I have a Subaru Outback Limited that I like and rides nice but it’s still a car as far as convenient load hauling. It’s mostly a commuter but when I travel for matches, it gets full and the cooler just doesn’t have the best spot. It gets dusty inside pretty easy as well since the hatch has to be open to get anything from the back.

My current Tundra is way too much of a gas hog for long trips but I love the covered bed for the the space and convenience.

The Honda Ridgeline looks to be the best option for mileage, a pickup style bed and reliability. I’d lose a little mpg but I think it’s still mid 20’s. I think the Subaru Eyesight is probably the best system but Honda makes good stuff.

Thoughts? Money wise a private sale of the Outback and buying the Ridgeline won’t be a big hit.

New Ford Maverick for the win. It's the Ridgeline in a bit smaller, less expensive, and more fuel efficient package.

I recently purchased a 2022 Ridgeline RTL-E and love it!
I’ve never owned an Outback so I can’t compare, but if you’re looking for a very smooth, comfortable, quiet driving vehicle with a need for occasional truck duties, give the Ridgeline a look. I drive a mix of city and highway and am averaging about 21 mpg. Not great but not terrible either.

Here’s a video that gives a nice overview of the features:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WmsNiOF06f8

I just looked at a Hyundai Santa Cruz. Kinda tempting.

I took my 2019 RTL-E in for an oil change in Dec 2021 and worked out a deal to get a new 2022 RTL-E. Waited about 3 months and got a call that it came in. Dealer tried to up the price by $3,000 even after we had a contract with $500 deposit. After 4 hours we were about to drive it off the lot when we noticed no parking sensors or navigation. Sales guy told us that there was no difference between RTL and RTL-E in 2022. We tore up our check and walked out. Two days later we found an RTL-E on the lot in Bowling Green, KY and worked out the deal over the phone. This is our third Ridgeline and we love them. They haul enough of what we need to haul. They ride nice and get pretty decent mileage. We paid right at sticker, but got $33,000 for our 2019 with 57,000 miles, worn tires, and deer accident damage on the drivers side. Several of the dealers are charging way over sticker and adding $1,200 in under coating, floor mats and protection coatings. By trading in we saved about $2,000 in sales tax.

2022 RTL-E

The Ridgeline is arguably the best non-truck truck out there. I just traded a 2008 RTL with a quarter million miles on it on a SUV, primarily because my needs changed, but I would get another in a heartbeat when and if I needed an open-bed small vehicle.

I was THIS close to getting a Forester when I found a Nissan Rogue that had slightly, very slightly more camera options, something I really use with a fused neck.

What about a trailer hitch and a small lightweight trailer for the OB?

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
New Ford Maverick for the win. It's the Ridgeline in a bit smaller, less expensive, and more fuel efficient package.

More like get the maverick for the loss. I can’t wait to see all the problems Ford will have with a new model. Like they always do.

The Ridgeline is a solid vehicle for those who don’t need a huge towing capacity. Rides, handles and drives much better than a full sized truck.

Sounds like you just want a new car. Lol

It’s your money but it sounds like a wasteful exchange. The Ridgeline suffers from all the same issues as pickup trucks that are also sedans. It’s a shitty pickup and it’s not a great sedan.

You don’t like dust but the Ridgelibe is a pickup so isn’t that dustier? Even with a tonneau?

My 2 cents, worth exactly what you paid for it, is go to 1UpUsa and buy their trailer hitch rack. It’s pricey but it stows easily out of the way when not needed. Put your cooler and non gun stuff on that and never open the car again to get a soda.

I love Hondas but not Ridgelines. The Outback is a more versatile and capable machine at least to my lifestyle. Unless I’m bringing trees back from the nursery then I prefer the Ridgeline. Lol

quote:

Originally posted by PowerSurge:
More like get the maverick for the loss. I can’t wait to see all the problems Ford will have with a new model. Like they always do.

That remains to be seen, but since the motor, tranny, and most of the drivetrain is simply repurposed from the Escape and/or other Ford vehicles and has been around in use for years, that should lower the likelihood of problems.

quote:

The Ridgeline is a solid vehicle for those who don’t need a huge towing capacity. Rides, handles and drives much better than a full sized truck.

No debate on any of these statements. However, the Ridgeline IMO loses in one big category....value. It's generally well built and accomplishes its mission of moving people and stuff very competently, but IMO it's way too expensive for what it is. The Maverick will do virtually everything most Ridgeline owners would do with their vehicles for $10k+ less (depending on configuration). There's a reason why Mavericks are sold out nearly everywhere, and Ford has deposits for production that hasn't even been built yet.

That $10k is the cheapest money you could ever spend over 300k miles when comparing the Ridgeline vs a Maverick. The Ridgeline is hands down easily worth $10k when compared to a Maverick. That is a no brainer in every sense.

quote:

Originally posted by tigereye313:
What about a trailer hitch and a small lightweight trailer for the OB?

