Honda Pilot (2010 and older) SUV | Crossover
Honda Pilot (2010 and older) SUV | Crossover
[Sep 18, 2005]
Jim Collis
Model Reviewed:
Honda Pilot
Strength:
Pick up. Nice ride.
Weakness:
Horrible Gas mileage. Too much road noise. Very top heavy at highway speeds, will tip over quite easily The Pilot has some great features and my wife likes it, but there are some things that Honda needs to fix. First, do not believe the listed gas mileage of 17 city 22 highway. I only got 13 miles per gallon with a lot of highway driving. It is almost as bad as my Expedition. I can not believe it is that horrible. Next, the cabin noise on the highway is very loud. I keep thinking that one of the kids has the window open. Then at about 72 mph the steering wheel starts to vibrate. Had it back to the dealer and they could not find out the problem. Other than that, I agree that it is a nice 4 SUV. Also, the front seats are not made for anyone more than 6 feet tall or over 200 pounds. Similar Products Used: Ford Expedition |
[Jan 23, 2005]
RAV4_driver
Model Reviewed:
Pilot EX-L
Strength:
Amazing snow capabilty, cargo space, lots of places to put things inside
Weakness:
non-aggressive" appearance doesnt show its true capability. snow braking could be better. THIS IS STRICTLY A SNOW REVIEW FOR THE HONDA PILOT. Most other people pointed out it's features and what they liked and didnt like. Well we had a bad snow-storm here in jersey today and yesterday and I was driving my Pilot in the snow. I went through everything from 1" of powder to 3 1/2 foot snow drift.....yes 3 and a half feet. I was driving home when i saw a big drift which didn't look too deep so I tried going through it at about 20 MPH the Pilot came to a halt in the middle of it. I was stuck. I was a few miles away from home, no cell phone, and it was 16 degrees with wind chills under 0. I was so scared i could barely open the car doors the snow was on the hood. I switched the Pilot into VTM-4 Lock mode and proceeded to go backwards and forwards a few times. AMAZINGLY, after a few minutes the Pilot pulled itself out of the drift. I could feel the front and rear wheels swapping power to find the best grip. I was so happy I would not have made it walking home in 3-4 feet of snow with shoes on. I love the Pilot so much I needed to write reviews on it. It saved me from a devestating walk back home. This is a 100% true story.....some may think it is hard to believe but I just wanted everyone to know how excellent the Pilot is. Also, earlier in the day going up a steep driveway the Pilot has more traction than my fathers ford expedition. He needed a running start to get up it while i did not. The VTM-4 is a great 4 wheel drive system that swaps power front and rear to find the most grip in normal mode and in Lock mode, locks the rear differential for maximum grip. The handling is sure-footed in the snow, while not sliding too much but letting you know when enough is enough. Braking is good, wider tires would increase braking ability but decrease how it digs through snow. I was able to fit a full size snow thrower in the back of the truck with the seats folded down. We transported it to a few people houses and did their driveways. Lots of room and height in the rear. The heated seats, mirrors and heat in general is excellent in the pilot providing plenty of heat in near 0 temperatures. There is enough ground clearance to be able to drive on curbs in the snow and not scrape anything...and if you do scrape anything there are a few skid plates underneath. This may not be the biggest, baddest SUV on the road, but for the things people say they dislike about "crossover" or "wannabe-SUV's" this one looks soft but will take anything you throw at it. Amazing vehicle. Note: the truck had cheap Good Year economy tires on it that cost $60 a piece. imagine good tires on it. Similar Products Used: 2001 Toyota RAV4, 1998 Ford Expedition, 2001 Toyota Highlander |
[Dec 28, 2004]
evanskevins
Model Reviewed:
Honda Pilot
Strength:
Plenty of power, Interior cargo room is excellent, respectable towing ability, reliability, fuel economy (20+ mpg for a vehicle this size is not bad!)
