“Test Drive: 2010 Ridgeline offers ideal blend of utility and everyday ... - Abbotsford News” plus 1 more

Test Drive: 2010 Ridgeline offers ideal blend of utility and everyday ... - Abbotsford News

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 05:58 AM PDT

BY Neil Moore

When somebody says they're "not a truck person," I seldom take this as a snooty response to the idea of driving a "work" vehicle, but see this as one (or all) of three complaints:

Ä They've seen the interior of their roofer's stained and cigarette-burned 1978 F-150 and can't imagine being cradled in such 'luxury.'

Ä It's hard enough to maneuver and park in today's plaza and shopping mall lots without the added chore of finding a berth for the automotive equivalent of a Cunard liner.

Ä Buck-a-litre gas.

Need I say more?

It's easy to dismiss the notion that current truck interiors don't deliver sedan-like comfort and amenities, especially when checking out some of the "limited" editions that can include power heated leather seats, dual-zone climate control, premium sound systems, navigation and more.

It's difficult, however, to counter the arguments against size and fuel economy - especially when some of today's full-size pickups are approaching and even exceeding 20 feet in length, not to mention slurping buckets of fuel in real world driving.

There are other drawbacks as well, such as where to put the groceries when you have passengers in the back seat, still, when it comes to hauling loads of dirt, building supplies or anything that could otherwise spoil a plush SUV or minivan interior, it's hard to beat a pickup truck.

With these competing factors in mind, I approached the 2010 Honda Ridgeline wondering if it really could do just about anything a car, crossover or half-ton can do.

And after a week behind the wheel, I was not disappointed.

Perhaps the Ridgeline's best-known feature is its lockable and weather-resistant "in-bed trunk" that provides 241 litres of space below the cargo bed. It's surprisingly deep and provides enough space for three golf bags or a large load of groceries.

The spare tire is also in the trunk on a sliding tray, pushed to the back where it is conveniently out of the way.

The dual-action tailgate swings downward as expected, but is hinged on the side to open like a station wagon. This makes loading easier, as you can stand next to the trunk opening, rather than reaching forward over a tailgate.

The tailgate itself has a 300-pound capacity. It was designed to handle heavy items like an ATV, and is a great way to extend the truck's rather short five-foot bed to a more usable 6.5 feet. To Honda's credit, they've allowed four-feet, one-inch between the wheel wells for hauling sheets of drywall and plywood.

Rather than installing a bed liner, Honda has coated the steel-reinforced cargo bed with a dent and corrosion resistant mixture of fiberglass and vinyl resin.

It's quite tough and is reasonably grippy compared to many liners, but like the others will get scratched when tossing in cinder blocks and sharp objects.

As a manufacturer of motorcycles and ATVs, Honda has conveniently outfitted the Ridgeline cargo box with eight tie-down cleats as well as indents for motorcycle tires, which are built into the front bed wall, floor and tailgate. With the tailgate down, the Ridgeline can haul two of the company's largest off-road motorcycles or one full size ATV. For a bit more length, you can purchase an optional bed extender.

If the cargo box and trunk don't offer enough carrying capacity, open the rear doors, flip up the 60/40 back seats and you've got enough room for a mountain bike or a pile of boxes. There are even storage compartments beneath the seats.

And to manage your cargo throughout the Ridgeline, plenty of accessories are available, including cargo nets for the bed and trunk; bike attachments for the roof, trailer hitch and cargo bed; trunk divider; hard tonneau cover; roof basket, box and racks; ski and snowboard attachments; an organizer for the underseat storage and more.

Throughout the Ridgeline's interior, there are a plethora of bins and cubbies, on the dash, roof liner, doors and between the seats. The centre console is large and multi-functional, with its wide armrest, hidden tray for smaller items and sliding beverage holder/food tray. Pull the front edge forward and its capacity grows.

My test vehicle was the fully-loaded Ridgeline EX-L with NAVI, which lists at $43,690. The price, of course, can quickly climb as you add accessories.