Or even a cargo rack and put the cooler along with stuff inside of tote boxes. That's what I do when we road trip in our Highlander. Front seats are for me and the wife. One of the middle seats is for the kid, other side of the middle is for things such as electronics, snacks, wife's makeup, hygiene stuff, etc. 3rd row folded down is for 2 dogs and a small amount of stuff so the dogs have space for 1,700 mile trips. Plus there are air vents back there to keep the temperatures comfortable.

I pack our clothing into totes from Home Depot, the black boxes with yellow tops. I also put other stuff such as spare fuel back there and ratchet it to the rack. If I need to really secure something, I always carry a chain and lock.

Hitch is $120 and cargo rack is $60. Totes are around $20/each.

And since it sits relatively low, access is easy. You shouldn't lose any mileage.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:

quote:

Originally posted by tigereye313:
What about a trailer hitch and a small lightweight trailer for the OB?

Or even a cargo rack and put the cooler along with stuff inside of tote boxes. That's what I do when we road trip in our Highlander. Front seats are for me and the wife. One of the middle seats is for the kid, other side of the middle is for things such as electronics, snacks, wife's makeup, hygiene stuff, etc. 3rd row folded down is for 2 dogs and a small amount of stuff so the dogs have space for 1,700 mile trips. Plus there are air vents back there to keep the temperatures comfortable.

I pack our clothing into totes from Home Depot, the black boxes with yellow tops. I also put other stuff such as spare fuel back there and ratchet it to the rack. If I need to really secure something, I always carry a chain and lock.

Hitch is $120 and cargo rack is $60. Totes are around $20/each.

And since it sits relatively low, access is easy. You shouldn't lose any mileage.

True, but carrying supplies for a shooting event could fairly quickly exceed the weight limit for the roof. Wife's OB has a roof capacity of 150lbs. Our Yakima box weighs 40lbs leaving 110lbs for cargo. Not saying it couldn't work if the load is reasonable, but weight would be much less a concern with a trailer, or even a hitch mounted cargo tray.

Edit: Never mind, I see that you are talking about a hitch mounted tray.

If the Maverick is based on the Escape then I wouldn’t touch it. No one I know that has owned an Escape has gotten to 100k miles without multiple headaches.

My FIL has a 2019 Ridgeline and it has really impressed me. It does what he needs (light hauling and occasional small trailer tow) gets decent mileage and rides like a car.

The dust on the gear is not an issue, just trying to limit it in the passenger area. Think camp chairs, awning and muddy boots. The tonneau on my Tundra keeps the bed pretty clean surprisingly and it’s almost water tight.

Roof racks are a pain, I’m short, and kill mileage. I’d rather not add length to the car with a hitch rack. Plus, I’d have to unload the hitch rack to open the hatch, unless I got a very expensive swing away. No trailers either , more hassle and hard on the little 2.5 non turbo in the Outback.

If I could get a true 20mpg in the Tundra, I’d put a shell on it and drive it. At 10-13mpg, it just a local vehicle now. None of the midsize trucks really interest me. The Tacoma is down on power and the reliability of the domestics is questionable to me after hours of research. I need something I feel comfortable owning for 10yrs.

Thanks all!

I'm watching this thread. I've enjoyed the three Honda CR-V's I've had over the years, but it has occurred to me a Ridgeline could make for a better overall vehicle for longer trips toting stuff.

I bought my Ridgeline new in 2008 and I expect to have it when I croak. It suits me for everything I do. I towed a 20' Ranger bassboat easy, my aluminum boat or lawn mower trailer piece o cake. The doors open wide enough to put 27 gallon heavy totes in them for gun shows. Sure footed in moderate snow. Backseat is comfortable and storage is great with seats up. I've got the backflip fold up bed cover since new and highly recommend it.

Never thought I'd keep it this long but instead of buying something new I buy used and keep a fleet of 4 or 5 for my wife and I. Ridgeline has given no problems but only 65k miles. Dealer did timing belt/water pump due to age - cost was $1000 even and that included synthetic oil change and a loaner.

I switched from a 2011 outback to a 2019 Ridgeline RLT-E and don't regret it. I put a paragon aluminum bed cover on mine and in the summer I'll get 23-24 mpg if I keep it around 70 mpg. Also I learned the unibody is quite sturdy I smoked a deer at 70mph. Insurance company didn't total even when repair quote was 20k. Sitting at 74k on my truck right now and only maintenance was a wheel bearing failed. Honda care extended warranty covered that. I highly suggest if you want extended warranty check the big 3 online sellers 1st.

While on a mission to the local fun shop today I saw something that made me do a double drive by. A Hyundai Santa Cruz. Very Ridgeline like, but don't know about reliability vs. Honda. A gal I worked with had a Hyundai and was quite pleased with it. I have always noticed they had very well applied paint jobs.

As I understand it, the Santa Cruz is more the size of the Maverick, maybe a little smaller bed. Reliability should be excellent.

However the Ridgeline is quite a bit larger, has back seat room for 3, a larger bed; AWD available.

I'm torn--I'd like a Ridgeline but with the grandkids probably next vehicle will be a hybrid Pilot (due 2023) or a Highlander hybrid, or a Sienna hybrid van.

If it weren't for gas prices, I'd go for a Kia Telluride.