With bogies all around, how high will Honda’s new Pilot fly in the increasingly competitive crossover skies?
The crossover market couldn’t be hotter if it were on the sunny side of Mercury. With high fuel prices threatening to send thirsty, truck-based SUVs the way of the dinosaurs (which literally fueled their popularity), car-based crossovers are taking over as the people mover of choice for today’s families.
Since June 2002, Honda has capitalized on this trend with its generously sized, generously equipped, and reasonably priced Pilot. The boxy, three-row ute started out as one of the most popular entries in this burgeoning segment due to its carlike ride and handling, manageable size, and relative efficiency. While other manufacturers have been slow to develop their own unibody SUVs, the Pilot has remained one of the segment leaders and is a six-time 5Best Trucks winner.
Now, however, there are many more entries, each with its own appealing qualities, from manufacturers such as Ford, GM, Hyundai, and Mazda. Following the formula established by the Pilot, each offers favorable driving attributes, a choice of front- or all-wheel drive, loads of family-friendly features, and prices ranging from the upper $20,000s to more than $40,000.
Will the newly restyled and repackaged 2009 Pilot fly as high as its predecessor? Or has the competition gotten such a foothold as to ground the Pilot before it even gets its wings? We’ve taken a fresh look at several of its most formidable competitors to see if the Pilot has the right stuff to soar once again.
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