Why I am leaving the Ridgeline

[Mike_FL]

Current Ride: 2022 Honda Ridgeline RTL (13k miles)
On Order: XLT 2.0 Lux, Tow, 360, AWD.

Hope this helps someone considering both vehicles:

Bottom Line Up Front:

I'll take the cheaper Mav with upgraded safety tech, lower price, and better fuel economy. Plus it looks better too.

Ordered the Mav early Nov 2022. Goal was to downsize to a smaller footprint from my 2018 F150 4x4 to save fuel and still pull my ~2500 lb boat/trailer weekly. After ordering the Mav space became a concern when I found my first kid was on the way, so I bought a Ridgeline as a compromise.

Now that the Mav is about to be built, here is what has me trading in the Ridgeline:

1. This forum:
Seeing multiple pics and testimony of infant car seats working just fine. Wife also bought a 2022 Santa Fe Limited, so we will have a nice dedicated family ride.

2. Ridgeline tech vs Mav tech.
Infotainment in Ridgeline is so laggy and behind I actually miss the sync in my 2018 F-150. Backup camera on Ridgeline is blurry low res and really shows it's fault when backing my boat trailer.

Ridgeline adaptive cruise control is so overly cautious it's almost unusable unless traffic is non existent. Lane keeping assist, blind spot and other nanny controls are over sensitive. From all comparisons I've read, Ford's 360 system should feel like an upgrade. Many Ridgeline owners complain these systems are behind when compared to what's in other Hondas and other brands. There is a constant theme of the Ridgeline is a relic containing outdated parts and tech.

3. Fuel economy and power.
The V6 in the Ridgeline provides smooth power, but you really need to rev the engine to access usable power and there is a considerable delay in throttle response when doing so. Mav with 4k tow will still more than handle my boat needs.

My best highway MPG is 24-25 at 70-75 mph. Average mpg is around 19-20 on most tanks, only a marginal upgrade from my f 150. I'm hoping for 23-25 Combined in the maverick and looking forward to high 20's on highway.

4. Interior and storage.
I'll miss the trunk and the fold up seats. Solution: I will just use the bed more in the Mav and get a cover. The interior quality in the Ridgeline is nice and seems high quality. However, it looks like an outdated minivan and just not aesthetically pleasing to me. I'd rather take the innovated utilitarian offerings in the Mav, especially with the cost savings involved.

There is a lot to like about the Ridgeline: more interior space, Solid AWD system (took me through deep beach sand ruts with ease), high quality interior, amazing bed trunk, and the thing drives smooth/handles well.

Summary:

I want to downsize further for practical fuel savings and overall vehicle cost savings. However, the final overall issue that really eats at me is the premium cost of this vehicle at 43k for mid level trim. My wife's new Santa Fe is light-years ahead in tech, interior quality, and aesthetics, all for a cheaper price. Honda is saving money with no interior upgrades/modernization, parts bin level infotainment, and outdated safety tech. At the same time they are charging a premium for the vehicle making it hard to swallow. I'll take the cheaper Mav with upgraded safety tech, lower price, and better fuel economy. Well, and the Mav is better looking

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[FriscoTXJoe]

Writers love the Ridgeline. Always have. Seems like in concept it's a great vehicle but Honda has never been able to deliver the vehicle which lives up to the hype.

Ford did it with the Maverick. Congrats, hope you enjoy your new Ford truck!

 

[MDmaverick]

I have always liked the Ridgeline ( both generations) . But my biggest concern Was that the fuel economy of these were really not much difference from an full size truck. It always turned me off of the vehicle. ( for reference I did have a 2013 Acura MDX that used the same drivetrain. Terrible fuel mileage in the city/mid 20s avg on the highway. Oh and needed premium)

 

[Nw_adventure]

Current Ride: 2022 Honda Ridgeline RTL (13k miles)
On Order: XLT 2.0 Lux, Tow, 360, AWD.

Hope this helps someone considering both vehicles:

Bottom Line Up Front:

I'll take the cheaper Mav with upgraded safety tech, lower price, and better fuel economy. Plus it looks better too.

Ordered the Mav early Nov 2022. Goal was to downsize to a smaller footprint from my 2018 F150 4x4 to save fuel and still pull my ~2500 lb boat/trailer weekly. After ordering the Mav space became a concern when I found my first kid was on the way, so I bought a Ridgeline as a compromise.

Now that the Mav is about to be built, here is what has me trading in the Ridgeline:

1. This forum:
Seeing multiple pics and testimony of infsntncar seats working just fine. Wife also bought a 2022 Santa Fe Limited, so we will have a nice dedicated family ride.

2. Ridgeline tech vs Mav tech.
Infotainment in Ridgeline is so laggy and behind I actually miss the sync in my 2018 F-150. Backup camera on Ridgeline is blurry low res and really shows it's fault when backing my boat trailer.

Ridgeline adaptive cruise control is so overly cautious it's almost unusable unless traffic is non existent. Lane keeping assist, blind spot and other nanny controls are over sensitive. From all comparisons I've read, Ford's 360 system should feel like an upgrade. Many Ridgeline owners compare these systems are behind compared to what's in other Hondas and other brand. There is a constant theme of the Ridgeline is a relic containing outdated parts and tech.

