My wife and I been looking for a new vehicle for the past few weeks and have also found that there are slim pickings for a pin hauler with good gas mileage. What we have found is that oddly enough the midsize vehicles generally have less vertical space than the compact versions. Here is what we have looked at so far.

Acura - Test drove the 2017 RDX. Plenty of pickup and probably the smoothest ride I have ever driven. Well laid out dashboard with a lot of nice features. The back seats do not fold down flat and unsure if I could get a machine in the back. Even if I could, not sure how easy it would be to load and unload it. From a driving perspective, this is our favorite. However, I would like to be able to fit my Hobbit in the back.

Toyota - Test drove the 2017 Rav4, both gas and hybrid. The interior is not quite as nice as the RDX, but not bad. Space does not appear to be an issue. The hybrid seats don't fold flat, but the shortest height I measured was 28 inches and that is way at the front, so that should not be an issue. It also has the best mileage. I do agree with the reviews that it is not very fun to drive. The brakes feel kinda sluggish and it felt like it was pushing the engine to get up to speed on the on ramp. It claims that it can tow a few thousand pounds, but I question that since it felt like I was pushing it while empty. I would love it if I could trade a couple MPG for a V6.

Honda - Test drove the 2016 CR-V. Very similar in space and feel to the Rav4. However the electronics look like they were an afterthought. The UI looks horrible and there are no physical buttons, all touchscreen. Supposedly the 2017 fixed this, but we'll have to see. Also looked at the 2016 Pilot. Looked nice, but felt a little big.

Lexus - Looked at the NX and RX, but both were too short and the rest were outside what we are looking to spend.

Ford - Looked at the 2017 Edge and Escape. The Edge looked good, but the opening might be pushing it (barely 31"). The Escape measured 32" and I figure that a little buffer isn't bad. Test drove the Escape and it did have a bit more pickup than the CR-V and Rav4 due to the turbo, but it also has worse gas mileage.

Still on the list to check out are Hyundai Tucson and Santa Fe Sport, BMW X3, Cadillac XT5, Mercedes GLC, and Infiniti QX60. I also saw that the 2017 Highlanders come out in two weeks and the 300 HP V6 Hybrid at 28 MPG looks promising.

I took some measurements of my Hobbit with the head folded down so I can build a model out of cardboard to take to dealerships to see if it will actually fit.

Be sure to watch out on the suv's transmissions! New cuv/small suv's are now going to CVT transmissions, like the honda, nissan etc. THose one, cannot tow much and two well you have to get used to that weirdness.

I have a 2015 Escape 2.0 turbo, fits pins, and I got 30mpg on the hwy going 60mph. I love it, but gave it to my wife and got a jeep which sucks on gas. I think the edge will fit a pin no problem, but not sure what the new edge's hatch is like...I hate that they are sloping them :/

Finally got sick of searching for the perfect vehicle since there isn't one. Stuck with my loyalty of VW as I love there cars. Wanted a stick. Wanted a car that has great performance and is fun to drive. Good MPG. Manual transmission and can haul a pin. I decided on this and it does all of these as best as one vehicle probably can. IMG_8644 (resized).JPGIMG_8646 (resized).JPG

VW GTi. Autobahn package with performance pack. Fast and fun. Handles corners amazingly. Gets me 38 MPG highway and believe it ornot, It fits a pinIMG_8696 (resized).JPGIMG_8700 (resized).JPGIMG_8698 (resized).JPG

Trailer hitch and roof cargo box coming this week along with a tune to make the car even more fun to drive.

TigerLaw I measured the 2017 Cadillac XT5. It will not work. It is short by more than an inch on height.

I used to transport my Pins in a Subaru Forester. A widebody Bally will fit.
My other car is a Ford Expedition 2003. I have no problem getting 2 pins into it.

Gas mileage with the Forester is great. Even with a pin in the trunk.

I'm impressed you were able to fit a game in there.

The stage 1 APR tune will turn this car into a beast. Maybe you are going stage 2. Then you should take it to the track.

Going with a JB1 piggyback tune until the factory warranty runs out. Unplug a few connectors and it can go in for warranty work with no red flags or signs of a tune. After the next 50k(take me about a year and a half max) I'll sell the jb1 and get my money back mostly and either do APR or Revo. I had revo on my tdi and was very impressed.

Chevy Tracker 4 Door (1999-2004) - I had noted before that this light SUV can haul a modern pin, but I recently proved that it can also haul a NIB! The driver's seat did have to go forward quite a bit. I had to have my wife drive back as it would have been uncomfortable for me, but there was plenty of clearance on the height and width.

tracker_NIB (resized).jpg

Just saw this thread. A Getaway fits in a Ford Flex. The 2nd and 3rd row seats need to be folded down, so after it's loaded, only 2 people can ride back with the pin.