Three trim levels down, the base DX (which starts at $34,990) still offers a long list of standard features that includes power windows (including sliding rear cabin window), six speaker 100-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3/Windows Media playback capability, air conditioning with filtration, outside temperature, heated folding power side mirrors and four integrated bed lights.

Standard safety items include dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags, front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System, side curtain airbags with

rollover sensor and a tire pressure monitoring system with location indicators.

Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are also standard, along with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, and vehicle stability assist with traction control.

All Ridgelines leave the showroom fully outfitted to tow up to 5,000 pounds. Standard equipment includes a heavy-duty radiator with dual fans; heavy-duty power-steering cooler; heavy-duty automatic-transmission cooler; integrated trailer hitch and seven-pin connection.

Upgrade to the VP trim level at $36,690 and you get 17-inch alloys, auxiliary input jack, body coloured door handles and side mirrors, fog lights, privacy glass and rearview mirror with compass.

I won't go through all the content offered at the top trim levels (EX-L at $41,490 and EX-L with NAVI), but the list is substantial and would not be out of place on any premium sedan or crossover. Some of the amenities include an upgraded seven speaker (with subwoofer) 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with six-disc in-dash CD changer, ambient console lighting, leather-trimmed interior, heated front seats with driver's 8-way power adjust, dual-zone automatic climate control, power moonroof and 18-inch alloys.

Mine had the added benefit of navigation with voice recognition, Bluetooth (critical with our new cell phone law), and a rearview camera, which, with the high cargo box, helps keep you from backing over objects and those of us short in stature.

All Ridgelines are powered by a 3.5-litre, 24-valve, SOHC, VTEC V6 that delivers 250 hp and 247 lb/ft of torque. The transmission is a five-speed automatic with Grade Logic Control, limited-slip rear differential, and a Variable Torque Management four-wheel drive system.

Honda claims the Ridgeline offers medium duty off-road capability, but the closest I got to any bushwacking was near my office over a long stretch of speed bumps that usually rattle my teeth.

Suffice to say that the Ridgeline handled these with a smoothness not typical of most pickup trucks, primarily due to its fully-independent front and rear suspension with MacPherson struts in the front and multi-link with trailing arm design in the rear.

The Ridgeline's construction also contributes to its smooth ride, feeling of solidity and its minimum of squeaks and rattles. Its design combines unibody construction with a lower frame (like a traditional body-on-frame truck) for greater bending rigidity and much stiffer rear torsional rigidity. There's no separation between the pickup bed and the cab, giving the Ridgeline a very solid looking, one-piece exterior.

Interior room is abundant up front, and more than adequate in rear for up to three adults. The Ridgeline's width, which approaches many full-size pickup trucks, offers plenty of shoulder room, while its length, on the short side for mid-size pickups, makes it easier to maneuver. The stance, overall, is very four-square.

In the Ridgeline, Honda has built a vehicle that is as good at transporting people as it is at hauling their stuff, with few sacrifices. It may not be a top choice at the work site, but it is certainly more than capable whether you're taking an ATV to the cottage, ferrying kids and hockey bags to the arena, or simply doing your daily commute.

It's an ideal balance between everyday comfort and practicality, and all-around utility.

Honda Ridgeline 2010 at a glance

BODY STYLE: Mid-size pickup

DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, four wheel drive

ENGINE: 3.5-litre, 24-valve, SOHC, VTEC V6 (250 hp and 247 lb/ft of torque)

FUEL ECONOMY: 14.1/9.8 litres/100 km (city/highway)

PRICE: DX - $34,990; VP - $36,690; EX-L - $41,490; EX-L NAVI - $43,690

WEBSITE: www.honda.ca

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The Repo Diaries - SantaCruz.com

Posted: 22 Oct 2009 06:34 PM PDT

Bill Leach drops off two repossessed motorcycles at a holding facility in Salinas. Photo by Curtis Cartier

