2009 Honda Pilot
by Rebecca Antioco-10/2008

Introducing the Pilot in 2003 to compete with the then wildly popular Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander, Honda made a grand entrance to the burgeoning SUV party, offering a wealth of standard amenities, excellent build quality and great safety features to boot.

Pilot quickly set the standard, becoming a front-runner in the crossover category and a consumer and auto reviewer favorite for its refinement, functionality and styling.

Now, with nearly every manufacturer offering a mid-size sport utility, and the Pilot coming up on its sixth season, a complete redesign launches it into its second generation.

When we reviewed the Pilot for the 2006 model year, we declared it a soccer mom vehicle that dads would love to drive. Honda obviously decided that it wasn’t quite manly enough, forsaking the sleek lines or round curves characteristic of many new vehicles — including Honda’s own CR-V — in favor of an aggressive, angular Jeep-esque style. It’s a love it or loathe it proposition.

Inside, though, Pilot retains its family-friendly nature. There are tons of storage compartments, including an in-floor cargo bin behind the third row. Pockets, bins, 12 cup holders and a huge center console provide storage space for almost anything you want or have to transport. Both the second and third rows fold flat and split 60/40 for versatility in hauling both people and cargo. Legroom in those rows has increased by 1.1 and 1.9 inches, respectively, and gives the Pilot third-row seating that is actually reasonable for accommodating adult passengers.

Also new for 2009, the Pilot features LATCH anchors for four child-safety seats, three in the second row and one in the third. Unfortunately, Honda still uses ceiling-mounted retractable safety belts for middle passengers in the second and third rows. Not only is this configuration uncomfortable for passengers and unusable for children, it creates an annoying visual obstacle for the driver when glancing in the rearview mirror.

Where the exterior is truck-y and aggressive, the interior is accommodating and passenger friendly. The only exception is the sea of buttons for controlling the audio, climate, navigation and entertainment systems (if so equipped). The sheer number of them makes the center stack look like the control panel of the Starship Enterprise. The good news is, after taking some time to sit down and decipher the layout — or even after using them a few times — the controls become fairly intuitive, and are positioned in an ergonomically friendly configuration.

This year, Pilot comes in four trims: LX, EX, EX-L and Touring. All come equipped with the same 250-horsepower V-6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission, and are available as either two- or four-wheel drive. Fuel economy is rated at 16 miles per gallon city and 22 highway for all-wheel drive models and 17 and 23 for two-wheel drive. During my week in the four-wheel drive Touring model, I averaged about 18.1 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving.

To improve fuel efficiency, Honda equipped the Pilot with its three-stage variable cylinder management system (VCM), similar to the one used on the Accord. Here’s how it works. When full power is required — under heavy acceleration, climbing hills, starting from a stop — all six cylinders are employed. While cruising, it operates on just three cylinders; under moderate acceleration and at higher speeds, four cylinders are at work. The VCM monitors throttle position, vehicle speed, engine speed, automatic-transmission gear selection and other factors to determine the correct cylinder activation scheme. The whole operation is unnoticeable to the driver. However, if you do want to mind your driving habits to achieve better fuel economy, an “ECO” light on the instrument panel illuminates when you’re driving for optimum efficiency.

Other standard equipment on the LX includes power accessories, remote keyless entry, cruise control, trailer hitch, tilt/telescoping steering wheel and a seven-speaker CD audio system with an auxiliary input for your MP3 player. Upgrade to the EX and you get a power adjusting driver’s seat, a six-disc in-dash CD player, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, three-zone automatic climate control and satellite radio. On the EX-L, you’ll find leather seating, heated front seats, moonroof, a power adjustable passenger seat, a rearview mirror-mounted backup camera and the availability of a DVD entertainment system.

I drove the top-of-the-line Touring model with the optional DVD and navigation systems. Additional features on this model include a power liftgate, 10-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, and a nifty USB interface for my iPod that enabled me to control my tunes via the steering wheel audio controls.

On the road, the ride is as carlike as you can get with a vehicle this large. There isn’t too much noticeable body lean under normal driving conditions, but I wouldn’t gun it around the corners either. I most noticed the Pilot’s largesse when trying to swing into a parking space. The V-6 provides adequate power, although it is less powerful than the 271-horsepower version found in the significantly less hefty Accord. The cabin is supremely quiet at highway speeds.

In terms of safety, all models come equipped with a full complement of airbags, traction and stability control, tire-pressure monitoring system and brake assist. All of that has earned the Pilot the highest five-star rating in crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It received a second-best four-star rollover rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety bestowed Pilot with its highest rating, “Good,” for all tests.

Even after six generations, the Honda Pilot continues to impress. The new look may be off-putting to some, but its functionality, comfort, safety and reputation are difficult to dispute. Still, if the look is enough to drive you away, there are many worthy competitors in this segment that come close to what Honda has to offer, albeit in a more attractive package.