If you don't like the Pilot, don't waste your time reading the posts here. I'm sure there's plenty of exciting posts about boulder climbing on the Isuzu and Jeep sites. I just don't care enough about those vehicles to bother reading about them but to each his own. I won't ask you to rationalize your decisions so don't bother asking us to do so. Have fun and goodbye.
I happen to be one of the few on this board who actually "likes" the Pilot styling. It is a very clean and simple design - one that won't become dated after a few years. I never really warmed to the MDX design - the front end is just a little to clunky to me.
The top selling vehicles in the US have quite conservative designs - take a look at the Explorer, Suburban/Tahoe. SUV's that have gone out on the edge, stylistically, are market duds - Aztek, Montero, Vehicross, Axiom. Compare the CR-V and Xterra - not exactly targeted at the same demographic, but a contrast of conservative/aggressive styling. CR-V outsells the Xterra 2 to 1.
Many people (myself included) consider a vehicle for it's size, capabilities, quality, reliability and refinement. I've been down the Big 3 path before. Granted, some GM/Ford/DC vehicles have capabilities (towing, HD 4wd, off road) that will far exceed those of the Pilot. If those capabilities are a requirement, go for it. But for the 90% of people who don't require them, the Pilot is a perfect choice.
Every time I have strayed from the Honda path (I admit, it has been a few times), I've ended up seriously regretting it. Often, it was because a competing vehicle was a few grand cheaper, or just plain available.
I've owned 8 Honda's over the past couple decades, and each has been the model of reliability. I'm currently stuck with a 2000 Nissan Quest. I originally went to buy an Odyssey, but thought it would be smarter to buy the Quest, since it was about $6,000 cheaper than an Odyssey EX. My $20,600 Quest (stickered at $24,000) is now worth around $13,000, even in mint condition. So yeah, I saved some money at the front end, but am losing it at the back end, trying to unload it. I'll lose $7,600 in depreciation on the Quest, but I probally would have only lost $4,000 on an Odyssey, if I had bought that. Won't make that mistake again....
Final point - you won't find an American peer to the Pilot that will have the quality and refinement.
If only Honda would scrap the Model X/Element, and dedicate it's production space to more Pilots.
There is no way Honda could use production space of Civic/Element to produce Pilots. Pilots will be produced at the expense of Odyssey. MDXs are alo been increased production at the expense of Ody. (Last 2/3 months of 2001)
Honda really needs vehicles like CTR, Element for 18-26 crowd. 64% of these demograophics consider Toyota vehicles as stodgy & 44% consider Hondas are that way & ONLY 7% consider Volkswagen that way!!
some special editions civic Ex with Leather, Better Interior & 160hp engine from SI or may be 1.8 Liter engine with 140+hp with an extra 1500/2000 bucks to compete with cool Jettas for upper middle class young buyers like Volkswagen
Honda just opened a manufacturing plant in Alabama that makes Odysseys. They probably can make any combo of Ody/Pilot/MDX at that plant. Its the Honda way.
and I regret it. Yes, it's non stodgy and all that good stuff, but what a money pit. I won't go into how much money I wasted on that car, because I don't want ppl on this board to make fun of me. I'll say that: I owned a Civic HB DX for 8 years, put 135,000 miles on it, and the only repair was a pair of CV boots for $180 while maintenance was dirt cheap. Result, I replaced the Civic by a stodgy Accord Ex, and the Golf will be replaced by a Pilot.
I certainly would not mind if Honda tried to put a bit more fun into its design, but the reliability/quality factor overrides boring design any day, especially at $90 an hour for a mechanic!!
Anyway, at $28K for an EX, I'll be buying one ASAP. That's a steal. Good engine, modern design, AWD, folding 3rd row seat. It's everything I've been waiting for. This is gonna be a great car for the cool family outings around the SF bay area.
