The powerful Honda is famous for its unprecedented spaciousness inside and high reliability. The only thing that pushes this beauty away from it is the power of 258 hp, which causes a high transport tax. What about the quality finish, flotation and handling?
Size, Volume And Comfort
The Pilot is the largest car in the Honda lineup, and the dimensions are intimidating at first. It takes a while to get used to the dimensions because, in width, the Pilot is one of the largest, not only in its class but in general among full-size SUVs.
It is difficult to get used to the overall front size: it seems to the driver that he has already rested on the car’s bumper in front, but the pedestrian runs freely through the free space, and the front parking sensors at the same time beep furiously. But it is precisely this cubism in appearance and gigantism in size that determines the main advantage of the model – its impressive capacity and internal volume.
As one of the owners wrote, “The acquisition of this masterpiece was the result of the exorbitant growth of my family through the reproduction of others, as well as the lack of solid road surface everywhere.”
Indeed, now there is no need to push elbows on the armrest; the back seat can easily accommodate three adults or two adults and a child in a child seat. Or maybe a few.
There is a third row, and unlike many other seven-seaters, it is not restricted in terms of free space and comfort. Even those of the owners who, like me, are sceptical about the usefulness of the “gallery”, were forced to admit that it saves the situation two or three times a year since the need for a second car disappears.
Naturally, such a volume implies almost unlimited possibilities for the transportation of goods: “I felt all the charm of size when I was transporting my wife and child to the countryside. With the second row of seats folded, so many went into the car that I was simply stunned, not to mention the fact that the stroller gets up without disassembling, without folding the seats, and there is still room for a bunch of packages. In short, whoever drives with a family along with a small child will understand me. ”
Many owners were really delighted that by folding two rows of seats, you get a full-fledged berth for three, and even a tall person can sleep at full height, and the front seats do not need to be moved. Naturally, such a volume will be useful if you need to transport a wardrobe, sofa or refrigerator.
Well, many “little joys for the owner” only add to the positive. Yes, the interior is simple, but the steering wheel and seats are covered with leather of very high quality. There are many cup holders and various containers for small things scattered throughout the cabin, and the main thing is not to forget what you put where. The keys have a memory for two drivers, and it can adjust the seat and mirrors depending on which of them opened the car with their key. You have to agree, it is very convenient for spouses who take turns driving.
The mirrors do not fold automatically, but one of them, by choice, tilts downward when reversing. The electric tailgate keeps your hands clean even in spring and autumn. Not only the front and back seats are heated, but the pillow and the backrest are heated too!
There is a rain sensor (which, however, is criticized because it lives its own kind of life), and the light sensor works quite adequately and without delays. The curtains on the rear windows can also be called a pleasant trifle.
Noise Isolation
The noise isolation in the Honda Pilot, perhaps, does not deserve an A-plus, but only if you compare it with Mercedes or BMW. At least, there is no need to scream even at high speed: you can calmly talk or listen to music.
With constant movement on a decent road, the engine’s sound is practically inaudible; however, you cannot violate aerodynamics’ laws. At high speeds, the crew begins to hear the sound of the air being torn apart by the angular body.
But the sound insulation of the lower part of the car could be better: in the reviews, it is noted that when you drive along a sandy road with puddles, the sounds from the impact of water with sand on the bottom and wheel arches are heard very clearly. The owners also warn that if you drive mainly on asphalt, then you should not put sharp-toothed tyres on the car.
A Real Cruiser
On a normal, dry road, driving long distances turns into a definite thrill. The Honda Pilot is a real cruiser that literally floats over the road. The owners note that on the previous cars, after several hundred kilometers, they literally fell out from behind the wheel. After 1,300 km behind the wheel of a Honda Pilot, you can safely sit down at the table and have a few more hours of “cultural rest”.
Unlike the same Chevrolet Tahoe, the owners amicably note that the driver does not get the impression that they are sitting behind a truck’s wheel but on a soft home couch. Although present, the swing on the waves and roll in the corners does not go beyond reasonable limits and allow you to drive the car very aggressively. The car does not feel the longitudinal track and perfectly keeps the trajectory both on a straight line and in turns due to the wide track.
Overtaking does not cause a feeling of uncertainty: the acceleration dynamics and engine thrust are enough, and the five-speed automatic does not cause irritation with its thoughtfulness. However, some complain that for several years they have not been able to understand at what speed the box “freezes” and refuses to switch down for some time, although acceleration from standstill always turns out to be excellent. The main thing is that no one expects such agility from this tank.
Automatic transmission Honda Pilot is adaptive. If you drive slowly, the gas pedal becomes less sensitive, reactions slow down – but as soon as you “drive” a little, the car immediately changes and begins to instantly respond to the slightest pressure.
If you want to keep the motor “at speed”, you can use manual gear shifting. In this mode, the car accelerates to 100 km / h in 8.5 seconds, and in third gear, an electronic limiter set at 180 km / h is triggered.
Permeability
Of course, no one considers the Pilot a suitable vehicle for participating in the trophy race, even in the tourism category, or a suitable platform for building a trophy cutlet. And the clearance is relatively moderate, from 198 to 203 mm (depending on the load), and the rear overhang is too large.
Nevertheless, Pilot fulfils all tasks – both those related to “urban cross-country ability” and those assigned to the car by a family leading an active lifestyle and preferring to relax in nature. The Pilot performs quite boldly, and the owners appreciate its off-road capabilities with best regards.
Reliability And Quality
The Honda Pilot has many advantages, but most owners agree that the central one is its excellent endurance and reliability. In almost every review, you can read that the automobile passed 150, 200, 250 thousand kilometers without any problems, while only consumables were changed (well, or some details like stabilizer struts, which can also be attributed to this category).
However, for a problem-free and long life, certain conditions must be met – for example, to maintain the oil level in the engine at the maximum. Honda officially notifies that “any engine consumes oil in the course of its regular operation. Oil consumption depends on driving style as well as climatic and road conditions. Therefore, the oil level must be checked regularly. ”
This is especially important for the Pilot because the same amount of oil is poured into his 3.5-litre engine as into the two-liter CR-V engine. If you start this moment, then at the turn of 120-180 thousand kilometers, the camshafts will begin to experience oil starvation and crumble.
The operation to replace them is not cheap, and if you decide to purchase the camshafts yourself, then remember that there are two of them, and they are different for each triple cylinder. It is worth regularly monitoring the power steering fluid level in the tank and more often looking under the car to detect power steering hoses leaks due to the clamps’ loosening.
Nonetheless, you must admit that against the background of trouble-free runs of hundreds of thousands of kilometers, such weaknesses do not look too serious.
Honda Lebanon has filled the car with plenty of family-friendly features. If you are a person who wants a lot of family features in an SUV, then you won’t find a better family SUV than the Pilot
