Disparity Between Platform Mates

"Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection" (itsalwayssteve) 01/20/2015 at 11:15 • Filed to: Platforms, Honda, Nissan, Odyssey, Pilot, Pathfinder, Quest, Van, SUV, Crossover

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Here's an observation I've made:

As far as driving the vehicles, I've noticed that the Pathfinder is noticeably better on the road than the Quest. Granted, the Quest is a bit taller and boxier, but as far as family-carriers go, the Pathfinder is the one I'd rather live with. The CVT is almost unnoticeable for normal driving and the ride is smooth and comfortable. However, despite the fact that it's a bit lighter, acceleration in the Quest feels labored. Perhaps some different programming for the CVT is in order, but under throttle and merging onto the highway, it doesn't feel like it's got enough grunt to keep up.

However, when looking at their direct competitors from Honda, the Odyssey is much better on the road than the Pilot. The Pilot, to me, drives like an old truck. It's bouncy and not that pleasant, while the Odyssey is nice and smooth. Perhaps the ride height and drivetrain are a partial cause: the 6-speed auto is as good an automatic as I've ever driven in a family car. In the Pilot, the 5-speed seems like it's hunting for gears between 35-50 mph depending on grade and throttle position.

Now, it's not unreasonable for people to cross-shop SUVs and vans, but it seems that Honda sells a lot of Pilots to people who can't admit to themselves they should get a van. Nissan doesn't sell many Quests at all, but Pathfinders are everywhere.

What are your thoughts?

For Sweden > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 01/20/2015 at 11:19

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Same platform, different setup

Boxer_4 > For Sweden 01/20/2015 at 11:26

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and different market segments, different customer requirements.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > For Sweden 01/20/2015 at 11:33

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This.

It's why the Ford Taurus, Explorer, Flex and Lincoln MKS and MKT don't all feel like the exact same vehicle.

Aaron Paul: Oppo's Resident Fake British Actor > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 01/20/2015 at 11:39

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They share a platform, but they aren't exactly the same underneath. Like For Sweden and Boxer_4 pointed out, they use different drivetrains, compete in different segments, and fulfill the needs of different customers. One's a soccer-mom-mobile, and the other's a nice crossover with some off-roading chops.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Aaron Paul: Oppo's Resident Fake British Actor 01/20/2015 at 11:46

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My point is that all four are soccer-mom-mobiles. The Pilot (especially in 2wd EX-L form) is as much of a grandma-wagon than any other vehicles, but it's still got the choppy ride that you'd expect of an old-school SUV with its looks. The Quest van, despite being a long-wheelbase van, has similar ride quality to my boss' 99 F150. It seems like Honda would build the Pilot to be better on-road, and that Nissan would want to sell a people-carrier that doesn't feel like an empty cargo van.

Aaron Paul: Oppo's Resident Fake British Actor > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 01/20/2015 at 11:48

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Well, yes, all four are soccer-mom-mobiles in some way, but I see the minivans being more toward that side of the scale than the crossovers.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > For Sweden 01/20/2015 at 12:11

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I know this. My point is that the two automakers each made a pair of vehicles that sell in huge quantities (other than the Quest,) but it seems like there was far more attention paid to ride quality in the Pathfinder than the Quest, and the Pilot seems to be almost harsh compared to other crossovers in its segment.