I agree with you Bengelking concerning the launch of Pilot. I spoke with a close friend yesterday and he said the cost for pilots would run from 26k to 32k.......Why would Honda release those numbers if they were not going to release the LX Pilot this year?......my guess is that they are going to release all models this year in the United States. As far as the moonroof....I would never take a vehicle like the Pilot and put a aftermarket roof in it.....The factory roofs have drain holes down the pillars to prevent water leaks....in the accords etc....you can leave your roof open a smidgen and still not get soaked....don't try that with a aftermarket. Just my thoughts here.
But you know what? I think it is funny that they always show it with one whole side missing to make it seem so much more roomy, although Honda is not alone in doing so.
Observation: I would gladly trade the last row of seats for a front bench seating 3 across for a total of 6 passenger in two benches.
Oh, and a little bit of info... Tires are Goodyear Integrity in sizes 235/70/16. Navi has rear view camera. Fog lights are accessories that require cutting of front bumper. No picnic table.
......is that a Pilot parked next to the CRV in the above photographs? If so, I'm curious where that photo was taken. I can't wait to see a real Pilot in person. I am holding off buying an SUV til I can give it a look.
I came real close to buying a new Tahoe yesterday. I guess I have car fever.
it looks like the Nissan Murano (pics look great) and the Mercury Aviator have caught my attention. The Mitsu Montero seems like it is only a change in the engine, but interior is still the same. The Isuzu Ascender looks just like the GMC Envoy and I'm sure it will have the same problems. I hear the 4runner should be debuting soon.
Jdlynch2 - Yes, that is a Pilot. The pics were taken by Bing from HondaSUV.com. He has a buddy who works for Honda and has gotten early access to vehicles in the past. I assume that is the case here. As for location, he's in Cali. I expect he'll have a complete writeup in the next issue over there.
Saw the Pilots today at NY auto show. They looked nice. Anyway, Honda rep swore the engine uses regular gas. What's interesting is that the brochure says in the small font: "Towing requires installation of a power-steering- and transmission-fluid cooler, both available exclusively from your Honda dealer. Maximum towing capacity is 4,500 lbs. for boat trailers and 3,500 lbs. for all other trailers. Premium unleaded fuel increases engine torque and is recommended when towing above 3,500 lbs."
Legroom for the third row was minimal (like 5 inches) when the second row seat was all the way to the back. But the second row moves forward completely until it hits the first row (that's how you get into the third row) and stays locked there. Meanwhile, the third row does not move, it just folds flat. What I think Honda has done is that you can *distribute* the legroom by moving the second row as you see fit. Overall I got the impression that all of these manipulations were easy to do as the rep did it with one hand.
Only the passenger side of the 2nd row 40% moves forward not the remaining 60%. This is just like the MDX. 3rd row legroom will be extremely tight. I hope I am proven wrong.
My wife and I went to see the Pilot at the NY auto show yesterday. First the good news: there were two Pilots at the show: A red one (which interestingly, was not painted the Red Rock red that is part of production but rather a deeper red, apparently the Chianti Red found only on the CR-V) and a silver one. The red one was locked up tighter than a drum, in the back of the hall with no one around it. The silver one was on a revolving pedestal, again away from people actually sitting in it.
Now for the bad news...and there is plenty of it! My wife managed to convince one of the Honda reps to let her sit in the 3rd row. It is VERY, VERY difficult to get into the 3rd row of the truck. To do so, you must climb through a very narrow opening that is created by having the second row seat back fold down and having the seat bottom slide forward on rails. Think about climbing in to the back seat of a two door car, say a Monte Carlo. VERY awkward. I would say the design is WORST in class compared to Explorer or Trailblazer. Once back there the legroom is VERY tight. My wife is 5'1" and she said it was much too tight for her. About half the 3rd row legroom of the Odyssey (we have a 2000 Odyssey).
The third row seatback is very thin. This is because, unlike the ODY, the seats fold forward instead of back into a well. In order for Honda to create a flat floor with the seats down, they had to make the seat backs very thin. If you want an approximate comparison, check out the third row seats in a 2002 Chevy Venture. The amount of cushioning is about half of an ODY.
Next, the rear storage behind the third row seat is about half of the ODY, about the same as the MDX.
