gerry100

Appreciate the inputs on the Element, but I'm also considering a more Heavy duty SUV, used of course.

Toyota 4runners seem to be the gold standard in the used market but the Honda Pilot is a direct competitor.

Any thoughts/opinions here? TIA

FISH22

I'm a bit biased, because I've owned nothing but Hondas over the last 14 years...

We bought a 2010 Pilot EX-L last year. We upgraded from a 2002 CRV. We LOVE the Pilot. Like seriously love it. It's a big vehicle for being "mid-sized". A couple people in my family have some 4Runners, and they're always surprised by how big the Pilot is on the inside. The third row actually has some decent room too. I would recommend getting a 09+ for the newer body. I have been in some of the older ones, and they are a bit cramped.

We bought the 2WD being that we never see snow down here. But during a trip up north to visit family, I was extremely surprised with how well it drove in the snow for being big and FWD. The traction control system operated flawlessly. This is now our vehicle that we use to drive to Chicago every once in a while, which is about a 17 hour drive one way. The Pilot is extremely comfy, rides quietly and smoothly, and the engine has plenty of grunt/torque.

JonBoy

4Runner if you're going to do any serious off-road driving or heavier towing as it's far better in those regards. Otherwise, Pilot is the far better choice for "typical" day-to-day use. Better ride, more room (especially in the back), cheaper to buy and just as reliable. It's built more for on-road driving and it shows. The 4Runner is more "truckish".

marthafokker

I thought the Pilot's direct competitor to Toyota is the Highlander, not 4Runner.

Honda does not have a 4Runner equivalent... ie. body on frame SUV.

hyperpm

Bought 09 EXL 2WD new. First model year for latest body style. It's our go to everywhere car and will probably keep it forever.

Good:

• Roomy and wide for midsize SUV.
• Can fit 3 Britax car seats in middle row meaning it's a full 3 person 2nd row where an adult can actually sit between the 2 car seats. Also seats 3 adults in 3rd row but only 2 car seats not 3 like 2nd row.
• Handles surprisingly well and corners pretty flat. Very secure handling and no float.
• 20-21 mpg mixed driving.
• Rearview mirror has built in camera.
• Stock system and speakers/sub pretty good.
• Strong HVAC
• Heated seats
• Turning radius
• Feels like there is more than advertised hp and torque since it goes effortlessly even when packed with luggage/people.

Bad:

• Road noise. Our model supposedly has acoustic windshield but road noise still comes through compared to other cars/suvs I've driven. Ok on smooth roads.
• Tire noise(even new quiet touring tires). Ok on smooth roads.
• Not as comfortable as highlander(too floaty) or cx9(just right).
• Interior pieces scratch easy especially cargo area in rear.
• Leather feels and looks like hard vinyl.
• Front compliance bushings cracked(liguid filled). Caused both front shocks to wear sooner. Dealer replaced compliance bushings and right front shock. Had friend replace all shocks(all shocks were worn less than 60k miles especially rear). New models I believe are solid rubber and no longer liquid filled. Some posts online show compliance bushings crack less than 60k miles or eventually fail.
  
  http://repairpal.com/is-it-common-fo...-43k-miles-390
  
• Sparkplug misfire(TSB), fix was to replace sparkplugs and throttle body clean at 70k miles.

thyawi

When we found out we were expecting eight months ago, we went car shopping for my wife. We tested the Toyota Highlander and 4Runner, Ford Explorer, and the Honda Pilot and CRV. After a couple of weeks of dealer hopping and test drives we narrowed it down to the Pilot and Highlander. We only looked at the Ford because I get a small discount through my employer but the Explorer failed to impress us at all. On a side note, the salesman would not let me test drive the Focus ST...I don't know why.... We were going to pay cash on whatever we settled on and the guy looked at me like I was going to wreck his precious ST.
I really, really liked the 4Runner for its power, space and comfort. But, it was about $5k out of our price range. The Highlander rode well and was comfortable but is much smaller on the inside compared to the Pilot. The CRV was just too tiny for our needs.

We settled on the Pilot for several reasons:

• We were going to keep the car for a long time and we are planning on 3-5 kids. My in-laws are in town and the Pilot comfortably seats eight which includes a baby seat in the middle of the second row.
• While we do not have anything to tow now, a small boat may be in our future. Our trim line comes with an oil cooler and is rated for 5,000lbs. Not truck territory but enough for the occasional tow duty.
• AWD. My wife could not drive in the snow in her old car, an S60 fwd. At all. She ran down three stop signs in one outing.
• Reliability. Although I am sure Toyotas are just as reliable, just never owned a Toyota.

We ended up getting a 2012 Pilot EX-L CPO with 9k miles with an extended seven year warranty. We did not get leather seats or nav. The standard audio setup is more than enough for my wife. The Bluetooth is standard and is easy to use. Plenty of knick-knack storage throughout the cabin. Oil change is very easy, do not need a jack. I only have one small complaint. I cannot fit a baby stroller in the back if all eight seats are used. My in-laws are in town for the next month and I have to take all four wheels off of the stroller to be able to fit it in the trunk area. It is a very minor complaint because our normal family size is three and we usually keep the back seats folded down. A big plus and as the others have posted, each row has ample leg room.

It really depends on what you are looking for but we have put 8,000 miles on the car and plan on keeping it for a long time!

boostaddict712

MDX ftw. It's a pilot w/ style.

FISH22

Great points posted above. It really is a great handling vehicle for it's size. As for tire noise, we had the OE Goodyears switched out for Michelins at about 30k miles. The ride became MUCH better and quieter. I think the 12+ Pilots got the Michelins from the factory, and they also went down in size from 245s to 235s for 2012.

I do wish there was more room for a rear facing seat in the second row. Our son is almost 2 years old, and he's in a forward facing seat which fits great. But we just had our second child last week, and the rear facing seat is a little tricky being place behind the driver or passenger seat. When I son was younger, we could fit the rear facing seat in the center of the second row, and actually still have full range of adjustments on both front seats. I might try putting the rear facing seat in the center again, but not sure if it'll fit next to his seat.

@thyawi, you mentioned that you got an EX-L, but no leather? The EX-L comes with leather, sunroof, heated seats, and I think a few other things.

FISH22

We borrowed a 2009 MDX for a couple days before we bought our Pilot. Amazing SUV... Sounds fantastic (very NSX-like), handles extremely well, and just looks awesome. BUT, the interior size difference between the two is tremendous. The 3rd row in the MDX is a joke. I'm not even sure how people get back there. The 2009 MDX interior felt a tad bit bigger than our 2002 CRV.

s.hasan546

I just got a '13 Pilot for my work truck. Love it. Already put 4000 miles on it in 1 1/2 months. Got $4000 off of msrp on a EX-L. Way bigger inside than i thought it would be. Comes with more standard stuff than a similarly priced explorer (even though i liked the exterior looks of the explorer better)