| 2bz |
I'm contemplating making the switch from an 06 Odyssey to an '09 Pilot. Anyone out there done this?
I have 3yo twins so the van has been fantastic. But I'd like to get something with 4wd and some ground clearance.
My questions would center around the loss of space and the sliding doors. If anyone has any experience good or bad, I'd love to hear it. |
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| jl_ss |
| We went from an AWD Sienna to the Pilot because of several unresolved issues with the Sienna. That was 70k miles/3 years ago and the wife still says she misses the Sienna and would be first in line if Honda came out with an AWD Ody. Our local Toyota dealer is incompetent, so another Sienna was not an option. |
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| CalPi |
| Im not sure if this is relevant, but we went from a 1995 Ody to a 2005 Pilot and its nice, althogh we still have The Odyssey |
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| mgbabe |
We went from an '01 Ody EX with aftermarket rear DVD/TV to an '06 Pilot EX-L RES. Although the Ody was great for long distance driving vacations - can pack a lot of stuff in there and still take the 5 of us, now that we have a cottage we don't go as far and the AWD is great in the winter. Plus it still carries a lot of stuff since we can still sit 3 across the middle bench and there is a ton of room in the back. (We have pack it to the roof many times taking stuff up to the cottage) With the '99-'04 Ody, the 3rd row bench doesn't split so we always had to travel with all seats up, thus eating up some room.
Also the Pilot (IMHO) is a much more luxurious vehicle with a much more carlike interior. In the Ody, you know you are driving a van. Having said that, you do feel the heft and the high centre of gravity of the Pilot - the Ody did handle better. Nevertheless, my wife does prefer driving the Pilot.
We have also bought a boat this year and I think that the Pilot would be much better for towing it than the Ody. (AWD, factory towing package, 4500 lb limit for boats)
A year before we traded it in, we did have the Ody's transmission replaced, (under warranty) so I was not too keen on keeping the Ody for too long since I had heard of some going thru 2 or 3 trannys.
Anyway we don't regret the switch at all. |
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| youbetcha |
We have a Pilot and a Sienna. No question, Sienna is more convenient with kids. Really, though the difference isn't night and day, just a little less convenient.
If you are going have a THIRD kid, don't put the Pilot on your short list, it would be unlivable, IMHO, with carseats and third-row access. So just make sure you get "the surgery" if you get the Pilot.
Other than that, one inconvenience is that you'll be helping the kids get up into the Pilot until they are about 3 1/2 feet tall. When you go for a test drive, make sure you bring the kids. Temporary problem, though.
Tiny thing: our minivan lets you control rear temp from the driver seat. Our Pilot has a rear temp control but kids can't reach it, so the feature is worthless with kids in the back. |
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| mikey159 |
quote:
Originally posted by 2bz
I'm contemplating making the switch from an 06 Odyssey to an '09 Pilot. Anyone out there done this?
I have 3yo twins so the van has been fantastic. But I'd like to get something with 4wd and some ground clearance.
My questions would center around the loss of space and the sliding doors. If anyone has any experience good or bad, I'd love to hear it.
