[ChuckT]

We are a retired family of 2 and a half, me, she and the dog - a standard poodle. Currently we have an F150 to tow her horse trailer (2 minis and a single seat cart), a 2006 Element, and a 2008 CR V.
Just about to put new tires on the CR V and planning on a couple driving vacations. As the two Hondas are paid for, the Ford is semi-dedicated to the horses, and we no longer need 3 cars we're open to trading in the Hondas for a highway vehicle. So I'm looking at the Pilot.
I'd like opinions on the rear seat. We don't need 3-row seating but I distrust folding seats. In my experience sometimes they really don't fold flat, and often folded they limit the fore & aft room for the forward seats. Ugh.
As the dog will be riding in either the 2nd or 3rd row I'm concerned for his environment.
Does the 3rd row fold completely flat? And does that limit the 2nd row travel?
How "boxy" is the last row (folded)? Does the hatch limit the space to where a medium sized pooch couldn't move around? He'll be in a harness with a anchored lead, and yes we will stop for a break every 3-4 hrs. (We relish the stop, never mind the dog!)
And how effective is the AC back there? We wouldn't leave an animal unattended but while on the road won"t there be heat-gain thru the back window?
TIA, cvt

 

[mrtn]

2006 Element

I would LOOOOVE myself a nice Element. Sadly it was never available over here as new, private import only.

 

[ChuckT]

Lots of them here. Wish Honda would bring the model back.

 

[williamsji]

Lots of them here. Wish Honda would bring the model back.

I agree, it would be nice to see the Element return in an all new and modern design.

But the Element did not appeal to everyone.. and I think was meant originally to appeal most to younger and more outdoor active drivers (like surfers, hikers, etc.) My guess is that Element and CRV simply split their sales and reduced economies of scale in manufacturing at the assembly plants.

 

[ChuckT]

You are probably correct.

 

[mr_bots]

We are a retired family of 2 and a half, me, she and the dog - a standard poodle. Currently we have an F150 to tow her horse trailer (2 minis and a single seat cart), a 2006 Element, and a 2008 CR V.
Just about to put new tires on the CR V and planning on a couple driving vacations. As the two Hondas are paid for, the Ford is semi-dedicated to the horses, and we no longer need 3 cars we're open to trading in the Hondas for a highway vehicle. So I'm looking at the Pilot.
I'd like opinions on the rear seat. We don't need 3-row seating but I distrust folding seats. In my experience sometimes they really don't fold flat, and often folded they limit the fore & aft room for the forward seats. Ugh.
As the dog will be riding in either the 2nd or 3rd row I'm concerned for his environment.
Does the 3rd row fold completely flat? And does that limit the 2nd row travel?
How "boxy" is the last row (folded)? Does the hatch limit the space to where a medium sized pooch couldn't move around? He'll be in a harness with a anchored lead, and yes we will stop for a break every 3-4 hrs. (We relish the stop, never mind the dog!)
And how effective is the AC back there? We wouldn't leave an animal unattended but while on the road won"t there be heat-gain thru the back window?
TIA, cvt

The seats in all of the lay flat. A Pilot with 2nd row captains chairs will have the openning between the two seats with the third row open. For air flow, the CR-V has vents on the back of the console that sends some air from the front A/C to the 2nd row. The Passport and Pilot have a 3rd dedicated zone with it's own controls, the Passport just vents on the back of the console where the Pilot has additional vents back in the third row.

 

[mrtn]

But the Element did not appeal to everyone.

True. The design is so distinctively Japanese it has a very limited market in Western world. Just a few models with this design language have ever “succeeded” in the West. Scion xB and Nissan Cube being a couple of them. Even tho the latter was a total flop in conservative Europe and Toyota bB/Scion xB was never introduced.

 

[ChuckT]

The seats in all of the lay flat. A Pilot with 2nd row captains chairs will have the openning between the two seats with the third row open. For air flow, the CR-V has vents on the back of the console that sends some air from the front A/C to the 2nd row. The Passport and Pilot have a 3rd dedicated zone with it's own controls, the Passport just vents on the back of the console where the Pilot has additional vents back in the third row.

Thanks!

 

[Antedil]

People saying 'Passport' seem to have missed that it is basically the same deal as the Pilot just with less cargo space. It's a large crossover, priced about the same and only slightly smaller than the Pilot. Also gets similarly not great mileage. It's more of a repackaging of the Pilot than a model in its own right - complete with faux offroad pretensions.

 

[ChuckT]

So I should look at the Pilots well. OK. Thanks.

 

[ChuckT]

To go a little further we'd like to get a vehicle large enough (but not too large) to serve as beast of burden if/when we go off on a trip with the dog or, ideally, with our trikes. This last is probably pie in the sky unless we opt for a long wheel base van. Tried a Ford, didn't like it.