2010 Honda Pilot

Dependable, efficient, good looking, roomy, But

By Jay (NJ) on Friday, April 12, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,600

Pros: "Nice looking reliable"

Cons: "Only 5 speed tranny, remove start? change holder?"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 7

"My review is for the technical type person; take it for what its worth. It is rather critical. I am not bashing my fellow Pilot owners if you love your Pilot and feel compelled to defend it at all costs; I am not like that. I do not have buyer remorse, but some things were lacking after I bought. All vehicles are designed and I figured the brilliant Honda engineers would have added the features I list in my cons. I will make my comparison to my old SUV which was a 2005 Suburban 1500 Z71 4x4.(yes I know I am comparing a full size 18 MPG max SUV but this is a reasonable comparison) Forgive me if I only list cons. You and I know the pros which is why we bought a Pilot CONS: 5 speed instead of 6 speed like the rest of the industry, this causes a 1000 rpm drop in the 2-3 or 3-4 shift. Honda, why not upgrade your tranny? I suspect the outdated tranny results in the dismal gas mileage. No remote start at least on the EX-L. Honda how can you skimp on a $50 electronic device. No change holder? Isn't this a no brainer? Top Heavy feel at highway speeds; ...the Pilot lets you know to be careful when making lane changes at 60 MPH. I suspect this may be due to undersized anti-sway bars but I am not sure. This is a comparison to the full size 8 passenger Suburban which is probably not a fair comparison given Suburban's wider stance and longer wheel base. Maintenance seems difficult, even an oil change. It doesn't look like the engineers thought much about the mechanic who has to work on the vehicle. Stupid method to engage 4WD = You have to shift into a low gear and then press the 4WD button? What if I need 4WD at speeds above 25 mph? I really did not pay attention to this aspect of the Pilot until later. I thought all modern 4WD vehicles allow you to drive at speeds up to 50 mph. Not the Honda Pilot. Even if you start out in 4WD, once you shift into drive at highway speeds, the smart engineers at HOnda designed your Pilot to shift out of 4WD. The Driver Information Center lacks the ability to easily change settings like when doors lock. The vehicle feels under-powered at all times. While the economy bar and eco button are nice, I find I am not rewarded for driving as efficient as possible. Yes I am complaining about my average city + combined mileage, which is 19.5 mpg. OK here is one positive in the midst of all this carnage; I drove from Atlantic City to the Poconos, all highway miles. I reset the trip odometer which also resets the mpg and I saw for the first time sustained gas mileage of 24.5 mpg at 65 to 70 miles per hour. Towing? Nobody at local Honda dealers knows anything about towing or electric brakes. The manual says you can tow, you have to dig real hard into the owners manual to find information about plugging in a wiring harness and electric brakes. Dealer, while willing to sell me a new SUV almost cautioned me to not treat the Pilot like it was a SUV. I read the owners manual and I am aware the max rated towing is 5000#. Back to the tranny: I think first gear should be geared lower for towing situations,...but alas Honda did not really envision the Pilot to tow anything more than a Jetski. Back window has 2 giant washers at the top. When you go to wash and squeegee the back glass, the big washers get in the way. I never had that problem before."

14 people out of 18 found this review helpful

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Outstanding Choice

By Bud (FL) on Monday, April 08, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 45,000

Pros: "Smooth, Quiet, Very Comfortable, Giant Cargo Area"

Cons: "Too many buttons for climate control"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I bought my Pilot as a certified pre owned 2 years ago and it is a fantastic vehicle. It is a wonderful driver and great on long trips. After 45000 miles it has very few rattles and drives like a brand new vehicle. Smooth and quiet with plenty of power and all of the seats in the back fold flat for maximum cargo. The seats needed to fold flat for my job and I literally looked at all SUV's in its class and it has by far the best cargo area. Plus my dog loves it back there. My only complaint is too many buttons for the AC. It is virtually impossible to adjust the controls without looking. Best just to leave in on AUTO and let the climate control do its job. For those who have never owned a Honda, it truly is a different experience. The dealers treat you better than any non luxury brand on the market. It is no wonder that Honda can sell plain looking cars and have such loyalty from its customers."

4 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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Roomy Mid-Sized SUV

By RGL (KY) on Wednesday, March 06, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 400

Pros: "Quality, Value, and Room / Space"

Cons: "Just a little negative is comfort and design"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Just like any Honda...the value, reliability and quality are present and accounted for! I traded-in a leased 2011 Toyota Rav4 Limited to a 2013 Honda LX to get more rear seat room for my growing son. While I was initially concerned over losing several features to keep my payment similar, it hasn't been much of a struggle because Honda does a good job...even on the base LX. There are certainly a few things I miss like Auto On lights and heated leather seats but that's not why I ever so slightly dinged the interior and comfort (i.e. an 8 out of 10 isn't bad). DESIGN - The molded plastic dash and cloth side door molding aren't quite the greatest...has a dry and brittle texture if that makes sense. Still, pretty good but could be better is all. Also, lots of buttons and knobs in the center console that take a little bit of getting used to. Not that the dash is overwhelming or not user friendly...just that it could be laid out a little bit better possibly. How I don't know. But the car I traded in had a lot more features (top of line vs. base model) and it seemed to flow more naturally I guess is the word I am looking for. Again, it's not complicated and not a huge ding. COMFORT - Honda seats are woven tightly with what seems like limited padding so the seat feels a bit firm and unforgiving. Keep in mind this is a base model so it's mostly to be expected. On the plus side is literally EVERYTHING else. The drive is very good. And the extra room (research showed this is the largest of the mid sized SUVs) is fantastic. And not just for my teenage son in the 2nd row but even for those of us upfront as there is more space left-to-right so it doesn't feel as cramped. I just don't think anyone is going to go wrong buying a Honda. Definitely not the 2013 Pilot!"

8 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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Great car!

By ME (KY) on Monday, February 11, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 16,000

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"I really enjoy this car, however I have been a little annoyed with the # of recalls since owning it. Time isn't a luxury I can afford and having a one year old it's been difficult to find a time to take it in to have the recalls checked out/fixed."

7 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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Great SUV for my Needs

By rjturn on Thursday, January 24, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,400

Pros: "Very roomy and can hold 8 people"

Cons: "Miss having smart key with push button start."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"I bought the Touring model and it is very roomy and with SUV loaded with family of 4 and dog got 24 MPG on trip to Dallas from Houston. I seem to get better MPG than some other reviews but have a long ride to work and back and just yesterday was able to get 28 MPG back home from work. The ride is great and road noise seems minimal to me. There is lots of room for almost any item in the SUV and the features all work great. Best SUV I have owned at this point."

9 people out of 9 found this review helpful

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Honda doing what they do best...

By Rob (VA) on Saturday, November 24, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 16,000

Pros: "Quality, Fun to drive, Dependable and best deal."

Cons: "MPG, Control buttons, No HID,"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"Excellent driving vehicle, superb handling and the Pilot is a quality SUV for the money. They are just a bit behind in the technology department with the competition. They need to offer more safety features on the touring model (ie: blind spot indicator, HID headlights and easier controls). And I don't understand why they only put two sensors on the front bumper corners, it should have four with such a large hood. The one that annoys me the most is when going in reverse, only one of the mirrors tilt down. I am pretty picky, but could not afford the vehicles that meet all my desires, but overall the Honda Pilot is a Best Pick. My mpg is not so good, I get 18-19 mpg and I drive like a grandpa. I can't even get 20 mpg with cruise control. But, my biggest reason for getting a heavy SUV is the safety aspect for my family if involved in an accident."

26 people out of 26 found this review helpful

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