The vehicle does not have a sunroof or fog lights. It does not have rear glass that opens up. It will run on regular gas.
The exterior of the truck is, as noted in various postings, very conservative. The interior has some quirky futuristic things that I could do without. This includes a very ugly small dashboard that includes the lights for gear shift selection on the outer rim of the speedometer. I think this is going to drive most people nuts. Think about it. In an automatic transmission, do you really need to see what gear you are in EVERY time you look at the speedometer. I mean it is right there and will be lit up.
Honda has now produced a brochure for the Pilot. Unfortunately, it does NOT include ANY meaningful specs other than what is known...240 HP V6, BS, 5 SPEED AUTO, 4500 towing capacity, etc.
We were very, very disappointed in the Pilot. It is pure marketing hype, nothing more. The only attributes are that it seat 8 and that it has the same engine and tranny as a MDX.
I am sure that Honda reps monitor these boards. Hello?? Are you out there?? Are you guys serious?? And why can't you produce real specs? Or for that matter, a production version of the red Pilot?
What was interesting at the show, was the Isuzu Ascender. They did provide specs for a vehicle that is not launching until September or so:
Two engine base Inline 6 275 HP, optional 285 HP V-8 with 325 lbs-ft of torque. On-star system, available leather seating (with heated seats, not available in Pilot), memory available for driver's seat, (not available in Pilot) Seats 7. Second and third row seats will fold to create flat floor. Cargo area 100.2 cu in Length 207.2 in (roughly 2 inches longer than a Sequoia, 17 inches longer than a Explorer) Width 76.1 (two inches less than a Sequoia, four inches wider than an Explorer Height 75.5 in (one inches shorter than a Sequoia, four inches higher than an Explorer) Wheelbase 129.0 in 11 inches longer than a Sequoia, about 15 inches longer than a Explorer. Should create a much smoother ride. Truck will have moonroof and fog lights available.And I think I remember seeing that the rear glass will open separate from the door.
Isuzu has 10 year 120K mile warranty. (Honda is 3/36). More info is available at www.isuzu.com
Now Honda, this kind of info is valuable. Leaving potential customers in the dark, providing production versions at shows in non-production colors, skimpy on quality (esp. the seats), etc. is NOT helpful. I am not sure what you are trying to achieve. Competition is getting stiffer....Nissan, Mitsubishi, Isuzu and others are launching new vehicles in the same class.
In 1999, the Ody was truly a refreshing change from other minivans available at the time. The Pilot is already seriously dated, lacks options found in other trucks launching this year and has poor ergonomics (seats, dash). Are you so unsure of the vehicle yourself that you are delaying the specs in order to figure out what else you have to do??? Or have you just thrown this together in hopes of scaling people up to an MDX.
I am confused and I am sure many others will be when it hits the showroom in 8 weeks.
You just bummed me out. Sounds like you won't be buying one of these anytime soon. Well I guess that's why the deposits are refundable. I'll wait and see what it looks like in a couple months and make my decision then.
The mid-size(?) 3-row-seating Ascender has a wheelbase of 129" which is 1" shy of that of the full-size Suburban. Other full-size SUV comparisons: 3-row-seat Tahoe; 115" wheelbase. 3-row-seat Expedition, 119" wheelbase.
If I wanted a vehicle that large (which I don't), I'd opt for the 130" wheelbase Suburban in a "NY Minute."
Actually, a better comparison might be the Ascender vs. the extended length Trailblazer. Both are the same length and seat the same number. The Suburban is a foot longer and about 4 inches wider...a big deal in some garages.
Pilotowner, I dunno, all I learned from your story that the third seat is about the same as in the MDX. I was expecting it would be. I rarely plan to use the third seat.
I like the MDX, but don't want to pay the extra cash for one. (in canadian, after taxes, about $10,000)
I've got a deposit on both a Pilot and and MDX, and there is nothing in what you described would make me change my decision to get the Pilot with the MDX as backup if I really dont like the Pilot.
