Used 2016 Honda Pilot Consumer Reviews
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Dont buy the hype!
Larry Pines, 12/18/2015
updated 01/03/2019
2016 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
21 of 23 people found this review helpful
Short version of my review: Honk the horn, if you have no problem with the horn (as it is too small for a moped) then look at what is involved in jump-starting this vehicle. If the procedure for jump-starting isn't an issue… then buy the Pilot, as you most likely won’t notice the issues I noted below. If you take exception with the horn or the need to disassemble the car to jump start it……well the rest of the car like that. It’s way over Hyped - Over Promised and Under Delivered. It’s like a bowl of good sour cream. Nothing More - Nothing Less. Long version of my review: I have wanted to write this review for some time now, and today is just that day. I am one who got sucked into the hype of this vehicle, and I wish I didn’t. My 2016 Honda Elite (“The PIG” - the name just fits) has just under 4,500 miles on it, and it is for sale. The Good --Honda has spent a ton of effort getting the this car perform in the new overlap IIHS crash test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMtOcKK6I4o. The result of this test is a true work of art. Especially when compared to others vehicles in the class. Size –this is a big car there is plenty of room in it. The Sunroof is huge. The size of the rear doors are larger than other SUVs, it makes getting into the third row easy, and the auto tumble of the second row captain seats are very helpful for getting in the third row. USB charging stations – are all over the vehicle. Maybe even in the third row! Great job Mileage – At one point I was getting 28 MPG on the freeway in this car. That may be due to a recall that fixed a small problem where the car would “add” miles to the odometer I currently get 23 MPG on a tank of gas….Winter gas? Software update….i don’t know, but it’s not what it used to be. The Bad The car drives around corners/ Auto braking systems – Well it just follows the lines on the road, when it gets confused, or mistakes the sealant on the road for the painted road….well you get to fight the car, and pray that the auto braking doesn’t kick in. (Just imagine if you and your spouse both had access to steering and the pedals.) For me, when I first experienced it I was traveling about 70 MPH on the interstate and in an instant I was doing 45 then the system “recalculated” and I was able to drive again. As a result, we were almost rear-ended. The Ugly The 9-Speed transmission – Holy Hannah, will this thing take a chill pill!? For example, at low speeds it’s like an amusement park ride. 5th gear at 20MPH, no now its 4th gear no upshift to 6th. It’s crazy! At low speeds the transmission is like a Jack Russel Terrier. Auto Start feature –This feature simply shuts off the car’s engine when you come to a stop. When this activates you will need about a second or a second and a half to feel like the car is ready to go again. This is unreasonable at busy intersections. You can turn this “feature” off but you have to do it every time you start the car. I have tried to get the dealer to disable this “feature” but they say they can’t. Trust me it’s a pain in the rear. The Premium Stereo – This is a HUGE disappointment. This stereo is just strange. I have the bass and treble settings maxed, and on the best of times it sounds ok. But, most of the time it leaves me wondering where is the other half of the song. For example, you can be listening to XM radio and one song sounds “ok”, then the next song sounds like the stereo doesn’t know how to decode signal. The vocals are very weak and fade in and out. Subwoofer is nonexistent. The Touch Screen –Disappointment. The Very glossy glass (or plastic) shows fingerprints very easily very the system is very complex to use. No way to set a priority on phones To change what phone is connected from the main screen is no less than 5 button pushes and takes 40 seconds to accomplish. Voice Command – Useless. Instrument gauges –The lack of information/customization of the gauges can’t be ignored. Talk about just under delivering. The placement of buttons in the car – are Just wrong, you have to hunt and search for buttons in this car. It’s just wrong. Resale value – (Update sold to a Honda dealership for $43,700 on 3-1-16) I was hoping to have sold this car before reviewing it however; I just can’t sit back and keep reading reviews from folks who say it’s a perfect vehicle. I often question the legitimacy of some of the reviews, like they were written by those with an interest in selling these cars. Sold after 6500 miles. couldn't take it any more It is 12/28/18 and the above hasnt been addressed. Check the Pilot forums. Love my 16 Durango RT
