my wife's Pilot. Driving characteristics were very similar. Very smooth engine, not as finicky a transmission (especially when the Pilot is in Eco mode), good, not great, brakes, excellent interior comfort/sound dampening. In fact, the interior (and the whole truck, for that matter) is identical to the Pilot from the front seats forward. It has all of the creature comforts of a full-sized SUV, especially in the higher trims (I drove a Black Edition, which was pretty sweet). Though it's worlds apart from the JT, I think it has a similar spirit, in that it is built upon a very popular current model SUV, but with a bed. It also has a lot of the cool little touches that we've come to expect from Jeeps, and better (like locking trunk/tailgating cooler). Plus, at $45k fully loaded, it's way cheaper.

All that said, it just doesn't, for better or worse, feel like a truck. It would absolutely fit all of my needs, but I don't think it would ever make me smile like a Jeep does. Plus, when I took the top off of the Ridgeline, the dealer got really pissed...

 

[Spanky]

Worlds apart in build and delivery but you're right about having the same "Spirit". Honestly I feel pretty confident that a Ridgeline would suit 95% of midsized truck owners because it does everything a normal person needs. It never would be as cool or turn as many heads... you're never going to put 35's on it and impress all the kids at the local high school…..but every gravel road would be no problem and it would be a better ride to get there.

It's the same argument most families have when over paying for an SUV when an Odyssey minivan would be way better.

 

[lrtexasman]

Ill list a few negative comparisions between the G RL and JT. IMO, the closest competitor to the JT is the Tacoma or Ranger and not the RL. The Taco and JT are very capable off road, next would be the Ranger, then the GM twins and finally the RL. 1. The RL is not capable off-road as it only has 7.87 inches of clearance. Basically it will barely clear your typical curb or center median. A Subaru is more off-road worthy by far. The RL does fine in the snow and sand, but anything with large rocks or steep approach/departure angles and it's toast. The RL has very poor undercarriage protection and many owners have damaged their undercarriage and drive-lines on light off-road trails. The RL is not easily lifted or leveled due to the suspension design. 2. The RL only tows up to 5k with AWD, the JT will got to 7600. 3. The RL transmission has been found to overheat when towing or off-roading at low speeds due to the constant articulation of the AWD system. 4. The RL has some owners complaining of mystery dents in the bed sidewalls, likely from the unibody construction and frame flex. 5. RL owners are complaining about poor brakes, transmission issues, body hardware integrity, and rattles. 6. You have to jump up to very expensive trim levels (RTL-E/Black) to get active safety features and you have to jump to the RTL-T to get a decent dash monitor. 7. Hood jiggles from crosswind due to lightweight construction. 8. Real pain in the rear if you have to jump the vehicle. 9. Frequent transmission and differential changes that are set to maintenance minders ( like every 30k if you tow at all).

Go to Ridgelineownersclub.com lots of good info there.

If you decide against the JT, I'd suggest checking out the Ranger in a few months once prices cool down. The Ranger is more comfortable, refined, lots of tech options, standard active safety features, and more economical than the Taco. The Ranger FX4 is also decent enough off-road to get you most places.

 

[5JeepsAz]

4. The RL has some owners complaining of mystery dents in the bed sidewalls, likely from the unibody construction and frame flex.

I'll be reading the upcoming reviews on JT for this very thing. Perhaps it is addressed by frame or steel sides, but that bed just looks susceptible.

 

[IWantAJeepGladiator]

Ill list a few negative comparisions between the G RL and JT. IMO, the closest competitor to the JT is the Tacoma or Ranger and not the RL. The Taco and JT are very capable off road, next would be the Ranger, then the GM twins and finally the RL. 1. The RL is not capable off-road as it only has 7.87 inches of clearance. Basically it will barely clear your typical curb or center median. A Subaru is more off-road worthy by far. The RL does fine in the snow and sand, but anything with large rocks or steep approach/departure angles and it's toast. The RL has very poor undercarriage protection and many owners have damaged their undercarriage and drive-lines on light off-road trails. The RL is not easily lifted or leveled due to the suspension design. 2. The RL only tows up to 5k with AWD, the JT will got to 7600. 3. The RL transmission has been found to overheat when towing or off-roading at low speeds due to the constant articulation of the AWD system. 4. The RL has some owners complaining of mystery dents in the bed sidewalls, likely from the unibody construction and frame flex. 5. RL owners are complaining about poor brakes, transmission issues, body hardware integrity, and rattles. 6. You have to jump up to very expensive trim levels (RTL-E/Black) to get active safety features and you have to jump to the RTL-T to get a decent dash monitor. 7. Hood jiggles from crosswind due to lightweight construction. 8. Real pain in the rear if you have to jump the vehicle. 9. Frequent transmission and differential changes that are set to maintenance minders ( like every 30k if you tow at all).

Go to Ridgelineownersclub.com lots of good info there.