Weakness:
Again, the off-road ability is not comparable to a vehicle with a traditional 4x4 system. If you're used to a 4 runner or similar truck, you may be disappointed with the off road ability. Not to offend anyone, but I'm always surprised how much squawking people do when it comes to vehicles. One could go blind reading endless pages of complaints about a strange noise here and there or about the fuel economy (are they not listing the MPG on the sticker still?) I'll make this short -- I believe the pilot is the best possible choice for a mid-size 4x4 suv under 30k for an average consumer. That is, if you intend to drive the vehicle on a paved road daily, occasionally wander off-road (light duty), and do some light towing. If you plan to go rock crawling (you never will) or to tow a 40 foot camper, look elsewhere. if you do not plan on thrashing a 30k vehicle off road and do not intend to tow more than 4k lbs or so, look no further. I've owned the vehicle for 1.5 years and I've had absolutely no problems. Perfect vehicle. It's a Honda! Similar Products Used: The venerable Ford F-150 |
[Dec 20, 2004]
RustyBirman
Model Reviewed:
Honda Pilot EX-L
Strength:
All Honda quality, heated leather seats, smooth ride, very quiet (with windows closed).
Weakness:
Styling is boring, but if thats the worst of it, what can I say ? I needed the extra headroom the MDX didn't have (and the Acura was $5000+ more) Best car I ever had!! It never gets stuck in mud,snow, or ice. I'm sorry i waited to get it. I should have bought it last year, but was waiting for reviews. It does everything they say and has more than I ever thought I'd need, but I love all the extras !! I almost bought the Highlander but tried the Pilot and was glad I did. The highlander is a good vehicle but comes up short to the Pilot, and is much more expensive for the leather "Limited" version. I'm 6'3" and 180 lbs and fit great in the Pilot EX-L. The heated seats are fantastic in the cold mornings before the heater gets full balsting heat. Similar Products Used: Pretty much like the Odyssey EX-L only an SUV with AWD and 4wd when needed unlike the Odyssey. |
[Oct 05, 2004]
DAC
Model Reviewed:
Honda Pilot
Strength:
A powerfull car it is,at 240 horses this car can go,it's also got the torque.I'm very impresed with the engine,it's Honda's best technology.I also like the fact that this Pilot it's so roomy,it can seat 8 !,this past weekend we (the wife & I) actually slept in it,we rolled back the last two rows of seats and camped in it (Banff,Alberta) very comfortable too. This Honda also has nice road clearance that can be very beneficial in snowy Alberta and the fact that it has Honda's 4-VTM four wheel drive system that fully automated with the option of lockin it in 4wd if stuck in mud or snow,wonderful ! I have to mention that this thing is wide,we tried the Toyota 4-Runner and we found it too narrow,we actually rubbed elbows in it,try that in the Pilot ? you can't.Honda also included tonns of storage cubbyholes,12 V outlets (4) that's exactly what we were looking for,we did our camping with our BMW 3 series and that was a "bit" of a problem,not having enough 12V plugs or the space for the camping gear,now we are ready for the outdoors big time. Did i mention how quiet this thing is ?,maybe because i come from a BMW with performance exhaust...but this thing can put you to sleep it's that silent...hiway or city.
Weakness:
I found it to be a little heavy on gas,maybe because it's new,that's about it. A well build vehicle,sized just right and priced well too,not to mention that's made right here in Canada. Similar Products Used: None,but test drove all the competition and Honda Pilot earned it all,not just by us but also by all the major car/truck magazines and it's also the safest and strongest build and the best resale value out there period (i could go on and on...). |
[Oct 02, 2004]
hmmwv
Model Reviewed:
Pilot / Navigation
Strength:
Exceptional AWD drive system for people who appreciate AWD vehicle performance characteristics. Bosch antilock brakes, front and side airbags, ample storage (even a cellphone holder that folds shut to hide your phone - with a charging outlet right next to it). Exceptional engineering - there is only one windsheild washer fill location despite front and rear washers - they ran a hose the whole length of the vehicle just for washer fluid to the rear window to avoid a 2nd fill spout in the bumper. Comfortable seating for 4-5 adults + 2 children if needed. Extremely flexible cargo space for people / cargo conversion and ample headroom in every seat.
