Honda Ridgeline to 2016 Silverado - First Impressions

ShamrockShooter · July 16, 2016

Spent 9 years in a Honda Ridgeline. Replaced 1 hose that's it. Loved the truck, but it was time for something new, and didn't like the new Ridgeline redesign. So a 2016 Crew Cab Chevy it was. Here are my first impressions:

The good:

The Texas Edition in White with 22 inch black rims looks bad A$$. I've had several people stop me in the parking lot and tell me what a sharp truck it is. i like the move away from all the chrome to body color trim.
The fuel economy is impressive with the 5.3. First road trip around 100 miles at 55 said 23 mpg on the display.
The crew cab has lots of room and good visibility.
Love the volume and favorite buttons on the back of the steering wheel.
Android Auto is pretty nice for Google maps, and Amazon Prime music.
The Onstar app w/ Remote start and lock is a great feature.
Highway ride is pretty quiet. I had an F150 and a Ram for 4 months while my honda was out for airbag work. the Chevy is definitely quieter on the highway.
I don't have to ever try to convince anyone that this is a real truck like i did w/ my honda.

The bad:

I like the overall layout of the infotainment system. However, the constant static in FM/AM (I'm 5 miles from the broadcast tower) stinks. Bringing it in for a software update, but i have my doubts.
It's 2016, do we really still need a 20 inch coat hanger for an antenna? Is it really that hard to make an internal antenna?
Why bother making those tiny useless floor mats?
The cup holders (bucket seats/ no middle seat) are the noisiest creaking plastic junk i have ever seen. i can't put anything in there w/o it making a terrible plastic noise.
The person that designed the sun glasses holder in the roof, should be taken out back and kicked a few times for being stupid. Seriously, a $53,000 truck and I can't even fit my kids sun glasses in there the opening is so small.
The driver door makes a terrible rattle when you close it.
The black trim piece on the roof is already loose and bulging up two inches.
The wireless charging pad is a joke. I have a samsung 7, which i charge wirelessly all the time, but it has only worked once (case removed) in my truck. Very disappointed. I was looking forward to this feature.

That's all for now. I look forward to many fun years in this ride.

Condon1 15 GMC · July 16, 2016

would have to a gree with the sunglass holder. IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

G Mcpherson · July 16, 2016

Time to trade it for a 17! Ha

Trucko20 · July 16, 2016

I agree about the sunglass holder. I have a typical pair of aviators and I need to hold the just right and carefully place them in to get them through the opening. Not sure how they botched something so simple.

Thomcat · July 16, 2016

It's bad enough trying to compare a Ridgeline to an Avalanche, but a no brainer trying to compare it to a Silverado.

Woohoo! largest engine a 3.5l V6 with an AWD only setup with no option for a powerful V8, 4WD or 2 spd. transfer case. A truck shaped SUV that tries to pass itself off as a truck......want to hook up a trailer to that baby and lug it up a hill?

I can see Elton John having a problem fitting his glasses into the overhead holder, or trying to jamb in oversize curved wrap arounds into the compartment, but it takes only normal dexterity facing lens forward to fit just fine by feel without even looking.

Silverado's radio station discrimination could be better in urban environments. But with unsuitable windshield and rear window locations, there's no other place for an internal antenna in a vehicle with no side stationary glass.

kc classic · July 16, 2016

Spent 9 years in a Honda Ridgeline. Replaced 1 hose that's it. Loved the truck, but it was time for something new, and didn't like the new Ridgeline redesign. So a 2016 Crew Cab Chevy it was. Here are my first impressions:

The good:

The Texas Edition in White with 22 inch black rims looks bad A$$. I've had several people stop me in the parking lot and tell me what a sharp truck it is. i like the move away from all the chrome to body color trim.

The fuel economy is impressive with the 5.3. First road trip around 100 miles at 55 said 23 mpg on the display.

The crew cab has lots of room and good visibility.

Love the volume and favorite buttons on the back of the steering wheel.

Android Auto is pretty nice for Google maps, and Amazon Prime music.

The Onstar app w/ Remote start and lock is a great feature.

Highway ride is pretty quiet. I had an F150 and a Ram for 4 months while my honda was out for airbag work. the Chevy is definitely quieter on the highway.

I don't have to ever try to convince anyone that this is a real truck like i did w/ my honda.