PRESSED DEEP into the front seat cushion of an unmarked Chevy Silverado, Bill Leach grips the steering wheel with pudgy, calloused hands and checks the rearview mirror. In it, behind his doe-eyed wife smiling in the back, sways a wood and steel flatbed trailer loaded with a pair of motorcycles. Neither one belongs to him. Neither one belongs to the men who had them parked in their garages a couple of hours before, either. Both, in fact, belong to the bank, and the only one happy about that at this point is the man at the wheel. Leach is a repo man, and business is booming.
"I told you Saturday was a good day to catch 'em," he says with a lippy smile, accelerating onto Highway 1 and heading back to his home office in Watsonville. "I try and do the Lord's work. I'll listen to them, I'll be their friend, but they got themselves in this situation and I still gotta pick up their vehicle.Ҕ
Leach—who is short and heavyset, with a frizzled white goatee, mesh hat and oily jeans—looks the part of a repo man, although he could just as easily pass for an auto mechanic or long haul trucker. Devoted Christian, husband of 27 years and father of five grown kids, he's been a tow truck driver for 24 years and a licensed California Repossession Agent since 2001. With his wife and business partner Kathy always riding shotgun, Leach still maintains Happy Hooker Towing, doing simple jobs for law enforcement and private customers on occasion.
His bread and butter these days, however, comes from the banks that fax him 20 to 25 requests each week to find folks who are two months late or more on their vehicle loan payments. His job is to take back the goods—everything from motorcycles and cars to jet skis, boats, ATVs and even, recently, a $125,000 road-paving machine. Leach has repo'd just about everything a person can purchase on credit.
Lately he's got all the business he can handle. Since 2007, he says, the number of bank repossessions he's averaged has nearly doubled. Indeed, though giving a slightly more modest estimate, spokesman Mike Stoller of GMAC Financial Services, the nation's top auto lender, says his company's repossessions have increased 22 percent in that time. That's a huge number for a lender that already repossessed about 70,000 vehicles per year before the current economic meltdown.
On this foggy Saturday, Leach has confiscated two motorcycles without incident. The first, a 2007 Suzuki "crotch rocket" style street bike with a smashed front end and a sticker reading "unlucky" on the rear seat, was purchased by a Sand City cabinetmaker named Art Brost as a gift for his son A.J. and A.J.'s "douchebag" friend Eric Donwell. Brost knew Leach by name when he arrived, having met him a year earlier when he'd come to collect a different motorcycle on which Art had defaulted. Both Art and A.J. said they were relieved to be rid of the machine.
"Get this stupid thing out of here," said A.J., a shirtless, swearing 20-something as he wheeled out the damaged motorcycle from a covered garage. "My buddy needed some help. My dad helped out and bought him a bike, put it in his name, you know, then he just flaked out, quit making payments, met up with some chick and took off on me. Fucker took it one night, he was all coked up and he crashed it. Trying to kill himself or something. I wish he had died. Never buy shit for your friends."
After loading up the bike with the help of his wife and making his standard "I hope I don't see you again" goodbye, Leach had set his Garmin GPS locater to an address in Salinas and hit the road again. There, he'd met an elderly Hispanic couple at their apartment, who, after some difficulty with the language barrier, opened a small garage and handed over their son's mint-condition Kawasaki Vulcan, a stunning midnight blue cruiser with barely 2,000 miles on the odometer. Making short but thorough work of tying down the bike and contacting the local sheriff's office to report the pickup—a step he's legally required to complete within an hour of repossession—Leach and his wife hit In-N-Out Burger, then set a course for home, their job completed.
And now, as Leach expertly backs up the trailer to a temporary holding pen where he'll unload his payload until the bank sends a diesel truck to pick it up, he lets out a satisfied chuckle and throws his truck into park.
"I love this job," he says. "I'm not their enemy. But people enter into a contract and they need to understand they have to hold up their end of it. Otherwise, they're gonna see me."

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