Honda Ridgeline Wins AutoPacific Ideal Vehicle Award for Compact Pickups
- August 16, 2011
- Awards, Honda, Survey Results
- Posted by Ty Michael
- 1 Comment
The Honda Ridgeline is the top ranked Compact Pickup based on owner ratings in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research. As the class winner, owners don’t want much changed with some exceptions. About 30% of Ridgeline owners want better visibility. About 25% want more infotainment technology. About 20% want more power. They like Ridgeline’s ride comfort, seat comfort and size. In a class of otherwise underachievers, Ridgeline wins by a wide margin over second place Chevrolet Colorado.
Compact Pickup
The Compact Pickup segment has long been neglected by most automakers as Large Light Duty Pickups have stolen their thunder by becoming more fuel efficient and capable. The Ford Ranger and Nissan Frontier are smaller pickups with limited capability but can also be had with fuel efficient four-cylinder engines, something the larger pickups do not have.
Ideal Vehicle Award
Each year AutoPacific surveys new car and light truck buyers via mail and Internet about their new vehicle in order to learn more about their purchase experience, attribute importance and satisfaction, lifestyle, preferences, vehicle use, personal characteristics, desired features and more. Respondents to this survey are owners of new 2011 model-year cars and trucks purchased from September through December 2010. The questionnaire was administered in January and March 2011. The 2011 Ideal Vehicle Awards are based on scores developed using results from a part of this survey that focuses on the consumers’ desire to change their vehicle if given the opportunity. Respondents rate 15 attributes indicating whether they want them to be changed (larger, smaller, more or less) or not changed (stay the same) after having driven their vehicle for 90 days. Those vehicles wanting the LEAST CHANGE win the IVA for their class. A total of 72,917 respondents provided input for these awards.
1 Comment
Out of my past 9 new vehicles, Dodge, Chrysler, Oldsmobile and Mercury, this was my first Honda and it had the worst intial quality of any new car I have ever purchased!!!! Glob of paint in bottom left hand corner of driver’s door, distortion in rearview mirror, mis aligned driver door, minor dings in tailgate, rubber gasket problems with rear sliding window and driver’s door. I purchased this 2011 Ridgeline RTS on Labor Day 2010 and I am still battling with Honda to repair these items under the warranty!!!! I have spoken with Honda America and they don’t care. Say I need to resolve with dealer and the customer has no recourse with Honda!!! So different than US Car Manufacturers! Beware!!!!! I otherwise love the Honda’s handling, flexibility, roomyness, comfort and powertrain… Front wheel drive with on demand all wheel drive that is not comparable on any other brand.