The bad:

I like the overall layout of the infotainment system. However, the constant static in FM/AM (I'm 5 miles from the broadcast tower) stinks. Bringing it in for a software update, but i have my doubts.

It's 2016, do we really still need a 20 inch coat hanger for an antenna? Is it really that hard to make an internal antenna?

Why bother making those tiny useless floor mats?

The cup holders (bucket seats/ no middle seat) are the noisiest creaking plastic junk i have ever seen. i can't put anything in there w/o it making a terrible plastic noise.

The person that designed the sun glasses holder in the roof, should be taken out back and kicked a few times for being stupid. Seriously, a $53,000 truck and I can't even fit my kids sun glasses in there the opening is so small.

The driver door makes a terrible rattle when you close it.

The black trim piece on the roof is already loose and bulging up two inches.

The wireless charging pad is a joke. I have a samsung 7, which i charge wirelessly all the time, but it has only worked once (case removed) in my truck. Very disappointed. I was looking forward to this feature.

That's all for now. I look forward to many fun years in this ride.

I can relate to this post. I too had a ridgeline for almost 10 years. I tried out the new one but was not all that impressed. So I leased a new 2016 Silverado. The increase in gas mileage over the Honda is great and only to get better. Have to agree on the sunglass holder. I have only had it for a little over a 100 miles so I can't comment on the rest of the complaints. Enjoying the truck so far though.

I figure I can lease 3 times with the money I saved over buying a new Ridgeline

ShamrockShooter · July 16, 2016

i agree on the cost. i could buy a $53k loaded silverado for less out the door than a middle of the road $36k 2017 Ridgeline RTL. With GM supplier pricing, and my chevy dealer giving me $3k more for my Honda, than the Honda dealer offered, it was a no brainer. The adjustable foot pedals is what sold it for my 5 ft tall wife who occasionally drives when i have had a few too many beers.

ShamrockShooter · July 16, 2016

My friends in Texas do find it a bit odd that they sell a "Texas" edition silverado in NY.

LTZTom · July 16, 2016

would have to a gree with the sunglass holder. IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What kind of "Elton John" sunglasses are trying to put in there!! My Ray-Ban Aviators fit with room to spare. Sorry but I just don't understand all the complaints about the sunglasses holder. I've even put my wife's Oakleys in there.

crimson008 · July 16, 2016

My Maui Jim Peahi's don't fit either...

kp52 · July 16, 2016

If the opening was larger and every time you opened the sunglasses holder and they fell out people would complain lol. Cant make everyone happy but I have no problem putting glasses in there, just takes a little finesse.

L86 All Terrain · July 16, 2016

My cup holders are the best I have ever had in a pickup. They are deep, quiet and rubberized and they don't fling coffee off every bump. I wonder if the LED lighting anywhere can be causing FM interference? In my John Deere 644K, the LED beacon light will cause static through the radio when it flashes. Poor LED's or bad grounding can cause this to happen. I don't seem to have FM interference in my '15, but I don't listen to the radio that often. Congrats on the purchase, surely it will be a much more capable vehicle than a Honda truck.

Thomcat · July 16, 2016

My friends in Texas do find it a bit odd that they sell a "Texas" edition silverado in NY.

And you can't get a Texas Edition in WV, they order the All Star Edition which is basically the same without the cool Texas emblem.

MTY55 · July 16, 2016

My friends in Texas do find it a bit odd that they sell a "Texas" edition silverado in NY.

Yeah that's kind of a joke. Good thing there's not a NY edition An emblem and more emission controls and restrictions.

kp52 · July 16, 2016

My cup holders are the best I have ever had in a pickup. They are deep, quiet and rubberized and they don't fling coffee off every bump. I wonder if the LED lighting anywhere can be causing FM interference? In my John Deere 644K, the LED beacon light will cause static through the radio when it flashes. Poor LED's or bad grounding can cause this to happen. I don't seem to have FM interference in my '15, but I don't listen to the radio that often. Congrats on the purchase, surely it will be a much more capable vehicle than a Honda truck.

Most of the newer cars have crap AM/FM these days. FM is almost not even usable in my '16 Corvette, last few Rams I had, wife's '15 Acura and a few others I have owned recently. My Kids Audi has great AM/FM though.

My guess would be all the RF hash from various onboard systems, can bus etc desensitizing the radio, plus they just arent spending the money on the radio receiver part of the infotainment systems.