Actually, a better comparison might be the Ascender vs. the extended length Trailblazer. Both are the same length and seat the same number. The Suburban is a foot longer and about 4 inches wider...a big deal in some garages.
redlenses, As pilotowner said, there are no dimensions in the brochure. Another useful bit of info I forgot: NAV will be available as an option on EX without leather.
OK, since this is an open board, let me express my opinion too. I’m interested in Pilot probably for the wrong reason: living in NYC, I’m sick of our roads. There are so many potholes, one may get the impression they have given up fixing them. I’m basically looking for something that handles these roads better than a sedan (although admittedly my Maxima SE is firmer than a regular sedan). I’ve driven a few SUVs: CR-V and RAV4 felt underpowered and sounded like they were about to break apart on a rough road. Larger SUVs are a problem too, it becomes much harder to dive them on congested streets and to park them. The one I liked was the Jeep Grand Cherokee with a V8. It felt very strong, good brakes, not too large, and generally very car-like feel. But I would never buy it because of poor reliability. So basically I’m looking for smaller SUV with a V6 and produced by Honda, Toyota, or Nissan. XTerra is too much truck and an old engine. Highlander is too big. MDX/RX300 are too expensive. New Nissan Murano looks interesting; let’s wait to see its real specs. But otherwise I’m interested in the Pilot.
So for this case, Pilot has a lot to offer. Engine, drive system, utility, reliability, NAV are all positives. The conservative look or 3th row seat are neutral, don’t care about this stuff. The only negative is slightly larger outside dimensions than I’d like.
P.S.: If you know of another vehicle I should be looking at, please let me know.
Pilotowner - The reason why the Pilot lacks many of the ammenities you mention, is because there is an MDX waiting for those buyers. How else did you think they were going to keep the price below $35K?
You made some good points. I also dislike the ugly small dashboard with a "busy" look with the LED lit also. It seem what your pay is what you get with Honda and Acura.
I didn't like the layout or the radio also.
I'm look at the MDX now. Probably I will not use the third seat much but it's good a have it for special trips.
aaach- Living in NYC and you think the Pilot would be easier to drive than a large SUV? The MDX has a wider track than a full-size Chevy Tahoe. The Pilot is reportedly even wider than the MDX.
Pilotowner- "Actually, a better comparison might be the Ascender vs. the extended length Trailblazer. Both are the same length and seat the same number."
If you don't need room for more than 5, take a look at the Toyota Highlander. If you do need room for more than 5, I hope that the occupants of the third row are less than 5 feet tall. It is not made for adults back there....why spend $30K for a truck that people whine about when they need to sit in the third row??
If you like the power and don't need the seating another option would be the Nissan Pathfinder. The size is ideal for city driving (Chicago ride) and the power is increadible. If you want a more plush ride take a look at its more expensive sister the Infinity QX4. Just my opinion.
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
<< Actually, a better comparison might be the Ascender vs. the extended length Trailblazer. Both are the same length and seat the same number. The Suburban is a foot longer and about 4 inches wider...a big deal in some garages. >>
Maybe, but the new full-size Expedition and Tahoe are much shorter than the mid-size(?) Ascender.
This is my first post on the board, so I hope to get some comments from some of you who post of this board. I have been reading the comments on the Honda Pilot, a vehicle I'm considering. I began hearing about this vehicle months ago. I had heard at one time the Pilot would be as large as the Chevy Tahoe, or the Toyota Sequoia. However, I've noticed in the pictures, that that that's far fetched. I just read comments made by the Pilot owner this morning, and I really appreciated what he had to say. Especially since he owns a Honda Odyssey. The new Pilot and the Odyssey are the two vehicles I'm considering. I bought the Odyssey in 1999, but sold it last year to purchase a Toyota Tundra, now I have sell my Tundra, and I'm looking to sell it soon, very soon. I like the Tundra, however I've had another addition to my family, and it won't accommate my family For those that visited the New York International Auto Show, please let me know what you think of the Pilot.
"...I came real close to buying a new Tahoe yesterday. I guess I have car fever."
