![[discussion] Who thought this was a good idea?](https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/9c895bf4-e38d-4a8c-8660-0263ed85f664.jpeg){kind=link}
One of these pulled up at my workplace today and I can not get over how stupid they look and that got me thinking, who thought making a shittier version of an Odyssey was a good idea.
This thing can’t be useful as a truck, can’t seat as many as a van, costs $50k and burns more gas then an Odyssey (10l/100km hwy vs 8l/100km hwy). Does anyone who drives these things think they are hot shit?
I’m a car dork, I also sub here for all the reasons this place exists but I’m assuming I’m lumped in with the “car-brained douchebags”. This is a misinformed take by OP picking on one of the “less-bad” pickup body-style vehicles one could pick because it… shares bits with a minivan? That’s the point of it - While it straddles the segments a bit with almost full-size width and mid-size length, it’s still going to net superior fuel economy (comparable the Odyssey too) than pretty most any gas-only crew cab, short bed pickup and he’s picking on it because it’s not “as useful” but that means more weight, using more fuel, etc.
It brings car benefits to a pickup shape and I much rather this exist than another full-size pickup with a chest-high pedestrian-wacker hood line or trying to convince a pickup buyer that they ackshually want a minivan because good ol’ American ego already struggles enough with accepting a unibody pickup. (cue truck-bro “NOT A TRUCK” and “LOL PILOT WITH BED” comments)
they also can’t be lifted as much (as easily) due to their suspension design so you might appreciate that too
My take is that these stupid new trucks are crap and developing in the wrong direction (also this one looks like a shopping cart, but that is subjective). If this is the “less-bad” pick up then there is no pick up worth buying (hey that might be a whole point as well).
I don’t hate this because it shares anything with the minivan, I hate this because it is worse then the minivan and is trying to fill a place in the market that used to be cool. Stop buying stupid giant truck like things. This is not good on gas (20% worse then the Odyssey), not small, still has a “a chest-high pedestrian-wacker hood line” and sticking up for these things just encourages more of them.
It’s not new, offering a more car-like pickup is “wrong direction”? I don’t even understand how you think it looks like a shopping cart. The Ridgeline has been around since 2005 and between then and now has gotten longer by 4ish inches. The F-150 crew cab shot bed got 7ish inches longer in that time. (And you know what, I even lament the growth of minivans too since the 90’s!)
https://www.fuelly.com/car/honda/ridgeline https://www.fuelly.com/car/honda/odyssey
You’ll find here that real-life fuel economy is darn close - nowhere near 20% worse despite expected ratings. If you go look up the curb weights they won’t be that different either. They even share an engine. I understand the whole minivan “just use a tarp”, blah blah but this thing is similar in size (five inches longer) and I personally understand that there are use cases where an open, easy-to-clean cargo area can be a plus or something that won’t bottom out as much on a dirt track. (e.g. no trash removal, I’ve cut my weather stripping and scratched plastic trim in my crossover shoving in cut down 7’x3.75ish plywood, etc.)
Your post states: “This thing can’t be useful as a truck” - how so? Neither towing nor payload are poor. It can average MPG outside of the teens which is tough for it’s V6 classmates to hit on Fuelly. Plenty of pickup owners don’t tow or off-road much. I don’t think you mean to say that it’s “better” from a Fuck Cars perspective that buyers purchase a less efficient but more “useful as a truck” pickup?
“can’t seat as many as a van” - And? Does that mean a gas-guzzling 15-passenger Express van is the ideal Fuck Cars choice? (Obviously not)
Honestly you picked the wrong thing to clown here as an example of what’s wrong with pickups. A fraction of an MPG, five inches of length, identical width versus literally any full-size or the larger HD pickups.
Pick how tall trucks are getting, the (relative) lack of lift regulation, crash compatibility, pedestrian safety, the risk posed by wheel spacers (if you remember that Kia Soul being sent flying), headlight aiming - especially when towing or hauling, etc.
(But tbh I would prefer the Odyssey/Pilot/Passport/Ridgeline to be a couple inches narrower but that’s just me.)
I don’t know why you are thinking I like or support the f150 or a (urgh) “crossover” and don’t think it has the same issues. All new trucks are terrible and this does not make this good no matter how you compare. I want more truck like cars not car like trucks. I am sick of being gaslit about fuel economy, size and performance.
As far as “useful as a truck goes” its a 5ish foot bed, if you are talking about anything other then a kei truck then its another stupid useless truck that people will just keep excusing and rationalizing themselves into.