Question Honda Pilot or Other 3rd Row SUVs for 5 Carseats.

I havent posted in a long time we have been going thru rough times but I am back and all is well! We at this time can not afford to have 2 cars my fiance will not drive a van period so I have given up on trying to talk him into one an SUV or Crossover is our only choice period.We have a 00 Durango w/3rd row. Kids: 6 1/2 yr old , 4 1/2yr old, 2 1/2 yr old and two 16 month olds. The 6&4 yr old are in Regents, my fiances son we just got full custody of he is 2 1/2 will be 3 in Dec kind of small for his age prior to us gaining custody he was not in a carseat with his grandmother or mother i purchased on a last minute a $40 carseat from Biglots at this time I cant think of the manufacture. My DD is in a MA RF in the middlerow behind the passanger seat and the other 16 mo old is my fiances other son yes its a long story but thats besides the point we as of recently were granted visitation every other weekend I put him in DDs spare Scenera yes pink and all RF in the middle of the middle row and had to put my 6 1/2 yr old when hes with us in her Parkway ahhhh...pain so 5 seats WE NEED MORE ROOM! My 4 yr old is in the 3rd row with my step son because I wanted them to be the 1st to get into the car and they dont fight as much. We are going to be purchasing either another Regent or GN at the end of this mon for my 2 1/2yostep son. I hate taking my oldest out of her Regent then reinstalling it every other weekend! We dont have a lot of money to just buy carseats unfortunatly, I purchased the Britaxes when I got my taxes. I would like to buy my 16mo step son a boy print Scenera or the Uptown because we dont have him enough. His mother has him in a Scenera FF she thinks Im a nut

What vehichle would work well for us? The Durango is sooooo stuffed and cluttered with seats lol then add a diaper bag plus whatever else each kid drags around and its a mess!!!

My 16 mo olds they are 2 wks apart

You can't fit 3 seats in the 3rd row of the Pilot. You can fit two seats. We did this, and the kids just climbed in through the back, but they were able to buckle themselves. I'm not sure I'd want a 4 year old doing that without being able to physically check the harness.

I know you're close to me - I'll have a spare Touriva soon that you're welcome to if it'll help at all.

I would look at the Mazda CX-9. It holds 7 passengers and the rear cargo area is quite large. The back seats fold down so you could fold them flat when the other kids aren't with you. It starts really reasonably priced for a 7 passenger SUV. It is a very comfortable car. There would be a lot of ways to fit the seats in the car and you would still have room to put all the other things in the cargo area. I am currently driving one and I love it.

jewlsvern said:

I would look at the Mazda CX-9. It holds 7 passengers and the rear cargo area is quite large. The back seats fold down so you could fold them flat when the other kids aren't with you. It starts really reasonably priced for a 7 passenger SUV. It is a very comfortable car. There would be a lot of ways to fit the seats in the car and you would still have room to put all the other things in the cargo area. I am currently driving one and I love it.

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The CX-9 does not have any top tethers in the third row. Something to think about if you want to put FF seats there.

The Honda Pilot was redesigned in 2009. The new style is a couple of feet longer. I wonder if it's wider too?? (then maybe 3 could go across 3rd row) I think there is more leg room for the 3rd row and there is definately more cargo room. There are top tethers in all 6 back seating positions for both the new and old styles. (I'm not sure when this started, but from 07 for sure). The 08 & prior has LATCH outboard only in the 2nd row. The 09s have LATCH in all 3 2nd row spots and 1 in 3rd row.

The only 3rd row SUVs that will give you lots of cargo room are the Suburban or Yukon XL.

If it was me, I'd get that GN instead of the Regent for your 2 year old since it's not as wide.

I do not have a van but for you, your life would be so much easier when getting kids in and out of the car. It would be easier for you to buckle your kids in. I know your hubby does not want a van, but life would be so much better for you. He has to think of the family and not just himself. My cousin had a 99 Honda Odyssey and loved it. She then got a 07 Odyssey, but had to get an 04 Pilot because of Divorce. She misses her van very much. She has 4 kids. 2HBB, 1booster, and 1 Convertible. Your husband needs to think of the family. Like another poster said, no way in heck can you get 3 car seats in the 3rd row Pilot. I have an 06 Pilot. I can only get 2 car seats back there. Either a regant and nautilus, or take one of thoes away and add a britax wizard. I am sure 3 radians would fit back there. I bring another child to school 1 day aweek and find it a pain in the butt to get to the 3rd row to buckle the kids in, a van would be sooo much easier.

