Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Honda Pilot 2009 with Infants/Kids

sidb989sidb989 Member Posts: 12
edited April 2014 in Honda
Hi

I am in the market to buy a new car and I really like the Honda Pilot 2009. We have a 2 yr old and another on the way. We really like our next vehicle to be a SUV and looking for suggestions and tips. I am comparing this with Honda Odyssey.

Can anyone let us know if Pilot would be a little hard to get two kids in and out of the Pilot and also having passengers in the third row seat? Would I have remove the car seats in order for the third row seat passenger to get in and out?

Any tips/suggestions would be great.

Thanks

Comments

  • brob68brob68 Member Posts: 6
    When we had our third child we knew we needed another vehicle, so our parents let us borrow their 2006 Pilot for a few months. This is pretty much the same vehicle as the 09. The third row seat is really ment for children or small nimble adults. To get in, you have to lean AND slide the second row seat forward so yes, you would have to remove any car seat in the second row. Also, this is not a sliding door, you have to step up high and bend down low to get in the back. If you plan on taking the grandparents with you the third row is NOT for them.

    With the third row in place, storage is very limited. You can fit a single stroller, but not a double, and with a stroller back there you can forget about any kind of luggage. Even going for groceries was a challenge.

    With the third row down there is plenty of room for luggage, strollers or whatever.

    The one trip we took with the grandparents we had to put a luggage carrier on the roof.

    Because of this, we decided to go with the Odyssey. Space and passenger comfort is no longer an issue. I still have 2 in diapers. With both car seats in the middle row I simply removed the center seat this way my passengers can walk around and up the asile to the rear seat.
    When I first considered a minivan I thought of it as a "necessary evil" since we were not "minivan" people, but now a year later I don't see how i could have done without it.
    If you have your heart set on the Pilot, I think it is a very good vehicle, but consider the long term......children only get bigger, and so does their stuff.

    Are you sure you'll only have 2 kids.........we thought we were done too......oops!
  • sidb989sidb989 Member Posts: 12
    Thanks so much for your reply...exactly the information I was looking for and kind of expecting...we currently own a Murano and lease is ending next month...so we were just shopping...we want the car to be practical enough for some years with the kids....just never thought I would have to be a minivan person....

    I am also thinking Nissan Quest and VW Routan...let me know if you did any comparisons and why you choose Odessey.

    :)
  • brob68brob68 Member Posts: 6
    I never liked the looks of the Nissan and never really considered the VW. The Sienna was a close second and about the same price. If you read the posts the Toyota claims to have a smoother ride while Honda has better handling, which I prefer. The option packages on the Odyssey were also more to my liking.

    I also considered the Grand Caravan, but after renting one in Florida I felt it was very noisy.
  • joemama33joemama33 Member Posts: 26
    You did know the Routan is essentially a re-badged, pimped Dodge Caravan, right? :lemon:
  • tbt2tbt2 Member Posts: 3
    I just got rid of a Dodge Grand Caravan to buy a 2009 Pilot. I will never buy another Dodge vehicle- we had nothing but problems out of that van. I bought it because I needed something affordable with a third row- but never liked the Mini-van look & feel. We have two children and carpool.
    I love my Pilot - I have one in a booster still but no car seats. The 09 supposedly has more room in the third row and I took three 12 year olds on a long trip in the third row with no problem. Two car seats can fit in the second row if one can go in the middle and you won't have to move it get in third row as one seat is split and moves independently. If you need one on each side however it would be a hassle. But overall this is a great family car and I am averaging 22-23 mpg for each trip which is more than half city stop and go traffic.
    Good luck with your search-
  • lmartilmarti Member Posts: 16
    I've also heard that the 2009 versions are bigger.

    I'm in a similar situation. My oldest will be 3 yo when our second is born.
    I want a car that we can grow into but that's not a beast to drive around. Our 3rd row would mostly be for when my moms in town (2-3x a year) or when we want to pile in our friends to go to dinner/etc. (again, doesn't happen often). I don't ever foresee us going on long trips with people in the third row. Therefore, I'm not too overly concerned about tons of space in the rear. Therefore, we've been looking at the Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, Volvo XC90, Subaru Tribeca. We also checked out a Hyundai Santa Fe (not the veracruz) b/c again, I'd prefer not to drive around in a huge car all day when I won't need all that space all the time.

    No matter how much I try, I can't talk myself into a minivan.

    Right now, my favorite to drive has been the CX-9, but I'm in love with the XC90, just don't like the price tag. Just checked out the Pilot this weekend but haven't test driven it so I'm not sure if it'll make the cut.
  • tbt2tbt2 Member Posts: 3
    Everyone I know with an Odyssey loves it so I think it will be a good choice but I hated having a minivan. Didn't look at the Mazda but did drive the Highlander, Edge, XL-7, Enclave (which is soo expensive) and the Volvo. My friend has the XC90 and has not been pleased with it.. She doesn't get the gas mileage that I get in my Pilot. We have the EXL with the DVD- it has all of the options- sunroof, leather, back-up camera, everything but the navigation package. We got a great deal ( it was cheaper than the Vera Cruz). My husband says I am a snob because I didn't want the Hyundai but I had an an Accord for years and it was the best car we have owned so I wanted a Honda. We have been really pleased with it. I use my third seat quite a but but it lays flat when you need the cargo space. I have heard lots of complaints about the boxy shape redesign but I like it and it does have more room than earlier models. I feel very safe in it as well -
This discussion has been closed.