Honda says the Pilot's styling was inspired by an "ultra-rugged laptop computer," and while the new Pilot is certainly more rugged looking than its predecessor, it's also much cleaner with fewer indentations and carving in the body panels, more integrated lines, and a boxier shape that serves usefulness as well as it caters to image. Surfaces that aren't sloped inward at the roof pay dividends in head space and big-box cargo loading, and the three inches of extra length have gone between the axles and into the cabin.
With substantial chrome trim and "eyebrows" in the headlight housings, fog lights much higher in the bumper, and a hatch that tapers more to the sides than forward at the top, the new Pilot looks much wider than the extra inch it is. Viewed from dead astern the Pilot appears as bulky as the full-size SUV Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia, though it weighs substantially less than any full-size four-wheel drive like those.
Panel crimps define the wheel openings, aiding the rugged look without adding width or bolt-on parts that might promote rust. The third-row side window has been separated by a thick chunk of sheetmetal, to no apparent detriment in driver vision or third-row comfort. The rear wiper has been parked off the hatch glass because that now opens separately, the hatch has a hefty pull handle with touch-point releases and is powered on the Touring model, and the bumper has a good cover so sloppy loading won't mar the paint.
For 2009, all Pilots come with a Class III tow hitch and coolers required for towing; only a wiring pigtail will be needed from the dealer. The top tow rating remains 4500 pounds on 4WD and 3500 pounds on front-drive models, but the 4500 is no longer limited to boats or low profile trailers. Roof rails are standard on better trims and you'll probably be using the back bumper and door sills without a step stool or small ladder to load items six feet up.
In its most basic form the Pilot is derived from the same platform as the Acura MDX big crossover, yet the two do not share an engine, many features, or end-user purpose and philosophy.
is perhaps no better demonstration of packaging efficiency than folding all the back seats flat and laying a 4x8-foot sheet of plywood or sheetrock, which is more than half as long as the whole car, flat on the floor, closing the hatch, and driving off with it completely out of the weather.
On the road, the Honda Pilot feels balanced, with sufficient power and brakes, decent ride quality and handling, and on 4WD models the ability to leave the pavement or tackle pre-plowed snow. Most owners won't go as far as a Pilot will go, but the rugged looks match vehicles that will go farther on a bad trail, so "off-road" travel is best kept to scenic byways and mountain motorways.
The 3.5-liter V6 takes on a characteristic Honda growl when you push it and you'll need to be towing or accelerating uphill on an on-ramp to require such grunt. For the most part the engine is in the background, never silenced, never rough and never annoying. It now uses Honda's Variable Cylinder Management to switch off two or three of its six cylinders to save fuel; the ECO light on the dash shows when you are getting best economy and does not necessarily mean it is running as a three- or four-cylinder engine. Like the all-wheel drive system, the VCM is transparent to the driver and requires no action on his or her part, and apart from some front tire spin under heavy acceleration from rest the front-drive model drives just like the all-wheel drive.
Among the host of three-row crossovers in the 3.5-liter to 3.8-liter V6 class, there isn't a wide range between the slowest and fastest and the Honda feels right in the middle. Where the others may enjoy a slight advantage is with six speeds in the transmission, and/or the ability to address each of them separately or in a "sport" mode for quicker response. The Pilot shifter offers an OD Off switch which locks out the top two gears, so if you want fourth to control speed on long hill descents or winding roads you're out of luck. Toyota's Highlander and Mazda's CX-9 come to mind as better in these respects, and to a lesser extent, GM's Acadia/Enclave/Outlook/Traverse family.
Since the Pilot is among the lightest of the eight-seat crossovers the suspension can be tuned for ride comfort without requiring undue stiffness for control. It swallows up most road surfaces with aplomb and never bottomed out on dirt road whoop-de-doos when driven sensibly but briskly. No single noise source stands out and normal conversations are quite possible at highway speeds. The Michelin tires on the premium model may last longer or prove better in severe snow but you'd need instruments far more sophisticated than your behind to show any other advantage. The stability assist is one of the lesser intrusive such algorithms and if it comes into play you probably won't notice as you'll be busy wondering how you got into a bad situation.
Relative to some other recent crossover redesigns, the Pilot seems to ride a bit softer than the GM Acadia et al and has less body roll than the Highlander, though the Acadia may enjoy a slight advantage in steering feel. The most sporting drive in the segment is Mazda's CX-9 though we wouldn't venture as far from the beaten path in that as we would in a Pilot, and the Pilot is more maneuverable than any of them.
With a bit of forethought to join the visibility and crossover philosophy brakes would hardly be needed at all, yet the Pilot performs as the others in this regard and all electronic braking aids are standard. If you see something bad about to happen, just stand on the pedal as hard as you can and keep steering—you might just drive around it.
Honda labels the all-wheel-drive model 4WD, but they have no low-range gearing nor default rear drive. The 4WD models deduct 1 mpg from EPA ratings.
The Honda Pilot comes in four variants with few options. Each model is offered with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (4WD). All mechanical and safety components and systems are identical across the range. Navigation only comes on top-line models, and the rear-seat DVD entertainment system is available only on the top two trims.
The LX comes with cloth upholstery, front and rear climate control, steel wheels, five-speed automatic, Hill Start Assist, flip-up hatch glass, intermittent rear wipe/wash, power windows/locks/mirrors, tow hitch, tinted rear windows, automatic headlamps, cruise control, center console, visor extensions and illuminated mirrors, tilt/telescoping steering column, four front seatback pockets, six reading lights, reconfigurable cargo area, 60/40 split-folding second and third row seats, trip computer, seven-speaker system with 6CD changer and MP3 jack. There are no options on the LX.
The EX upgrades with three-zone climate control, alloy wheels, security system, heated body-color mirrors, roof rails, fog lights, chrome exhaust tips, HomeLink, conversation mirror, eight-way power driver seat, XM radio, and exterior temperature indicator. No options.
The EX-L, the EX with leather, adds enough features to qualify as a separate model. These include leather upholstery and wrap for steering wheel and shifter, heated front seats, four-way power passenger seat, moonroof, a noise-reducing laminated windshield, and an auto-dimming inside mirror with rearview camera display. A rear-seat DVD system with 115-volt AC outlet is optional.
The Touring model tops the line and further trims out the EX-L with a power tailgate, driver memory system, chrome side trim, signals in outside mirrors, trailer pre-wire, parking sensors front and rear, voice-recognition navigation with rear camera/Bluetooth/interface jog-dial control, second-row window shades, 512-watt 10-speaker audio system and USB port, and time/speed functions added to the trip computer. Rear-seat entertainment is optional.
Safety equipment on all Pilots includes front and front side airbags, three-row side curtain airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist (electronic stability control), daytime running lights, four child-seat LATCH positions, active front head rests, and eight adjustable headrests and shoulder belts.