Weakness:
I would have liked a selector for the extra 24 HP the MDX chipped engine develops - even though the pilot uses 87 octane and the MDX needs 91 - I would like the choice between performance and economy as gas prices fluxuate. Also - no Zerk fittings underneath for lubrication - what's up with that? I lube all my vehicles every 3000 miles using Mobile 1 synthetic lube and Mobile 1 synthetic oil every 3000 miles - I haven't found a single Zerk fitting yet underneath. It is lacking a mount for the M60 :) The pilot was a supplemental vehicle - I own a 1995 AM General humvee (H1) and wanted 4wheel independent susp, AWD, with high stability offroad, and something thinner than the 8' wide hummer. It also had to have a DVD navigation system covering the USA in it. The pilot fit the need perfectly - so far the strong ponints have been in their AWD system. I drive the humvee hard because I can - it's virtually impossible to tip/roll it due to the width - I also drive the pilot hard and find that the AWD system is definitely using the rear wheels, as evidenced by the rubber left behind on the rear tires. Its width in class brings it a healthy stability, however it will lean and squeal the tires more than its bigger partner here. The navigation system is very well integrated into the vehicle and can be seen and heard by both front and rear passengers simultaneously. It also features an exceptionally detailed database with phone numbers and effectively the "USA yellow pages" on line. It is very intuitive to use and can be figured out on the test drive if you want to. My only complaint is that I often need my exact longitude and latitude off road and to get that you must touch the car icon on the screen - this is not mentioned anywhere in the manual, which fustrated the salesman and myself as I almost did not buy the vehicle because I would have to install a 2nd GPS for something so simple. The salesman did remember it at the last minute and saved the day, closing the deal. Changes in 2004 are few - you get 4 power outlets instead of 3. There are a host of accessories you may purhase to turn it into a hauling vehicle with a bed liner that goes in once the seats are folded down and a dog screen to separate the dog from the people in the truck. I won't be using the honda for towing since the H1 can tow 10,000 lbs (technically 30,000 lbs but the hitch is limited to 10K) - it is primarily a low cost to operate and fast around town vehicle. I anticipate owning it for 10-15 years so it is being equipped with loads of aftermarket two-way radio equipment and cellular amplifiers, etc. The ease of installation of this has been so good that I am going to buy the aftermarket rear view video camera to back up - it uses the navigation high resolution display to image a digital high resolution picture of where you are going in reverse, but must be drilled and mounted to the rear lid. I also plan to add the transmission and oil coolers options as I believe they add to longevity of any drivetrain. Overall - the pilot is very fast and has a very flat torque curve which provides power at almost any RPM. It's first tank of gas (break in) got exactly 17 MPG with some hard driving - mountain climbs, off road, etc - so fuel economy seems surprisingly good since most fuel consumption is high during the breakin period, and this one has been offroad 4 times in the first 100 miles with the differential manually locked. It has become a perfect compliment to it's bigger brother. Similar Products Used: 95 AMG H1 Hummer (not too similar but has the same 4 wheel suspension design + all wheel drive all the time) |
[Sep 27, 2004]
rwscolari
Model Reviewed:
Honda Pilot EX-L
Strength:
Nice design features. Very confortable riding. Holds 6 adults and 2 kids
Weakness:
Poor Gas Mileage. Unreliable starting. Great riding car; lots of storage and people space; lots of features for the money. --- Thus far I have a host of starting problems: the battery failed (?); I finally got the car running but had a christmas tree of warning lights (all bogus). The dealer couldn't find anything wrong and replaced the battery as a "best fix". The car has problems with "cold starting". It usually catches after 30 seconds, or so, of grinding. Finally the mileage is poor thus far I'm averaging about 14 MPG. It goes up to around 17MPG on the highway. Similar Products Used: Ford 150 |
[Sep 12, 2004]
RickyC
Model Reviewed:
Honda
Strength:
Gas mileage for an SUV, inside comfort/appearance, roominess.
