Question Upgrade car? (merged threads)

Belle2582

New member
Currently I have a 2006 Honda Pilot. I've got a 4 year old son & 3 year old daughter forward facing in the middle and behind driver position. My 18 month old is rear facing behind the passenger seat. They're all in Diono Radian RXTs. We've got a newborn on the way, due in April 2016.
My question is do I put the 4 year old in the third row & rearrange the other kids as needed, or do I just bite the bullet and get a minivan. Any other car suggestions or seating suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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lgenne

New member
Re: Upgrade car?

I think the answer to your question is: you can make it work if you need to, but you won't regret a minivan if it's reasonably within your budget.

Good minivan options: 2011+ Honda Odyssey, hands down if you can afford it. If not, 2006(?)-2010 Sienna. Avoid the Town&Country/Grand Caravan.

If you're going to stick with the Pilot, I think at least to start out with, I'd put the older 2 in the 3rd row, and put the 2 rear facers driver side and center in the 2nd row. Assuming you want the baby in an infant carrier, I'd put that on whichever side is easier for you to load on. Buckle the older 2 with the passenger side seat tumbled.

Once the baby is a little older and you're ready for a convertible, I'd consider putting the rear facers in the 3rd row and loading them through the tailgate.
 

lilti9er

New member
We used to have an 07 pilot and although we didn't have kids at the time, only dogs, I recall the 3rd row not having tether anchors directly behind the seats for forward-facing car seats. I remember seeing them at the tailgate lip where the trunk door closes when we'd load up the dog cages. So if you intended to put the older children in the 3rd row then the tether straps of the car seats would get in the way of your cargo space for strollers, baby gear, etc. It's doable but not sure if you'd like to do it.

My old pilot was totaled by a drunk driver who ran her stop sign so we replaced it with an 09 pilot. When our daughter was 1.5 yrs old, we had guests over and I moved her rear-facing chicco nextfit (recline #3 was the most recline I could get it in the 3rd row to fit) the 3rd row to not inconvenience our guests. Luckily, she was old enough to climb in her seat from the tailgate, however, it was still hard for me to go back there to buckle her in. I'm short at 5 ft and I wish I was smart enough to keep a step stool in the back for the times I had to load her through the tailgate.

If I were you and it was in the budget then I'd definitely get a honda odyssey. We used to have one prior to kids too and we loved it. I believe we had an 07 so not sure about latches/tethers, etc. I hear 2011+ models are awesome for car seats. We still think about getting an odyssey but it floods a lot in our city and we like the height of our pilot during those times so that's what's been holding us back.
 

lgenne

New member
Re: Upgrade car?

The 2011+ Odyssey has 5 full sets of LATCH plus one more tether anchor. IIHS rates all the tether anchors as not easy to use, but that's because they're on the lower 20% of the seat back or something arbitrary like that. They aren't hard to use or find, and they aren't in the way when they're in use.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I'd try the 18mo in the third row RF with an angle adjuster (slide the second row forward) and load through the hatch. Or, put the two bigs FF in the third row and the littles RF on the middle/driver portion of the second row.

(I have a 2006 Pilot and that's what I'd do, anyways!)
 

Belle2582

New member
I'd try the 18mo in the third row RF with an angle adjuster (slide the second row forward) and load through the hatch. Or, put the two bigs FF in the third row and the littles RF on the middle/driver portion of the second row.

(I have a 2006 Pilot and that's what I'd do, anyways!)

Thanks Carrie! This is a good idea. The only thing is I was trying to avoid loading through the back bc we love in Chicago and weather is not that great. I like your idea of the 2 older kids in the back though, I'll have to try it out! If it doesn't work, a minivan it is!!
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