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Smooth, spacious, safe and satisfying
Hunter, 10/15/2015
updated 04/19/2016
2016 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
21 of 23 people found this review helpful
This is not a perfect car, but it has pleased my family of 5 for the three months and 4,000 miles we've owned it. Here's my opinion: The Negatives: * 9-speed transmission (found on touring and elite versions) can lurch when the foot begins to press on the brake in certain situations (around 30mph?), giving a surprising feeling of acceleration instead of deceleration. It feels like the transmission is going through neutral in these situations, thus the lurch, but I'm still testing (and less alarmed about it because it has always happened with my foot at the brake and passes quickly). The transmission also may feel jumpy to some in the first few gears as it quickly moves through them upon acceleration. I don't know if the 6-speed transmission has these issues. * Touchscreen is a bit slow, shows fingerprints, but even worse for us - scratched after using the cleaning pad provided. This was most likely due to fine dust/sand in the car from a river outing so it's probably our fault, but with gorilla glass these days I expected more resilience, not sure what the honda screen is made of but beware- a protector of some sort is probably wise. * Tailgate (rear) window does no open like the previous generation, just the whole tailgate which fortunately is shorter than before. * Keyless ignition requires one to cycle through power off when wanting to turn off the engine but leave on auxiliary power. * The new tech and sensing still feels a bit young The Positive: * The ride is smooth, quiet and solid feeling. Yes it does feel bottom heavy but to me that is a good thing, better than a top heavy vehicle. The Pilot honkers down while braking hard, and tracks well on corners, sure it's not a Delorean nor even an Accord in that regard. * Good space with excellent headroom. Earlier this year I would have purchased an Odyssey but the limited headroom ruled out the second and third row for me. I can sit in every seat of the Pilot. The elite level trim has the two captain chairs in the second row which eases access to the third row, but third row access is easier in general with the one button fold and the slightly lower/wider access. In addition the reversible floor behind the third row seats adds some usable extra cargo room and does handle coolers well. * The improved small frontal overlap safety, better visibility (particularly A pillar), and the optional sensing help further evolve the attention to safety detail that Honda has. The cross-traffic sensor on the elite works so well it can get annoying, like when it picks up the opposite lane when you are trying to back-out. Not a bad thing to know about it's just one doesn't want to depend on the sensing tech solely. I think of them as guardians that can help a driver out, but the driver must still do the normal driving safety checks. A nice thing is the sensing systems are highly configurable whether it's turning them off entirely, desensitizing them or turning the sound off (and keeping visual feedback). * Gas mileage feels a bit improved over the previous generation even with a noticeably more powerful engine. The engine has no problem passing and getting on the freeway where we've experienced 27mpg with mountain passes involved according to the trip computer, but I need to yet verify the accuracy of the trip computer at the gas tank. * The navigation works real nice, but then we've never had navigation before. Notes: * The sound system is configured with a "neural" setting by default. I found turning that off to improve the sound drastically. * Adaptive cruise control (ACC) works pretty well on the highway, not so well at slow speeds (trouble following appropriately) * Lane Assist needs well painted lines to work reliably, but when it does it's almost scary. * Idle off gets less annoying with experience. For example, pressing the brake lightly will prevent the engine from shutting off or pumping the brake will re-start the engine when stopped (see the manual). Summary: There is a lot of new tech to this car, and I would not recommend buying it for the new tech as it's still a bit rough around the edges. In addition, the 9-speed transmission could probably stand some tuning. I suspect the 2017 or 2018 Honda Pilot will improve upon these weaknesses. However for space, AWD, decent mpg, and safety the 2016 Honda Pilot is a solid choice that both my wife and I enjoy to drive.
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2016 Honda Pilot for sale near you
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- EX 4dr SUVMSRP: $18,6954 mi away
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Love that Honda is concerned with safety!!
