Marketing and Sales
Although the Ridgeline is more aptly classified as a sport utility truck, this recently-introduced category is not well known with consumers, initially with the only other rivals being the Chevrolet Avalanche and Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The closest rivals may be double cab versions of compact pickups like the Toyota Tacoma and the Nissan Frontier, both of which follow the traditional pickup layout.
Honda decided instead to advertise the Ridgeline as an alternative to traditional 1/2 ton full-size pickups such as the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Toyota Tundra, all of which had standard V8 engines. This likely harmed Ridgeline sales, as some cited the sole V6 engine powertrain offering insufficient power (Honda has never developed a V8 for passenger vehicles), the lack of ruggedness due to its unibody construction, and its relatively short cargo bed compared to a standard pickup truck which made it unsuitable for contractors. However, the unibody construction offers increase torsional rigidity and does not flex at the seam of the bed like traditional body-on-frame designs. Unlike other crew cabs, the Honda Ridgeline lacks the option of six-passenger seating, as it only offers bucket seats and not bench seating in the front.
Sales were initially slow, partly because it was considered over-priced. Consequently, dealers have been discounting the truck, and the average selling price has come down steadily according to J.D. Power.
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