Over recent years the Honda Pilot has become the standard by which other mid-sized SUVs have been judged, thanks largely to the fact that it was one of the first real quality productions in this class. The trouble with being the standard however, is that unless you continue to stay ahead of the pack with improvements, the competition tends to overtake you. That is sort of what has happened to the Honda Pilot. Although this year’s major redesign has yielded a new angular body shape and improved interior, the 3.5-liter V6 engine is looking somewhat tired next to the likes of the newer Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander despite the modest increase in power. It is surprising to us that Honda has chosen to retain this same powertrain that is not particularly fuel efficient compared to its competitors, and lacks the grunt of many of them.
However the Honda Pilot has responded to its customers in other ways, adding a luxury Touring model and more space in all models for the third row of seating to make it a genuine eight-seater. And despite the lack of extra power, the Honda Pilot still handles better than most in the class.
2009 Honda Pilot Performance
The Honda Pilot this year sports the same 3.5-liter SOHC V6 with i-VTEC as previous years but tweakings have yielded an extra 6hp and 13lb-ft of torque to be 250hp and 253lb-ft. There is now a variable cylinder management system that optimizes engine performance by only utilizing the cylinders required, and variable valve timing to make the power available at lower rpm. The result is slightly better fuel economy at 17/23mpg for the 2WD and 16/22mpg for 4WD versions, around 2mpg above last years’ figures.
All Honda Pilots carry a five-speed automatic transmission although this year the gear ratios have been widened to cope with the additional weight. There is the option of swapping the standard front-wheel drive system for all-wheel drive in all models, and although there is no low-range gear available, the Variable Torque Management System works like a locking differential to increase the torque to selected wheels – good for off-road and all-weather driving. The 2009 Honda Pilot can tow 3500lb for the 2WD and 4500lb for the AWD.
Handling in the Pilot does not seem to have suffered from the increase in weight with its still excellent car-like feel and extremely refined sense of composure on the road. It is still a SUV, so don’t expect it to handle like a roadster around corners, where body lean is still pronounced, but braking is solid without excessive nose-plow.
2009 Honda Pilot Interior and features
The new exterior of the 2009 Honda Pilot seems to have polarized the punters, with its bolder grille and headlights and squarer shape, but a change is a good as a holiday, and it is very much recognisable as a Pilot, despite its new leanings towards Jeep styling. The redesign has resulted in slightly longer and higher dynamics, and an increase in cargo space which was already great.
This Pilot comes in four trims this year, all of which feature a redesigned interior. The Pilot has always been simple yet stylish on the inside, and the changes have done nothing to diminish that. The LX sports 17-inch wheels and features like power side mirrors, seven speaker stereo with MP3 compatibility, trailer hitch and cloth seats. The EX also features 17-inch wheels but adds power driver seat, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and three-way automatic climate control for each seating row. The EX-L is another step up in the plush scale with leather heated seats, reverse camera, and a sunroof. Top-of-the-range and new for this year is the Touring model which amps up the luxury factor with voice-recognized navigation system, power lift-gate, and optional rear entertainment with 10-speaker stereo.
There have been some criticisms of the number of buttons that have appeared on the dash which can be a distraction when driving, but overall the read-outs are clear and there is not too much call to look away while driving thanks to the voice activated navigation system.
The biggest news for the inside of the 2009 Pilot is the distinctly roomier third-row seat which has added almost 2 inches of extra legroom and goes from a token addition good only for jamming in extra kids on the way to the soccer game, to a useable space. The second-row of seating is also better, and with the two rows folded down there is more than ample cargo space available. There is a handy cargo net that can be stretched across the back to store smaller items, and there are abundant storage areas throughout the cabin.
2009 Honda Pilot Safety
The Honda Pilot is a leader in safety and this year they score a full five stars for all front and side impact situations. This is thanks to the comprehensive range of safety features including stability control and ABS, front and front side airbags and side curtain airbags for all three rows of seating. This year there is also three times more high-strength steel for added rigidity.
Safety features:
- Electronic stability control, ABS, traction control
- Front, front side and full-length side curtain airbags
- LATCH (lower anchors and tethers for children)
- Tire pressure monitoring system
Overall the 2009 Honda Pilot is significantly redesigned and has done a great job of retaining its high quality and refined feel whilst also updating its image. Power and fuel economy have both improved, although it remains to be seen whether it is enough to remain competitive with the likes of the Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Flex and Toyota Highlander.