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The 2017 Honda Ridgeline's innovative bed

Today most truck makers put their emphasis on high-zoot comfy interiors, towing bragging rights, and macho styling (aka my grille's bigger than yours). The "work area," aka the "bed," for the most part, is often an afterthought. Yeah, there have been improvements, but they've come slowly; and frankly most to date have not been very innovative and/or have been poorly executed. A thinking man's truck Since the very first Ridgeline was introduced, and now with the new 2017 model, Honda has done a lot of serious thinking when it comes to the bed – how it's used, and how to make it even more user-friendly. For the most part great ideas abound, while some like the in-bed audio system seem really silly. The two-way tailgate is flat-out brilliant, even if the idea was borrowed from 1970s Detroit station wagons. Other trucks offer optional bumper steps, fold-out steps, or a tailgate step to aid bed access. Good ideas for sure, but Honda's swing-out tailgate solution is so simple and so elegant it hurts; plus it's standard. The Ridgeline's ability to lay 4x8 building material flat on the floor of the bed is a no-brainer, especially for someone who likes to do home projects; yet Honda is the only mid-size truck to offer that capability. The storage trunk in the bed is another super idea – most of the time. Is it perfect? Nope. Some say accessing the bed trunk with a load of mulch is a problem. No argument there, so you plan ahead. Same with accessing the spare tire; it could be a BIG problem with a loaded bed. Then again, how often do you see a Harry Homeowner truck with a loaded bed? The odds are, if you're going to get a flat tire, most likely the bed will be empty. If not, well then you must have angered the gods. Speaking of flat tires, Honda blew it big time here by giving the Ridgeline a temporary spare tire. no truck should ever have a temp tire; full-size spare all the way, baby! No way do I want to have to use a temp tire while carrying a load or towing a trailer. Hopefully they will offer a full-service spare as an option. The funny thing is, the previous model sold in Mexico came with a full-size spare standard. From what I've heard, the reason the American-spec model comes with a temp tire is to save weight; and Honda will do anything to save weight, to improve EPA mileage ratings, even if it's unwise for real-world conditions.

Major automakers post mixed US June sales figures

General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV posted declines in US new vehicle sales for June on Monday, while major Japanese automakers reported stronger figures. Once again, demand for pickup trucks and crossovers offset a decline in sedan sales. Automakers' shares rose as overall industry sales still came in above Wall Street expectations. The US auto industry is bracing for a downturn after hitting a record 17.55 million new vehicles sold in 2016. Analysts had predicted that overall, US vehicle sales would fall in June for the fourth consecutive month. As the market has shown signs of cooling, automakers have hiked discounts and loosened lending terms. Car shopping website Edmunds said on Monday the average length of a car loan reached an all-time high of 69.3 months in June. "It's financially risky, leaving borrowers exposed to being upside down on their vehicles for a large chunk of their loans," said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds' executive director of industry analysis. GM said its sales fell about 5 percent versus June 2016, but that the industry would see stronger sales in the second half of 2017 versus the first half. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." GM shares were up 2.4 percent in morning trading, while Ford rose 3.3 percent and FCA shares jumped 6 percent. "US total sales are moderating due to an industry-wide pullback in daily rental sales, but key US economic fundamentals clearly remain positive," said GM chief economist Mustafa Mohatarem. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." Ford said its sales for June were hit by lower fleet sales to rental agencies, businesses, and government entities, which fell 13.9 percent, while sales to consumers were flat. But it sold a record 406,464 SUVs in the first half of the year, with Explorer sales increasing 23 percent in June. And sales of the F-150 had their strongest June since 2001. On a media call, Ford executives said an initial read of automakers' sales figures indicated a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of around 17 million new vehicles for the month, which would be better than 16.6 million units analysts had predicted. FCA said June sales decreased 7 percent versus the same month a year earlier.

eBay Find of the Day: 1985 Honda City Turbo II is JDM forbidden fruit you can own

It's always fun to cruise different global eBay Motors sites and check out the cars that we never got here. Thankfully, America's 25-year import limit on cars means that some of the rarities from the 80s are finally legal on these shores. This 1985 Honda City Turbo II is a great example of a fun, little car that we never got new but can be made legal here now.
The City was basically the Japanese company's '80s equivalent of today's Fit, albeit significantly smaller. The little urban runabout was so popular in its basic form that Honda decided to take things up a notch and turbocharge it. That car sold enough to warrant an even higher performance version called the Turbo II, which added an intercooler and the flared fenders you see here. The latter helped it earn the nickname "bulldog" for its boxy, aggressive appearance.
Honda claimed at the time that its little 1.2-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder produced 109 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque with a five-speed manual. In a car that weight just 1,620 pounds, you can imagine it was a very entertaining little package.