2009 Honda Pilot Consumer Reviews Page 9

Amazing

Written by: Joe on 01/27/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV w/Nav (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

I am 58 years old and have had numerous vehicles, cars and pick-ups; the Pilot is the one vehicle I have truly enjoyed. Before I bought the Pilot I researched the Edge; Flex; the Honda CRV and a couple of others, finally cutting my choices down to the above 3 vehicles. I researched the vehicles on line and then went to a few dealerships, stopping at a Honda dealer last to check out the CRV. On the floor was the Pilot, it had the room I wanted and a nav unit which I felt was a must, one test ride and I was hooked. By controlling my speed I average right at 24 MPG highway driving which for all the size and comfort is acceptable

Favorite Features

Navigation, USB port for iPod playback thru the vehicle’s speakers; back up camera; hands free link (I can accept phone calls and make calls without ever taking my hands off the wheel or eyes off the road) satellite radio; heated back rest and seat

Suggested Improvements

I think the only improvement I'd suggest would be a lower sticker price

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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great suv

Written by: dougie on 01/26/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV 4WD w/Nav, Rear Entertainment (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

A very good and reliable SUV. I have a 2003 Pilot and the 2009 version has come a long way. I won't complain about fuel economy as this is an issue with every SUV V6 or V8 I've every owned. I added every feature I could and I'm glad I did as Honda options are excellent.

Favorite Features

Bluetooth, USB jack, 120V jack, large displays, integrate sunscreens, lifting tailgate window.

Suggested Improvements

Doors should auto unlock when key removed from ignition.

0 out 6 people found this review helpful

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Great Choice

Written by: Jamie on 01/24/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV 4WD w/Rear Entertainment (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Looking for more space and knew I liked my mom's 2006 Pilot as well as Honda's great reputation. Also was considering the new Ford Flex b/c my husband works for Ford, and although it drove well, I decided to go with the Pilot and couldn't be happier. Space is phenomenal and I like the new interior styling much better than previous models, especially the shifter on the dash, storage cubbies, and blue convenience lighting. Don't think there's another SUV in this class with so many standard features for price, like backup camera, leather, sunroof, and RES. Comfy drive and tight handling and I don't hear the gas sloshing like others mentioned. Neg: headrests tilt forward and some road noise.

Favorite Features

Exterior and interior styling, price, quality, tri-zone auto a/c, backup camera, interior lighting, cargo and seating space, ease of purchase (not having to pick and choose options---everything standard)

Suggested Improvements

Less road noise, larger sunroof, more comfortable headrests, make touring model available without navigation

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Pilot Wins Hands Down!

Written by: chicaojoe on 01/23/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV 4WD w/Nav (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

After 6 months of research, watching this forum, looking at the other internet sites - and waiting for the Honda cash incentives to return ($1,500 on Pilot till 2/2/09) - I pulled the trigger and bought a new Pilot two weeks ago. I looked at everything in this category including Highlander, Veracruz, CX-9, Traverse, Arcadia and the Acura MDX. Hands down, the Pilot trounces them all in features, technology and value. This vehicle has better tech than even the more expensive Acura MDX (USB audio interface for iPod). If you are looking at a mid/full size SUV - you must consider the Pilot. My wife loves the storage and the smooth handling. I love the tech toys - bluetooth, navi, iPod, etc.

Favorite Features

Technology. Awesome navigation with easy to use interface. Touring comes std with bluetooth hands free. Caller id is displayed on the information panel. Plug in your iPod or iPhone and your playlists display on the navi / info screen. Voice controls for all key features is easy.

Suggested Improvements

Better gas mileage - but what do you expect for an SUV.

5 out 8 people found this review helpful

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A Hard Choice

Written by: cmedlin on 01/23/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV 4WD w/Rear Entertainment (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Our family had been looking at replacing our mini-van (Honda) for about 6 months. When our 2003 Odyssey sold in less than 24 hours, we ended up having to make a quick car purchase. Thankfully I had been doing lots of research. My 1st choice was a Chevy Tahoe, but I wasn't that thrilled with the size and lack of cargo space. We drove the Mazda CX-9, Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander, and the Honda Pilot. Of all of the vehicles, Honda had the smoothest ride. My husband and I are both very tall, and we fit comfortably in both the front and second row seats. The gas mileage isn't great, but it wasn't any different in any of the vehicles we drove (I'm not sure why it is constantly brought up).

Favorite Features

Comfortable seats, dvd system, stereo sound, xm radio, sunroof. Both of my boys (ages 6 & 8) really love this car!!

Suggested Improvements

Plain look of the outside... I wish this vehicle looked as good on the outside as the quality of the inside looks and feels!

