The AWD Ridgeline gets 25mpg on the highway. You can do better if you pony up for the slow diesel in the GM twins, or the 2wd Ranger.

Counterpoints:

V2V (autonomous vehicle to vehicle) communication is where the big leap will be. When cars can talk to each other and avoid each other, yet seamlessly flow through busy intersections with no need for stoplights, that will be a huge boon. Imagine cutting that 2-hour LA commute to 30 minutes. However, it will never work…

I use 3-n-1 oil on door hinges.

I bought my Ridgeline because i valued its utility and ride and drive qualities over appearance. It’s a truck you can take on a ten-hour interstate trip across the country and arrive refreshed, yet still carry 1500lbs payload and tow 5000lbs.

Actually, my Ridgeline (and well over 90% of the Ridgelines out there) is rated to tow 5000lbs. You’d have to get the 2wd Ridgeline to be limited to 3500lbs, and those are quite uncommon. Having said that, yes, many other mid-size trucks are rated at 3500lbs unless you get specific packages.

The most offroading i would do with a truck is the occasional fire trail or cattle pasture, so the Ridgeline handles that just fine. Technical off-roading? I sure wouldn’t use a $50k truck for that, let alone a $32k truck. Who does, except those with excessive disposable income? I would much rather use a SxS or a dirt…

I picked up a new Ridgeline RTL last month for $31,000. That’s a four door, V6, AWD, leather interior, heated power seats, moonroof and power rear slider, autostart, etc. Price included optional heated steering wheel and lighted running boards. Got 0.9% financing for 72 months.

Yes, the Ariel Atom was much better in the turns, but the Pro rider on the CBR was holding back and just toying with the Atom. He opened it up in the home stretch and left the Atom in the dust.

It gets the 9AT from the Titan, but loses the manual trans. I don’t think the auto trans will go a million miles like that guy in the news a couple days ago.

Were there any UFO sightings reported in the area when this guy did his testing?

Big kites are better.

So... scaled up, could this be a viable energy supply for terrestrial infrastructure like coastal cities? Or, say, Venice? Or all the coastal cities that will be like Venice once global climate change reaches critical mass?

I think Ram puts pretty nice front seats in their trucks. They have a reputation for nicest riding full-size trucks, and their front seats are cushy yet supportive. The back seats are still pretty bad, though.

Weren’t Chrysler Imperials the only cars ever banned from demolition derbies because they couldn’t be killed?  Apparently, only the car crusher could kill 'em...

This car would be perfect for me and the wife. I work five miles from home, and town/shopping is another five miles away. I’d say 85-90% of my commuting needs would be served by this car.

I’ll CP it. I’d feel better if it had a modern Honda 2.0T in it, tuned to around 350hp, with all working gauges, etc.

They had packaging figured out in those days. Even the spare tire fits upright in the trunk, along with all that luggage!

I’ll go one better. Make the bed the entire length of the truck chassis, then place a moveable cab on rails above the bed, to be moved to wherever it is best needed. This can be done with modern drive-by-wire technology.

Waiting for a good electric dirt bike...