Honda is great at creating vehicles that do pretty much everything right.
It can be likened to a boyfriend/girlfriend who is pleasant in every way. They’re kind-mannered, not pushy, easy to get along with, modest in appearance and someone you feel confident bringing home to the family.
Just like the 2014 Honda Pilot Touring. Though a carry-over from 2013, it manages to hit the right notes while executing the tasks at hand.
It seats eight, has leather trimmed surfaces and an agreeable driving demeanour.
Regardless of trim, every Pilot comes with the same 3.5L, i-VTEC V6 engine that generates 250 horsepower and 253 lbs.-ft of torque, which is then linked to a five-speed automatic transmission.
No, it’s not an overwhelming amount of power — and the transmission/engine pairing is due for an update — but it can get you and your passengers where you need to go without fuss.
Furthermore, there’s a 2,045 kg (4,500 lbs.) towing capacity, in case you need to haul along a few extra items. And the Touring model comes wired for trailer connection (the other trims are only pre-wired.)
When getting everyone inside, accessibility to the third row seats isn’t too tough and doesn’t require a lot of elbow grease. But if you’re vertically inclined, you might not want to draw the short straw here. The third row has three seats and is unforgiving when it comes to legroom. Or it gives you an excuse to cosy up to someone you’ve wanted to cosy up to for a while!
For the most part, I drove with the third row folded flat, therefore I had 1,351 litres of cargo room to fill with boxes, groceries and miscellaneous items. When the third row seats are up, you’re limited to 589L, which is still decent.
While I wouldn’t call the Pilot an inspiring car to drive — it is utilitarian in both shape and size — I did find myself enjoying its company.
Perhaps this is the Pilot’s fatal flaw; it’s just so good in all ways, surely it has to have a downfall.
Thanks to Active Noise Cancellation technology, being in the driver’s seat allowed me to find some peace and serenity in the urban jungle.
Though the centre stack — with all of its buttons — had the tendency to take my Zen away for sporadic moments.
The busy layout is not a new observation. Honda was notoriously known around the automotive community for having too much going on. But they’ve rectified it on their newer models like the Odyssey and the Accord. Both vehicles now have a user-friendlier, free-ish- from-button-clutter cabin layouts. Nice work.
When on the road, up front, you have a MacPherson strut, and around back, a multi-link suspension with trailing arms. Translation, a smooth ride that gives a little bit of wiggle room in case you find yourself putting the Variable Torque Management four-wheel drive system (VTM-4) to use off-road.
Last year, the Pilot, myself, and a car full of girls I was taking camping (and their gear) managed to ride in style to the campground, even if it wasn’t on a paved road.
Luckily, the five girls were able to entertain themselves throughout the lengthy journey and I didn’t need to put a DVD into the rear entertainment system to cure their boredom. Though, if the phrase, “Are we there yet?” became bothersome, at least there was a Plan B.
The Touring trim comes packed with plenty of features that make life behind the wheel comfortable.
Inside, there’s a 650-Watt AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA/Hard Disk Drive (HDD) 15GB Memory Premium Audio System with 10 Speakers including a Subwoofer and a 5.1 Surround Sound Theater Mode, and the aforementioned Honda DVD Rear Entertainment System with a 9-inch display, integrated remote control, and headsets with personal surround sound.
Also included are fog lights, a one-touch power moonroof with tilt feature, a power tailgate, a flip-up tailgate glass, Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Trilingual Voice Recognition and illuminated steering wheel-mounted controls, HandsFreeLink Bluetooth wireless telephone interface, and a rear multi-view camera.
The Dark Amber Metallic Pilot with a beige interior and the Touring designation has an MSRP of $48,590. The entry-level Pilot LX 2WD has an MSRP of $34,990.
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