The great pretender
You read right. For 2007, Honda decided to offer Canadians a two-wheel drive Pilot. And it's front-wheel drive.
What? A front-wheel drive mid-size SUV? That can't be. That's stupendous. That's unthinkable. I just had to try it out.
In the good ol' USA, the front-drive Pilot has been available since its launch in 2003. That makes sense, because for those who don't go off-roading, four-wheel drive is about as useful in Florida or California as studded winter tires.
Hey, it's running on 3 cylinders
I just love Honda's 3.5-liter V6. It sounds great, delivers plenty of power, and isn't too hard on gasoline. In this truck, however, you'll discover something you probably never though you'd encounter in such a big sport-utility vehicle: torque steer! It isn't too intrusive, and god knows you shouldn't be drag-racing a two-ton truck anyway. With less mass and drivetrain friction to motivate, the 2WD Pilot is mighty quick.
I got another big surprise when I hit the highway after picking up the Pilot; a green 'ECO' light turned on in the instrument panel, indicating that the engine was running on one bank of cylinders.
The LX 2WD model turns out to be the only Pilot with this feature. I still ended up with a 13.2 L/100 km fuel consumption average at the end of the test, only slightly better than what we observed last year behind the wheel of a four-wheel drive Pilot EX-L.
The Pilot provides a pretty good ride, as the suspension is tuned just right: not too stiff, not too soft. There is a little body roll when turning sharply, no surprise here for a SUV. But overall, this truck offers an almost car-like driving experience, except that you're sitting much higher. Visibility is great all around.
School bus interior space
Stepping inside the Pilot reminds me when I took the bus to go to school. There is so much space in this truck that you could play Twister in it. The Pilot's boxy shape translates into shoulder room and headroom for everyone. Climbing into the 3rd-row seat is relatively easy, and there's ample space for two adults or three children.
As the base model of the Pilot lineup, the dashboard hosts a single-slot CD player that can't read MP3 files, and there aren't audio controls on the steering wheel. The driver's seat has a manually-adjustable seat cushion. However, the rest of the usual convenience features are present.
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| The Pilot is now offered in Canada in 2WD configuration for 2007. |
What? A front-wheel drive mid-size SUV? That can't be. That's stupendous. That's unthinkable. I just had to try it out.
In the good ol' USA, the front-drive Pilot has been available since its launch in 2003. That makes sense, because for those who don't go off-roading, four-wheel drive is about as useful in Florida or California as studded winter tires.
Hey, it's running on 3 cylinders
I just love Honda's 3.5-liter V6. It sounds great, delivers plenty of power, and isn't too hard on gasoline. In this truck, however, you'll discover something you probably never though you'd encounter in such a big sport-utility vehicle: torque steer! It isn't too intrusive, and god knows you shouldn't be drag-racing a two-ton truck anyway. With less mass and drivetrain friction to motivate, the 2WD Pilot is mighty quick.
 |
| A green 'ECO' light turns on in the instrument panel when the V6 engine shuts off half its cylinders. |
The LX 2WD model turns out to be the only Pilot with this feature. I still ended up with a 13.2 L/100 km fuel consumption average at the end of the test, only slightly better than what we observed last year behind the wheel of a four-wheel drive Pilot EX-L.
The Pilot provides a pretty good ride, as the suspension is tuned just right: not too stiff, not too soft. There is a little body roll when turning sharply, no surprise here for a SUV. But overall, this truck offers an almost car-like driving experience, except that you're sitting much higher. Visibility is great all around.
School bus interior space
 |
| There's plenty of room for everybody, and access to the third-row seat is easy. |
As the base model of the Pilot lineup, the dashboard hosts a single-slot CD player that can't read MP3 files, and there aren't audio controls on the steering wheel. The driver's seat has a manually-adjustable seat cushion. However, the rest of the usual convenience features are present.