Three-row family crossover SUVs have become a norm these days. These vehicles provide almost all the everyday capability of proper 4x4s without any of their utilitarian hassles. On top of that, thanks to their unibody chassis construction, crossover SUVs can possess a certain finesse that are lacking when you go body-on-frame. A lot of major carmakers have understood and accepted this fact, and are continually trying to push out large crossovers that meet customer expectations. Given the sheer demand in the market, this requirement is being fulfilled by multiple automakers from all over the world. And one of them is… no surprise, Honda. The Japanese auto giant presented their largest crossover in the form of the Pilot - it made its debut in 2002, and borrowed its underpinnings from the Odyssey minivan.
Considering the fact that Honda was trying to compete in the same space as some minivans (without the whole image that goes with a minivan), they had to offer three rows of seating without hampering practicality. By the looks of things, seems like Honda engineers succeeded in achieving what was mentioned on their brief. While the first-gen avatar of the Pilot did quite well, it was the larger second-gen iteration that put more spotlight on the Pilot. Lasting for over half a decade, this generation of the Pilot helped Honda to establish its place in the world of three-row crossover SUVs. The latest iteration of the Honda Pilot came about sometime in 2015, improving significantly on its predecessors. The boffins at Honda tweaked and improved on a lot of things before this iteration went on sale -- ensuring that this would be the best avatar of the Pilot.
The new Pilot grew in size, but thanks to clever engineering and use of better materials, it actually lost over 125 kilograms. On top of that, the third-generation Pilot featured improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) tolerance. In countries such as the United Arab Emirates, the latest-gen Honda Pilot competes against the likes of the Mazda CX-9, Kia Sorento, Ford Explorer, and Dodge Durango. The Honda Pilot boasts a wheelbase of 2.818 meters, while there’s almost 590 liters of boot space. As expected from a large family crossover SUV, the interior of the Pilot is quite vast, indeed, plus it comes with the precious third-row of seats. However, unlike some of its rivals in the segment, the Pilot can accommodate up to eight people in total (most crossovers can only carry seven). The first and second rows of the Pilot have an abundance of space on offer, and have plenty of adjustments as well. Meanwhile, the third row is capable of seating three abreast, though it might not be the most comfortable place to be if you’re a larger individual.
The general design and layout of the Honda Pilot’s cabin is nothing to write home about, but it sure feels well put together and the materials seem pretty decent, too. From the driver’s seat, it isn’t too difficult to look around the Pilot as there aren’t many blind spots -- the large greenhouse and raised driving position allows for excellent outward visibility. Power for the Honda Pilot comes from a 3.5-liter naturally-aspirated V6 petrol engine that pushes out 280hp at 6,000 rpm and 355Nm of torque at 4,700 rpm. This side saddled motor is hooked up to a standard 6-speed automatic transmission which directs power to all four wheels via an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. However, despite the V6 engine and AWD, don’t be under the impression that the 1.9-ton Pilot is a zippy, thrilling vehicle on the road - it isn’t much of that. Even at full throttle, the Honda Pilot needs nearly 9.5 seconds to touch 100 km/h, while top whack is only around 175 km/h.
