With the 2003 Pilot, Honda was the first mainstream brand to offer a car-based SUV with a third row of seats. It didn't matter that even an Odyssey minivan was more fun to drive. Families wanted a third row without the stigma of a minivan or the bulk of a conventional SUV. In 2005 and again in 2006, the Honda Pilot outsold all other midsize car-based SUVs.

Then the competition struck back. The 2007 model year witnessed the arrival of new competitors from General Motors, Ford, Hyundai, and Mazda. Pilot sales fell by nearly a quarter despite discounting, and Honda lost its leadership of the segment.

For the 2009 model year, Honda has responded with a fully redesigned Pilot. What has been done to regain market share, and is it enough?

Styling

A poorly proportioned, blandly inoffensive box on wheels, the original Pilot wasn't much to look at. The new one, with a bulkier nose, higher beltline, and smaller windows, has a huskier appearance more appropriate to an SUV, and more similar to other car-based SUVs that aspire to be thought of as traditional SUVs. In profile, there's more than a little resemblance to the compact Ford Escape, to give just one example. A significant improvement on before, but ultimately forgettable. Competitors like the GMC Acadia (and sibs), Mazda CX-9, and Hyundai Veracruz are much more stylish.

Except from the front. Honda has clearly decided that having a distinctive front end is more important than having an attractive front end. The grille is one inverted hexagon within another, the outlines of both crudely thick. At least it's not something totally off the wall, like the current CR-V's nose.

A more massive aesthetic has also been applied to the interior. The center stack, the center console, the door panels--all have the chunkily massive flavor of a conventional full-size SUV. The interior of Toyota's new Sequoia has a similarly massive feel..

Also like the Sequoia, quantity appears to have been afforded by sacrificing quality. Most of the interior surfaces look and feel like the budget-grade hard plastic they are. Most competitors have nicer interiors, some of them much nicer. On top of this, the instrument panel includes far too many cut lines.

One of these cut lines has been executed in an especially odd manner: the dark plastic that comprises the rear seation of the instrument binnacle sticks up a touch higher than the relatively light colored plastic that comprises the binnacle's rim. This exposes the edge of the darker plastic, which looks like a mistake.

Accommodations

The driving position is good. Some might find the seat too low in it's lowest position, but that's what the power seat is for. Like a conventional SUV, the windshield is taller and more upright than in a car, so the instrument panel isn't overly deep and the windshield isn't overly distant. The shifter has moved from the steering column to the left side of the center stack. Not a conventional location, but it works better than the old one.

The windows are smaller, but reduce the glass area to merely average instead of expansive. You won't feel like you're sitting inside a Hummer.

The front seats are oversized like those of a typical full-size SUV, and larger than those in smaller Hondas. They should be comfortable on long trips. Lateral support is minimal, but if you want more that's what the related Acura MDX is for.

The new Honda Pilot has much of the feel of a full-size SUV because it has the width of one. In terms of length and wheelbase, though, the Pilot remains strictly midsized. Both dimensions have increased by about three inches, but remain about ten inches shorter than GM's Lambda trio of large crossovers.

As a result of the three-inch increase, legroom in the second row is up an inch, and that in the third row is up nearly two inches. The second row adjusts a few inches fore-and-aft, and the average adult sitting behind another will want it all the way back, or close. Only a split manually reclining bench is available in the second row; captain's are not available.

Adults up to six feet in height can now fit into the third row. There's not much room to spare for those so tall, so the additional room is certainly welcome. The rearmost seat sits above the first two rows, providing occupants with a pleasantly unobstructed view forward, but is still too low to the floor to provide adults with thigh support. Over long distances, the third row is much more suitable for children. The third rows in larger crossovers, while still not exactly adult-friendly, provide a few inches more legroom than even the new Pilot's.

Cargo volume is most compromised by the Pilot's relatively short exterior length. With the third seat up, there's space for just a couple pieces of full-sized luggage, preferably soft-sided. The competition from GM and Mazda contain considerably more room for cargo. None of the three offers a folding front passenger seat, to provide space for exceptionally long cargo.

The Pilot does lead direct competitors in one area: the storage area in the center console up front is well-organized and huge.

On the Road

The Honda Pilot's 3.5-liter V6 has gained six horsepower, for a total of 250. This isn't enough to make a noticeable difference in performance, especially since the curb weight has also increased. The biggest change to the engine: it can now run on three or four cylinders while cruising, to save gas. As a result, the EPA ratings are up a bit despite the gain in weight, to 16 city and 22 highway.

One thing that has not changed: the automatic remains a five-speed, and without a manual shift feature (of dubious value in a largish SUV anyway). Most competitors have a sixth ratio, which enables a shorter first gear and thus stronger acceleration from a dead stop.

Given the power-to-weight ratio, the V6 must work moderately hard to motivate the new Pilot. In typical around town driving, shifts occur between three and four thousand rpm, and more often closer to the latter than the former.

Handling was my least favorite aspect of the first-gen Pilot. With the redesign, the steering seems a bit firmer, and lean in turns seems to have been reduced. While still not a sporting machine--again, that's the role of the Acura MDX--the new Pilot handles acceptably for this type of vehicle. For better handling in this price range, check out the Mazda CX-9.

The ride can be a touch jittery at times, as it can in nearly any SUV. Most of the time, though, the Pilot rides smoothly. Noise levels are higher than in some competitors, but for me at least they're not uncomfortably high.

Honda Pilot Price Comparisons and Pricing

The Honda Pilot's base price is unchanged from last year. Higher trim levels have gone up a C-note or two--not much of an increase. The EX-L AWD Pilot I drove, with sunroof and leather, listed for $35,830.

The new Honda Pilot tends to run a few hundred below Toyota's Highlander when comparing sticker prices. Toyota dealers have larger margins, though, so invoice-to-invoice the advantage shifts to the Toyota. But the two are prices so close together that the prices before incentives are unlikely to be the deciding factor.

When both are similarly loaded up, the Honda Pilot lists for about $3,800 less than a GMC Acadia. Adjusting for remaining feature differences adds another $300 to the Honda's advantage.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Honda Pilot:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Pilot.php

Last Words

The new Pilot doesn't change the game the way the original did. Nothing changes much. On the other hand, improvements have been made, and the SUV has few weaknesses. The most notable of these: cheap-looking interior materials.

Still, much like the original in recent years, the new Pilot is a safe beet, and one that will probably find plenty of takers. Some people want a usable third row in a relatively compact package, and the Pilot is one of few choices offering this combination.

In general, the Pilot lacks the emotional appeal of the large GM crossovers, the Mazda CX-9 and even the Hyundai Veracruz. It'll be bought by people who prioritize function over style and driving enjoyment, yet are unwilling to purchase a minivan.

About the star rating: the average is quite high in this segment. The Pilot is perhaps a bit above this average.

A Note on Honda Pilot Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a Pilot rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Honda Pilot reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need reliability data on all cars--not just the Pilot--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Amount Paid (US$): 35600
Model and Options: EX-L AWD