Any" facts" on Honda building a full size
Pickup----not talking the Ridgeline SUV–i
Keep hearing they are past R&D mode and
Have a prototype already but when you
Search all the Honda official sites - mums
The word. Although Honda makes a good
Product i dont see them producing a full
Size truck anytime soon, its seems their
Perfectly content on producing their “grocery
Getters”. It wld be unique to see them
Compete with the full size Tundra, i wont
Hold my breath tho, Honda seems to do alot
Of " wait-n-see modes.
The Ridgeline is already developed and seems to fit a niche in Honda’s product line for those who already own one of their other products (my co-worker has one as well as an odyssey) the target was the Toyota Tundra and the Nissan Titan. Without developing a larger platform with the V8 that most full size buyers demand (the ridgeline isn’t supposed to tow as much as an f150 can but was designed to meet the needs of the average Honda owner who doesn’t need to tow more than 5,000 pounds)
They produced the Ridgeline by beefing up the Pilot to allow for a higher Tow rating and Payload, the Toyota and Nissan trucks share engines with SUV models as well as the Lexus/Infinity lines, Honda doesn’t have the sort of V8 currently that would be required by most of the Full size truck buyers and doesn’t have the sort of history of building trucks that Toyota and Nissan do
Without building a framed truck, it will be impossible to compete with the big boys. Not because it can 't tow or carry loads, but a frame allows more body styles and just offering a crew cap like the Ridgeline, eliminates buyers who want longer beds and better off road or more flexible overall use .
Unibody really limits motor and body options. Frames allow for more modular construction .
The option…Honda could do what they did with Isuzu years ago and rebadge an existing manufacturers truck line. Maybe, that is what is in the works ?
With computer technology, IMHO, you don’t need a history. Just a willingness to buy a bulk of other makes and models, tear them down and start from there. But that cist $$$$. Does any manufacture have the discretionary funds for new endeavors like this ? Maybe you confused it with Honda coming out with a new heavy duty 4 wd lawn mower.
I thought the Ridgeline was competing against the Sport Trac and Avalanche
This is the first I’ve heard of a full-sized Honda pickup and I waste many hours occasionally visit lots of web sites on a daily once-in-a-while basis…
Not just a full frame and V8…but also rwd.
The full size truck market is very tough to break into.
http://www.hondainthenews.com/hondas-full-size-ridgeline-pickup-nears-its-end/
Maybe you confuse it with this article that brings out the poor sales and perhaps, Honda may just drop the Ridgeline. Not everyone looking for a pick up wants a crew cap with Awd and a short bed. With unibody, that limits you to one body style. Look at the Tacomas on the road. Everything from crew to extra cab to short bed to 2wd to 4 wd to off road…ect. The same with most other pick up makes and only possible with a frame. I feel they may have to make a decision between frames with more body and motor options or get out of the truck business. If they want to compete, the Ridgeline will have to offered with a frame IMO.
If Honda had started selling small trucks in the 1970s, they would already have a comfortable market presence by now.
I would say their mistake was made decades ago . . .
When Toyota introduced the Tundra, they already had a long history of selling fairly reliable small trucks here
For that matter, Honda doesn’t seem to have any history (at least here) of even selling ANY body on frame vehicles at all.
Somebody correct me if I’m wrong
Honda has a superlative history of building stella, capable, large, rugged pick ups.
http://www.autopictu.com/22337-honda-t360.html
With a powerhouse 4 carb engine, stand back!
This motor turned out to be so powerful, it became the main stay of their biggest selling lawnmower.
That thing is adorable! But I don’t think it’s likely Honda will try to build a large pickup. Nissan and Toyota, companies well respected for their small trucks, have had limited success selling full-sized pickups. Truck buyers may have the highest brand loyalty around. Honda has never sold many Ridgelines, despite it being a very useful vehicle.
Toyota too is finding out they will never catch the big boys, Ford and GM, till they provide a platform that supports more varied usages. Also, truck owners are intensity loyal to US branded trucks and fleets for the US military, townships and states and large corporations, all have valid politically reasons for buying US brands. There are a plethora of billboards when the Ford or GM name appears on the tax payers roll, as well it should.
The big boys, Ford and GM and to a certain extent Chrysler, pushed out competition years ago. Back in the 1950s we had International Harvester, Studebaker, Jeep and Diamond T in the pickup truck game. International was the last to leave this market sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s. The profit just wasn’t there. One advantage that GM, Ford and Chrysler had was that these corporations had engines used in passenger cars that were easily adapted for use in the trucks. Toward the end of its pickup run, International used engines supplied by American Motors.
At any rate, Honda probably understands that it can’t compete in this full size pickup truck market. On the other hand, GM and Ford have left the small truck market to Toyota and Nissan. For light urban and suburban delivery use (auto parts store for example), the compact pickup trucks are ideal. My son has a Chevrolet S-10 that he likes for his 25 minute daily commute to work and for hauling bulky items from home supply stores. A full size pickup is overkill for him.
I know 3 people with Ridgelines and all love them. None are work trucks, though.
I wouldn’t quite call a Ridgeline a truck
To be a true pickup truck, you’d have to have a separate cab, bed and frame
Honda really only expected to sell the Ridgeline to people who already owned another Honda so that they wouldn’t have to go to Toyota or Nissan to buy a pickup, they could develop a true F150 competitor but would they actually sell enough to justify the investment?
“To be a true pickup truck, you’d have to have a separate cab, bed and frame”.
@db4690–actually, Ford did make a pickup with the cab and bed in one piece. I think this was either in the late 1950s or early 1960s. It didn’t work out very well as overloading the bed would cause the doors to not operate correctly. Ford abandoned this design in short order.
The Unibody Ford trucks were early 60’s and only in 2wd, they went back to the separate cargo box for 1964 due to the concerns about the body flex.