2009 Honda Pilot Manchester NH

See Our Inventory of the 2009 Honda Pilot Manchester, NH

2009 Honda Pilot Overview

While the name and a minute number of parts remain the same, the 2009 Honda Pilot is a new vehicle compared to the previous year's model. Every piece of sheetmetal and glass, every mechanical component, and every feature has been gone through yielding a just slightly larger Pilot that put all the space to use inside. And unlike many similar designs it didn't gain too many pounds.

An eight-passenger Pilot can handle four adults and four kids easily. It has useful cargo space beyond the third-row seats so you needn't fold one to fit a cooler or week's worth of groceries. And with six cupholders in the second row alone, eight door cargo pockets and the ability to carry a 4x8-foot sheet of building material flat inside, finding a place for everything isn't an issue.

Driving Impressions of the 2009 Honda Pilot

Since the Pilot is among the lightest of the eight-seat crossovers the suspension can be tuned for ride comfort without requiring undue stiffness for control. No single noise source stands out and normal conversations are quite possible at highway speeds. 

Relative to some other recent crossover redesigns, the Pilot seems to ride a bit softer than the GM Acadia and has less body roll than the Highlander. 

With a bit of forethought to join the visibility and crossover philosophy brakes would hardly be needed at all, yet the Pilot performs as the others in this regard and all electronic braking aids are standard.

2009 Honda Pilot Lineup

The Honda Pilot comes in four variants with few options. Each model is offered with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (4WD). All mechanical and safety components and systems are identical across the range. Navigation only comes on top-line models, and the rear-seat DVD entertainment system is available only on the top two trims.

The LX comes with cloth upholstery, front and rear climate control, steel wheels, five-speed automatic, Hill Start Assist, flip-up hatch glass, intermittent rear wipe/wash, power windows/locks/mirrors, tow hitch, tinted rear windows, automatic headlamps, cruise control, center console, visor extensions and illuminated mirrors, tilt/telescoping steering column, four front seatback pockets, six reading lights, reconfigurable cargo area, 60/40 split-folding second and third row seats, trip computer, seven-speaker system with 6CD changer and MP3 jack. There are no options on the LX.

The EX upgrades with three-zone climate control, alloy wheels, security system, heated body-color mirrors, roof rails, fog lights, chrome exhaust tips, HomeLink, conversation mirror, eight-way power driver seat, XM radio, and exterior temperature indicator. No options.

The EX-L, the EX with leather, adds enough features to qualify as a separate model. These include leather upholstery and wrap for steering wheel and shifter, heated front seats, four-way power passenger seat, moonroof, a noise-reducing laminated windshield, and an auto-dimming inside mirror with rearview camera display. A rear-seat DVD system with 115-volt AC outlet is optional.

Interior of the 2009 Honda Pilot

Regardless of trim level, the Honda Pilot interior appears well though-out and assembled, with functional touches at every turn and a luxury factor that increases alongside price. In simple terms the base LX will do everything a Touring will do except reposition your seat and mirrors or open and close the power tailgate.

The front seats deliver good support for long-term comfort and bolsters on the seatbacks provide lateral support without imposing thigh cushions you'd have to climb over for every entry or exit. The power driver's seat on the EX adjusts in one more plane than the LX and is easier underway for minor improvements in finding the ideal position and height, yet we had no fatigue or wish for more after hours in an LX.

The middle row seat provides essentially the same room as the front seats, including good toe space under the front seats. This seat split-folds 60/40 with the short cushion on the right side for easiest loading, both sides slide fore and aft for maximum flexibility or keeping that baby seat closer, the climate control is handy at the back of the console, and each door has two cupholders in the armrest and dual pockets below. Although it appears as merely a fixed cushion above the center armrest, the center headrest easily lifts and extends to a useful height.

Summary

The 2009 Honda Pilot is an evolution of the first generation. Much like Honda's Odyssey minivan it offers plenty of cargo and people versatility in an efficient package, without the negatives many apply to minivans, and with the additional confidence of all-wheel drive and better towing performance

Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com