Key facts
- Michelle Pippin purchased a three-row Honda Pilot.
- The vehicle is intended for transporting her three young grandchildren.
- Pippin previously avoided large SUVs after her own children were grown.
- She considered other midsize SUVs like the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride.
- The Honda Pilot cost around $54,000.
Michelle Pippin, founder of Women Who WOW, has purchased a three-row Honda Pilot, reversing her previous stance against large SUVs. Pippin, who has three children and four grandchildren with another on the way, found herself needing a vehicle capable of accommodating multiple car seats for her weekly Thursday outings with the youngest grandchildren. Previously, she drove a Honda HR-V that was too small and an older Chevrolet Tahoe with a third row that had issues with air conditioning and required constant seat arrangement adjustments.
Pippin had sworn off large, third-row vehicles after her youngest child got his license, opting for a two-door Honda Civic and enjoying its maneuverability. However, the prospect of grandchildren changed her priorities. She sought a midsize SUV with all-wheel drive and sufficient space to fit three car seats across a single row, setting a psychological budget ceiling of $75,000.
After researching options including the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Volvo XC90, and Volkswagen Atlas, Pippin test-drove the Honda Pilot last. She was drawn to its masculine styling, reliability, and practical features like the third-row seating, all-wheel drive, panoramic roof, and a voice amplification system for the driver. The Pilot's price of approximately $54,000, including protection plans, was well within her budget and significantly less than some other models she considered, like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade.
Her first trip in the new Pilot was with her grandchildren to a trampoline park, followed by Chick-fil-A. The children were delighted with the vehicle, with one grandson calling it his 'most favorite car ever.' Pippin even ordered a personalized license plate, 'CUZN CRU,' reflecting the car's role in her grandchildren's lives. She expressed that the car is intended to be filled with car seats, crumbs, and her grandchildren, signifying a shift in her automotive preferences driven by family.