This past week I know I haven’t spent enough QT (which means quality time) with my significant other because of all
the hours spent posting about the auto show. Instead I’m spending QT with the much discussed Honda Ridgeline. After
exhausting my memory card on the new Civic Si concept I turned around to find an empty Ridgeline ripe for a round of
intense scrutiny.
Compared to the Ridgelines in Detroit this decked out RTL model was actually not so bad. I?d revise my statement and
say the interior is a step above CR-V but below Accord. The wheel is really nice while the fake metal trim around the
speedometer is kind of cheap. This mixture is pretty annoying but there are lots of compartments and fun stuff to
discover. You can tell engineers built this thing. The biggest difference was the leather surfaces and those were nice
and added a high level of quality that the cloth did not. However I don?t see why folks looking for a truck would want
leather.
I?m not sold on the front door handles either (they?re not in the back). The big handle is just to grab on to to slam
the door shut. Then the little handle inside opens the door. I?ve seen smaller ones for sure but it seems like an odd
combination and a tad disorienting.
So there you have it. I admit the Ridgeline isn?t as horrible as I first thought. But that doesn?t mean I?m going to
take it home for more QT.