Wow. Those are two very different vehicles, aren't they? I hope if these two are included, you also checked out the Trooper and Grand Cherokee, and maybe the Highlander.
Bob, I don't live near New York City and there's not way I could get there by Friday. I would like to chat with you at length about the Odyssey and the Pilot. I'd like to get your thoughts again on the Pilot. The interior space in the Pilot is what I'm concerned about. I am pretty tall, 6'5, and my wife is 5'6. If your wife is 5'1, and considers the 3rd row seats tight in the Pilot, then I think I will just purchase the Odyssey and not the Pilot. Is it tight in the 2nd row of seats? Would you prefer to send me an e-mail? If so, please let me know.
Post your email address and I will contact you. BTW were you comfortable driving a 99 Odyssey? I drive with the seat all the way back and I am only 5'11"
At the Acura dealership last weekend, the guy told me that the chief designer of the MDX was 6'4". I am 6'0", and had a ton of room in there-very comfortable. I suspect the Pilot will be very similar, if not roomier.
Comments
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
If you don't like the Pilot, don't waste your time reading the posts here. I'm sure there's plenty of exciting posts about boulder climbing on the Isuzu and Jeep sites. I just don't care enough about those vehicles to bother reading about them but to each his own. I won't ask you to rationalize your decisions so don't bother asking us to do so. Have fun and goodbye.
The top selling vehicles in the US have quite conservative designs - take a look at the Explorer, Suburban/Tahoe. SUV's that have gone out on the edge, stylistically, are market duds - Aztek, Montero, Vehicross, Axiom. Compare the CR-V and Xterra - not exactly targeted at the same demographic, but a contrast of conservative/aggressive styling. CR-V outsells the Xterra 2 to 1.
Many people (myself included) consider a vehicle for it's size, capabilities, quality, reliability and refinement. I've been down the Big 3 path before. Granted, some GM/Ford/DC vehicles have capabilities (towing, HD 4wd, off road) that will far exceed those of the Pilot. If those capabilities are a requirement, go for it. But for the 90% of people who don't require them, the Pilot is a perfect choice.
Every time I have strayed from the Honda path (I admit, it has been a few times), I've ended up seriously regretting it. Often, it was because a competing vehicle was a few grand cheaper, or just plain available.
I've owned 8 Honda's over the past couple decades, and each has been the model of reliability. I'm currently stuck with a 2000 Nissan Quest. I originally went to buy an Odyssey, but thought it would be smarter to buy the Quest, since it was about $6,000 cheaper than an Odyssey EX. My $20,600 Quest (stickered at $24,000) is now worth around $13,000, even in mint condition. So yeah, I saved some money at the front end, but am losing it at the back end, trying to unload it. I'll lose $7,600 in depreciation on the Quest, but I probally would have only lost $4,000 on an Odyssey, if I had bought that. Won't make that mistake again....
Final point - you won't find an American peer to the Pilot that will have the quality and refinement.
If only Honda would scrap the Model X/Element, and dedicate it's production space to more Pilots.
No can do. Pilot is manufactured at Aliston, ON plant and Element will be manufactured at Civic plant in Ohio.
Honda really needs vehicles like CTR, Element for 18-26 crowd. 64% of these demograophics consider Toyota vehicles as stodgy & 44% consider Hondas are that way & ONLY 7% consider Volkswagen that way!!
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020327/law023_1.html
I certainly would not mind if Honda tried to put a bit more fun into its design, but the reliability/quality factor overrides boring design any day, especially at $90 an hour for a mechanic!!
Anyway, at $28K for an EX, I'll be buying one ASAP. That's a steal. Good engine, modern design, AWD, folding 3rd row seat. It's everything I've been waiting for. This is gonna be a great car for the cool family outings around the SF bay area.
As far as the moonroof....I would never take a vehicle like the Pilot and put a aftermarket roof in it.....The factory roofs have drain holes down the pillars to prevent water leaks....in the accords etc....you can leave your roof open a smidgen and still not get soaked....don't try that with a aftermarket.
