It is down to either the Honda Odyssey or the Honda Pilot, both used, both 6 cylinder, Od is FWD and Pilot is AWD. Mostly short distances in the city, but we love to tent camp in remote places. All the people will fit. We plan to drive it to Yellowstone, Idaho and Montana, so lower gas mileage vs. rough terrain in mountains. Help us pick!
The Odyssey won. The Pilot seemed to be the same size as the Subaru Outback in the back for packing, and we wanted to be able to haul even more stuff. I have peaked into the new Toyota Highlander, which comes with the optional aisle in the second row. Maybe when that is used for a few years, we'll switch to that. Thanks for the advice. The most important point was the difficulty in moving the second row to get to the third row.
My husband loves his Pilot - it's more SUV like.
I'd like an Odyssey - it's more minivan like.
The big difference for me is I like 2nd row captains chairs that you can recline - the kids (or who ever rides back there) can lay back a bit and get comfortable rather than be in a fixed position which gets old on a long trip.
You don't get that in Pilot.
I LOVE my odyssey...
period...
Have had it for years now..
Do NOT want to 'jinx ' it for me...but has seen me through the last 'round' of kiddos...and I love...LOVE it!!
**prior to this, it was a dodge ram 15 passenger van** (have 7 kids)
Did I say I love it??
I don't know how I could live without automatic doors ever again. They save my life, daily!
Is this a permanent purchase or a rental?
If it's a permanent purchase, I would go with the Odyssey. I have one.
The Pilot is nice. But lacks leg space in the back when the 3rd row is up.
Pilot, I guess...would never vote for a mini-van:)
I just got my first minivan (Toyota Sienna) after being an SUV mom forever and I LOVE it!! I will go back to an suv someday, but not with a busy kid/dog in tow!
I will admit that the AWD is very tempting in the midwest, though!
I absolutely LOVE my Odyssey.
BUT...
it's not super great in snowy conditions. I wish, wish, wish my Odyssey had AWD. Other than that, it's perfect. The space is great, we can all spread out. The automatic doors and tailgate are awesome. I really do love it!
Just that AWD issue...
My son and daughter in law have a 2 year old and 5 year old. They had a 2013 Pilot, but for the children's car seats, it was very difficult for them to get in and out. The doors on my CRV opened much wider than the Pilot. My grandson could not get in and out of car seat without help after the buckles were off. He could in my CRV. Somehow a space issue with the Pilot. They just traded it off for a Mercedes SUV.
I'd vote for the Odyssey.
Def the odyssey, and maybe the prior poster had a much older version, but I just took a 5000 mile three week road trip and averaged 32.8 mpg, which is excellent and better than an SUV will get you.
Get the VIN for each one and get your insurance agent to give you a quote on each...it could be a huge difference and that may help you decide. Good luck.
We bought our Highlander in Feb 2013, and we were looking between that and the Pilot. What sold us on the Highlander was the Toyota dealership is 10 minutes from home and the Honda one is 45...convenience, and some other reasons.
If it's between the two, I'd go Pilot. I will never voluntarily drive a minivan :).
Since you live in MI where I presume it snows a lot and will use for vacations with rough terrain, I would go with the AWD. Good luck and congrats on the new car either way!
You don't mention ages of your kiddos but if they are young, as in carseats, strollers, etc, then I'd opt for the Odyssey. Not having to worry about them door-dinging the car next to you and your being able to step inside the van while you buckle them in are considerations. Also lifting the stroller into a lower profile vehicle is easier.
I've owned a Pilot for 7 years and if something happened to it, I'd go buy another in a heartbeat. Prior to the Pilot, I drove a Nissan Quest van. One thing we discovered (after we bought the Pilot) was that my daughter got carsick on curvy roads. We had driven those same roads in the van and never had a problem- I guess because the van was lower to the ground, you didn't feel the sway as much. The van also got better mileage and could hold more cargo. We solved that by buying a "roof poof" bag that we use for camping trips when we need more space.
Ultimately, you will be happy with either choice. Have a good trip in your new car!
AWD is far superior to FWD in snow, etc.
Have you driven them both? I did when I was looking for a new car last year, and while I loved the Pilot, I didn't like how big it was and how I couldn't see very well. I LOVED the Odyssey, but minivans just don't have a great consumer reports rating, although this is the best one out there. Gas is going to be better in the van, but I don't know about going camping in it. I don't think that helped, sorry.
I'd vote for the Pilot!! I had an Odyssey and the gas mileage was 17 mpg.
I am very impressed with the Honda Pilot and how much space there is in the back seat and a lot of the features it has. Haven't ever been in an Honda Odyssey.
My vote is for the pilot because I had one and LOVED it, but just traded it in for a subaru outback for better gas and just a smaller ride. I do miss my pilot horribly. The only thing that would make me choose the odyssey would be how many kids I have and how much I would use the 3rd row. I only used the 3rd row on occasion with company and the kids friends. It isn't very comfortable to be a constant seat to be used. The leg room is quite small and I found it harder for adults to get in and out of the back row. But I do love the AWD that is huge for me here in Colorado. If you aren't planning on using the 3rd row all the time my pick is the pilot.
Just bought a Pilot and LOVE it. Holds its value, great Consumer Reports reviews. I like that it sits high, handles well, and has a smooth ride. I feel like it was made for me, it's that comfortable to drive. Can't comment on space/room comparison as I never considered an Odyssey. Husband can't stand anything that resembles a minivan so that was a no go option.
We have the Odyssey and love it, but a friend recently bought the Toyota Sienna since it has AWD. I wish we could more easily travel in the snow, but other than that, we love our Odyssey.