If you decide against the JT, I'd suggest checking out the Ranger in a few months once prices cool down. The Ranger is more comfortable, refined, lots of tech options, standard active safety features, and more economical than the Taco. The Ranger FX4 is also decent enough off-road to get you most places.

Thanks for all the info. For someone that wants decent interior space and lots of interesting features with an auto trans for under 40k, it seems like a good option. I was considering a MT Gladiator to save a few $$, and I think I will only be able to get a few features for under $40k. Of course the roof comes off and it can actually go off roading, but it will have equally poor towing numbers. Would only consider driving the ugly duckling of the mid size truck group if the JT is too much. As for the ranger, I will have to drive one first but It also isn't as cool as I thought it would be.

 

[K enny]

Ill list a few negative comparisions between the G RL and JT. IMO, the closest competitor to the JT is the Tacoma or Ranger and not the RL. The Taco and JT are very capable off road, next would be the Ranger, then the GM twins and finally the RL. 1. The RL is not capable off-road as it only has 7.87 inches of clearance. Basically it will barely clear your typical curb or center median. A Subaru is more off-road worthy by far. The RL does fine in the snow and sand, but anything with large rocks or steep approach/departure angles and it's toast. The RL has very poor undercarriage protection and many owners have damaged their undercarriage and drive-lines on light off-road trails. The RL is not easily lifted or leveled due to the suspension design. 2. The RL only tows up to 5k with AWD, the JT will got to 7600. 3. The RL transmission has been found to overheat when towing or off-roading at low speeds due to the constant articulation of the AWD system. 4. The RL has some owners complaining of mystery dents in the bed sidewalls, likely from the unibody construction and frame flex. 5. RL owners are complaining about poor brakes, transmission issues, body hardware integrity, and rattles. 6. You have to jump up to very expensive trim levels (RTL-E/Black) to get active safety features and you have to jump to the RTL-T to get a decent dash monitor. 7. Hood jiggles from crosswind due to lightweight construction. 8. Real pain in the rear if you have to jump the vehicle. 9. Frequent transmission and differential changes that are set to maintenance minders ( like every 30k if you tow at all).

Go to Ridgelineownersclub.com lots of good info there.

If you decide against the JT, I'd suggest checking out the Ranger in a few months once prices cool down. The Ranger is more comfortable, refined, lots of tech options, standard active safety features, and more economical than the Taco. The Ranger FX4 is also decent enough off-road to get you most places.

So there are several things wrong here.
The RL is not and is not billed as an off road vehicle. If you decide to follow your Jeep driving friends down the path in a vehicle not suited to that then that is your problem not the trucks.
The RL is very easily leveled/lifted. Since it is a Unibody instead of bof you just need strut spacers and there are at least two companies making kits for the Ridgeline and have been since the gen. 1.
Only ever heard of the transmission overheating in one "torture" test where the point was to try to do it. Mine never gave me any issues. I am not sure how the transfer cases/4wd engaging would cause issues with the transmission.
The hood issue was from glue failure between the skin and the brace, easily remedied by the dealer and not unlike Jeep hood flutter except without the fear of the latches failing and the hood flying back into the windshield while you are driving.
I have never heard of any issues jump starting the Ridgeline. Battery issues on the JL on the other hand ....
There are dents in the side of the bed, I assume from the construction. No idea why or why they could not correct that.
The RL tops out at $43,420 for the fully loaded top of the line Black Edition, about 3,500 over where the Sahara starts and just a couple hundred over the Rubicon. Considering the general rumored consensus is the Gladiator will come with, at least, a 3,500 premium over the JL it seems like a bargain. Jeep wants $1,000.00 for their upgraded radio and their Nanny systems each, not cheep to me. In my opinion if you need the nanny systems then maybe you should think about taking the bus. Again my opinion.
If you want to read about people complaining about mechanical related vehicle issues you should read the JL forum sometime. The Gladiator is based on the JL and over a year in people are still having the same and new issues with it. The number of people involved in buy backs and lemon law suits is way more then any issues with anything I ever read about on the RL forum.

Sorry to get up on my soap box, I will get off now. It just bugs me when people attack the RL because it is a unibody, fwd truck that does not fit with what most people consider a truck to be. It is not and never will be an off road vehicle like the Jeep is but then again I am going to go out on a limb and say MOST Jeeps do not go off road and that of those that do it is not often (read once or twice to "see what it can do") and not anywhere near the extremes that you can find in youtube videos and magazines. The RL is a very nice vehicle and a great truck and I just do not think that it should be counted out of the light truck market.

 

[lrtexasman]

You shouldnt call others out for being wrong when you haven't done sufficient research.