3. Fuel economy and power.
The V6 in the Ridgeline provides smooth power, but you really need to rev the engine to access usable power and there is a considerable delay in throttle response when doing so. Mav with 4k tow will still more than handle my boat needs.

My best highway MPG is 24-25 at 70-75 mph. Average mpg is around 19-20 on most tanks, only a marginal upgrade from my f 150. I'm hoping for 23-25 Combined in the maverick and looking forward to high 20's on highway.

4. Interior and storage.
I'll miss the trunk and the fold up seats. Solution: I will just use the bed more in the Mav and get a cover. The interior quality in the Ridgeline is nice and seems high quality. However, it looks like an outdated minivan and just not aesthetically pleasing to me. I'd rather take the innovated utilitarian offerings in the Mav, especially with the cost savings involved.

There is a lot to like about the Ridgeline, more interior space, Solid AWD system (took me through deep beach sand ruts with ease), high quality interior, amazing bed trunk, and the thing drives smooth/handles well.

I want to downsize further for practical fuel and overall vehicle cost savings. Howeverz the final thing that really eats at me is the premium cost of this vehicle at 43k for mid level trim. My wife's new Santa Fe is light-years ahead in tech, interior quality, and aesthetics for a cheaper price. Honda is saving money with no interior upgrades/modernization, parts bun level infotainment, and outdated safety tech. At the same time they are charging a premium for the vehicle making it hard to swallow. I'll take the cheaper Mav with upgraded safety tech, lower price, and better fuel economy. Well, and the Mav is better looking

Good real/world write up on the Ridgeline- We r loving our FX4/4KTOW/LUX/LARIAT- Better ground clearance on the Mav as well- I think you will get the anticipated mileage- ACC is amazing- I hate regular cruise systems and haven't used them in years, now I look forward to long drives and dialing up ACC- Ridgeline interior and exterior so meh- good engine, tailgate,etc but no thanks- Hopefully yours arrives without delay-

 

[L Martin]

Have had my Mav Lariat for 6 months. The pluses you listed are accurate. Almost all my driving is in town and I get combined 24+. And the cruise is excellent! I changed from a 4Runner. i sold my timber property and don’t need the brute 4WD capability of the 4Runner anymore. Well satisfied with the change.

 

[reciprocating_ravioli]

The Ridgeline IMO is a truck that doesn't do anything better than any other truck aside from being a Honda.

The Maverick is a truck that does things better than other trucks where it matters. Price, foot print and mpg.

 

[Mike_FL]

The Ridgeline IMO is a truck that doesn't do anything better than any other truck aside from being a Honda.

The Maverick is a truck that does things better than other trucks where it matters. Price, foot print and mpg.

I would disagree on one piece of this. For a mid -size truck it drives nicer, parks nicer, rides nicer and has amazing trunk storage. So if you want a mid size truck but want the drive experience if a nice SUV, it's now the only thing in the market. This is where is believe Honda his milked it for so long. No competition in the mid size market. But now Ford will be cutting into some of their market with the Mav bc there was no smaller option.

 

[Mike_FL]

I forgot to mention this quirk, as I have experienced it myself and read many complaints on the Ridgeline forum.

For those that like good lumbar support, the seat is terrible. You have to engage the lumbar support all the way up and it's still mild support level. Also, whatever they use to inflate the lumbar is defective and cheap. With it fully inflated, when you make turns or apply the brake, you can feel it popping behind your back. The feeling is a similar feeling. If you've ever seen a dog rip open a chew toy and there is the cheap plastic air pocket in there that makes a squeak. It feels exactly like that on your back like there's some cheap inflated piece of plastic that is popping against your back when the pressure changes.

 

[MLowe05]

The non-Sync systems in the Maverick XL/XLT and non-Lux Lariats is nothing special. I know that neither is that old Honda system, but just tossing that out there. Very basic and the source of lots of complaints on here.

Can't really compare stuff like adaptive cruise between the two since XLTs don't come with that as an option at all.

I'm not personally a fan of the Ridgeline but I don't think it's a competitor, either.

 

[Mike_FL]

I wish 360 came came with adaptive cruise control on the XLT. I was not willing to pay lariat price to get that feature. Since it was so bad on the honda, I'm used to not using it

 

[marpolsdofer]

I wish 360 came came with adaptive cruise control on the XLT. I was not willing to pay lariat price to get that feature. Since it was so bad on the honda, I'm used to not using it

I was telling a dealer they should just make it a second add on or something for it. I would pay maybe $500 to $1000 for it. I am just going to add it on like that other guy did. Total cost for him I think was $600 to $700.

 

[olderbudwiser]

I get it Honda makes a nice vehicle. But comparing a Ridgeline to a Maverick is like comparing the Ridgeline to an F150, Chevy 1500, or Dodge half ton.

Apples and Oranges.
Price point on Ridgeline can get crazy.

 

[Captain]

Current Ride: 2022 Honda Ridgeline RTL (13k miles)
On Order: XLT 2.0 Lux, Tow, 360, AWD.

