In its latest guise, the 2009 Pilot attempts to intimidate the competition with size and a brutish front end. Is the Honda as tough as it looks?
Nitish Ramanujam

If you remember, the last-gen MR-V was a sizeable, but meek-looking SUV that was created from minivan roots. Catering to a crowd averse to fuel-guzzling body-on-frame machinery, the smooth MR-V sported a front-wheel drive platform and unibody construction, well-suited to urban crawling. Now, the second generation MR-V bows in, sporting the globally popular Pilot nameplate along the way.

Walk up to the Pilot, and unless you’re blind, the first thing that grabs attention is the sheer size of the thing. At about 16 feet long and six-and-a-half feet wide, the Pilot is just a wee bit shorter, but slightly wider than the new Toyota LandCruiser. Its wide stance and 109.2-inch wheelbase does translate into comfortable seating for eight though, which we’ll come to later.

Stylistically, the Pilot doesn’t break any new ground, and you would be hard pressed to pick it out from a sea of similar vehicles; but it does look a lot more rugged than the model it replaces. We’re not really sure about the front end though - imagine a really big guy with a peculiar face - which looks more startled Yoda than Darth Vader on a killing spree. This could probably be the handiwork of the same people who messed up the visage of the new Acura TSX, a good example of how to mutilate a perfectly good-looking European Accord.

Other than that, the big Honda looks clean and uncluttered. The design has been made to appear more truck-ish, a move to farther itself from its softer predecessor and appeal to a wider audience. Honda has also improved the drag coefficient by 2 per cent over the outgoing model, thanks to a wide chin spoiler and cleaner under-vehicle aerodynamic aids. Interestingly, in a world where designers are drawing inspiration from sources as far flung as predatory animals and the French Riviera, Honda says its designers have used the three-dimensionally beveled lines of an ultrarugged laptop computer as the basis for the Pilot’s design.

Powering the 2 ton-plus Pilot is a 3.5-litre 24v V6 that channels 253hp to all four wheels via a smooth five-speed automatic. Variable Cylinder Management, as seen in the new Accord V6, lets the SUV run on three, four or six cylinders, with active engine mounts and active noise control cancelling out any unwanted vibrations created when the motor is running on Eco mode.

The cavernous interior is a mixed bag; we’ll break the good news first. Our EX-L tester boasted tri-zone air conditioning that was powerful enough to chill third-row passengers on a hot afternoon, after being parked in the sun for a few hours. Very nice. Storage spaces are aplenty, along with a moat-sized central storage bin that’s there because the gear shift lever is located on the instrument panel. Then you get lots of flexibility in the seating and cargo arrangements, plus a useful wide angle mirror that lets you easily keep tabs on the kids in the last row.

Equipment levels are good, but the fit and finish seemed quite iffy at places, especially the hard plastic bits. The big digital information display - we didn’t have sat nav - is followed by audio controls set against a strange green back, and a confusing clutter of HVAC buttons that is, truth be said, almost impossible to learn.

As you would expect from a vehicle in this category, the Pilot is no X5 or Cayenne and neither does it pretend to be, but a bit more oomph under the bonnet would not have gone amiss here. It’s designed to carry lots of people and their stuff in comfort, which it does. McPherson struts at the front and a compact multi-link trailing arm layout at the rear do their bit in making for a jolly good ride, but if you’re feeling gutsy enough to barrel into a corner, be prepared for quite a bit of understeer and body roll.

Once you get used to the dimensions, tight parking spaces pose no threat to the Honda. Low speed manoeuvrability is excellent as is all-around visibility, complemented in no small measure by parking sensors and an inside rearview mirror-mounted LCD screen that lights up when you select reverse.

Variable Torque Management 4-Wheel Drive, standard on our EX-L test vehicle, is another goodie, proactively delivering torque to all four wheels during acceleration for surefooted grip as well as reassuring control in wet, slippery conditions. Under normal cruising, the Pilot provides front-wheel drive power for improved efficiency - and a bit of torque steer antics like we experienced - with a maximum of 70 per cent torque directed at the rear wheels when slippage is detected.

Honda hasn’t skimped on safety, offering the Pilot with almost every conceivable active and passive feature, including ABS, Vehicle Stability Assist, Traction Control, dual front airbags, as well as first, second and third row side curtain airbags.

With the new Pilot, Honda has certainly upped its game no doubt. The crossover is bigger, more powerful and offers ample space and goodies to play with. If you’re a family guy who would like to plonk his hard-earned cash on a sensible, comfortable eight-seater, this one is definitely worth looking at.