1. I never said the RL was billed as an off-road vehicle, obviously because it doent have solid axles (has independant suspension), no transfer case, and no low 4WD (AWD only). The original poster said the RL in his opinion was the closest competitor to the JT in terms of lifestyle. IMO, it is not (speaking subjectively), as the two vehicles clearly target two different demographics. But he could have been coming from anther perspective, which is his perogative. IMO, lifestyle wise the JT is targeted to outdoor enthusiest who want an off-road capable truck, whereas you said the RL is not. So there we are in agreement.
2. The RL is not easily liftable. There are actually at least three companies that do lifts, only one approved by dealers for warranty purposes. The two you are referring to are (Traxda and TRUXX) many of those installs by lift shops have resulted in torn CV axle boots, won't properly align, camber isues, ect, many brands of 265 tires wont event fit without rubbing, so really the lift is more for appearance than functionality. Both aftermarket company kits require extensive labor to do the fronts and are not easily done, which is why both companies have to provide instructional videos to business that do lifts. Rarely anyone tries to do it themselves, and many of the ones done at shops have ended up back at the dealer. It's very common to find the Honda Dealer approved lift (JSport 1" lift) to be sold for 7k, 3k lift and 4k for the wheels.
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...12322-attempted-truxxx-leveling-kit-help.html
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...wheels-suspension/166706-traxda-lift-kit.html
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...98-damaged-cv-joint-after-truxxx-install.html
3. Transmission Issues. The Ridgeline does not have a transfer case, it uses i-VTM4 which basically utilizes a computer to monitor the rear E-differential and torque vectoring between wheels to adjust power between wheels to find the best traction. I will attach a TSB below.
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...6-judder-torque-converter-lock-up-clutch.html
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...800-transmission-overheated-while-towing.html
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...s-tsb-s/188945-transmission-not-shifting.html
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...tsb-s/215828-shifting-clunk-2nd-3rd-gear.html
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...xes-tsb-s/172290-2017-transmission-clunk.html
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...785-transmission-problems-2018-ridgeline.html
Brake Issues
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...77937-brake-fluid-looks-like-maple-syrup.html
Hood Flutter
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...ood-flutter-vibration-hood-jello-jigglin.html
4. Body Dents
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com...s-tsb-s/194681-2017-ridgeline-body-dents.html
5. Cost
Pricing RTL-T AWD first trim with available Nav, APS has MSRP of $39,945 no available active safety features.
Pricing RTL-E AWD first trim with active safety features is $42,965. RL are not seing much more than a $3,500 discount off MSRP, where JLs are being sold with much heavier discounts.

FYI I have read the JL forums and am very aware of their many issues including, frame, steering, electrical, wind noise, ect. With that said, the JT is not a JL, so every issue won't be the same as they do not share the same frame and many other suspension components. We will see how the roll out goes on the JT and with two years of JL's rolling out, I am hoping some of the software programming and electrical steering issues get resolved for components they do share.

As far as overall reliability, I'd rather spend time and money fixing something that is capable, durable, and has appealing asthetics. As opposed to something that has less capability and almost zero visual appeal. I have researched every single truck and ALL manufactures are having issues. Probably the most trouble free truck at this point would be a 2018 or newer Tundra (many of the previous years have expensive cam tower leaks, $3,500 repair). But hey, the Tundra hasn't had a total redesign since 2007, so they have had 12 years to get everything ironed out.

Again we agree on the RL being a truck, I did not say it wasnt. It does have class leading ride, very comfortable, the back seat is functional, slick tailgate (when it works), and it gets good gas mileage. But IMO, It's a stretch to call it a "great" truck as It's just not very capable in its basic configuration, FWD with 3500 lbs of towing, 7" of ground clearance, no solid axles, no active safety features, and a stereo from 2010 Civic. But hey, at least it fits plywood flat on the floor and has a trunk. Although the truck stinks so bad from plastic resin that you can't put food in it.

 

[K enny]

OK I guess you are correct, a couple threads about issues a few people experienced - shops messing up vehicles when they work on them, known transmission issues that affect several Honda/Acura vehicles going back at least 5 years (before the 2gen. Ridgeline was released) not just the Ridgeline, manufacturing defects that are easily corrected by dealers or effect a few early vehicles, one or two people asking for advice with an issue their dealer is not able to replicate/fix, means it is a bad vehicle.

 

[lrtexasman]

We were both right on most of it. I pointed to the negatives and you pointed out the positives. You are right in that It is the Mid-Size Truck of the year for most publications. I was taking an overly pessimistic viewpoint as a result of my personal disappointment in the truck. I really wanted it to work as my buddy had a Gen 1 and it was terrific in the snow and on our shared commutes to work. While waiting for the prices to come down the real world results of Gen 2 owners started to chime on the forum. Many of the guys who were the first adopters and very enthusiastic to own began reported the problems and quite a few have ended up selling and moving on to other vehicles. It would be like those of us on here eagerly waiting on the JT and after a couple years of owning one we moved on to something else. It would be pretty telling as we are all fired up to get one. Unfortunately, it's taking so long some of us are starting to getting cranky (finger pointing at me).

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