You need height of 30-1/4" for a stern/Sega and 29.5" for a b/w folded head. We just bought a 2016 pilot that I hope works, 30-3/4 - 31" of height.

My '03 Chevy cargo Astro van is great and perfect for loading up a pin w the legs on. I took off the head, and it is secured away from the weather..I've picked up 3 pins with it w no issues at all..

Mini Van! Good for something.

image (resized).jpg

2016 Hyundai Tucson here. Love it... you get a TON of kit for the money with this ride in Eco trim. Just shamefully good. But I haul EM's not modern SS and the ceiling height is right at 28" at the cargo entrance. Pretty sure you'd have to decapitate some games to get them inside which might be a dealbreaker. But since I'm all-EM it's a routine I'm used to.

BTW... if you have room for a 10-cylinder supercharged monster XUV which can haul four pins by pushing them straight in heads on (and up!)... this is your beast.

IMG_4492 (resized).JPG

(I considered it... but no one is gonna be parking that thing at the grocery store)

2017 Audi Q7 will fit a Stern LOTR, but we had to disconnect the backbox and slide it forward a bit due to height in the corners when loading. Wasn't fun and would not be my first choice for moving a pin. I haven't measured for Wms/Bally, but from previous posts, it sounds like we would gain about 3/4" so might be even easier.

This is mostly a recommendation AGAINST using this vehicle unless you are only moving EM's or don't mind disconnecting backbox.

IMG_2640 (resized).jpg

IMG_2641 (resized).jpg

Can anyone confirm that a pin can fit in a 2016 and newer Honda Pilot? My first guess and impressions were that it would not fit? The hatch looks like its not tall enough

On the pilot, that would mean without taking the head off

We literally bought a 2016 pilot EX-L on Monday. I cannot confirm it fits as I have not tried it yet, but every measurement I have taken suggests it does. You need 30-1/4 to fit a stern and the pilot makes it by a good 1/2" to 3/4", will be tight, but should fit. What looks to be the main obstacle is the third row seat belt mechanism just inside the hatch at the top right. Once you clear the opening the height opens up a lot more. I still think/hope it will clear. A BW game will easily fit, only need 29.5" for those. What helps the pilot is that the opening is more square, our CX-9 was much more rounded and cut the corners a lot.

BTW, we traded in our 2014 Mazda CX-9, which easily fit a pin, and the pilot is so much nicer (at least according to my wife and kids.) A lot more interior space and comfortable ride, though I did like the CX-9 as it felt more like driving a car than an SUV.

Stern heads are rectangular 8" back to front at the bottom. BW heads are tapered and are only 6.5" at the bottom, thus the difference in the fit.

That reminded me of my old pin hauler we named it "The Beast" just remove or leave the 3rd seat out and it was one hell of a pinball hauler.. Nothing like a big Suburban

IMG_0039 (resized).JPG

I test drove a 2017 Honda CR-V yesterday.

I measured the hatch opening at 33” high and at least 40” wide. The load floor is really flat, and apparently its 10" longer than the 2016 model. I measured the usable length (from where a pin would clear the hatch to the back of an extended passenger seat) at 61", which is plenty of room. I wouldn't be surprised if the official number was more like 70". It's an impressively roomy and squared off space.

The EPA estimate for the new 1.5L turbo engine (with a CVT) is 27 city / 33 highway / 29 mixed. Fuelly seems to indicate that high 20 mpgs are more likely, but those numbers could go up as more of them get past the break-in stage. (http://www.fuelly.com/car/honda/cr-v/2017)

Some other notes from my test drive:

* Tons of modern tech (backup camera, radar assisted cruise, lane monitoring/lane keep assist, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, remote starter, lots of USB outlets for charging, too many more features to list)
* Very quiet, even at 75 mph (but note that my benchmark is my current 2006 Civic)
* Tons of room in the back seat

I'll probably be picking one up in the next few weeks.

I'm not sure if there are other changes, but the 2017 version adds a physical volume knob on the stereo itself. The volume control on the steering wheel is still a slider.

Glad to see your finally getting a pin hauler. Don't think you'll care too much but if someone likes cars/driving at all those CVT transmission are so crappy feeling.

I'm sure you'll have no problem fitting games in that.

Some of them suck, and some of them are OK. This one's OK.

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but I would opt for a Buick Enclave. I had a 2012 which was the best vehicle we'd owned in the last decade. It was reliable, comfortable and had tremendous interior room. The Enclave easily fit my Hulk LE with plenty of room to spare.

We have since moved on to an MB GL and it has been a maintenance nightmare. As soon as the lease is up I am getting another Enclave.

Well, my Volvo 855 -98 can take a older pinball that have a removable backbox, those modern ones with "swings" dont fit.

Here you go...the ultimate pin hualler! The 2018 Dodge Durango SRT (but you will have to wait for it).

