2009 Honda Pilot Photo

2009 Honda Pilot - Expert Reviews

MSRP: $27,695 - $40,095 See Local Classifieds
 

Expert Reviews from Around the Web

We have scoured the web for expert reviews of this car and found the best ones for you to read. Found 12 reviews. This list is displayed in ranked order based the reviews we think are the best.
RankingDetails
#1
2009 honda pilot Professional Edmunds Review
Source: Edmunds

...The center stack is littered with small buttons that are difficult to decipher at a glance, but some found they become intuitive with repeated use. The main information screen/navigation system's central control knob and related buttons are located at knee level, requiring a potentially unsafe downward glance, but some liked that they fell right at hand level and could be operated by feel. The new Pilot's dash consists of roughly textured hard plastic: Some of our editors appreciated the low-sheen rugged look, while others thought they looked cheap and preferred the richer-feeling materials...

#2
2009 Honda Pilot Professional Cars.com Review
Source: Cars.com

...Kafi, a TV reporter here, was less than sympathetic. "This is New York, Dad," she said as we were driving to Cornwall for Thanksgiving dinner. "People who are crazy enough to drive big SUVs here park them on the street, even in rough neighborhoods. Garages here hate those things. They take up too much space." I relate all of this, dear reader, by way of emotional disclosure. After a week of driving the Pilot in and around this city, I wound up hating it, too. It is simply too big for daily urban use. It does not fit in a place such as New York. It is not the least bit maneuverable in...

#3
2009 Honda Pilot Professional Cars.com Review
Source: Cars.com

...115-volt outlet (for computer) and USB connector (for iPod or iPhone) under the center armrest. To complete the package, electronic stability control with traction control, side-curtain air bags for all three rows and four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard. The V-6 it was upgraded to 250 h.p. from 244 h.p., while delivering a little more torque. Though Pilot tips the scales at a hefty 4,500 pounds, the V-6 generates enough muscle for a smooth launch from the light. But with the weight and the high ground clearance, it tends to lean in curves with the faint sound of the radials scrubbing the...

#4
Flash Drive: 2009 Honda Pilot
Source: MSN Autos

...There are lots of buttons in the center instrument panel, but controls are quite intuitive. Unfortunately the large navigation screen is almost impossible to see when the sun is shining, and polarized sunglasses make it even worse. The second row is plenty roomy for three people, and access to the third row is made simple by the sliding second row. Both rows can be folded to provide a single flat cargo space. Power is adequate for most situations, and handling is much improved over the outgoing model. With the 17.5 mpg I averaged, even a great midsize SUV may be a hard sell in the current...

#5
2009 Honda Pilot Professional Cars.com Review
Source: Cars.com

...The towing capacity for the 2WD Pilot is 3,500 pounds while the 4WD model can pull up to 4,500 pounds. Safety Standard safety features include all-disc antilock brakes, an electronic stability system, side-impact airbags for the front seats, side curtain airbags for all three rows of seats and active front head restraints. The Pilot also uses Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering technology, which consists of structural elements in the front of the SUV that are designed to meet the frames of both smaller and larger vehicles during a collision and send crash forces away from occupants...

#6
2009 Honda Pilot Professional Cars.com Review
Source: Cars.com

...Inside, the new Pilot's cockpit is a nice update of the older model, and you can definitely tell that it's roomier. Fold down the second- and third-row seats, and a 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood will lie flat on the floor -- unusual in this market segment. On the road, the extra power really isn't noticeable, but then there has always been plenty on tap. The automatic transmission and the V-6 engine communicate well. The ride is smooth and quiet -- pretty much what you'd expect from a Honda. The 2009 Pilot comes in three basic models: The base LX, the midlevel EX and EX-L (the L gets leather...

#7
CarGurus' Review for 2009 honda pilot
Source: CarGurus

...Honda has redesigned the '09 Pilot to provide both the rugged looks and utility of an SUV, with the versatile cargo space and upscale comfort to accommodate a family's every need.
Its superior maneuverability stands out from the pack in the SUV's primary habitat, both city and suburban streets and parking lots.
Upgrades to the interior and a longer list of standard luxury features make the Pilot a good buy for the money,
but those seeking more high-end refinement may be disappointed by the continued use of low-grade hard plastic in the cabin...

#8
2009 Honda Pilot Professional Cars.com Review
Source: Cars.com

...The second row felt spacious and the front offered lots of room. The dash-mounted gear shifter adds to the open space as well as a clean center console. The center stack, when the navigation system is included, becomes a confusing mess of buttons, switches and knobs. There are 52 buttons to press, adjust or select -- not including the 15 on the steering wheel. Space missions use fewer commands. No doubt, an owner would get used to typing out orders on the dash, but it seems extreme. The Pilot's dash could have taken a lesson from the women's well-chosen wardrobes on "Rock of Love": Less is...

#9
2009 Honda Pilot Professional Cars.com Review
Source: Cars.com

...There also is a "pedestrian injury mitigation" design in the front, which Honda said is "intended to help absorb energy" from a frontal collision. Available models range from the entry-level LX to the midrange EX and EX-L (leather) to the new top-of-the-line Touring version. There are more than 10 significant new features on the new Pilot, Honda, said, including the company's latest version of its variable cylinder management system. This system can cut out two or three of the six cylinders during highway cruising to help boost highway fuel economy. Other features include a tailgate with a...

#10
2009 Honda Pilot Professional Cars.com Review
Source: Cars.com

...Front and middle seats are roomy and comfortable, while the rearmost seats are kid-sized, reached by sliding the middle seats forward. Fold down the second- and third-row seats, and you have 87 cubic feet of cargo space. Honda is marketing the new Pilot in four basic flavors: The base LX, the EX, the EX-L (the L stands for leather, as in upholstery), and the top-of-the-line Touring. The test model was an all-wheel-drive Touring and had the lone option: a DVD-based rear entertainment system which, with shipping, brought the sticker price to $40,665. Since the base front-wheel-drive LX starts...


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Why should I also consider these?

The three-row, seven-passenger 2009 Honda Pilot has some tough competition in the crossover segment.

GM has four vehicles in the class, but the Pilot’s most direct competition from GM might be the Saturn Outlook, which has a squared-off shape, an import-friendly dealer experience, and lots of available options.

Toyota’s Highlander is a three-row vehicle now, but its soft handling is noticeably inferior to the Pilot’s, though it does come in a Hybrid edition.

The new Ford Flex is an intriguing crossover with MINI Cooper-esque styling, three rows of seating, and plenty of high-end features that aren’t limited to its most expensive models.

 
2009 Saturn Outlook
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2008 Toyota Highlander
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2009 Ford Flex
The 2009 Ford Flex is one of the most stylish new crossovers, with great passenger room and more features than some minivans.
 

 
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