Should I Buy a 2019 Ranger or 2019 Ridgeline?

[MT19RANGER]

Give me a break. I'd consider the dampered version more dangerous because the kid actually has an opportunity to stick their finger in the crack as it slowly comes down. Otherwise, again, even my youngest kid can manage the light aluminum tailgate. I certainly don't remember hearing about a lot of safety issues caused by undamped tailgates in the 100 years they existed before someone decided that reviewers really needed to stand back and watch the tailgate open dramatically. Even when the tailgate was a heavy piece of american steel. In the real world I will never in my life need to stand back and watch my tailgate open. Not once. The one case where a dampener actually makes sense is if you have a remote open tailgate. Otherwise, it's to make it look fancier than it is. If you really like that, cool--but don't pretend it's some kind of safety issue or otherwise important.

I won't even go over the same ridiculous points you've managed to bring up again. Honestly, if that's the worst you can come up with, the engineers at ford must be cracking a cold one over a job well done.

Growing up on a farm and having to open the tailgate hundreds of times as a kid with not even being big enough to see over the dash and running the brake and gas at no time was I injured. I didn't know tailgates were an issue.

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[VAMike]

Has anyone told GMC yet that their Sierra Denali is "unfinished" because it lacks a 60/40 folding rear seat? And the Ram 1500 Longhorn? The F150 seatback folds down, but not flat--almost as though (like on the Ranger) it's mostly meant to hide the jack and a pair of gloves and isn't properly designed to be a table. It's also a pain to open, as though they didn't intend for it to be used much. I'm starting to worry there are some serious unaddressed issues in the pickup industry, mostly concerning the rear seat. $70k for a full size blingmobile and they don't bother to finish designing them!

 

[Hounddog409]

Mike,
Perhaps.
If it were only just the backseats. It's a catalog of inefficiencies as mentioned in my post. And it's the fact that other manufacturers don't share the same flaws. Maybe it's just the price point. Right now the XLT trim we want is ~32k with all the stacked rebates and incentives. Maybe when that number becomes lower over the next few months ...

Flaws? What flaws?

Alright. I come to a ranger forum and point out its 'flaws' -- so some lumps should be expected.

I'm not saying the Ranger is a POS. Just saying it feels unfinished; maybe rushed out. Just looking for the best value for the money.

I could point out the no tail-gate damper could be a safety issue if one has children.

I could point out the +$2800 option with a manual rear window??

The rear seats with no 60/40 and limited storage due to design. Maybe i'm overly concerned but I envision her doing a Costco run and not having an option of using the bed because of inclement weather.

Maybe the answer is the Ridgeline is just simply the better designed vehicle sans rock crawling.

That's what a tonneau cover is for. Rear sliders are worthless in a truck. Even the ridgeline. All it does is deposit whatever is in the bed into the cab.

If you think the Honda is a better designed TRUCK, you have a distorted definition of a truck. Sounds like you want a mini van with fold flat rear seats. Not a truck.

 

[Snorebaby]

I still find the minivan more comfortable if the entire requirement is "hauling 4 adults". The lower floor makes it one heck of a lot easier to get into which becomes a major factor as your passengers get closer to 100 than to 0, and captains chairs win over a bench.

Actually, my 91 year old mother gets in the F-150 pretty good. She just holds onto the A pillar handle and steps up into the truck on the running boards. Some times I have to boost her up if we have been "running the streets" and she gets tired. So when she gets out all she has to do is slide down off the seat. She has a harder time getting in my brother's '17 Tacoma than my wife's '13 F-150.

My 79 year old M-I-L gets in the F-150 pretty well too. The bench in the back is pretty comfy as that is where I sit when one of the Mama's is in the truck with us.

 

[VAMike]

Actually, my 91 year old mother gets in the F-150 pretty good. She just holds onto the A pillar handle and steps up into the truck on the running boards. Some times I have to boost her up if we have been "running the streets" and she gets tired. So when she gets out all she has to do is slide down off the seat. She has a harder time getting in my brother's '17 Tacoma than my wife's '13 F-150.

