[SDB1]

I currently own a '05 Honda Pilot and had an '04 Pilot before that. One thing that I really like is the amount of interior space that it has. When deciding on my next vehicle I figured the Ridgeline would at least maintain the amount of space as the first two rows of seats from the Pilot. This has turned out not to be the case and I now have to deal with kids kicking the backs of the front seats and a wife who refuses to sit in the cramped back seat when we need to carry an extra passenger. The pilot easily has another 2-4 inches of passenger leg room and extra width as well. I wish they would have maintained these interior dimensions for the Ridgeline!!!

 

[DoctorJ]

There is only 1 inch difference between the 2006 pilot and 2006 ridgeline interior leg room. Look at the specs. I don't have a problem. I have had two 6ft adults in the rear seated very comfortably. I adjust my driver and passenger seats equally.

 

[hiPSI]

I'm sorry, but did you not try the truck out first???

 

[snowman]

I think that you must be smoking crack. I am 6'1" and 250 (not so skinny) and riding in the back seat is a dream. I fear riding in the back of any medium or small sedan and forget about compact cars. The only bigger back seat in a truck is in the dodge mega cab. And if anyone needs that much room it had better be shaq or someone who owns their own oil well.

Aw, your kids kick the back of the seat. What did you think -- that if the seats are far enough apart they will learn to behave better? Beside what happens as they get older -- will the shrink rather than grow?

Case in point on size, Myself and four friends drove to chicago for the day a few weeks ago -- that's five fully grown (one short, one tall, one normal, and one fat) men! Narry a complaint from one of them ...

 

[swampler]

I will have to say that with my 5 y/o being in a car seat, the car seat raises her feet enough that they hit the back of my seat (I have to keep my seat all the way back). So, I put her on the passenger side since that seat is kept more forward and put my 9 y/o son behind me. His feet hang down closer to the floor (like an adult), so he has plenty of room. I could see where having both front seats all the way back and needing 2 child seats in the back could cramp the foot room.

 

[Gretchen]

My son is in a booster seat and he kicks the back of the seat too. However, he does this in every vehicle

 

[DoctorJ]

I went back and checked the 2003-2005 Pilot and the legroom is unchanged. Only 1 inch more than the Ridgeline.

 

[VaVet96]

My wife rode in the back on a couple of 3 hour trips and was perfectly happy with it. That was just so my 13 year old son could run the XM radio - nirvana for a teen. As to kicking the front seat, when my kids were little, they did that a few times in my old van. Eventually they got tired of having their little legs slapped each time it happened.

 

[fins2theright]

I currently own a '05 Honda Pilot and had an '04 Pilot before that. One thing that I really like is the amount of interior space that it has. When deciding on my next vehicle I figured the Ridgeline would at least maintain the amount of space as the first two rows of seats from the Pilot. This has turned out not to be the case and I now have to deal with kids kicking the backs of the front seats and a wife who refuses to sit in the cramped back seat when we need to carry an extra passenger. The pilot easily has another 2-4 inches of passenger leg room and extra width as well. I wish they would have maintained these interior dimensions for the Ridgeline!!!

I am surprised that the Pilot would be wider than the Ridgeline. And from the responses, if it's only 1 inch in leg room, I suggest having your kids remove their shoes. That would bring it down to a half inch. Then, if you remove your coat, you could in theory push your seat forward one notch. That should take up that half inch, and the kids won't be kicking the rear of your seat.

Plus, you will still have a 5' open bed in the back! The Pilot does not have that.

Good luck!

fins

 

[ridgeln]

I bought the Ridgeline in part because of the rear seat room! I had a Dodge 2003 Crew Cab (Cummins - <insert diesel grunt here>) and was constantly getting kicked by my boys - they were the ones who proclaimed that they liked how spacious the back seat was! My wife has ridden between their car seat and booster seats (granted, she is small) and said that she likes riding back there - it is just harder for she and I to hold hands <insert AWWWW sound here>.

-ridgeln

 

[DatSumbch]

The only gripe that I have is the rear seat is a little slab-like, but the roominess is part of the reason why I purchased it. I guess I can suffer through it, specially since I don't have to sit back there

 

[Craig]

I found that my rear facing car seat for my youngest daughter (1 month on Sunday!) will not fit behind my driver's seat. So I had to put her behind the passenger seat (the wife doesn't need as much room). My oldest daughter is 2 and a half and she is in a regular front facing car seat and she does kick the back of my seat as well.

I forgot where but I saw some seat protectors that cover just the back side if the front seats that I was going to get if I could find the web site again (anyone?).

The thing I can't imagine is trying to cram those seats in the back of any of the othert midsize pick-ups. I was going to get a Frontier and having lived with the Ridge for a while I can't imagine owning something with less room.

 

[Gretchen]

Craig - http://www.onestepahead.com has them. Look under "travel accessories". I tried to link it, but their site is slow.

 

[zero]

Try this out, Craig.

http://www.onestepahead.com/product/86220/313777/117.html

 

[SDB1]

I don't understand why you all are arguing with the dead FACT that the Ridgeline has reduced interior volume than the Pilot? I wasn't comparing it to any other midsize pickup out there I was comparing it to my Pilot! If you are happy with the space then woop de woo for you! With both car seats in the rear I now have to sit with my knees hitting the dash and the kids still have to bend their knees while they're seated in their car seats! I don't care if the interior leg room specs are the same for the Pilot as the Ridgeline because I don't have this problem in the Pilot and we have the identical car seats in it! Plus I have a good 2-3 inches between my knees and the dash in it. Also, with both car seats in the back my wife has to sit sideways to sit between them and she's 5'2" 110 lbs. We don't have this problem in the Pilot either. Didn't I test it first? Well no actually I didn't install both car seats and my wife in the back to see if they'd fit because, like the idiot am, I thought the room would be comparable between the two vehicles. Now, if I didn't have to put two car seats back there, then I'm sure it's quite comfortable. But, since this isn't the case, I'm making this my gripe!

 

[arteegee]

I thought the ABS was your griipe.

 

[SDB1]

Aw, your kids kick the back of the seat. What did you think -- that if the seats are far enough apart they will learn to behave better? Beside what happens as they get older -- will the shrink rather than grow?

I'm not talking about my kids misbehaving. I'm saying that they're sitting in their car seats and their little legs aren't quite long enough yet to hang down towards the floor. They stick straight out towards the backs of the front seats. I then have to move both driver and passenger seats forward in order for them to be able to sit without having to bend their knees! Yes, when they grow the problem will go away! Oh, and I thank you for your sarcastic comments to my post.

 

[dbb]

Since you have both a Pilot and a Ridgeline, and the entire family fits OK in the Pilot but not in the Ridgeline, then perhaps you should use the Pilot and not the Ridgeline whenever the entire family needs to go somewhere.

 

[ninefive0]

My 7 y/o kicked the back of the seat.....................once


It sounds like you are expecting something from the Ridgeline that it was not even designed for(?)

 

[fins2theright]

I now have to sit with my knees hitting the dash and the kids still have to bend their knees......

The ADULTS who OPERATE this 4,000+ pound vehicle should come first.

I guess we are all wondering why an adult, who is a parent, would change driving position so much (knees hitting the dash) for the kids comfort.

Driving position is key to driving safe. If not for you, or your kids, at least for the rest of us on the roads. In emergency situations it's very important to have the movement needed to prevent an accident.

Sit in a safe and comfortable driving position when you operate your 2+ ton vehicle, and if the kiddies can't deal with it, take the pilot, trade the Ridgeline........or trade the kiddies.

Good Luck.