kids (up to 10 yrs old) would be ok back there. But really only two. For adults it is really uncomfortable. I have seated two adults back there but I dont think they were all that comforable. One adult back there is fine. My g/f sat back there (and she is tall) but with no one else back there you can kick your legs off to the other side and it is fine. Leg room is really the issue.
So, in summary...........I would say two kids younger than 10 would be comfy...........or one adult. Three people (even kids is pushing it). Hope that helps.

 

It's definitely roomier than most SUV's that are having 3rd row seats tacked on. Make no mistake about it though it is not going to be as roomy as any minivan, nor is pretty much any SUV. You can fit 3 kids back there easily, and probably 2 sub 6 foot adults in a pinch, but not for a long trip. I sat back there for a little while while doing the Idle Learn procedure and reading and it was just fine (I'm 5'10"). If I remember correctly from my cross shopping days there are only 3 crossovers with more 3rd row legroom available (although 2 of them are basically the same vehicle, and the other one only has 7 seats). I won't say the names of them though because I don't want to get tarred and feathered. :2:
-S-

 

Thanks for the replies. Not the answers I was hoping for, but not unexpected, either.

 

I'm 5'10" and I'm fine back there. If the 2nd row is reclined, then yeah it is a little tight on the knees, but in my opinion it is just fine.

You have to consider how long someone might be back in the 3rd row. If you are going to be taking a lot of trips of over 4 hours, and you will need to carry 7-8 adults, then I would think an odyssey would be a better choice.

If you are normally hauling around a few adults and some kids around town to ball practice and the like, then it is fine.

Also, consider if the adults you will be transporting, if those people have to sit in the back, are they really tall? If so, not a good choice.

Basically 3rd row is cool for occasional adult use on short trips if they are not over 6 feet tall, and good for kid use all the time.

I sat in my friend's odyssey in the 3rd row just yesterday and I wasn't all that impressed with the space. The seat is right there in front of you - made me feel claustrophobic a little.

To me the pilot's 3rd row is very usable.

 

Remember also that in the newer Pilots (not sure what year this feature first started), the second row of seats can be adjusted forward and back. If we need to put adults in the back row, we just make adjustments. Move the driver and passenger seats up a touch, move the second row of seats up a touch, and then the third row gains additional room.

Had two average size adults in the third row last weekend for a 1 hour trip. They commented that it was a comfortable ride. In fact, one of the adults said he usually gets sick in back seats, but the combination of the smooth ride, good air flow (man, does Honda have climate control down) and the ample room all made for a good experience.

 

Remember also that in the newer Pilots (not sure what year this feature first started), the second row of seats can be adjusted forward and back. If we need to put adults in the back row, we just make adjustments. Move the driver and passenger seats up a touch, move the second row of seats up a touch, and then the third row gains additional room.

Had two average size adults in the third row last weekend for a 1 hour trip. They commented that it was a comfortable ride. In fact, one of the adults said he usually gets sick in back seats, but the combination of the smooth ride, good air flow (man, does Honda have climate control down) and the ample room all made for a good experience.

Forgot to mention that - yes, you can slide the 2nd row forward when you have folks back there - makes a big difference. Trips like that of an hour or 2 are completely comfortable for everyone we have hauled around back there - thanks for remembering that!!!!

 

We're upgrading from a '97 Caravan to a new family-hauling vehicle and are looking at 8 seaters. The Pilot is high on our list.
How much room is in the third row? Is it truly usable?
TIA

I did the same thing. Was it a grad caravan or the short style. Actually I think that only mattered for the rear storage not the seating capacity.

I am 6'1" and 250. I fit in my 2007 with somewhat comfort. My problem is getting out. I will have to try it again and put some thought into it ahead of time. With 6 other passengers waiting at the restaurant entrance I was just trying to crawl out anyway possible. I didn't feel too bad. I wasn't the only one struggling.

I am guessing there is a better way. It doesn't seem like the Honda Way to engineer somthing that difficult to use.

If you go test drive a new one make the salesman use the third seat. He has probably learned how or will soon thereafter.

 

We're upgrading from a '97 Caravan to a new family-hauling vehicle and are looking at 8 seaters. The Pilot is high on our list.
How much room is in the third row? Is it truly usable?
TIA

Truthfully, the only way for you to know, is to go to the dealership and see for yourself. As has been previously posted, Honda made a great design feature by allowing the middle row seat to slide forward, thus increasing legroom for the 3rd row.

 

I agree with tfrain. As long as you're under 6' tall and not spending several hours back there, it's actually comfortable. I have a 2003 without the adjustable 2nd row and it works very well.

We've had several occasions where we've hauled 8 adults and everyone fit just fine.

 

Better yet, rent or borrow one for the weekend.Take a day trip to the wilds and to see if all enjoyed the ride.

