Maverick or Ridgeline? 🤔 I’m stuck…

[AbleGuy]

For the first time in @ 55 years, I find myself without a pickup truck of my own parked out front

So I’m starting to look at possibilities

I do plan on putting a lightweight wedge type of pop up shell on whatever we get…so I have to stay with a small truck to fit in my garage

Two areas of requested advice or shared experience:

1. Best small light pop up for small truck?

2. Maverick vs Ridgeline?

 

[AbleGuy]

Why them ⬆️ ?

For starters, Size (height) and AWD primarily

Maverick should have no tariff add on and used ones seem relatively available

Ridgeline has the better corporate reliability build/rating and is more roomy

What’s been your experience with either of these?

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Old Ridgeline or new?

I didnt hate the style of the old Ridgeline, it was like a Chevy Avalanche with great Honda reliability. But finding a toolbox or cap is a scavenger hunt.

Co worker bought a new Ridgeline hpe. More pickup features like separate bed, but more minivan style front end. But nice.

Go Honda for reliability over Ford

 

[AbleGuy]

Old Ridgeline or new.
Go Honda for reliability over Ford

New Ridgeline (i agree the sloped rear panel from the cab messed up canopy/camper choices.

Honda reliability 👍🏻

 

[Dougnuts]

If the price is amenable, I'd get the Honda Ridgeline. The Maverick is cool, but I'd only get it, over a Ridgeline, if the ~$8-10K savings was necessary.

 

[Gravelette]

Ridgeline IMO. Isn't it a step above the Maverick in capability, more comparable to the Ranger? I don't know if there is a difference in long term reliability (if that matters) but the fit and finish on Hondas is something you'll appreciate every day.

 

[Sparse Gray Hackle]

I would not choose either of those trucks. My preference would be something with a 6’ bed, which leaves Chevy/GMC or Toyota, assuming they still make a 6’ bed. A low mileage 2019-21 Ranger Supercab would also be a possibility.

 

[plh]

Honda Ridgeline is assembled in Alabama - Tariffs will apply on imported parts used for assembly.
Ford Maverick is assembled in Mexico - Tariffs might apply to the whole thing.

I have not shopped for either, but I'm betting the Ridgeline is more $ to start.

 

[STREGA]

$ wise the Ridgeline is comparable to Ranger/Colorado, not the Maverick so much. The Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz are competitors with the Santa Cruz costing a little bit more than the Maverick.
I myself would rather have the Colorado or Ranger over the Ridgeline and the Maverick over the Santa Cruz.
I also started a thread in the mid size section about 6 months ago asking for input on the Maverick since I was considering buying one. A few people posted their opinions/experience that they had with their Mavericks and they were all positive. I put the idea of buying one on the back burner for now. Also saw somewhere that the Maverick is one of Fords best selling vehicle.

 

[AbleGuy]

Also saw somewhere that the Maverick is one of Fords best selling vehicle.

That unfortunately is right in has caused most dealers to sell new ones at a premium over MSRP.

On the other hand, there are plenty used mavericks that are relatively affordable.

Price wise, the Ridgeline differential isn’t something that’s a problem for me. It’s extra space over the Maverick for storing gear is one of the pluses, I see as well as a much more reliable badge.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

I am biased on my little ZR2. It won’t match the price point, however. ( and small bed) And is probably overkill. I am interested ibn seeing what you go with and following along.

In the end, every mfgr has something. (+/-). A lot of mfgrs are just trading on the name, and don’t offer the product or service. They used to. Don’t discount, if there is a dealer you like, and trust close.

My mum asked me to go with her to her Toyota dealer last week. As she said they keep trying to sell her stuff for her oil changes. ( She got free oil changes, when she purchased).

Sure enough, they tried to sell her on torquing the transmission bolts, “ every oil change, and only a 300$ cost, and adding EFI cleaner only a 200$ cost” among other things. Citing “ Toyota recommends doing these”.

I am sure the real reason, is so they can deny warranty claims, by saying “ oh im sorry, you did not follow the recommended maintenance”.

 

[AbleGuy]

I would not choose either of those trucks. My preference would be something with a 6’ bed, which leaves Chevy/GMC or Toyota, assuming they still make a 6’ bed. A low mileage 2019-21 Ranger Supercab would also be a possibility.

Would definitely prefer a 6’ bed. But total height with the pop up shell likely is a problem fitting into the garage…..and No AWD 🥴

 

[AbleGuy]

Pause for a rant….

There are times when I rise in the morning and hate the world I’ve woken up to because of all of the stupid changes created in response to a declining collective intelligence continually actually making life worse.

Case in point…the disappearance of 6’ beds in trucks. I’d always thought that useful features like a truck bed you could stretch out in for a good nights sleep when camping were inviolate.

Then Americans got FAT…and then they got FATTER….really FAT. And truck designers quickly realized that the extra cab trucks were dinosaurs, extinct. Because fat Americans could not fit comfortably in the back seats in the Xtra cabs. Not even Fat kids could fat in those cramped back seats.

The trend of accommodating Fat Americans resulted in the back seats of trucks growing bigger and bigger. Thus eventually culminating in the Dodge Mega Cab 🥴

Bigger is better, right? That’s what we’ve always been told, right?

But wait a dang minute….here, with trucks bigger meant, that to accommodate the old, beloved 6’ and 8’ beds we'd grown up wi th and found so useful, trucks had to grow their wheelbases.