Weakness:
Above. So far I'm please with my Pilot, 7k miles, 4 months. The one suggestion I would make for future changes would be to add some padding to the inside door panels near the window. I like to rest my left arm there when driving and the hard plastic is a bit uncomfortable. Similar Products Used: Blazer. |
[Aug 20, 2004]
Ginger
Model Reviewed:
EX Leather
Strength:
Initially a very comfortable ride, although it is currently riding very rough due to a suspension problem. Was very quiet but now has an ongoing mysterious front-end bumping vibration, not so much a rattle. I have not checked the gas mileage. Rear passenger seat was comfortable for me at 5' 3" tall. Stereo has awesome sound quality with the rear sub-woofer. Very easy to park and turn. Bought the tow package and I've towed small utility trailers and a quad trailer. That went fine. Very good pick up speed when passing and the engine strength surprised even my husband who doesn't drive anything unless it has a Hemi in it!
Weakness:
The plastic unfortunately scratches very easily. Our leather is quite sagged in the front seats. A sunroof would be great but wasn't an option. Options offerred were very expensive and the vehicle didn't really have anything unless you added it (fog lights, side steps etc.) The alloy rims could have been a nicer design and after waiting two years for them to finish designing the Pilot I bought it anyway even though I was disappointed upon seeing the final design. Someone even thought it was a new Cherokee! Yuk. Be prepared for the head rests in the front seat area to be uncomfortable if you're my height. They do not adjust. The vent covers in the rear have fallen off many times and we've had to have them replaced. The H 'sticker' on the alloy rims have come off and been replaced on warranty. HONDA, please take notice that your loyal purchasers deserve 0% financing at some point! Purchased the Pilot July 2002. Was initially very impressed. I admit I have not yet checked the gas mileage against what they claim I am getting. Love all of the amenities and conveniences it came with such as cupholders, mesh pockets, console storage, AC outlets for TV, cooler plug in at rear with a total of 3 outlets. According to my service records my first major repair came at 14,000 kms. The front struts were leaking. This occured during one of our usual cold winters but the Civics had the same recall. Suspension seemed fine until the next winter when the struts were leaking yet again. Once spring came I noticed a new sound coming from the front end that was like a vibration or knock. Definately not the engine, but a loose part on the body of the Pilot. They are still looking for the cause of this noise. Only occurs when riding over a rough bump or gravel road at a slow speed. I've only hauled two heavy loads inside the vehicle and towed twice. I don't know what caused this next problem but the suspension seems to be half of what it was in the beginning. Honda service has checked the struts, the ball joints and the bushing and sway bar but have yet to look at the rear of the vehicle. I've given up on my local Honda dealer in my hometown who are snubbing me for not having purchased the vehicle there and are making me feel like these problems are all in my head. I now have an appointment at a dealer two hours from where I live next week. Hopefully I get results there with both issues. I am now at 35,000 kms and reeealllly concerned about what I've purchased. I've called Honda Canada to report the problems so they can document them as an ongoing problem for warranty purposes, as I do not trust my local dealer to have done so on my behalf. I've had the recall notices updated regarding the air bag timer, oil injector and now the new one affecting the Auto. Trans. Second Gear Inspection which I will do next week. I can't say if I will buy another Pilot. Everything was great in the beginning but we live in an area that has paved Ashphalt roads, the occasional pot hole and some dirt roads and the suspension just doesn't seem to be living up to this terrain. Similar Products Used: '93 Honda Accord, 2004 Dodge Ram Diesel (one tonne) My husband jokes that his truck rides smoother than the Pilot. This comment came after our difficulties with the suspension. Also a '91 Civic Hatchback |
[Aug 20, 2004]
bbell
Model Reviewed:
honda pilot ex res
Strength:
3rd row, moveable 2nd row. DVD emtertainment center, controls on the steering wheel.
Weakness:
loud noises when window is down. thumping sound, gas mileage, need lights on all the switches on the dash and the wiper control - have it hit by mistake many times when shifting. So far I have enjoyed driving the Pilot except for a few things, from a stand still after I take my foot off the brakes there is sometimes a loud "thump". Like one review I read, I had to stop the vehicle and look to see if something fell off. It doesn't happen constantly has anyone else experienced this thumping sound? I also think it might be when the gas tank is half full. One last thing I have only been getting 13 miles to the gallon. I drive both city and highway. Any suggestions? Similar Products Used: ford explorer |