With Honda's full-sized Pilot, a buyer has one of the most well-rounded and capable sport utility vehicles on the road.
This is a unit with three rows of seats, a spacious and accommodating interior and a wonderful 3.5-litre engine that sounds delicious and performs impeccably.
The tester, a fully loaded mid-level Pilot EX-L, is the kind of SUV I could have easily taken on holiday this week — a Honda big enough for my fishing gear and a few fishing buddies. With towing capacity of 4,500 pounds, the Pilot also is capable of hauling a nice fishing rig.
The Pilot comes prewired for a trailer and has an integrated hitch. Five models of the Pilot are available from the base LX 2WD with a starting MSRP of $34,920 to the top of the line Touring with a base MSRP of $48,520. In between are the EX ($40,820), EX-L ($43,120) and EX-L RES ($44,720).
All Pilots are powered by a 3.5-litre, 24-valve SOHC i-VTEC V6 engine cranking out 250 horsepower at 5,700 rpm Transmission is a five-speed automatic.
While some other SUVs may have more power, none that I've tested have an engine that matches the Pilot's for pure pleasure. Responsive and fuel efficient with ratings of 23 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, the VTEC motor is a true highway star — someone please cue up the Deep Purple! That engine has variable cylinder management which deactivates cylinders when full power isn't needed, cutting down on fuel consumption.
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