Ford Explorer Eco Boost vs Toyota Prado gas vs Toyota Alphard V6

**niky** · May 28th, 2013 12:17 PM

MyFordTouch really does suck, but that alone doesn't really mean much in terms of reliability (remember, Consumer Reports considers "brake noise" an issue).

**rafmac** · May 28th, 2013 12:39 PM

I dont mind driving the Alphard and its easy to drive despite its size but the best seats in the van are the 2 ottoman chairs in the middle row

**speed_kills** · May 28th, 2013 03:11 PM

Ya, I don't mind driving Alphard also as size is just right. But the current Alphard has been around since 2008 and I wonder if a new one might be out within 2 years.

On another note, does anyone know if the Santa Fe LWB will be launched officially by HARI soon? I think the 6-seat version with captain's chairs will be nice as it has a decent size and diesel-powered engine...

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicles/...interior.aspx?

**IMm29** · May 29th, 2013 08:49 AM

Well, though the Alphard is an older model, it's just been released here pretty recently so there's a chance, with the way it's selling, it may be around in its current guise for a while.

I'd like to ride a V6 that's in good condition. The one I got to ride in Bangkok was an I-4 and for some reason it had problems shifting. Tsk tsk!

**glntVR** · May 29th, 2013 11:10 AM

Why not throw in the Honda Odyssey into the mix. It's in the same price range, roughly around 2.8M, which is much cheaper than the Alphard and
as with American Minivans, this should be very comfortable and has tons of space inside.

Our family has the Explorer V6 so I can share my experience with this vehicle only.

Ride is very good even with those huge rims. Power is adequate and yes, my only complaint is the MFT which is laggy even after the update
and the foul smell during hard acceleration. But overall, it hasn't given us any headache yet.

I've seen and checked out the Alphard and it's more of an executive car rather than a family car. 3rd row can only seat 2 comfortably. So parang 6 seater lang. And it seems like it's more of a chauffeur driven car. But those ottomans and mood lighting are really nice.

As for the Prado, can't really comment as I haven't checked or tried it out.

**3ple4** · May 30th, 2013 02:23 PM

Was also just about to suggest the Honday Odyssey coz it's Honda :D

Maybe if you're not brand conscious, why not try the Chevy Traverse, I heard malaki ang cash discount (kasi walang bumibili hehe).

**Egan101** · May 30th, 2013 03:04 PM

The Honda Pilot will also be an alternative to choices stated. Or maybe the Pajero BK.

**speed_kills** · May 30th, 2013 11:56 PM

Yes, I was initially thinking of Pilot and Odyssey as they are in the same class/price range but I guess they are not really my type aesthetically and brand wise as Honda seems to be on a slump nowadays.

But if HARI brings in the Santa Fe LWB, it might be an interesting option especially since it is of the right size and probably the most economical among the others I'm looking at.

**niky** · May 31st, 2013 02:07 AM

Odyssey versus Alphard... if you're aiming to carry more people, the Odyssey has more elbow room and full benches.

If you're aiming for the most comfortable "boss" seat for your money, the Alphard's second row captain's chairs are just awesome. And as a bonus, the front passenger chair gets the same power footrest as the middle row.

If you have a driver and the money, the Alphard is where it's at. If you're driving yourself, the Alphard's narrower and lighter body make it easier to thread through traffic than the wide-as-a-bus Odyssey... and it's less intimidating to drive than the SUVs, too.

**speed_kills** · May 31st, 2013 06:37 PM

I agree that the Alphard seems good as both an owner and chauffeur driven van as it is big yet not too big.

For sure the Odyssey is much bigger and wider but I guess I'm not a big fan of American minivans.