My 79 year old M-I-L gets in the F-150 pretty well too. The bench in the back is pretty comfy as that is where I sit when one of the Mama's is in the truck with us.

It's harder with a heavier older person that doesn't do well on stairs either. That said, everybody has trouble getting into a tacoma. For rear seat comfort on a bench the recliner in the ram is way ahead of the 150. For most benches if the angle works for you then you're set and if it doesn't you're in for a long ride.

 

[YouknowwhatImean]

Thanks for everyone staying respectful to a newcomer with his honest opinions about the 2019 Ranger.

Honestly, unless you have a job that requires you to "have" a work truck, most people would get by with a Honda Ridgeline. It's a niche product and not for the mass market, but it fills a niche nevertheless that is ignored by GM, Toyota & Ford.

@YouknowwhatImean you should drive both the Ranger and Ridgeline back to back and make up your mind, personally I don't mind the bouncy ride of a body-on-frame truck; and since I also own a Toyota sedan I can tell the difference between a passenger car & truck.

Hey, neighbor. San Jose here. We plan on leaving CA to TX for a house and property that will need some TLC/maintenance thus the truck shopping.

Yes, we drove both back to back -- twice. Ridgeline drives like an SUV; Ranger like a truck. We like how the Ranger sits higher and you feel more 'in charge' compared to the Ridgeline. I also like the peppy turbo in the Ranger with all that torque up front. It will be mainly her daily-driver hence the inclination to the Ridgeline for its luxury and creature comforts.

I think between this and the "why did you buy a Ranger" post we have enough information to make a final decision. Stay tuned for a pic of what we decided on.

PS: And, please, no "you should wait for TX to buy it cause it'll be cheaper" replies. I already did the math with tax, rebates, trade-in credits, etc. Not much of a savings in the slightest.

 

[chasvs]

Hi,
We are looking to replace our Hyundai Santa Fe sport with a truck. Mostly for hauling; and a lot of DIY projects next few years. It will mostly be her daily driver. I'm going to stick to my '17 WRX.

We are torn and have tried all the midsizes:

Tacoma: don't like seating/comfort. Too cramped feeling. Not much offroading planned so we don't care.

Frontier: old design; gas guzzler; more work truck vibe than a daily-driver.

Colorado: I like it -- esp how it drives/handles. Don't trust Chevy reliability, however. The V6 LT is something between the ridgeline and Ranger in terms of design, handling and drive. Interior is dated. But I feel the truck is capable and well thought out. Too bulky for the wife and she didn't like the lack of safety and luxury features.

Ridgeline: We like it. Nagged that it isn't a 'real' truck. Feel we might regret buying it if we did. However, it is one of the most well thought out design -- from the bed to the cargo area in the backseat. The v6 is nice. Let's not mention luxury and safety features. Almost engineered to perfection for most truck driver 'needs.'

Ranger: We like the looks. The drive is nimble and the engine is sporty even though it's a turbo 4-banger. It also feels rugged and built for durability. The price is ridiculous. However, given the numerous rebates and incentives -- it has come back to earth somewhat. Feels like an unfinished product though. These are small but they add up: no tailgate dampening. No default in-bed liner. No bumper step for access to the bed. Backseat is horrid. C'mon, anemic under seat storage; back rest does not lay flat; and not 60/40. Is it a great engineering feat to have a usable 60/40 folding backseat??


So we are down to the Ridgeline or Ranger. The wife and I want to get the Ranger but it feels incomplete and poorly thought out for the price point. That leaves the Ridgeline, but we aren't crazy on how it looks and feel we'll be forever nagged that it isn't a real truck. But it is so well designed and with Honda reliability. As for resale down the road --- we feel the Ranger will be more attractive to a larger demographic than the Ridgeline would.

It is almost down to a coin toss at this point. Sigh.

Do you want a TRUCK or a CAR??? It's THAT SIMPLE!