Hope this helps someone considering both vehicles:

Bottom Line Up Front:

I'll take the cheaper Mav with upgraded safety tech, lower price, and better fuel economy. Plus it looks better too.

Ordered the Mav early Nov 2022. Goal was to downsize to a smaller footprint from my 2018 F150 4x4 to save fuel and still pull my ~2500 lb boat/trailer weekly. After ordering the Mav space became a concern when I found my first kid was on the way, so I bought a Ridgeline as a compromise.

Now that the Mav is about to be built, here is what has me trading in the Ridgeline:

1. This forum:
Seeing multiple pics and testimony of infant car seats working just fine. Wife also bought a 2022 Santa Fe Limited, so we will have a nice dedicated family ride.

2. Ridgeline tech vs Mav tech.
Infotainment in Ridgeline is so laggy and behind I actually miss the sync in my 2018 F-150. Backup camera on Ridgeline is blurry low res and really shows it's fault when backing my boat trailer.

Ridgeline adaptive cruise control is so overly cautious it's almost unusable unless traffic is non existent. Lane keeping assist, blind spot and other nanny controls are over sensitive. From all comparisons I've read, Ford's 360 system should feel like an upgrade. Many Ridgeline owners complain these systems are behind when compared to what's in other Hondas and other brands. There is a constant theme of the Ridgeline is a relic containing outdated parts and tech.

3. Fuel economy and power.
The V6 in the Ridgeline provides smooth power, but you really need to rev the engine to access usable power and there is a considerable delay in throttle response when doing so. Mav with 4k tow will still more than handle my boat needs.

My best highway MPG is 24-25 at 70-75 mph. Average mpg is around 19-20 on most tanks, only a marginal upgrade from my f 150. I'm hoping for 23-25 Combined in the maverick and looking forward to high 20's on highway.

4. Interior and storage.
I'll miss the trunk and the fold up seats. Solution: I will just use the bed more in the Mav and get a cover. The interior quality in the Ridgeline is nice and seems high quality. However, it looks like an outdated minivan and just not aesthetically pleasing to me. I'd rather take the innovated utilitarian offerings in the Mav, especially with the cost savings involved.

There is a lot to like about the Ridgeline: more interior space, Solid AWD system (took me through deep beach sand ruts with ease), high quality interior, amazing bed trunk, and the thing drives smooth/handles well.

Summary:

I want to downsize further for practical fuel savings and overall vehicle cost savings. However, the final overall issue that really eats at me is the premium cost of this vehicle at 43k for mid level trim. My wife's new Santa Fe is light-years ahead in tech, interior quality, and aesthetics, all for a cheaper price. Honda is saving money with no interior upgrades/modernization, parts bin level infotainment, and outdated safety tech. At the same time they are charging a premium for the vehicle making it hard to swallow. I'll take the cheaper Mav with upgraded safety tech, lower price, and better fuel economy. Well, and the Mav is better looking

Thanks for the honest review. I am a fan of the Ridgeline, as well as a few other Honda’s but I ordered the Maverick for the truck look, utility and price. Add to that the 5 plus miles per gallon more and it made sense. But the way Ford is handling this makes me wary about Ford. I’ve been driving Toyota’s since 2003 and love them and owned a few Tacomas, but again for the price and poor gas mileage I wanted the Maverick, I still want the Maverick and only time will tell.

 

[Mike_FL]

Thanks for the honest review. I am a fan of the Ridgeline, as well as a few other Honda’s but I ordered the Maverick for the truck look, utility and price. Add to that the 5 plus miles per gallon more and it made sense. But the way Ford is handling this makes me wary about Ford. I’ve been driving Toyota’s since 2003 and love them and owned a few Tacomas, but again for the price and poor gas mileage I wanted the Maverick, I still want the Maverick and only time will tell.

I've owned 2 F-150s. The 2018 Coyote 5.0 V8 was fantastic for over 50k miles, zero issues.

Had a TSB for build window of my 2016 small Ecoboost engine f-150. All cylinders heads had to be pulled, then the left turbo went out. The whole time warranty was fantastic and no gruff from the dealer or Ford.

I would recommend an extended warranty if some sort (shop around). I don't recommend the warranty because Ford makes crap vehicles, but they do offer less long-term protection than some other brands.

I would especially want peace of mind in this day and age. When if your vehicle has problems and you need to get a new one, it can be difficult to get a new vehicle with constraints.

 

[Captain]

I've owned 2 F-150s. The 2018 Coyote 5.0 V8 was fantastic for over 50k miles, zero issues.

Had a TSB for build window of my 2016 small Ecoboost engine f-150. All cylinders heads had to be pulled, then the left turbo went out. The whole time warranty was fantastic and no gruff from the dealer or Ford.

I would recommend an extended warranty if some sort (shop around). I don't recommend the warranty because Ford makes crap vehicles, but they do offer less long-term protection than some other brands.

I would especially want peace of mind in this day and age. When if your vehicle has problems and you need to get a new one, it can be difficult to get a new vehicle with constraints.

Sounds like sound advice, thanks.

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