2018-dodge-durango-srt-3.jpg

That's what I've always called it, and A LOT

I SO want to trade my 2015 Durango R/T in for one of these, but darn they are expensive (projected 70K plus). SO nice though. I love my R/T, and it's stupid fast (to me). I can't even imagine how this thing will be.

Chris

It will be 4.4 seconds to 60!

Oh, I know. My R/T does 0-60 in 6.3 and that (to me) is crazy fast for something that big and heavy. I think I would have issues (i.e. getting into trouble) with the 6.4. Although once I need new tires, I may try one of those AWD burnouts with the R/T LOL

Chris

Well I have the 6.4l in my 2016 Charger....only 9000 miles on it and I just about need a new set of tires already!

If I was able to fit a Simpsons Data East pin with the back folded down in a Nissan Xterra, is it safe to assume I can fit a newer stern Pin in the same vehicle? Wasn't sure if they were bigger. Was hoping to avoid bringing a trailer. Any help is appreciated.

Should be able to fit it. I'm not aware of any modern Stern's being larger than a DE (Which Stern also made).

Xterra will fit most if not all games. Fit a system 3 gottlieb too.

Thanks, it fit no problem, which I kinda figured it would.

2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. 5th machine I've run...

20170122_131814 (resized).jpg
20170211_112706 (resized).jpg
20160806_111842 (resized).jpg

20160910_125820 (resized).jpg

We have a 2012 Honda Fit. 35+ mpg, 75k miles, zippy manual transmission, very inexpensive maintenance - especially relative to my former VW Passat wagon. It's not the most comfortable or quiet ride on beat-up highways, but I love it. I was confident even without checking these forums that we could fit a machine in that cargo space; it's larger than it seems. Not as confident we could fit a machine without removing the backbox, but there's a how-to video that convinced me it's possible:

IMG_5385 (resized).JPG

Anybody know if a Third Generation (2007-2011) Honda CR-V will work? This thread talks about the generation before and after being ok. Just making sure this one works too.

I fit a Family Guy in my wife's 07' CR-V EXL..

I can confirm that a BW or a JJP game will fit in a 2016 Honda Pilot with out any issues. I had a hobbit in it last night, plenty of clearance, a stern will be very close, but I think it will fit, I had about an inch or so of clearance with the hobbit.

GTi does it again. Didn't even have to take the head off or slide it down.

IMG_9268 (resized).JPG

That's insane considering the size of the car. Have you tried to fit a newer game?

Update: I picked up my 2017 CRV last week. I haven't had a pinball machine in it yet, but that will be changing this weekend.

One interesting spec to note is that the rear load floor is only rated for 220 pounds -- presumably because of the relatively lightweight adjustable "shelf" that really is the floor. I only read about this limit after I bought the car, but I don't think it'll be a problem as long as some of the pinball machine is on the folded-down rear seats.

I'll add another update after the 150-mile trip Saturday if anyone's interested, and I'll try to remember to take pictures.

Any system 11/dmd stuff would require head relocation. That's why I have the euro trailer hitch installed. Pulls my sides trailer no problem. Can get 2 modern dmds in the trailer and something like this in the hatch.

Hats off to you! WPC's need some help on the GSW's (or at least with panoramic roof). It's tight but doable if you move the head forward.

IMG_2374 (resized).JPG

IMG_2375 (resized).JPG

IMG_2372 (resized).JPG

Finally got a chance to move a game in the Durango. 2015 Durango R/T - plenty of room for a Stern Sopranos while still being able to transport 2 passengers at a decent clip if need be I absolutely love this vehicle.

DSCF0200 (resized).JPG

DSCF0201 (resized).JPG

DSCF0199 (resized).JPG

DSCF0202 (resized).JPG

DSCF0204 (resized).JPG

I had a tdi JsW just before that. Know all about that. Was such a great car. 185000 miles on at 2011. VW gave me 16k for it and it was in need of some big repairs. Crunched some numbers and knew the GTi could haul Games too and the tdi engine is no more here so I went back to speed over mpg. Not that the GTi is horrible on mpg but I had the tdi chipped and it was about 180hp and near 280 tq and got 45 mpg

Just finished a 300-mile round trip. 35.3 MPGs reported by the trip computer, which I'm really happy with.

Pix:

IMG_20170225_114314 (resized).jpg

IMG_20170225_114319 (resized).jpg

IMG_20170225_114307 (resized).jpg

IMG_20170225_114324 (resized).jpg

IMG_20170225_114352 (resized).jpg

IMG_20170225_114332 (resized).jpg

I don't have any photos, but I just barely fit my Williams Tri Zone and Bally Firecracker into my 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS and was able to close all the doors. My friend and I had to move the front seats pretty far up, but it was manageable. My 2011 is the same body from 2007 to 2012