2009 Honda Pilot, originally uploaded by tigerpaw511.
After trying to cram three kids (including their car seats) into the back of the Lexus IS, we came to the conclusion that a family friendly vehicle was needed.
After looking at all the different vehicles out there, we narrowed the selection down to the Ford Flex, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX9, and the Honda Pilot. The number one feature we were looking for was enough room for all the boys and the gear that accompanies them. While a minivan would meet this need, it is not an option for us, so don’t ask.
After pouring over pages of marketing material online from each of the manufacturers, we were able to eliminate the Ford Flex. I’m not a huge fan of Ford, but the Flex is first generation and I did not want to be an early adopter when it came to this purchase. After driving the other vehicles, we decided on the Honda Pilot. While I preferred the ride of the Highlander better, the Pilot definitely won due to it’s larger cabin and well utilized space for storage. Had the Highlander’s third-row been able to split, you might be looking at a picture of the Toyota above instead of the Honda.
Driving this is definitely a change from the small IS. But being a gadget guy, I really like all the bells and whistles in this vehicle. Rear seat entertainment system for the kids, voice controlled NAV and Bluetooth connectivity for my iPhone are just a few of the options that have provided me with a few hours of manual reading. Good stuff.
Although we would have liked to “Buy American”, I ‘m not exactly sure how to do that. Do I buy the GM that is made in Mexico or the Honda made in the US?
The final item that sealed the deal was the fact that the Pilot received the Top Safety Pick in it’s class.
As a fellow geek and Honda owner, I think you picked the right car for your needs. The thing I really like about the Pilot, or the one you got (i’m not sure if these are just options)… is the number of outlets you have available. And standard 2-prong AC outlets!
I wish I had these in the Element, I could use it to charge my laptop, camera which is something I find myself wanting to, or needing to do all the time.
Congratulations! I still love my Element and I think you guys will be really happy with the Pilot. Honda is simple on the surface but they pay attention to the details, like the wire management holes you pointed out. Subtle… but would you find that in a Ford? not likely.
Peace out.