Wheelbases became so long that the trucks became harder to drive in town, harder to turn (U turns on two lane road? Fuggedaboutit,) and harder park in urban settings. And these new behemoths couldn’t even fit in regular home garages, and also in many cases couldn’t fit properly on crowded homeowners’ short driveways in crowded cookie cutter subdivisions without blocking the public sidewalks. The HOA Nazi’s loved that one.

I personally know of this because, not that many years ago when we lived in the northern Rockies I had a Montana Cadillac…a full size, 8’ bed, crew cab 4 WD K2500. And while it was great for my construction work needs and was great for the camper we carried on it, it pretty much sucked for all other city driving uses. And caused me havoc when we moved and tried to find a new home that could accommodate the beast.

Because of the “growing” problem with truck sizes, the mothers of necessity ruling our culture came up with brilliant invention of the 54” or 60” or other COMPLETELY WORTHLESS truck beds..and ruined the pickup for ever. Final nail in the coffin guys (and FWIW, even a coffin has more room that a tiny truck bed).

So thanks fatties. This is on you! And No, don’t get me started about 16 1/2” wide commercial airplane seats. 🤣

Rant over…

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Pause for a rant….

There are times when I rise in the morning and hate the world I’ve woken up to because of all of the stupid changes created in response to a declining collective intelligence continually actually making life worse.

Case in point…the disappearance of 6’ beds in trucks. I’d always thought that useful features like a truck bed you could stretch out in for a good nights sleep when camping were inviolate.

Then Americans got FAT…and then they got FATTER….really FAT. And truck designers quickly realized that the extra cab trucks were dinosaurs, extinct. Because fat Americans could not fit comfortably in the back seats in the Xtra cabs. Not even Fat kids could fat in those cramped back seats.

The trend of accommodating Fat Americans resulted in the back seats of trucks growing bigger and bigger. Thus eventually culminating in the Dodge Mega Cab 🥴

Bigger is better, right? That’s what we’ve always been told, right?

But wait a dang minute….here, with trucks bigger meant, that to accommodate the old, beloved 6’ and 8’ beds we'd grown up wi th and found so useful, trucks had to grow their wheelbases.

Wheelbases became so long that the trucks became harder to drive in town, harder to turn (U turns on two lane road? Fuggedaboutit,) and harder park in urban settings. And these new behemoths couldn’t even fit in regular home garages, and also in many cases couldn’t fit properly on crowded homeowners’ short driveways in crowded cookie cutter subdivisions without blocking the public sidewalks. The HOA Nazi’s loved that one.

I personally know of this because, not that many years ago when we lived in the northern Rockies I had a Montana Cadillac…a full size, 8’ bed, crew cab 4 WD K2500. And while it was great for my construction work needs and was great for the camper we carried on it, it pretty much sucked for all other city driving uses. And caused me havoc when we moved and tried to find a new home that could accommodate the beast.

Because of the “growing” problem with truck sizes, the mothers of necessity ruling our culture came up with brilliant invention of the 54” or 60” or other COMPLETELY WORTHLESS truck beds..and ruined the pickup for ever. Final nail in the coffin guys (and FWIW, even a coffin has more room that a tiny truck bed).

So thanks fatties. This is on you! And No, don’t get me started about 16 1/2” wide commercial airplane seats. 🤣

Rant over…

Since you are looking for a mid to compact truk, I presume your truck bed rant is relating to mid-size and small trucks only. 8 foot is available on full size work trucks. My 14 GMC has a 6 and a half foot bed. A long bed can still be had on a crew cab (last I knew, unless that changed)

Still feel ya, though. Today's Tahoe is as long as a 1970's Suburban...and so on

 

[AbleGuy]

Since you are looking for a mid to compact truk, I presume your truck bed rant is relating to mid-size and small trucks only. 8 foot is available on full size work trucks. My 14 GMC has a 6 and a half foot bed. A long bed can still be had on a crew cab (last I knew, unless that changed)

Still feel ya, though. Today's Tahoe is as long as a 1970's Suburban...and so on

Yep

It’s the combo problem

I’m trying to keep the length of my new truck reasonable (for driveability and garageability, etc)

The small ‘crew cab’ trucks all have too short beds. And the smaller x cabs trucks have pretty much disappeared.

Tacos with a 6’ bed and xcab still are out there tho but again the total height with a wedge pop up shell on them is problematic

But that’s just my problem

The larger issue I was ranting about is full-size and midsize pick up trucks with these ridiculous 54 inch and 60 inch beds. I don’t even know how you can call those pick up trucks. Those should be illegal, those should be banned. They are unAmerican. Those should be subject to a 50% tariff because they’re just stupid! 🤣 and their designers should be deported by ICE to a country where they don’t have Starbucks!

In all honesty, the most irritating thing is simply the lack of choice. And too many cases you’re being told, “This is what we offer, and nothing else…An extra cab pick up truck with a silly, tiny bed. That’s our one model. Take it or leave it.”

When I’m spending $40-$60,000, or even more on a vehicle I would like to have the ability to get what I want, not be forced to buy from the limited production they have. Manufacturers have gone this route to cut back on production cost. Great😵‍💫

The idea of letting consumers have choice or preference or even just simply selling what people want is continuing to fade more and more quickly in our newer worlds of take it or leave it commerce.

But see, now you got me ranting again…