Ohio Momma, 05/27/2016
updated 05/31/2018
2016 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
We love our Pilot, except when we don't!... updated - our DVD screen in the back keeps going black. Then we have to reach in the back and close the screen and open it again and sometimes it comes back on and sometimes it doesn't Even when the screen comes back on, it usually only stays on for a few minutes before turning black again!.... so frustrating! We also had a lot of problems with the radio. We had it in to be looked at multiple times and they "updated" things, but it still didn't fix the problem. Finally, we complained enough, I guess, and they replaced the who radio/computer. The problem does seem to be fixed now. It is sporty and stylish. If comparing it to our 2012 Honda Odyssey, it has less leg room in each row and less cargo room in the back. I am short and can easily climb into the back of the Odyssey to get an item that has rolled (b/c our 3rd row is folded) to right behind the 2nd row. With the Pilot, I have to get a running start and jump into the back of it b/c it sits so much higher. Compared to other SUVs on the market (in it's class) there is no comparison!! The Pilot is the best! We also considered a GMC Terrian or Acadia, but the safety features on the Pilot (with Honda Sensing) pulled us away from those options. The Acadia wasn't even "small overlap" crash tested!... This momma isn't going there... if you aren't crash testing, I am not buying! The Toyota Highlander looks nice also as well as the Nissian options, but we felt the Pilot was for us! We love our Honda Odyssey, so that probably aided in our decision. Pros- -Roomy front seats -lots of small areas for storage and cup holders -love the body style -Love the Touring details... like that the Pilot knows where I want my seat. I am 5 ft tall and my hubby is 6'1", so we are constantly trying to find that sweet spot, where the seat is in just the right place, so I love that with my key the car knows it's me and puts the seat right back where I like it!! -kids love the built in blue ray player -smooth and comfortable ride (a little more road noise than I expected for a decked out touring option) -lots of safety features Cons- -One of my biggest complaints would be that compared to our Honda Odyssey, there are very few air vents in the 2nd and 3rd rows. On a hot summer day those little, sweaty peeps back there want some air pouring on them! My poor baby, who is rear facing, gets no air vents pointed in his direction due to where they are located. -When "Eco" is on the pick-up from stopped to going is SOOOO slow! Don't pull out unless you have a lot of time to get moving. BUT, if you turn "Eco" off the pick-up is GREAT! -we have had a couple minor electrical/tech issues (rear tailgate and audio/radio) dealership has fixed them because they are under warranty, but it was a pain to make appointments and wait hours to have a NEW vehicle fixed. -adaptive cruise control is not smooth and makes me motion sick. I wish there were two settings for cruise.... adaptive cruise and traditional cruise. Overall we love our 2016 Pilot and it's sidekick, the 2102 Honda Odyssey. Safety is my #1 concern when buying a vehicle and Honda seems concerned about safety too!
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A great car BUT TERRIBLE Infotainment system
Nick, 08/01/2016
updated 08/06/2018
2016 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I've had Hondas for 17 yrs now. Our family are on our 5th and they've all been superb, reliable cars. The Honda Pilot is my last car and as a car it is fantastic. Totally lives up to Hondas reputation. EXCEPT for their infotainment system. It's ABSOLUTELY DREADFUL. Forget about trying to hook up your iPhone to it too. The accord and civic, the cheaper cars in their lineup have CARPLAY but the Pilot? NO. CarPlay is an amazing feature supplied by Apple to all car manufacturers. It hooks the iPhone to the infotainment system as if it were a 2nd screen. It is beyond me that Honda don't equip it on the Pilot. Sure, you can connect through Bluetooth but it's dreadful. Useless. It's the most frustrating thing ever. I have to ask for directions MANY TIMES before it gets it right. Volume keeps randomly going loud and quiet. You can't even tell what you can select on the screen and the selection areas are too small making it hard to press and distracting when driving. Honda. Get it together and get CarPlay working on the Pilot. If you're thinking of buying a Pilot, seriously think about one of their competitors if they haven't got CarPlay on the Pilot and you have an iPhone. UPDATE: I've had the car for three years and still love it. I collapsed the back row of seats and put a cage barrier up. Then added a dog bed back there. My dog has a palace...😊. Still totally hate the entertainment system and crappy phone hook up. I'll make calls and only about 1/3rd of the time will the phone transmit the conversation through the car audio system. So have to spend the first 15 seconds of a phone call constantly pressing the 'Transfer' button until it works. But the car itself is great. Thinking of upgrading because the latest pilots have CarPlay working. I will probably consider getting the 4 wheel drive version but really there's nothing wrong with the 2 wheel version. Or maybe look at the Acura, Hondas more upmarket brand.
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WATER LEAK IN TRUNK AREA
GISELA, 09/29/2016
2016 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
When it rains the water entering and builds up between inside panel and exterior body parts and leak in trunk area when open. Can press the rear pillars and water will drip out and be wet,
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