Honda's Concept Truck

oktex88 · 01-06-2005, 09:30 PM

http://automobiles.honda.com/info/pr...rDetected=True click on Ridgeline in the picture and the concept truck pics will come up.

stick · 01-06-2005, 09:33 PM

not bad, much better than the toy concept. i like everything except the bed--looks like the useless chev avalanche bed. v6, i wonder what the hp will be....

jdmartin · 01-06-2005, 09:41 PM

I will be very surprised if this truck sells to anyone except occasional homeowner types with lots of money to burn, for a couple of reasons.

First, it took Toyota and Nissan many years of making trucks to gain acceptance into the truck market. Honda has never made trucks (to my knowledge) and the field is not only crowded but also full of brand loyal people.

Second, while the truck looks cool, the bed is totally useless from the sides. As it is now, my regular height bed on the Titan is hard to reach over the sides because of the 18" tires. That bed extends 1/2 way up the cab of the truck. And a full-size type truck that only has a V6 doesn't sound all that practical to me, especially for towing.

I wasn't able to tell on the webpage - is this truck going to be made or is it strictly a concept?

stick · 01-06-2005, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdmartin

I will be very surprised if this truck sells to anyone except occasional homeowner types with lots of money to burn, for a couple of reasons.

First, it took Toyota and Nissan many years of making trucks to gain acceptance into the truck market. Honda has never made trucks (to my knowledge) and the field is not only crowded but also full of brand loyal people.

Second, while the truck looks cool, the bed is totally useless from the sides. As it is now, my regular height bed on the Titan is hard to reach over the sides because of the 18" tires. That bed extends 1/2 way up the cab of the truck. And a full-size type truck that only has a V6 doesn't sound all that practical to me, especially for towing.

I wasn't able to tell on the webpage - is this truck going to be made or is it strictly a concept?

at the bottom of the page it says to check back in jan. and see the prod. vehicle--i'm sure it will be similar if not identical.
i still can't get over how much it looks like a hybrid of the tundra (soft hood design) titan (dope interior and seemless transitions) avalanche (rediculous for real life use rear end)

stick · 01-06-2005, 09:57 PM

did i just read '3.5 L' V6?!?!?!?.....wow, who IS the market for this full size????

slyckboy · 01-06-2005, 10:34 PM

I don't like anything about it except the dash, I think I'll stick with the Titan!

lowlypawn · 01-06-2005, 10:52 PM

The exhaust is cool, maybe the sunroofs but the rest is ugly.

Interior is neat in a space age kind of way but overall I like my titan 10x better.

oktex88 · 01-06-2005, 11:10 PM

I think the Interior is like the Honda Element where it is all plastic.. no carpet and you go get mud and stuff in it then wash it out with a water hose.

Fatfreeone · 01-06-2005, 11:36 PM

still a V6....maybe if it was a V15 or something and came with an anti-gravity core ...then maybe

greasy · 01-07-2005, 04:30 AM

It doesn't even have a frame. it's a Uni-body design. You won't be able to tow anything over 1500 lbs.!

04CCinBrLa · 01-07-2005, 04:49 AM

It looks like it could be used in the next Halo Game. Kool.. 3.5 V6? What does the Titan have? and what's wrong with the Avalanche bed. I would get more use of it on the titan that the utili-bed they offer. tow, Shmoe

I got towing on my Cell phone

Ok, it would be more rugged with a frame under it.

TOK · 01-07-2005, 05:17 AM

Honda is one of those companies that while successful, is reluctant to change their ways. Look at Acura. Honda created the Japanese luxury segment with the Integra and Legend, and was hugely successful. Nissan and Toyota caught on and evolved the concept, making rear wheel drive V-8's even more like the European makes -Lexus and Infinity now truly compete with Mercedes and BMW. Acura is still mulling around down there in the market below, people that want a Mercedes or BMW, but can't swing it.

Honda keeps making larger cars, but never truly changing by going to rear wheel drive or offering a V8. Even the brand new $50,000 flagship RL, which is AWD, keeps the same front drive style transverse engine layout with 3.5 liter V6. They're either very stubborn, or they just don't get it. The RL and TL should both have been V8's with a traditional RWD layout as an option. I think the TL is an awesome looking car, but I'd never buy one because of the V6 and FWD.

They're going to show this same tepidness with trucks. They'll never make a true 1/2 ton truck because they'll never make a body-on-frame RWD with a V8. It's always going to be some unibody thing with AWD, and that drivetrain will be adapted from a front drive vehicle, not a rear drive one. It's not going to compete with the Tacoma and Frontier because they offer true off-road toughness. The Ridgeline is too gimmicky to be used off-road. Probably won't even have a low range.

rvandam · 01-07-2005, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOK

Honda keeps making larger cars, but never truly changing by going to rear wheel drive or offering a V8. Even the brand new $50,000 flagship RL, which is AWD, keeps the same front drive style transverse engine layout with 3.5 liter V6. They're either very stubborn, or they just don't get it. The RL and TL should both have been V8's with a traditional RWD layout as an option. I think the TL is an awesome looking car, but I'd never buy one because of the V6 and FWD.

The reason for this is that most Acura's are simply rebadged and upgraded Honda models. In Europe, there is no Acura brand, they all sell as Honda's. I know, I used to drive a Honda Legend. Honda decided to produce a US Accord for the big (read: 'fat') US customers, a European Accord for the not yet (but getting there) so fat europeans. To save development costs, models are then rebadged and sold as Acuras here.

Honda will not go to a V-8 or RWD because that would mean developing a whole new vehicle just for the US Acura division.

And while I love my Titan, and probably wouldn't buy the Honda truck just because of its smaller size, I wouldn't mind owning a truck with the build quality of a Honda. My wife recently bought a Honda Pilot, and the build quality looks to be a few steps ahead of Nissan's.

rarjar · 01-07-2005, 05:49 AM

This thing looks like a miniature Chevy Avalanche, which IMO, is ugly. I'll stick with my Titan.

logicjunky · 01-07-2005, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04CCinBrLa

It looks like it could be used in the next Halo Game. Kool.. 3.5 V6? What does the Titan have? and what's wrong with the Avalanche bed. I would get more use of it on the titan that the utili-bed they offer. tow, Shmoe

I got towing on my Cell phone

Ok, it would be more rugged with a frame under it.

5.6L V8 Endurance

I think I agree w/ just about everybody's post here. The eerily similar look of the Avalanche to it makes me believe it will be worthless for hauling and towing. Ever see an Avalanche tow something large like say an enclosed trailer? Puts the front end up and sags the back end down, I'd say a good 6 inch difference from the back to the front. Defnitely isn't going to have a very high rating for any weight whatsoever...