3rd row recommendation vehicles?

Got my wife an older Pilot(2009) because it was well within my budget at the time. We have two kids , one is 4 other is almost 1 now. Both car seats are rather large but I didn’t want to skimp on a quality seat. Seems all the best car seats are huge.
Anyways the Honda seats 8 with the 3rd row having two seats with anchor point for a car seat. When we go places with the whole family (myself, wife, 2kids, my mom, and my little sister) the 4yr old and my little sister sit in the back and everyone in the car is comfortable, leg room and all. The 3rd row is definitely not ideal for adults though , but just fine for kids. And it folds completely flat leaving a ton of cargo space.
Also to note when I have both car seats in the second row( most of the time) an adult can still fit in between them and not be too uncomfortable.
 
Senorlechero said:
Can I ask what specifically you find better about the Pilot?
Click to expand...

Everything. Subjectively AND Objectively.

jqVMsw4l.png


Not the BEST video, but it's worth a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mu9Ie5FF1M

Another video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y0dRUUdxhU&t=200s

Like I mentioned, I've been studying both of them for a POSSIBLE purchase in the future. I've sat in both of them a number of times and I love the Pilot. I know the the Elite/Touring 2016 Transmission has some issues, but it is my understanding that Honda is "on it". Despite the objective data, the interior of the Highlander is "bland" to me. It's just generic. the outside styling is great however, but the Pilot makes me feel like I'm driving something expensive and hi tech. It's a Honda, it will last forever (just like Highlander). I know that is a matter of tastes. Again, the Highlander is a SOLID vehicle, but given the choice, I'd take the Pilot.
 
Got nothing against the Pilot, never even sat in one, but I was disappointed with the new exterior style they went with. I liked the previous gen a lot more. Now it blends in perfectly with the Pathfinder and other boring mini vans disguised as suvs. :D
 

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CookieRoe said:
Everything. Subjectively AND Objectively.

jqVMsw4l.png


Not the BEST video, but it's worth a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mu9Ie5FF1M

Another video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y0dRUUdxhU&t=200s

Like I mentioned, I've been studying both of them for a POSSIBLE purchase in the future. I've sat in both of them a number of times and I love the Pilot. I know the the Elite/Touring 2016 Transmission has some issues, but it is my understanding that Honda is "on it". Despite the objective data, the interior of the Highlander is "bland" to me. It's just generic. the outside styling is great however, but the Pilot makes me feel like I'm driving something expensive and hi tech. It's a Honda, it will last forever (just like Highlander). I know that is a matter of tastes. Again, the Highlander is a SOLID vehicle, but given the choice, I'd take the Pilot.
Click to expand...


:cheers:

Just a heads up, the Highlander got a redesign for 2017, new engine with more HP than what is listed there, it's also larger than the 2016.
 
I'm also wondering about the 3rd row. I'm going on Wednesday to pick up either a 2018 SR5 with 3rd row or a trd offroad. My wife is pregnant so we will only have the one child in it so I don't know if its even necessary to get the 3rd row but its seems like a nice option.
 
Senorlechero said:
:cheers:

Just a heads up, the Highlander got a redesign for 2017, new engine with more HP than what is listed there, it's also larger than the 2016.
Click to expand...

The present Highlander (3rd gen) has been around since 2013. It has gotten a few refreshes and 2017 was such a year, but it's the same body/chassis. More room? Most likely not. New powerplant? Yes, absolutely. Even with the very modest refresh of 2017 and new engine, it doesn't sway me.

For those wondering about room in the 3rd row, I'm 5'5" and feel cramped in the Highlander. In the Pilot, more room. The roof in the Honda is higher (just look at exterior pictures).

Not directed at anyone, but Toyota fans will love the Highlander and Honda fans will love the Pilot. I usually go for whatever is best in terms of numbers/style/safety/reliability. I want to love the highlander (my sister has one, a 2nd gen), but Honda's offering is what it is.

Can't go wrong with either one.
 
CookieRoe said:
The present Highlander (3rd gen) has been around since 2013. It has gotten a few refreshes and 2017 was such a year, but it's the same body/chassis. More room? Most likely not. New powerplant? Yes, absolutely. Even with the very modest refresh of 2017 and new engine, it doesn't sway me.

For those wondering about room in the 3rd row, I'm 5'5" and feel cramped in the Highlander. In the Pilot, more room. The roof in the Honda is higher (just look at exterior pictures).

Not directed at anyone, but Toyota fans will love the Highlander and Honda fans will love the Pilot. I usually go for whatever is best in terms of numbers/style/safety/reliability. I want to love the highlander (my sister has one, a 2nd gen), but Honda's offering is what it is.

Can't go wrong with either one.
Click to expand...

It's not the same body, 2017 got a bigger body 2" longer, and the engine is at 292 HP.

I'm not trying to convince you the Highlander is better, but you're looking at flawed info as far as specs go.
 
Senorlechero said:
It's not the same body, 2017 got a bigger body 2" longer, and the engine is at 292 HP.

I'm not trying to convince you the Highlander is better, but you're looking at flawed info as far as specs go.
Click to expand...

Ok, gotcha. So from :

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/toyota/highlander/interior

"Although the 2017's dimensions are identical to last year's, there's a change in the seating area that makes the Highlander more flexible: an additional 1.4 inches of forward and back travel for the sliding second row. Not only does this make the third row easier to access, it also offers extra third-row legroom that was sorely lacking in the previous year's model. I set the driver's seat in my driving position (I'm almost 6 feet tall) and moved the second-row seat forward as far as possible while still giving my knees space. When I jumped back into the third row, I was pleasantly surprised — it felt like there was more room than in the previous-generation Highlander. There is still a high floor, which elevates your knees a bit, so I still wouldn't recommend the third row to a grown-up for a road trip." -- Cars.com

Interesting, I had no idea.
 
CookieRoe said:
Ok, gotcha. So from :

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/toyota/highlander/interior

"Although the 2017's dimensions are identical to last year's, there's a change in the seating area that makes the Highlander more flexible: an additional 1.4 inches of forward and back travel for the sliding second row. " -- Cars.com

Interesting, I had no idea.
Click to expand...

That info is incorrect, exterior dimensions of the 2016 Highlander are 191"x76"x68" exterior dimensions of the 2017 Highlander are 193"x76"x68" the car itself is 2" longer.
 
I bought a 2018 4runner SR5 premium with a 3rd row about a month ago and I absolutely love it. We had trouble finding a used 4runner with a 3rd row that was affordable so we bought new. Camping/surfing trips are much easier now. We have two kids and now we are able to take their friends with us on excursions where we had to take 2 cars before.

I thought the Highlander would be small for the camping we do. I looked at the Pilot and liked it, but it actually seemed a little big. The 4runner is just right for me and it's easier to parallel park than my Camry was believe it or not.
 
AndyPDX said:
I bought a 2018 4runner SR5 premium with a 3rd row about a month ago and I absolutely love it. We had trouble finding a used 4runner with a 3rd row that was affordable so we bought new. Camping/surfing trips are much easier now. We have two kids and now we are able to take their friends with us on excursions where we had to take 2 cars before.

I thought the Highlander would be small for the camping we do. I looked at the Pilot and liked it, but it actually seemed a little big. The 4runner is just right for me and it's easier to parallel park than my Camry was believe it or not.
Click to expand...

Glad my thread was your first post =) -- Welcome to T4R
 
I just picked up a 2016 CPO 4runner with a third row.

And we christened it with a drive from Parker to Garden of the Gods with 6 adults / teens and everyone had enough room.
 
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