Yea, I saw that as well, bad technique. I think Toyota used a variant of a forklift transmission in our 3rd Generation 4runner. Again, engineering. Stop go, stop go, it just makes sense for a utility truck.
You're not going to hurt a wet clutch based system by stopping and going. You can do that all day long; hell, pick up a postal route if you'd like. You'll be fine.
You'll heat it up by doing that on an inclined, variable traction surface with brief elevation changes at very low speeds; basically, precisely what he was doing. The vehicle warned him to stop, and looked to be fine after it cooled off.
Most of their tests are bullshit, in the end. This one is more irritating, though, because I'd really like to have heard Honda or the dealership's response, which I guarantee would be the same: Don't drive it off-pavement like a kid wearing out his first clutch.
The problem they've caused is creating a video that will be widely viewed, that people with low attention spans and poor comprehension will take as gospel, seemingly asserting with authority that the Ridgeline craps out completely off-pavement, which is nonsense.
They didn't even crack the manual to read the notes to the viewers. It's just plain bad reporting, and they're trying too hard to be Top Gear. If I was in charge of whatever department Honda uses for such things, I'd take another Ridgeline right out there, teach him how to drive, and then
watch that test performed and filmed again.
Cheers,
Kennith
