written by Laura Smith

To my surprise the ultra sound revealed it was not one but TWO babies. I immediately said to the ultrasound technician (through my tears), “*Oh my god we are going to need a new car*”.

In late December last year my husband and I found out that we were pregnant, again! To my surprise the ultra sound revealed it was not one but TWO babies. I immediately said to the ultrasound technician (through my tears), “Oh my god we are going to need a new car”. With it being such a big expense and something we were not necessarily in the market for, to say I was intimidated by trying to find the “right one” is an understatement. I was no longer shopping for a car based solely on looks, but instead I now needed it to fit three rear-facing car. While we were initially drawn to the Ford Expedition, it was out of the budget. We also toured basically all other mid-size SUVs and struggled with getting three seats across with room for the driver’s seat and a trunk that would hold two large strollers. With the help of The Car Mom, we nailed down our decision to the 2021 Honda Pilot EXL and here is why…

Fits three car seats across the middle row. This is huge because it means no climbing in the back to buckle in a kid. We opted for bench over captains chairs for this exact reason.

Spacious trunk. We now have to fit a single and double stroller in our car everywhere we go. We are able to keep that second row down and fit those items with room to spare.
Roomy for front passengers. Many cars we toured would fit the three car seats but the driver and/or front passenger would have their knees up to the dash. The Honda Pilot allowed for comfortable front seat positioning.
Large center counsel. Three kids, need I say more?
Safety features. Many come standard, which we love. On our vehicle we have the back up camera, blind spot detection, lane assist, and emergency brake alert.
Stylish. I love the black wheels and I feel the interior is very sleek.
All wheel drive. I live in Minnesota and having a vehicle that can make it through the winter months is key.
Price. We decided to buy new due to the fact that used Honda Pilots were not a huge savings. They seem to hold their value well and last a long time.

We purchased this vehicle prior to the arrival of the twins and my biggest fear was we were going to realize it wouldn’t work well for our situation. Now, having used the car with all three kids for about four months, I can safely say it was the perfect choice for our family. I am very happy with the trim level and I don’t feel like we are missing out on anything by not moving up to the next level. While the Kia Carnival would have described our family better, the Honda Pilot seems to be the perfect fit for our needs ☺