Honda Pilot - An Owner’s View
I am currently on the lookout for quality new car reviews to share on the New Car Price Quotes blog. Having been in the business I know that there is very limited original content out there. Most reviews are coming from Edmunds, Intellichoice, or NewCarTestDrive. Now, there’s nothing wrong with these reviews - I’m just looking for original content. So “stay tuned” for more details.
Yesterday’s post included a review of the Honda Pilot, but a professional writer. It’s a great review, but I thought I would add a personal touch by writing my own. I leased a Honda Pilot EX in September 2002 (model year is 2003) just as the vehicle started entering Honda showrooms (I was one of the original owners of a Honda Pilot). We will be turning the car in this coming September and so far I have nothing but rave reviews.
Our actual vehicle was a 2003 Honda Pilot EX in sage brush pearl (think forest green). The sticker price on the vehicle was $30,500 and we paid $28,700. The EX comes with leather, power everything, CD-player, etc. We did not opt for the DVD or navigation packages. We are currently carting around 2 kids (22 months and 1 month) and have had a very easy time with an infant carrier (with base) and child seat - that LATCH system works great. Even with the back seat fully occupied there is still plenty of room in the back with the 3rd row folded down.
There is nothing flashy about the interior design and layout (it is a Honda), but everything is sensibly laid out and easy to access. Shorter drivers might find the center-console stereo controls a bit far to reach, but the controls mounted on the steering wheel solve this problem. There is plenty of head and leg-room for tall passengers and drivers as well. I am 6′3″ and can ride comfortably in the first or second rows. The third row is really for small adults or children only (though once we did fit 6 adults and 1 child in a car seat in the Pilot). The only problem I’ve run in to is with the infant carrier and base installed behind the driver seat. I cannot put the seat as far back as I would like - it runs into the infant seat. Aside from that the Honda Pilot is very roomy for both passengers and cargo.
Maintenance has been fairly routine. We have changed the oil in our Honda Pilot every 7500 miles (as suggested by the manufacturer) and have also performed the suggested 6-month maintenance. We did have 3 recalls on the Pilot which required me to leave it at the dealership for an entire day, but it was not much of an inconvenience.
Handling has been very good - even in the snow (and we’ve had a lot in Michigan this year). The vehicle has good acceleration and I’ve noticed reasonably good gas mileage - approx 18 city, 23 highway. There is plenty of horsepower, and acceleration is very smooth. Road noise is minimal and the overall drive is very enjoyable. Our Honda Pilot is mainly driven by my wife and it has proven to be a very reliable vehicle.
Her biggest complaints are the automatic climate control, and the fact that we don’t have a sun/moon roof. The Honda Pilot’s automatic climate control can be a little annoying as it typically “blasts” hot or cold air until the set cabin temperature is reached. You can easily override this by manually controlling the air speed and temperature. We also had to manually manipulate most of the vents - this one open, that one close, this one pointing up, that one pointing down - but you have to do that in almost every car anyway. The Pilot’s “manual” rear-control is also a nice feature for those passengers in back.
Some features I’d like to see on the Honda Pilot (and the current models may have these): memory seats, back-up sensors, and a moon roof. I would highly recommend the Honda Pilot to anyone looking for a reliable SUV with our without a family. Our Honda Pilot lease is up in September and we will be moving to a minivan. Right now the all new 2005 Honda Odyssey looks like a good choice!
Get a free Dealer Price Quote on a New 2005 Honda Pilot.
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