We did it in '04 and have not looked back at all. We had an '00 Ody and got a card in the mail saying they would give us $1,000 over Blue Book and we went in to see if they reall ywould. They did, after some negoitiating over the tires, and we love the Pilot. The Ody had LOTS of room but my oldest was in college and the youngest was a sophomore in highschool. I knew he would be driving soon, the older one already had a car, so we didn't the daily room anymore. We have learned to pack less for trips, the places we go have washers and dryers so my wife has figured out we can do laundry there. I do like the split 2nd row in the Pilot, we normally fold down the 3rd row, it is almost never up anymore, and we fold down the 2nd row when we pack the fishing poles etc. The Pilot has leather, heated seats, my says all of our new cars will have that in the future. Also affecting the decision was that my college son had taken my 4wd pickup away so we needed a 4wd vehicle because my wife was one of those people that HAD to go to work, even if it snowed. She no longer does that, but I would still by a 4wd for the days when it does snow. I live near DC and the drivers here are TERRIBLE in the snow. Sometimes they just stop in the middle of the road and walk!! Anyway back to the Ody/Pilot decision...yes do it, you will love the Pilot. For gas mileage, mine is a bit less with the Pilot but it is worth it. I still get 20mpg at 75mph on cruise control. I have almost 50,000 miles on it now and just replaced the original tires. I have also had the Dealer do all the work on the Pilot. They even do the State Inspections for free, so they do that too. |
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| dewijaro |
| I have a 3yo and a 8mo, I wouldn't trade our Pilot for and Ody any day. Even when we need to haul 6 pass., we fold up part of the third seat and put our 3yo back there and she loves it! We open the tailgate and let her climb into her seat and it's pretty easy to buckle her from the tailgate. In march we watched my three neices and nephew (totaling 5 kids with my two, 5,3,3,1,3mo) we were able to buckle all the carseats in and still had room for one more passenger in the second row seat. We test drove 4 ody's before we test drove a pilot, the pilot drives way better IMO! Go for the switch! |
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| 2pilot |
| We have an 07 ody and an 07 pilot and they're both awsome vehicles, the odyssey though is better on long trips. Mpg wise, we get about the same mileage in stop and go city wifes ody only gets 18mpg with a/c on and pilot get 17.5mpg in same driving. Highway they both have VCM and get again smiliar mileage. With your kids that young the pilot should be fine, the only thing is, its better to have the van when they get older and need a little more space. In our case we just have both, but go ahead get a pilot and enjoy it, and when they're older and maybe want more space go with another odyssey.... |
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| dbthompson |
I looked at both the Ody & the Pilot extensively before getting my Pilot last year. A couple things not mentioned / or disagreements:
1. The Odyssey handled a good bit better for me. It's not a Miata, but it seems a bit better.
2. The Odyssey has a lower entrance, which makes it easier for smaller kids to climb in - not much of a problem for my 10 year old, but more of an issue for my 5 year old.
3. The Pilot is a bit shorter, so it's easier to fit in garages / parallel park.
4. I have long legs, and found the driver's seat in the Pilot more comfortable. But the second row in the Ody is much nicer. My kids lost out on that one :)
5. While the old Odys may not have been luxurious, the new ones certainly are (as long as it's EXL or above). That counted against them for me though - wanted something I didn't mind having my kids mess up as much (and when I take it in the mud / snow).
On the Sienna AWD, I think Toyota has straightened out the door / transmission problems. The Toyota 3.5 also has more power and a good bit better mileage. But, if you go AWD, you get the runflats ...
Personally, if I had 2 3yos, I'd keep the Ody at least another 5 years, to when they could climb in and out on their own easier. YMMV ... |
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| BillM2 |
We went from a 2001 Oddy to a 2004 Pilot mostly because we have three kids and needed all three in the second row behind us. I was getting nervous when one child always wanted to sit in the Oddy rear seats (with that year you have no choice) after a friend of ours was rear ended in her Oddy. The third row in her smashed minivan was pushed nearly through the second row (thankfully she had no passengers). What a nightmare (a drunk driver plowed into her doing 50+ at a red light New Year's Day)!
Tailgaters abound, so we went with the beefier Pilot. Gas mileage is less with it, but I think it feels much better overall than the Oddy, a minivan we loved. As far as loading and unloading kids, the electric sliding doors on the Oddy were the best. But a small convenience to give-up for the extra size and abilities of the Pilot. I had to use thePilot's 4 wheel drive system once this past winter to pull out of some deep snow and did so without any difficulty. The third row in our Pilot now is folded under to accommodate the toting demands of the kids but when in use, they're OK, but not for any long trips. Getting back there with car or booster seats in the second row is a near impossibility if you don't remove the car seats -- if you're truly flexible and young you can enter through the back!
Good luck with your decision. If the Oddy had a better way of securly allowing three car seats in the second row, we might have bought another. The AC system in the Oddy is better placed - above individual seats whereas the Pilot has a second row system behind the center console.
Depsite these drawbacks, and again we were looking to have all the kids in the second row, I think with the Pilot we made the right choice overall.
Hope this is of help.
:) |
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| joseb |
Hi. I am new to Hondapilot.org and we are in the process of deciding if we are getting a new Odyssey or switch to a Pilot. We are currently driving a 2003 Odyssey EX and have been talking to a dealer about trading this in. I test drove both vehicles and I can say that the 2008 Odyssey definitely drive better/smoother/comfier than the 2009 Pilot. Well, I guess its all relative. But, my argument to my wife was, I have been driving a minivan for 6 years now and maybe its time to drive something different. I got her convinced in getting a Pilot but I have this one big concern and maybe you guys can help clear this up for me. My biggest concern is the fuel usage. Since the Pilot is a SUV(?) having 4x4. Is there a big difference on in gas consumption between the 2008 Odyssey vs 2009 Pilot? We are going for the Touring version on which ever model we go with.