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Awesome PILOT

Written by: Arn on 01/22/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV 4WD w/Nav, Rear Entertainment (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

I had this Pilot for almost 2 months now and have put in about 3,500 miles including California trip for Christmas. Kids love the Rear Seat Entertainment, iPod connection and awesome sound system. It is very nimble and fun to drive and better gas mileage than my 2004 Toyota Sequoia. I got the "show vehicle" so it came loaded with accessories including running boards, front & back aluminum cover and the front grille is upgraded & shiny. Since my Pilot is loaded, it is a "looker". The grille actually looked more like an HDMI than a USB port as observed by others. So, there you go, a High Definition SUV.

Favorite Features

Voice recognition, tech galore, fold flat second & third row seats (you don't need to take it out to carry large stuff). Cockpit is luxurious at Honda price. Comfortable seating for 8. Power tailgate.

Suggested Improvements

There are only two cup holders up front, maybe add one or two more. Brake pedal is kind of noisy on frequent stops (or maybe this is normal, I'm going to ask the dealer).

0 out 4 people found this review helpful

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What happened Honda?!?

Written by: cpc on 01/22/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

I had some pretty high expectations after happily owning two prior Hondas. And let me tell you, I have been pretty disappointed with my Pilot purchase. We placed both Honda and Toyota on top of our list for cars to look at, due to their good designs and quality ratings. We have worked with the dealership to TRY to fix several issues: 1-Known alignment issue with no fix. 2-Interior parts not installed correctly. 3-Rattles in the interior. 4-Steering vibration. 5- Temperature gauge stuck at reading 56 degrees. 6-AC display does not show on or off when running unless you press the button twice. Again, deeply disappointed with all the problems so far, and there is only 2500 miles on it!

Favorite Features

Cool interior and exterior design. More rugged SUV look. Rear backup camera.

Suggested Improvements

What no bluetooth unless I purchase a Touring Edition?! Better gas mileage. Maybe a economy option mode? Come on Honda! I expect better quality from you!

4 out 10 people found this review helpful

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Satisfied Buyer

Written by: Satisfied Buyer on 01/21/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot EX 4dr SUV 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

After looking at and test driving the Acadia, Outlook, Edge, CX-9, and Pathfinder, I was pleasantly surprised by the redesigned 2009 Pilot. The GM products were "cheap" looking on the inside, and the driving experience was average. The others lost out to either styling, or functionality. A family of four, two large dogs, and all the gear to go away for the weekend fit comfortably in the Pilot. All of the features are easy to operate, and convenient. I honestly could not be more pleased with the vehicle and enjoy driving it. I also found it to be priced significantly lower then its similarly equipped competitors.

Favorite Features

AWD, sliding rear seats to access the 3rd row, abundant storage. "Eco" mode that shuts down cylinders when cruising.

Suggested Improvements

Fuel economy could be improved (just aim to keep the eco light on, and you will do fine), or a hybrid.

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Not nearly as good as expected

Written by: HW on 01/18/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV 4WD w/Rear Entertainment (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

We bought this vehicle with great expectations based on reputation. We are disappointed with it so far. To start, it's vastly underpowered with poor acceleration. Entering/exiting is difficult due to awkward position of the driver's seat, which doesn't move back automatically when entering/exiting. Driver's position is poor as your knees rest on the dash when seated in reach of the steering wheel. Audio system is poorly designed. When watching rear DVD system, the system insists on ProLogic II surround mode. The center channel speaker is located in dash, so people in back can't hear movie dialog unless volume is cranked, which is annoying for people in front.

Favorite Features

Comfortable seats, seat heaters work well, styling, cargo capacity, nice third row seat, ride is pretty good, multiple power outlets including a 115V standard plug, MP3 player input, lots of storage and cup holders, cool blue LED ambient lighting, good head/fog lights, DRLs

Suggested Improvements

Center channel speaker for rear seat, better acceleration, stronger tailgate struts, correct driver seating position, less play in steering, correct electrical issues (rear wiper sometimes works when switched is off), interior plastics scratch/scuff easily, ugly gauges w/ distracting back lighting

4 out 10 people found this review helpful

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Love my pilot

Written by: EL on 01/16/2009

Vehicle

2009 Honda Pilot LX 4dr SUV 4WD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

I traded my 06 Accord in for a Pilot because of space issues after having our first child. I love my Pilot! The space in the back is amazing (with the back seat laid down). The drive is awesome. My husband keeps saying he can not believe how well it drives. The gas mileage is a bit disappointing but we realized that it would drop drastically from my Accord. we are averaging around 17-18 mpg. One complaint is the fog light inserts. Because of the base model, the just put some plastic caps in them. Not too attractive. And the rear ac/heat controls are only in the back of the middle console, so you can't see them from the front seat to change.

Favorite Features

Drive, space, console, dash.

Suggested Improvements

Make the rear a/c controls also in the front, make fog lights standard.

4 out 5 people found this review helpful

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