Spacious cabin
Assembled at the Honda plant in Lincoln, Alabama, the Pilot comes in five flavours on the Canadian market: a basic, two-wheel-drive LX and four models featuring the VTM-4 four-wheel-drive system, the LX, Touring, EX and EX-L. With base prices ranging from $36,820 to $50,420 (at the time of writing), the models are set apart by their level of equipment, according to their rank.
But whatever the version, this SUV offers eight seats. Up front, generous bucket seats allow you to dominate the road. They could be a little more form-fitting, though. Seeing the vehicle’s size, it would compensate for the inevitable roll experienced in corners. A large console made up of multiple storage spaces, big and small, separate these two seats.
Behind them, two rows of split seats each accommodate three passengers. The first row is a 60/40 split bench mounted on sliders, while the second row is a 50/50 stationary bench. In both cases, the seat backs fold down to create an even floor from the tailgate to the front seats.
If the middle row accommodates adults, the last one should be reserved for the little guys, as head- and legroom is limited and climbing in and out of it requires the flexibility of a gymnast.
It’s worth mentioning that the 2009 Pilot features four LATCH child seat anchors. The manufacturer prides itself on offering more than anyone else in this type of SUV. Could Honda’s executives be advocates of a new “Revenge of the Cribs”?
Not-so-practical trunk
The Pilot’s adjustable cabin is a promise of flexibility. It starts with the small storage area built into the rear part of the floor. It can fit a small golf bag or a folded stroller. On top of its 587 litres of cargo space awaits its load. Only the Kia Borrego outdoes the Pilot in this regard. And once both rows of seats are folded down, cargo space reaches 2,464 litres. That’s less than most of the Pilot’s competitors. Even the 2008 Pilot did better, by 17 litres!
Assembled at the Honda plant in Lincoln, Alabama, the Pilot comes in five flavours on the Canadian market: a basic, two-wheel-drive LX and four models featuring the VTM-4 four-wheel-drive system, the LX, Touring, EX and EX-L. With base prices ranging from $36,820 to $50,420 (at the time of writing), the models are set apart by their level of equipment, according to their rank.
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| An avalanche of controls, including a rotating multimedia button, unfurls down the middle of the dash board. |
But whatever the version, this SUV offers eight seats. Up front, generous bucket seats allow you to dominate the road. They could be a little more form-fitting, though. Seeing the vehicle’s size, it would compensate for the inevitable roll experienced in corners. A large console made up of multiple storage spaces, big and small, separate these two seats.
Behind them, two rows of split seats each accommodate three passengers. The first row is a 60/40 split bench mounted on sliders, while the second row is a 50/50 stationary bench. In both cases, the seat backs fold down to create an even floor from the tailgate to the front seats.
If the middle row accommodates adults, the last one should be reserved for the little guys, as head- and legroom is limited and climbing in and out of it requires the flexibility of a gymnast.
It’s worth mentioning that the 2009 Pilot features four LATCH child seat anchors. The manufacturer prides itself on offering more than anyone else in this type of SUV. Could Honda’s executives be advocates of a new “Revenge of the Cribs”?
Not-so-practical trunk
The Pilot’s adjustable cabin is a promise of flexibility. It starts with the small storage area built into the rear part of the floor. It can fit a small golf bag or a folded stroller. On top of its 587 litres of cargo space awaits its load. Only the Kia Borrego outdoes the Pilot in this regard. And once both rows of seats are folded down, cargo space reaches 2,464 litres. That’s less than most of the Pilot’s competitors. Even the 2008 Pilot did better, by 17 litres!
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| The shifter of the automatic transmission is now located on the dash instead of the steering column. |