“The 2015 Honda Pilot is a reliable/spacious SUV and is a real joy to drive.”

Pack everything into the all-new 2015 Honda Pilot and there is still surprisingly enough room for eight people…

Looks

The vehicle was re-designed in 2009 yet it still fits today’s market and has a unique style to it. It rally resembles no other competitor which is more than can be said of many in this market segment,

In The Cab

There is plenty of room in this eight-passenger sport ute. The second row has an extra 25 millimetres, the third has 50 millimetres and there’s a slight an increase to the cargo area. The 60/40 second row and third row bench seats fold flat to give a good surface to transport larger items.

Another added improvement is the rear glass that can be opened independently from the hatch. If you go for the EX-L RES or Touring edition there is a power lift gate. A 229-watt audio system with seven speakers and a subwoofer is available on the LX, SE and EX-L RES model while the Touring comes with a 650-watt, AM/FM/CD Premium audio system with MP3/Windows media and 10 speakers including a 5.1 surround sound theater mode, also a 15 GB hard drive (HDD) audio storage. There is an available Honda DVD rear entertainment system with 9-inch display. An available Honda satellite-linked navigation system with trilingual voice recognition that responds to over 800 verbal commands, as I do at home.

Safety First

The 2015 Pilot’s standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist, commonly known as electronic stability control with traction control and ABS. There are three-row side curtain airbags with roll over sensor; dual stage front air bags, a driver’s front side air bag, and a passenger’s front side air bag with occupant position detection system. There is also hill start assist on all models. The VTM-4 system directs power to the front differential when extra traction is not required, helping with the fuel economy, when more traction is required, the system engages the rear differential.

Roadworthy

I had the opportunity to take the SE 4WD along some logging roads in Squamish. It was incredibly smooth as it glided over potholes and dodged ditches. Although they were not rough roads it is certainly nice to know that you could take your family camping knowing you can travel to most locations without experiencing problems because you left the pavement.

The Pilot has variable cylinder management (VCM), which shuts down two or three cylinders when not required. The five speed automatic transmission runs smoothly and very quietly when shifting. When the green ECO light comes on, I noticed the transmission was a little noisier as the engine decreased the number of cylinders in operation. The Pilot has a tow rating of 2045 kg (4500 lb).

Verdict

The 2015 Honda Pilot is a reliable/spacious SUV and is a real joy to drive.

Contact: ian [dot] harwood [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca

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Power:

The 3.5 litre, 24 valve, SOHC i-VTEC V6 engine delivers 250 hp and 253 ft lbs of torque with variable cylinder management (VCM).

Pump frequency:

13.1 L/9.1 L/100 km (city/highway)

Warranty support:

36 month/ 60,000 km with 60 month/ 100,000 km power train warranty

Sticker price:

LX 2WD ……………… $35,100

LX 4WD ……………… $38,100

SE 4WD ……………. $42,500

RES 4WD …………. $44,500

TOURING ……………. $48,850