2009 Honda Pilot

Boxy urban utility vehicles have a strong following in many Asian countries, and have been around for many years. The theme is slowly beginning to catch on in the U.S. and Europe - made some inroads, the appears to be floundering and hopes to expand the field further - but to date most of the entries have all been relatively small in size. Honda’s Pilot, while sharing a lot in terms of looks, is an order of magnitude larger, both inside and out. Whether that helps place it in a different and more broadly acceptable category or dooms it to outcast status is a question for some debate.At first glance the 2009 Pilot is nothing new or groundbreaking, but a closer examination reveals some interesting traits. Its basic form is of two rectangular boxes stacked neatly, like a child’s vision of a school bus. Some chamfered edges and a very bulky grille give the Pilot a modern look, but the shape is decidedly uninspired. It is, however, a great shape for maximizing the interior space in a given set of exterior dimensions. The paradoxical largeness of this very car-like SUV makes for an intriguing blend of handling and practicality, but inspires little confidence in off-road or towing capability.Part of the less-than-confident feel of the Pilot can be traced to its rather anaemic 250hp (183kW) 3.5L V6 engine. Certainly the power would be adequate if backed up by a suitably large torque figure, but this engine needs to be spun at 4,000-5,000rpm before it feels like it’s doing any real work, and by then it’s gone past sipping, drinking, and slurping fuel directly to chugging it. Watching the fuel-economy gauge under moderate-to-hard acceleration or while going up a steep hill will routinely cause ratings in the 3-5mpg (78-47L/100km) range - hardly in keeping with Honda’s ‘green carmaker’ image. Peak torque is rated at an uninspiring 253lb-ft (342Nm) at a lofty 4,800rpm, however, a dual-stage intake manifold and variable valve timing and lift keeps over 90% of this twist between 2,000 and 6,000rpm.

Even if you move beyond the entry-level models priced below $30,000 toward the upper end of the range, which brushes right up against $40,000, few vehicles in the class offer the same combination of size and equipment for the price. This is where Honda has chosen to stake out its territory - not as the most imposing or most refined or even the most efficient, but rather as offering the most value, and that they do an admirable job of achieving.
It’s just unfortunate that they focused on that one goal so exclusively.So is the Honda Pilot too big to play with the modern urban-box utility vehicle, or is it too small and too underpowered to play in the full-size SUV class? The short answer is a little bit of both. The long answer is that it’s actually a surprisingly useful, easy-to-drive vehicle that offers an experience many people will appreciate for a price most can afford.