Honda Pilot

摘要

The original Pilot was typical Honda-an outstanding all-around product wrapped in a conservative design. Gen 2 got more daring, what with a boxy shell, a bulldog nose, and improved off-road capabilities. Both sold like hotcakes. Now comes the third-gen, an all-new iteration based on the Acura MDX, which ups the ante with a 3.5-liter, direct-injection V-6, an available nine-speed automatic, the Honda Sensing suite of active safety tech (the Pilot scores a TSP+ rating from IIHS), and an Intelligent Traction Management System offering three modes. Better yet, curb weight is down by nearly 300 pounds. Talk about taking a load off. Our top-line Elite tester, weighing 4,280 pounds-some 246 pounds south of the last 4WD EX-L we had in-scooted from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, a full 1.5 seconds quicker than that old EX-L. Lateral acceleration is up from 0.78 to 0.83 g, with this Pilot feeling sportier than ever, especially in S mode on-road and in Mud & Sand off-road. Fuel economy, too, is better, gaining 2 mpg on the combined cycle (now up to 22). Inside, the Elite was just that, offering a rich mix of leather and fine plastics, more connection ports and inputs than a Radio Shack, and a three-row setup with a one-touch fold-and-slide feature for the second row. Per Cammisa, "Great visibility in all directions, tremendous usability in the back, and feels easily $20K more expensive than the Explorer. Love the gauges. They're simple but effective."