Expedition XL or something else for family of 6?

rodentranger said:

Keep in mind that the Expedition likely only has one top tether location for the third row.
I keep four seats in my Pilot all summer and have no problems. I have two ff seats in my third row (top tethers for all rear positions), and two rf seats in my second row so I have access to the third row. On occasion I add an adult to teh third row and an additional rf seat to the second row. (Baseless infant seat this summer.)

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BrookeSLP said:

Can you comfortably seat two extra adults in the back rows (like able to travel cross country type comfortable)? We checked out the Pilot, but there didn't seem to be more room than the Odyssey. I'll have to look again next time I get the van serviced.. The top tether thing isn't a big deal, two of my are in HBB.

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Peony said:

I have a 2010 Expedition EL, anything you want to know about it? There is only tether in the 3rd row. I also preferred it over a Suburban, DH has a Suburban for work and I knew I didn't want another one. A adult will fit very comfortably in the 2nd or 3rd rows. The cargo space is actually short a few inches compared to the Suburban because Ford took those inches and put them in the 3rd row. The third row also has two regular sized headrests that can be folded down when not in use, but it makes it so that the 3rd is comfortable for long trips. My only dislike with the Expedition EL is the blind spots, I have never driven something that has so many, and I have driven everything from large full size pickup trucks, Suburbans, etc... I have had a back up camera previously in my Sienna but never really used it, I use it every single time in my Expedition otherwise I can not see behind me at all.

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rodentranger said:

I don't know that I'd want to sit back there cross country without stretching my legs. If I had two kids in boosters and two younger kids, I'd probably put the youngers in the third row When we had three people back there, we had a Marathon passenger, adult center, Vivo driver. Then three rf MAs in teh second row.
FWIW, my SIL has an Expedition and I always end up stuck in the third row and I hate it back there. I get so carsick I nearly barf within a few miles.

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AmbersMommy said:

We have a Expedition and I find the 3rd row very comfy for adults and I am 6'1". My dad who is 6'6" can sit back there as well... Not as comfortable but not smashed. I love my Expedition!!!

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DaniCPST said:

We are currently trying to decide between an Expedition EL and a Toyota Sequoia. We were going to get a Suburban/Yukon XL but my husband will not support GM at this point so I have it narrowed down to these two non-GM choices.

I like the cargo space of the Expedition EL but I love, love, love everything else about the Sequoia. If you don't need a ton of cargo room I would look at the Sequoia...it is in between a Tahoe and Suburban as far as cargo room goes. We won't have any issues with it but for someone who carries a big Graco double stroller with them at all times (or something else clunky like that) it might be an issue. If you get a bench in the middle row the Sequoia is nice because both outside seats slide forward for access to the third row.

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BrookeSLP said:

Do you like the headrest on the driver's seat? I didn't like it when I test drove one, but I didn't have time to adjust it. It is a beast compared to a minivan, I can see why the back up camera would be necessary!



I would like to be able to fit 4 adults and 4 kids somewhat comfortably. We'd get two bench seats so that the 2nd and 3rd rows would each accommodate 3 people or 3 seats.
I will look at the Pilot again before I make a final decision!


DH is 6'3", so that is good to know!



I have looked at the Sequoia at all. I need to add that to my list, thanks!!

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Peony said:

I didn't like the headrest for a while then I finally figured out how to adjust my seat and now I don't notice it. It certainly will fit 8 comfortably with cargo room. My DD1 and DH are avid snowboarders so we spent a good amount of the winter driving back and forth from resorts with extra family and gear so even though we are only a family of 5, we need more room than a smaller SUV/van offers.

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BrookeSLP said:

I would like to be able to fit 4 adults and 4 kids somewhat comfortably. We'd get two bench seats so that the 2nd and 3rd rows would each accommodate 3 people or 3 seats.
I will look at the Pilot again before I make a final decision!

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Carrie_R said:

FWIW in the 2004 (I think) and onward Pilots, the second row scoots forward, so that the third row can have more leg room. Jessi and I had a really confused conversation last week, until I figured out that the 2003 second row doesn't move up, lol. You can put a RF seat in the second row, or in the third row, but not both for the most part. (I do have a CCO behind an upright Scenera behind the passenger seat, which is scooted up a bit, but for the most part I would say it's an either/or.)

I also wouldn't say the Pilot has more room than the Odyssey, although the eight seats as a whole are more functional than the 7 plus the Plus One. But cargo room is minimal with all three rows in use.

On the up side, the third row is such that my kiddos pass the 5-step back there when they don't in any other seats. That might help with width issues, depending on the ages of your kids. I usually avg about 18mpg but on a recent series of days of highway/country road-only driving, I got almost 24-25!!

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Melanie said:

Another thing to keep in mind with the Pilots is the redesign in 2009. I don't know if you are looking that new, but they made some nice improvements. It's a little bit longer so you gain a little more cargo room. IIRC, there are also rear air vents for the third row that might not be available in the lower models in 08 & older. The third row will fold without removing the headrest in the newer ones too.

If you are considering a Pilot another maybe would be a Ford Flex. It's definately a car vs the truck of the Pilot or Expedition. It has a bit more cargo room than the Pilot because it has a well behind the third row like a minivan. They just came out in 09MY. It only seats 7 with the bench 2nd row, otherwise 6 with captains chairs. I just had 4 car seats and 3 adults in it and there was plenty of room for everyone. We had a RF Radian, FF MA, Frontier and a Vivo. It has 3 full LATCH spots-outboard & 1 in 3rd row. Top tethers in all 3 second row spots and 1 top tether in 3rd row. My 6'3" hubby can easily fit in the second row. He fits in the third row, but his knees are against the 2nd row seat. On paper the second row is a bit narrower than the Pilot, but when we looked at them the Pilot's cupholders in the doors seemed to encroach into the seating space. I haven't played car seats much, but I can get a RF Radian, FF MA and a Vivo across the 2nd row.

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