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Acadia vs Honda Pilot

4K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  divotdug 
#1 ·
TL;DR: Would you rather have a 2021 Honda Pilot SE (12,000 miles) or a 2022 GMC Acadia AT4 (brand new)?

Longer version: We currently own a 2021 Honda Pilot SE FWD, our Chevy Bolt is being trade repurchased by GM and replaced with a brand new Acadia AT4. We need one large family hauler and a smaller commuter vehicle (what the Bolt served as). Which of these two vehicles would you rather have as your family hauler?

We can sell whichever we elect not to keep and buy a smaller commuter car to replace it.

I’m not convinced that Honda’s reputation for reliability is as deserved as one might think, nor am I convinced that GM’s iffy reliability reputation is based on current vehicles.

So… what do you think? Brand new 2022 Acadia AT4 or keep the 2021 Pilot?
 
#2 ·
Well, I'd rather have an Acadia of the same year, same miles, etc. over a Pilot; so I guess I'll take the Acadia. haha
Coincidence that you're on an Acadia forum, asking Acadia owners... :) I get your situation tho.
Reliability, I have no idea.
What matters to me most; the Acadia looks miles better than the Honda to my eyes.
Not that I'm saying a Pilot is ugly by any means, but as the old saying goes; "You can fix a tranny, but you can't fix ugly". In other words, I buy what I like, I can always fix it if it breaks.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for your comments. I think you’ve more or less identified the issues.

Coincidence that you're on an Acadia forum, asking Acadia owners...
I figure who better to ask, right?

What matters to me most; the Acadia looks miles better than the Honda to my eyes.
Not that I'm saying a Pilot is ugly by any means, but as the old saying goes; "You can fix a tranny, but you can't fix ugly". In other words, I buy what I like, I can always fix it if it breaks.
The Special Edition version of the Pilot is not quite as ho-hum as the standard Pilot, but I think you’re right as to the Acadia being a better looking vehicle. I’ll be driving whichever of these two we keep, and the Pilot does give off the minivan dressed as an SUV vibe.

But, you’ve also struck on the core issue - I have no idea what to expect for reliability on the Acadia.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I guess it depends on the use you have in mind and number of normal passengers. cargo space. The Pilot is somewhat larger, although a bit less passenger volume ( assuming 5 passengers in each since the AT4 is 5 passenger ) not sure if the 3rd row seat option matters for you.
The Pilot is taller by 3 inches or so so likely the bit more cargo space is due to interior height of the cargo area. I always wished they would list usable square inches of cargo space as well as height and let me do my own comparison.

The Acadia engine has a substantially more power but similar MPG.
For me it would come down to price and availability of the vehicle and the dealer for service needs. I had one vehicle and it was a 35 mile drive one way to get there. That got old quickly just for an oil change.

We like the size of the Acadia, it is nimble, fits in the garage well for a mid sized SUV , has an easy to use Infotainment system , very comfortable, and we get better than advertised MPG with the 3.6L V6 engine.

As far as reliability goes, there hasn't been a lot of chronic issues we see here on the forum other than lack of inventory since the pandemic and the computer chip shortage.
 
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#5 ·
The Pilot is somewhat larger, although a bit less passenger volume ( assuming 5 passengers in each since the AT4 is 5 passenger ) not sure if the 3rd row seat option matters for you.
GM actually killed the 5 passenger version of the AT4 with the 2022 model year. It’s only available as a six or seven passenger option now: 2022 GMC Acadia AT4 Loses Five-Passenger Seating Option

The Pilot we own has a second and third row bench, and honestly - I’d probably prefer captain’s chairs to the bench in the second row, so I’ll consider that a plus for the Acadia.

You’re right about the cargo volume difference, it’s definitely noticeable, but we run with the third row down almost all of the time, so hopefully a non-issue.


As far as reliability goes, there hasn't been a lot of chronic issues we see here on the forum other than lack of inventory since the pandemic and the computer chip shortage.
That’s good to hear. I read a whole lot of “stay away from Traverse, Acadia, and Enclave” commentary during my car shopping when buying the Pilot, but it seems like a lot of that was based on experiences people had with prior generations.

I’m hoping this Acadia with the 3.6L LGX V6 and being at the tail end of this generation’s life might not have those same issues.
 
#7 ·
Well I’m not going to say Honda since I am on my second Acadia.

The styling and by far the ride and handling are so much better than most SUV models out there. I have the Denali with the electronic suspension and it is one of the best kept secrets in the market. It drives much more like a touring sedan vs top heavy SUV.

To me while Hondas are built well they still break. They are not cheap to fix and their styling though not hideous it is a bit bland and soulless.
 
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