Same comfort under the hood for 2011
The core of the Pilot’s operational pleasantries is its 3.5-litre i-VTEC V6 powerplant, which enters 2011 as it left 2010, all good. The SOHC mill continues to generate 250 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm and 253 pound-feet of torque @ 4,800 rpm.
Those figures aren’t sufficient to repute the Pilot as an SUV powerhouse but such enables the mid-size family hauler to competently travel highways and mountain roads without feeling anemic or overburdened. There’s also adequate punch for the passing lane when the need arises.
Power flows through a 5-speed automatic transmission featuring Grade Logic Control, which minimizes gear hunting when taking on the ups and downs of mountainous terrain. Some competitors are spinning more than five cogs in their autoboxes these days, which may provide a slight performance and economy edge.
Despite its moderate allotment of cogs, Honda utilizes Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) to help the Pilot squeeze the greatest distance from a litre of liquid gold. This technology seamlessly disables three cylinders when the need for power is diminished, such as when cruising flat stretches of roadway.
Thanks to VCM and other efficiencies, the Pilot is rated at 12.7L/100km and 8.7L/100km of city and highway driving respectively. Regrettably, my gentle about town usage averaged 16 or so litres per 100km, which isn’t nearly as attractive as that posted.
Although disappointed with fuel economy, I was pleased to see the gearshift lever repositioned from the steering column, as it was in the previous Pilot generation, to the dashboard- but what remains missing is an easy to use electronic manual-mode shift function.
The existing gear lever doesn’t lend itself well to manually downshifting and up shifting the transmission, if that’s your driving preference as it is mine.
The core of the Pilot’s operational pleasantries is its 3.5-litre i-VTEC V6 powerplant, which enters 2011 as it left 2010, all good. The SOHC mill continues to generate 250 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm and 253 pound-feet of torque @ 4,800 rpm.
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| The core of the Pilot’s operational pleasantries is its 3.5-litre i-VTEC V6 powerplant. (Photo: Honda) |
Those figures aren’t sufficient to repute the Pilot as an SUV powerhouse but such enables the mid-size family hauler to competently travel highways and mountain roads without feeling anemic or overburdened. There’s also adequate punch for the passing lane when the need arises.
Power flows through a 5-speed automatic transmission featuring Grade Logic Control, which minimizes gear hunting when taking on the ups and downs of mountainous terrain. Some competitors are spinning more than five cogs in their autoboxes these days, which may provide a slight performance and economy edge.
Despite its moderate allotment of cogs, Honda utilizes Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) to help the Pilot squeeze the greatest distance from a litre of liquid gold. This technology seamlessly disables three cylinders when the need for power is diminished, such as when cruising flat stretches of roadway.
Thanks to VCM and other efficiencies, the Pilot is rated at 12.7L/100km and 8.7L/100km of city and highway driving respectively. Regrettably, my gentle about town usage averaged 16 or so litres per 100km, which isn’t nearly as attractive as that posted.
Although disappointed with fuel economy, I was pleased to see the gearshift lever repositioned from the steering column, as it was in the previous Pilot generation, to the dashboard- but what remains missing is an easy to use electronic manual-mode shift function.
The existing gear lever doesn’t lend itself well to manually downshifting and up shifting the transmission, if that’s your driving preference as it is mine.
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| Power flows through a 5-speed automatic transmission featuring Grade Logic Control. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com) |