Quick Spin: The Honda Rugged Open Air Vehicle (ROAV) concept

Jeff Glucker

/comment

Comments

Honda created some buzz at the 2018 SEMA show. The automaker pulled the wraps back on a unique side-by-side concept. It was one part Ridgeline, one part Pioneer 1000. But it was all parts intriguing and bad ass. Called the Rugged Open Air Vehicle concept, the Honda ROAV piqued our interests and we wanted to learn more.

Well, we finally got the chance to do just that.

Honda invited us to its proving grounds in in the middle of Bury You In The Desert Forever, California. There we got some seat time in the Honda Talon (which we’ve driven and love), the Passport (which we hadn’t driven, and are now extremely impressed with), and the ROAV.

First Drive: Honda Talon 1000R and 1000X

We were supposed to take it easy on the concept vehicle. It has a few rapid prototyped parts, it’s one of a kind, and a few other folks have to show up and drive it this week. The first time we put a wheel in the dirt, the program manager John Barlow told us to ignore the PR and Marketing team and to put the throttle to the floor. And that we did.

The ROAV responds like a heavy side-by-side, which is to say it’s fine but it’s clearly a project. Still, it’s 3.5-liter engine is throaty and responsive and it easily dispatches the fine silty dirt of the California desert. It’s no match for the nimble Talon, but it’s no intended to be. This is an exercise in what’s possible using existing Honda parts, team know-how, and some quickly whipped up extra bits. The finished conceptual product is a joy-inducing desert toy with which we’d love to spend all day playing.

If Honda can find a middle ground between its two-door Talon and a four-door ROAV scaled down a bit, we’d be on board. Keep the travel and insanity of the Talon but add in room for four? Yes please!

Regardless, kudos to Honda (and specifically Barlow) for letting us mash the throttle on a real-deal concept.

About

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 64 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here

6 responses to “Quick Spin: The Honda Rugged Open Air Vehicle (ROAV) concept”

  1. Ol' Shel' Avatar
    Ol’ Shel’

    I was really hoping to find one of those ‘talk-about-anything-you-want’ posts today, but since I didn’t, here it goes:

    I have an opportunity to deliver a car from nearby me, to a guy (that I don’t know) 1500 miles away. I would do so using my truck and trailer, while on my way to another destination. I’m clearly not a professional at this, but have trailered a number of cars.

    He doesn’t want to pay anything up front. I asked for half. See, if he refuses to pay upon delivery, I’d have to go to small claims court, which would be impossible for me. I can’t keep his car; the cops would be all too happy to arrest me for grand theft. I’m looking for the best way to minimize everyone’s risk.

    Any ideas?

    Reply
    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      Oof that’s a tough one. I’d decline if he doesn’t want to pay something up front… that’s too sketchy.

      Reply
    2. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      I agree with Jeff– given it’d be a handshake agreement without a down payment, that’d be too sketchy for me, too.
      Perhaps you could suggest a more modest deposit that would cover your travel expenses (fuel, etc.) for a round trip, and get an agreement in writing for the service you intend to provide, with the stipulation that refusal to pay in full upon delivery will result in the return of the car to the original location and loss of deposit. That way, you’d at least be invulnerable from criminal accusation and you won’t be out much except your time. If you have to temporarily off-load the car to complete another job, then so be it.
      I’m not an inherently distrustful person, but some people are simply unscrupulous and will screw you for their own benefit.

      Reply
      1. Ol' Shel' Avatar
        Ol’ Shel’

        Thanks, Jeff, Zen!

        I’ve suggested that he pay 1/3 to 1/2 after I have proven to him I’ve taken possession of the car. At that point, he’s covered by law, and I’ll at least have my expenses covered. I hate what money does to human beings. Thanks for your input. It’s really appreciated.

        Reply
        1. Lokki Avatar
          Lokki

          Ol’ Shel’ –

          Can you tell us how all this worked out, please?

          Thanks

          Reply
  2. Zentropy Avatar
    Zentropy

    This is an interesting build, and I don’t want to detract from the impressive engineering efforts that created it in such a short time. Sometimes concepts are fun just for the hell of it, and that’s good enough. However, considering what’s already available, ROAV doesn’t seem very innovative or groundbreaking. The Polaris RZR would be more fun as a 4-seater weekend toy, and the Jeep Gladiator is a more realistic and practical everyday vehicle. The ROAV is really too big to be as fun as a side-by-side, and too impractical to daily– it’s like Honda decided how to combine the less desirable features into one rig.

    If instead, Honda had applied the ROAV suspension work to the production Ridgeline (or Passport), then the experiment might have actually been marketable. A “mild Raptorization” of the Ridgeline would sell well, I think. I don’t dismiss the Honda pickup simply because it lacks a truck frame, but its Pilot/Odyssey front styling doesn’t do it justice, and an off-road package would be welcome. Other manufacturers also apply shared family styling to their vehicles, but they tend to have a sleeker look for cars/crossovers and a more rugged one for trucks. And while many pickups are almost cartoonishly over-masculinized, Honda could mildly beef up the appearance of the Ridgeline without going over-the-top.

    Reply