2011 Honda Pilot: Family SUV Review
Uploaded by
aaves212011 Honda Pilot: Family SUV Review
Uploaded by
aaves21Friday, February 11, 2011
the truCk guy
with ian harwood
theprovince.com
Driving | C5
The 2011 Honda Pilot has a 3.5-litre, 24-valve, V6 engine that delivers 250 hp and 253 ft-lbs. of torque for hauling plenty inside and outside.
Pilot your whole crew in comfort
HONDa: A lot of extra legroom has been added inside, as well as power under the hood
Submitted PhotoS
he 2011 honda Pilot has enough space to get you, your family, and all your gear to the campsite with room to spare for the dog. when the Pilot first came out in 2003 it was a big hit. More roomier than hondas popular CrV, but not as big and bulky as a full-sized SUV.
Looks
the design change came in 2009 and with it a new body, beefier front grille, and more space. there is enough ground clearance you could take it off-road, but there is no low range option.
In The Cab
as mentioned, this Pilot is big. theres more leg room for all eight passengers, with the second row boasting an extra 25 millimetres and the third row 50 millimetres. there is also an increase to the cargo area. the steering wheel is telescopic and tilts, and the shifter is located on the centre column of the dash which takes some getting use to. i would have preferred it to be in front of the console. it sort of reminds me of a highway tractor. the second and third row seats fold flat to give a good surface to transport larger items. another added improvement is the rear hatch glass that can be opened independently. if you go for the touring Edition, there is a power lift gate. a 135-watt audio sys-
There is plenty of cargo space inside the Pilot to transport eight people or load it up with a whack of weekend adventure gear.
A telescopic steering wheel that tilts is a welcome addition, as is the shifter, which is located on the centre column of the dash.
tem with seven speakers and a subwoofer is available on the base model, while the EX and EX-L come with a 155-watt system featuring a six-disc Cd changer. the touring Edition is outfitted with a 512-watt, 10 speaker and subwoofer system.
et when shifting. when the green ECo light comes on, the transmission was a little noisier.
sengers front side airbag with occupant position detection system.
Warranty support
36 month/ 60,000 km with 60 month/ 100,000 km powertrain warranty
Pump frequency
13.1 L/9.1 L/100 km (city/highway)
able, comfortable and easy to drive around town without costing too much in gas.
Sticker price:
LX 2wd LX 4wd EX EX-L EX-L rES touring (test vehicle) $34,820 $37,820 $40,720 $43,020 $46,120 $48,420
Power
the 3.5 litre, 24 valve, SohC i-VtEC V6 engine delivers 250 hp and 253 ft-lbs. of torque. theres also variable cylinder management (VCM), which shuts down two or three cylinders when not required. the five-speed automatic transmission runs smooth and very qui-
Roadworthy
theres lots of power should you decide to tow something, and lots of storage room but still small enough to get into a tight parking stall.
Safety first
Standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability assist, with traction control, and aBS. there are three row side curtain airbags with roll over sensor, dual stage front airbags, a drivers front side airbag, and a pas-
Verdict
the 2011 honda Pilot is a reli-
Ian Harwood is the Corporate Sales and Operations Manager of Custom Truck Parts in Western Canada.
truckguy@customtruckpartsinc.com