 

[Mustang2Ranger]

From the original post, the way it is worded seems so show the decision

However, listening to the wife is a good idea

And I couldn't be happier with my Ranger. No matter what you choose there will be compromises, its just what fits your lifestyle and tastes

 

[EcoRanger]

I don't see any of these "issues" the Ranger is a fine truck well done at every turn. Could we have more available features more "bling" probably but I like it the way it is. And as for the tailgate you have to be a 90 lb weakling if you think the Rangers tailgate is heavy I've always opened it with one hand and closed it with one hand or maybe just lazy you want to unlatch the tailgate and have it open its self then you'll be mad because it won't automatically close.

 

[SubVet]

Buy the Ridgeline OP

You won't be happy with the Ranger, There should not even be a comparison between the two vehicles.
Ridgeline is not a pickup truck. Its an Odessy or Pilot with a pickup style bed. With that it will ride better,

 

[DakotaGuy]

I don't see any of these "issues" the Ranger is a fine truck well done at every turn. Could we have more available features more "bling" probably but I like it the way it is. And as for the tailgate you have to be a 90 lb weakling if you think the Rangers tailgate is heavy I've always opened it with one hand and closed it with one hand or maybe just lazy you want to unlatch the tailgate and have it open its self then you'll be mad because it won't automatically close.

If a person struggles with the small, lightweight aluminum tailgate on the Ranger I'd like to watch them open and close a tailgate on a 1978 F150. We had a '78 F150 on the ranch when I was a kid and I was opening and shutting that tailgate when I was 10 years old. Not only was it heavy, but it was fussy to latch. When we got our '87 F150 I couldn't believe how light and easy it was to open and close and even that tailgate would be very heavy compared to the Ranger.

 

[tugger]

The Ridgeline is not a pickup truck.

 

[Packattack]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all the responses. We haven't made up our minds yet. We are undecided. The responses will help one way or another.

I am posting here thinking we are NOT the only ones who went through this process. Hopefully someone else can share their purchase decision process. Share if they were at similar crossroads.

And the fact I posted in a Ranger forum should tell you I am looking for the pros/cons of having the Ranger.

In fact, the wife is sold on the Ranger. I am the one holding off on pulling the trigger.

Sure, we could get a trailer and hitch it to the Hyundai. Meh, not convenient.
Sure, I could run out and rent trucks from Uhaul over the weekend to do projects. Meh.
Sure, I could even hire someone with a truck from craigslist as needed. Big Meh.

Fact is trucks have come so far that they can easily be multipurpose --- one of which is being a DIY vehicle and a daily-driver. We are talking mid-size, not half ton.

Even though the Ridgeline with tow package is rated to tow 5,000 lbs I wouldn’t trust it to tow 3,000 lbs...so that alone for me would sway me over to the Ranger...

 

[Hounddog409]

Hey, neighbor. San Jose here. We plan on leaving CA to TX for a house and property that will need some TLC/maintenance thus the truck shopping.

Yes, we drove both back to back -- twice. Ridgeline drives like an SUV; Ranger like a truck. We like how the Ranger sits higher and you feel more 'in charge' compared to the Ridgeline. I also like the peppy turbo in the Ranger with all that torque up front. It will be mainly her daily-driver hence the inclination to the Ridgeline for its luxury and creature comforts.

I think between this and the "why did you buy a Ranger" post we have enough information to make a final decision. Stay tuned for a pic of what we decided on.

PS: And, please, no "you should wait for TX to buy it cause it'll be cheaper" replies. I already did the math with tax, rebates, trade-in credits, etc. Not much of a savings in the slightest.

why are you making the decision if its HER daily driver????

If she wants the Ranger, she gets the Ranger. She's the one driving it - not you.

 

[tgRanger]

I was in the same boat as the OP. I seriously considered a Ridgeline for a couple years now but just couldn’t pull the trigger on it. I love the interior even though its a lot like the Pilot, the engine and power is awesome but couldn’t get past the exterior looks of it, ground clearance and some other little things. It’s a great vehicle but in the end I happily ordered a Ranger.

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