Need Advice: GMC Arcadia vs. Honda Pilot

[bluemoco]

Don't have FHE with either vehicle, but we have friends who drive Acadias and Pilots.    Personally, I prefer the styling of the Acadia to that of the Pilot.  However, I'd prolly buy the Honda for longevity reasons.  We also have neighbors who bought a Highlander Hybrid, and it's really a nice vehicle.  They're expensive, but very refined and stylish.  (well, as stylish as a 7 passenger SUV can be...  )

You own a Volvo now - why not check out a Volvo XC90?  Three rows, super comfortable seats, and there are some nice, low-mile used examples on the lots.  They also have a cool middle-row middle seat that can be pulled forward for easier access to your tot when he's hungry (or barfing).

Good luck

[mitt]

  They also have a cool middle-row middle seat that can be pulled forward for easier access to your tot when he's hungry (or barfing).

   

mitt

[herm]

shouldnt it be a cool middle row seat which has a shield which is impervious to sound, smell and vomit, and can be moved to the far back of the vehicle without taking your hands off the wheel?

[psycledelic]

Ah, Acadia.  Now that you mention it, it does sound different when she says it.  I asked my wife why she never corrected me when I was saying it wrong.  Appearently, she liked watching / hearing me make a dork of myself.  Anyway.

Volvo XC90 was the first car considered.  She loves her AWD S60.  The XC90 was just a little more narrow then the other cars considered (not as much noticed in the dimensions listed by volvo as when car seats actually put into the vehicle).  It kind of had the "child able to reach child" factor.  Not ideal during a long trip.  It also didn't offer much in the "get to the 3rd row quick in the case of an emergency".  We will have two car seats in the middle row (both facing backwards for a while.  In that category, the GMC/Saturn was on top.  There 60/40 middle row seemed to me to be the easiest to manuever around to get to the back in a rush if needed.  The way my wife drives, might be needed.  Honda wasn't bad and had reasonable access to the rear row.  It also had better car seat security options on the third row. 

Ford Flex was briefly visited, but the urges to drop the drivers seat down and back, tilt the brim of my hat, install some 21inch subwoofers, and prowl the strip for some hoochie didn't seem to fit into my 33 year old, married with 3 children lifestyle.  Could have just been the one that we looked at.

Haven't looked into the Mazda at all.  Gonna search the net now. 

Thx for all of the opinions and the Arcadia / Acadia correction (complete with Duran Duran video). 

[corndog67]

The wife and I bought an Acadia about a month ago.   20,000 miles.   She wanted it, and we got it.  The sales man told us the factory says 17/23 mpg, but his experience was about 26 mpg.    2 weekends ago, we went to UCLA to see the kid.   In town traffic, 14.7 MPG.   WTF?     Lightfooting it around and it seemed to improve.   Drove to Sonoma last weekend for the NHRA Final Leg of the Western Swing  (Our guys both went out in the first round).   Being on cruise control for about 175 miles at 78 MPH, it got 18.9 mpg.   A bit better, but nowhere near the factory estimate of 23 on the HWY.   Maybe if I slowed it down to 65?    At 78 mph it sits right on 1800 rpm, seems reasonable to me.  I looked up the Consumer Reports deal on the Saturn (pretty much same everything), and they averaged 16 mpg.   I looked it up after we bought the vehicle.   Well, she wanted it, she got it.  Other than the mileage, it seems like a really nice vehicle.  Very roomy, very comfortable.  Really good ride.  My buddy was a GM Parts guy for the last 25 years, until they closed his dealership, and he said no issues that he knows about. 

Oh yeah, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, 36,000 bumper to bumper. At least it runs really strong (288 HP).    

The guy I know with a Pilot loves it. 

The GMC is cheaper than the Honda.

[psycledelic]

The wife and I bought an Acadia about a month ago.   20,000 miles.  She wanted it, and we got it.  The sales man told us the factory says 17/23 mpg, but his experience was about 26 mpg.    2 weekends ago, we went to UCLA to see the kid.   In town traffic, 14.7 MPG.   WTF?     Lightfooting it around and it seemed to improve.   Drove to Sonoma last weekend for the NHRA Final Leg of the Western Swing  (Our guys both went out in the first round).   Being on cruise control for about 175 miles at 78 MPH, it got 18.9 mpg.   A bit better, but nowhere near the factory estimate of 23 on the HWY.   Maybe if I slowed it down to 65?    At 78 mph it sits right on 1800 rpm, seems reasonable to me.  I looked up the Consumer Reports deal on the Saturn (pretty much same everything), and they averaged 16 mpg.   I looked it up after we bought the vehicle.   Well, she wanted it, she got it.  Other than the mileage, it seems like a really nice vehicle.  Very roomy, very comfortable.  Really good ride.  My buddy was a GM Parts guy for the last 25 years, until they closed his dealership, and he said no issues that he knows about. 

Oh yeah, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, 36,000 bumper to bumper. At least it runs really strong (288 HP).    

The guy I know with a Pilot loves it. 

The GMC is cheaper than the Honda.

In Charlotte, NC, the Honda's are a bit cheaper.  We drove a 2010 Honda Pilot.  It was 4WD, leather, DVD & 6disc changer, little backup camera, towing package, sun and moon roof, and other crap to tear up shortly after the warranty expires.  Sticker was a little over $39,000.  The GMC Acadia AWD (spec'ed about the same) was $43,000 and the front wheel drive Saturn was $40,000. 
The one thing that kills me about GM dealerships is the amount of "stuff" that they do to the vehicle after they receive it on their lot.  $99.00 for nitrogen filled tires (last I checked, air works and is free) and my favorite, $545.00 for paint protection.  When I asked what that was about, the salesman pretty much described the clearcoat finish. 

[Popeye the Sailor]

In Charlotte, NC, the Honda's are a bit cheaper.  We drove a 2010 Honda Pilot.  It was 4WD, leather, DVD & 6disc changer, little backup camera, towing package, sun and moon roof, and other crap to tear up shortly after the warranty expires.  Sticker was a little over $39,000.  The GMC Acadia AWD (spec'ed about the same) was $43,000 and the front wheel drive Saturn was $40,000. 
The one thing that kills me about GM dealerships is the amount of "stuff" that they do to the vehicle after they receive it on their lot.  $99.00 for nitrogen filled tires (last I checked, air works and is free) and my favorite, $545.00 for paint protection.  When I asked what that was about, the salesman pretty much described the clearcoat finish. 

Overall, Honda makes a better product, and for a lower price than the competition, I'm not sure how you can beat that. You should be able to get far more mileage and abuse out of it. I would suck up the looks, buy the Honda, and tell the wife you'll go on vacation with the difference.

[bluemoco]

For a bit of related entertainment, check out P.J. O'Rourke's story about the family road trip to Utah in a 2009 Ford Flex.  Good stuff.     

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/08q4/2009_ford_flex_the_o_rourkes_do_utah_s_lower_left-feature

[psycledelic]

Overall, Honda makes a better product, and for a lower price than the competition, I'm not sure how you can beat that. You should be able to get far more mileage and abuse out of it. I would suck up the looks, buy the Honda, and tell the wife you'll go on vacation with the difference.

Good point. 

With a 4 year old, 2 year old, newborn, and a 120lb Wiemeraner occupying the house.  I might save that vacation for myself.