Just my thoughts here.
http://www.hondacars.com/pilot/index.html
Observation: I would gladly trade the last row of seats for a front bench seating 3 across for a total of 6 passenger in two benches.
Anonymous..you must not have kids...you need the third rows for all of the car pooling PLUS you cannot put anyone under 12 in the front row.
If you want bench seats, I know of a 1975 Country Squire for sale.
Oh, and a little bit of info... Tires are Goodyear Integrity in sizes 235/70/16. Navi has rear view camera. Fog lights are accessories that require cutting of front bumper. No picnic table.
Big thanks to Bing for the pics and information.
I came real close to buying a new Tahoe yesterday. I guess I have car fever.
Saw that on hondas site, don't understand why premium is recommended for towing.
Thanks.
Only the passenger side of the 2nd row 40% moves forward not the remaining 60%. This is just like the MDX. 3rd row legroom will be extremely tight. I hope I am proven wrong.
Happy Easter!
Now for the bad news...and there is plenty of it! My wife managed to convince one of the Honda reps to let her sit in the 3rd row. It is VERY, VERY difficult to get into the 3rd row of the truck. To do so, you must climb through a very narrow opening that is created by having the second row seat back fold down and having the seat bottom slide forward on rails. Think about climbing in to the back seat of a two door car, say a Monte Carlo. VERY awkward. I would say the design is WORST in class compared to Explorer or Trailblazer. Once back there the legroom is VERY tight. My wife is 5'1" and she said it was much too tight for her. About half the 3rd row legroom of the Odyssey (we have a 2000 Odyssey).
The third row seatback is very thin. This is because, unlike the ODY, the seats fold forward instead of back into a well. In order for Honda to create a flat floor with the seats down, they had to make the seat backs very thin. If you want an approximate comparison, check out the third row seats in a 2002 Chevy Venture. The amount of cushioning is about half of an ODY.
Next, the rear storage behind the third row seat is about half of the ODY, about the same as the MDX.
The vehicle does not have a sunroof or fog lights. It does not have rear glass that opens up. It will run on regular gas.
The exterior of the truck is, as noted in various postings, very conservative. The interior has some quirky futuristic things that I could do without. This includes a very ugly small dashboard that includes the lights for gear shift selection on the outer rim of the speedometer. I think this is going to drive most people nuts. Think about it. In an automatic transmission, do you really need to see what gear you are in EVERY time you look at the speedometer. I mean it is right there and will be lit up.
Honda has now produced a brochure for the Pilot. Unfortunately, it does NOT include ANY meaningful specs other than what is known...240 HP V6, BS, 5 SPEED AUTO, 4500 towing capacity, etc.
We were very, very disappointed in the Pilot. It is pure marketing hype, nothing more. The only attributes are that it seat 8 and that it has the same engine and tranny as a MDX.
I am sure that Honda reps monitor these boards. Hello?? Are you out there?? Are you guys serious?? And why can't you produce real specs? Or for that matter, a production version of the red Pilot?
What was interesting at the show, was the Isuzu Ascender. They did provide specs for a vehicle that is not launching until September or so:
Two engine base Inline 6 275 HP, optional 285 HP V-8 with 325 lbs-ft of torque. On-star system, available leather seating (with heated seats, not available in Pilot), memory available for driver's seat, (not available in Pilot) Seats 7.
Second and third row seats will fold to create flat floor.
Cargo area 100.2 cu in
Length 207.2 in (roughly 2 inches longer than a Sequoia, 17 inches longer than a Explorer)
Width 76.1 (two inches less than a Sequoia, four inches wider than an Explorer
Height 75.5 in (one inches shorter than a Sequoia, four inches higher than an Explorer)
Wheelbase 129.0 in 11 inches longer than a Sequoia, about 15 inches longer than a Explorer. Should create a much smoother ride. Truck will have moonroof and fog lights available.And I think I remember seeing that the rear glass will open separate from the door.