Olivia 4.26.04 37lb 44in Regant/GN
Makayla 9.16.06 26lb 30in RF Wizard

Saturn outlook - it is a 7 or 8 passenger. I have fit 3 seats in a row (but you won't fit the Regent that way!) - I want to say it was three ff seats - Britax, Radian, Britax.

You can get the second row Bench or have the captains seats. Honestly - in your case, it might work with the bench - with all the little ones three across. Then have the two older ones in the back with the 40 seat down so they can just scoot in through the back.

TerisBoys said:

I know you're close to me - I'll have a spare Touriva soon that you're welcome to if it'll help at all.

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Thatttssss the name of the carseat my almost 3yo stepson rides in LOL i couldnt think of the name of it!! thank YOU though!!! :thumbsup:

Ohhh the Outlook!! Im going to look that one up, AND I AM going to have to push the van right now because it really is the most convienent for me!! I'm the one who drives the kids around alone and have to climb over the 2nd row for various reasons NOT him!! lol I forgot about the Radians when I posted this!! It really didnt come to mind that would fit great in the middle row for now atleast until we do get another car. Im just going to have to do something about my older girls who fit soooo much and put both the Regents in the 3rd row, Ill keep the MA RF behind the passenger seat, Scenera RF middle every other weekend, and GN or Radian behind the drivers seat? This would work in just about any other car I think hmmm...

i would love a Suburban or Yukon XL for space but the gas is scary!! our Durango is not great on gas either! booo i wish we could afford a hyrbid

We are huge Honda/Acura fans here-we have the 7 seater Acura MDX (an '02 model) which has lots of room, but I don't know about stuffing several car seats in there. We almost bought a Pilot and IMO I think there would be more room for several car seats in the Pilot v. the MDX. There was definitely more room in the 3rd row.

Also, have you considered a Tahoe/Yukon or even a Suburban? I know they're beasts but my sister has a Suburban and she has a ton of room for several car seats, kids, and gear. The 2nd row has Captain's chairs and the 3rd row is bench seats. I am envious of how much space she has! **Just saw your last post about a Suburban-sorry about the repeat!**

FWIW, my husband used to be ENTIRELY against getting a minivan too, but recently changed his mind when we drove a family member's '06 Odyssey. He fell in love and said it is not the soccer mom vans of the past lol and he would consider getting one someday. Good luck with your quest!

Momto3Divaz said:

i would love a Suburban or Yukon XL for space but the gas is scary!! our Durango is not great on gas either! booo i wish we could afford a hyrbid

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My sister's model is actually a Yukon Denali XL and on the hwy she gets 26mpg..in town is only 14 or 15mpg, but she loves her hwy gas mileage.

Melanie said:

The CX-9 does not have any top tethers in the third row. Something to think about if you want to put FF seats there.

The Honda Pilot was redesigned in 2009. The new style is a couple of feet longer. I wonder if it's wider too?? (then maybe 3 could go across 3rd row) I think there is more leg room for the 3rd row and there is definately more cargo room. There are top tethers in all 6 back seating positions for both the new and old styles. (I'm not sure when this started, but from 07 for sure). The 08 & prior has LATCH outboard only in the 2nd row. The 09s have LATCH in all 3 2nd row spots and 1 in 3rd row.

The only 3rd row SUVs that will give you lots of cargo room are the Suburban or Yukon XL.

If it was me, I'd get that GN instead of the Regent for your 2 year old since it's not as wide.

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There is only 2 seat belts in the third row regardless of width.

Anyway, I can't give much advice because I haven't had 7 people in my Pilot at one time. I know you hate vans but outside of a Yukon or bigger SUV you may have to check them out. Altough if the new Pilots are bigger you may be fine with it. Sounds like you may have to go check out some dealerships. Happy car hunting!!!

The Pilot seats 8 (i.e., 3 belts in the 3rd row).

i DROOLED over the Saturn Outlook!! WHOO HOO!! they are niccceeee!! I need to drag the Mister down to the carlot period, we just went thru this all at the begininng of the year prior to gaining custody of my 2 1/2yo stepson then finally getting visitation thru the courts which just went thru in SEPT! And we ended up with the Durango NOW we actually have all 5 of the kids in the Durango at one time puts a different perspective on it all LOL I think with the right salesman and right time of the week say the weekend after we have his youngest son he ,may be swayed to a minivan finally. crossing my fingers we hope to have something else by Thanksgiving

UlrikeDG said:

The Pilot seats 8 (i.e., 3 belts in the 3rd row).

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Okay, I didn't even know that about my own car!! LOL