The Pilot platform is pretty good. Not sure about the MDX but Pilots seat 8 people, assuming a few of them are child sized.

They have a key weakness on the trans-cooler. If you do not use genuine Honda coolant and make sure to keep it fresh you will end up with coolant in the transmission.

The 2003 may have another transmission issue, I cannot recall. I know that 2004 and before have a more complex timing belt arrangement. Given the choice I would go 2005 or later, though obviously OP is not in that position, already having the vehicle.

I once found an abandoned Pilot, gave the owner 500 USD and put it back on the road. It had snow-drift style accumulations of pretzel pieces and M&Ms in it. It had been badly neglected and had the trans-cooler line connection issue but I caught it in time and put in a new radiator and all was fine. I did brakes and shocks and such and it was a great car. Later I did the timing belt and it needed a new alternator. I put 60k miles on it and sold it for book value when I found another abandoned car I was forced to rescue.