Please advise.
Thank you. |
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| Dominick54 |
| Iwent from a 05 ody to a 08 Pilot, because the run flats tires on the Ody where real bad in the winter I could'nt go no where or even get up my driveway with 1/2 inch of snow on the ground. I could never get to work with 1/2 snow so I had to call in. I love my Pilot I should of got one in 05 instead of the ody. I had to have a van for my power chair that I use, but now I bought a small platform with a ramp on the back and thats how I haul my power chair around with the pilot. I get very good gas miliage on my pilot which I loved. I'll get another pilot probably in about 5 or 8 years from now. |
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| BillM2 |
| JoesB -- the gas mileage from the Pilot is going to be less than the Oddy. Check mileage reports on the internet site. I would come up with another reason or two to convince your wife. Read my post plus others on the site who have made the switch. If in snow country, getting out of the snow is a breeze. If you tow a small camper, you can do so with little effort (get a trans cooler and a power steering cooler too if you're towing a heavier one). For me, I like the feel and weight of the Pilot. We might too by another Oddy, but at the moment don't have the need for a fourth vehicle. If only that '99 Toyoto Corrola would die -- in 5 or 6 years would be perfect -- though at 38mph on the highway, it would be missed. |
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| joseb |
Hi. Well, we took the dive! Traded in the 03 Odyssey and got a 09 Pilot (touring). Hope this vehicle works for our use. Should work better in snow too since its a 4x4. Live in Calgary, Alberta. The only thing is, we have to wait till middle of October to get our Pilot. And we can only get it in Silver. I am a little excited now that I am finding out (hope I am finding the right info ;)) that the 09 Pilot should have better fuel mileage than our current 03 Odyssey.
Thanks! |
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| BillM2 |
| JoseB: Keep in mind the 4X4 aspect is good only to a certain low speed. It's used mostly for getting out of trouble. It's not a 4X4 that you can do a very high rate of speed in, I think it's around 13mph. Not a true 4X4 which is good because people get a false sense of confidence with a 4X4 on snow and ice covered roads. I've seen plenty of 4X4s on the side of the road after hitting ice. |
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| dj5 |
| We had a '01 Odyssey traded for a '04 Odyssey and then traded for a '06 Pilot EX-L. We only have one kid who is now 10. The Odyssey was more convenient for him to get in and out. The Odyssey also has a lot more storage room behind the second seat. As far as handling, I like the way the Odyssey drove, which to me was a lot more car like. The Pilot drives good as well and no problem with the handling. IMHO, if you have three or more kids, the Odyssey would be a better option. Both are nice vehicles. |
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| joseb |
Hi BillM2. Hehe, yeah, I never drove any 4x4 before and I kind of have the idea on with its good for. So, no, I won't be driving any different from my Odyssey driving style. Well, at least the option/feature is there when you need it. :)
Thanks.
quote:
Originally posted by BillM2
JoseB: Keep in mind the 4X4 aspect is good only to a certain low speed. It's used mostly for getting out of trouble. It's not a 4X4 that you can do a very high rate of speed in, I think it's around 13mph. Not a true 4X4 which is good because people get a false sense of confidence with a 4X4 on snow and ice covered roads. I've seen plenty of 4X4s on the side of the road after hitting ice.
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| arbriscoe |
| We have a 11mo daughter and our boy and girl twins will be born in 2 to 4 weeks. We just purchased a 2009 Pilot Touring and the number 1 reason is because it fits 3 car seats across the middle row. We like to go camping a lot so once they are older we can pile them in the middle row and pack everything in the spacious back. I have been driving it for a week and love it. My wife would have liked a Ody but there are so many more uses for the Pilot. |
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| dbthompson |
quote:
Originally posted by arbriscoe
... and the number 1 reason is because it fits 3 car seats across the middle row. ...
Exactly! It is one of the most spacious/wide 2nd rows out there (Sienna has a nice 2nd row too).
Enjoy! |
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