 

We looked them over at the dealership last night. The third row seemed adequate for us, roomy enough. The problem was the lack of cargo space in back. Simply put, a week's worth of grocery shopping wouldn't fit there. Sorry to say it, but it looks like the Pilot is out. We're leaning heavily toward the Odyssey.
Thanks.

 

We looked them over at the dealership last night. The third row seemed adequate for us, roomy enough. The problem was the lack of cargo space in back. Simply put, a week's worth of grocery shopping wouldn't fit there. Sorry to say it, but it looks like the Pilot is out. We're leaning heavily toward the Odyssey.
Thanks.

You can't go wrong with the odyssey - The space behind the 3rd row in the Odyssey is cavernous. I actually climbed back there and sat in the storage area myself - it is huge.

With the Ody, you give up some ground clearance and ability to get off the beaten path, say if you are going camping, as well as some towing ability (primarily due to the low height as well as 1000 less lbs), but you gain storage at the rear and in that little storage cubby under the floor of 2nd row. The Odyssey is easier to get into, but to me, the 3rd row isn't that more spacious.

If I didn't need the towing and the wife would have done it, we'd probably have an odyssey.

 

You can't go wrong with the odyssey - The space behind the 3rd row in the Odyssey is cavernous. I actually climbed back there and sat in the storage area myself - it is huge.

With the Ody, you give up some ground clearance and ability to get off the beaten path, say if you are going camping, as well as some towing ability (primarily due to the low height as well as 1000 less lbs), but you gain storage at the rear and in that little storage cubby under the floor of 2nd row. The Odyssey is easier to get into, but to me, the 3rd row isn't that more spacious.

If I didn't need the towing and the wife would have done it, we'd probably have an odyssey.

x2

With the third row up in the Pilot there is esentially no cargo space for anything. If you don't need the whole seat you can flip some down but that's as good as it gets.

We're stuck betwee an Odyssey (she likes) and a Sienna (I like) right now to replace my Jetta. It's amazing the space in those things these days. I would highly recommend them over a Pilot if you really need a 3rd row with some hauling space.

 

The Saturn Outlook / GMC Acadia have much more room for the 3rd seat. It didn't matter to us since it is just my wife and me for 99% of the miles.

 

The Sienna dropped from our list for safety concerns--the IIHS ranks it "poor" for rear end crashes.

And having test-driven both the Sienna and the Odyssey, I'd pick the Odyssey any day of the week. The Honda handles like a sports car.

 

I had a 2004, first year of the current design, and it was a piece of crap. I was in for warranty work literally every other month - rotors warped, seat mount bent, gas tank recallled, doors and windows constantly rattled, power window failed, the drive by wire thrrottle was terrible, etc.

After six months, my Pilot has yet needed a single warranty repair.

 

I recently drove my daughter and 3 friends (all high schoolers) on a 3 hour highway drive in my 2004 cloth EX. They sat 2 in the middle, 2 in the way back. No complaints at all, in fact they all said they enjoyed it and said what a nice car it was. One is pretty tall, like 5'8". The other one found it comfortable enough to nap in. Sliding the middle row forward helped with the leg room. I'm not sure I'd find the 3rd row comfortable on a long ride, but that opinion isn't universal.

The lack of storage behind the 3rd row is certainly an issue for some.

 

I'm going to second the GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook. You can choose from second-row captain's chairs or bench seats. Both the second and third rows fold flat providing MUCH more cargo space than the Honda Pilot (which I was also considering the last couple of weeks). And looks wise, you can't beat it.

 

I am 5'8 and sat in the third row for a 3 hour drive. It is fine as long as you move the second row up a few inches.

 

My kids beg to sit in the 3rd row. Probably to get away from their brothers!!! Plus there's the aux jack for their toys. They don't mind having on side folded down to carry cargo because then they get to sit by themselves.

 

My kids beg to sit in the 3rd row. Probably to get away from their brothers!!! Plus there's the aux jack for their toys. They don't mind having on side folded down to carry cargo because then they get to sit by themselves.

There isn't an aux jack in the 3rd row of the pilot is there?

 

I forgot that the second row slides forward....boy did I hear about that for a while.

 

There isn't an aux jack in the 3rd row of the pilot is there?

My '04 has a 12v power outlet. I think that's what they're refering to.

 

We looked at a 2005 MDX and a new Pilot, and one ofd the issues that swayed us to the Pilot was the greater 3rd row room. There's more storage space because the abck window is more verticle, and the MDX 2nd row doesn't slide forward like the Pilot.

New Pilot in the driveway.

 

Not sure about the '07s, but my '03 has an outlet on the dash, one inside the center console, one for the 2nd row of seats by the HVAC controls and one in the back basically next to the third row.