Isuzu has 10 year 120K mile warranty. (Honda is 3/36). More info is available at www.isuzu.com
Now Honda, this kind of info is valuable. Leaving potential customers in the dark, providing production versions at shows in non-production colors, skimpy on quality (esp. the seats), etc. is NOT helpful. I am not sure what you are trying to achieve. Competition is getting stiffer....Nissan, Mitsubishi, Isuzu and others are launching new vehicles in the same class.
In 1999, the Ody was truly a refreshing change from other minivans available at the time. The Pilot is already seriously dated, lacks options found in other trucks launching this year and has poor ergonomics (seats, dash). Are you so unsure of the vehicle yourself that you are delaying the specs in order to figure out what else you have to do??? Or have you just thrown this together in hopes of scaling people up to an MDX.
I am confused and I am sure many others will be when it hits the showroom in 8 weeks.
You just bummed me out. Sounds like you won't be buying one of these anytime soon. Well I guess that's why the deposits are refundable. I'll wait and see what it looks like in a couple months and make my decision then.
Thanks for the report.
If I wanted a vehicle that large (which I don't), I'd opt for the 130" wheelbase Suburban in a "NY Minute."
Bob
I like the MDX, but don't want to pay the extra cash for one. (in canadian, after taxes, about $10,000)
I've got a deposit on both a Pilot and and MDX, and there is nothing in what you described would make me change my decision to get the Pilot with the MDX as backup if I really dont like the Pilot.
Ill wait and see.
As pilotowner said, there are no dimensions in the brochure. Another useful bit of info I forgot: NAV will be available as an option on EX without leather.
OK, since this is an open board, let me express my opinion too. I’m interested in Pilot probably for the wrong reason: living in NYC, I’m sick of our roads. There are so many potholes, one may get the impression they have given up fixing them. I’m basically looking for something that handles these roads better than a sedan (although admittedly my Maxima SE is firmer than a regular sedan). I’ve driven a few SUVs: CR-V and RAV4 felt underpowered and sounded like they were about to break apart on a rough road. Larger SUVs are a problem too, it becomes much harder to dive them on congested streets and to park them. The one I liked was the Jeep Grand Cherokee with a V8. It felt very strong, good brakes, not too large, and generally very car-like feel. But I would never buy it because of poor reliability. So basically I’m looking for smaller SUV with a V6 and produced by Honda, Toyota, or Nissan. XTerra is too much truck and an old engine. Highlander is too big. MDX/RX300 are too expensive. New Nissan Murano looks interesting; let’s wait to see its real specs. But otherwise I’m interested in the Pilot.
So for this case, Pilot has a lot to offer. Engine, drive system, utility, reliability, NAV are all positives. The conservative look or 3th row seat are neutral, don’t care about this stuff. The only negative is slightly larger outside dimensions than I’d like.
P.S.: If you know of another vehicle I should be looking at, please let me know.
You made some good points. I also dislike the ugly small dashboard with a "busy" look with the LED lit also. It seem what your pay is what you get with Honda and Acura.
I didn't like the layout or the radio also.
I'm look at the MDX now. Probably I will not use the third seat much but it's good a have it for special trips.
myself...I'll still hold out and judge the Pilot for myself when it hits the showroom...
It could be worse. You could be in Rochester! :-)
tidester
Host
SUVs
Pilotowner- "Actually, a better comparison might be the Ascender vs. the extended length Trailblazer. Both are the same length and seat the same number."
They're both the same vehicle.
If you don't need room for more than 5, take a look at the Toyota Highlander. If you do need room for more than 5, I hope that the occupants of the third row are less than 5 feet tall. It is not made for adults back there....why spend $30K for a truck that people whine about when they need to sit in the third row??
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Maybe, but the new full-size Expedition and Tahoe are much shorter than the mid-size(?) Ascender.
Bob
Wow. Those are two very different vehicles, aren't they? I hope if these two are included, you also checked out the Trooper and Grand Cherokee, and maybe the Highlander.
Are you near New York City? You should go to the car show this week...I think it runs through Friday
Thanks