2009 HONDA PILOT: Go with the tow

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This article was published 15/05/2009 (6286 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Honda has a big, new Pilot as the flagship of its 2009 SUV lineup at a time when many consumers are looking at such compact models as its CR-V sibling.

Still, although demand is shrinking, there continues to be a market for larger SUVs, especially if you have such items as a travel trailer or a boat or need space for a lot of people and their stuff.

Honda has set this totally redesigned Pilot on a new platform, with a wheelbase that’s been stretched 75 millimetres. The result is a cabin that’s capable of carrying up to eight passengers in comfort. The seats are spread over three rows, with a pair of comfortable chairs up front plus two 60/40-split benches farther back.

The topline Touring tester, decked out with soft leather trim, included heated and power-adjustable buckets for the driver and passenger, and the outboard occupants in the second row could also turn on their own bun-warmers.

With increased interior volume, legroom and headroom are generous throughout. Access to the cheap seats is also easier than in many competitive models.

The Pilot’s overall look up front is stylish, with the instrument panel sweeping into a centre stack that houses all the usual controls, including the automatic three-zone climate control system and a superb 10-speaker surround-sound audio unit. However, the array of buttons and switches is too busy and less intuitive for my taste. I also found the dash-mounted shift lever difficult to get used to — I kept reaching down to the console to engage gears.

In addition to the new-for-’09 Touring model, there are four other trim levels available, starting with the base LX, which is offered in two- and four-wheel drive, plus the EX and EX-L.

There’s just one powertrain — a 3.5-litre, 24-valve, i-TEC V-6 coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission with grade logic technology that holds a lower gear longer when climbing or descending hills. This new engine, which generates 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque, is fitted with a variable cylinder management system that alters the number of cylinders activated, depending on power demand. It’s capable of running on three, four or all six cylinders.

During a week with the Pilot, I averaged a fuel economy of 12 litres per 100 kilometres in combined city/highway driving, respectable for a larger SUV.

In addition to the Pilot’s resculptured exterior, which has a boxy, muscular look, the design of its new body structure is based on Honda’s advanced compatibility engineering (ACE) system, which improves the vehicle’s capability to endure impacts and enhance occupant protection in frontal collisions with vehicles of differing size and weight. Along with front, side and side curtain airbags with rollover sensors, other standard safety features include electronic stability and traction controls and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist.

Another safety feature is hill-start assist, which holds the vehicle for a couple of seconds as you shift your foot from the brake to the accelerator when starting away on an incline. This is especially handy if towing, preventing the vehicle from rolling backward.

The Pilot has a built-in hitch and is pre-wired for a trailer connection. The Touring edition includes the wiring hookup. All four-wheel-drive models have an impressive towing capacity of 2,045 kilograms. The base two-wheel-drive LX is rated at 1,590 kg.

If you need to tow, the new Pilot is worth considering.

— Canwest News Service

 

THE SPECS

Type of vehicle: Four-wheel-drive mid-size SUV

Engine: 3.5L SOHC V-6

Power: 250 hp@5,700 r.p.m.; 253 lb.-ft. of torque@4,800 r.p.m.

Transmission: Five-speed automatic

Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS

Tires: P245/65R17

Price: base/as tested: $49,920/same

Destination charge: $1,560

Transport Canada fuel economy (L/100 km): 13.1 city, 9.1 hwy.

Standard features: Tri-zone automatic climate control with second-row automatic controls, automatic headlights, tilt and telescopic steering column, cruise control, HomeLink garage door opener, Bluetooth wireless telephone link, navigation system with bilingual voice recognition, rear-view camera, power windows, power and heated front seats, heated second-row 60/40-split seats, trip computer and maintenance minder, AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA premium audio system with six-disc in-dash changer, XM satellite radio, rear DVD entertainment system, power side mirrors with integrated turn indicators, front and rear parking sensors, power tailgate.