2003 Honda Pilot

The word that pops into mind when I think of the new Pilot, Honda’s first ground-up design of a mid-sized sport utility, is ‘wholesome.’ When it comes to crafting sensible, reliable, respectable transportation, Honda’s family values are as solid as they come. This new Pilot epitomizes those values, and therein lies the good news, and the bad.

The Good News
For those of you who thought Honda has actually had a mid-size sport utility for many years in the Passport, I have a news flash: The Passport was a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo. Not a bad sport utility, but not a Honda, either.

After eight years of that masquerade, Honda finally comes up with its very own rendition based largely on the beloved Acura MDX. The Pilot shares platform and powertrain with the MDX, which derives its front-wheel-drive setup from the Odyssey minivan. It’s all in the family.

The Acura underpinnings offer several advantages for the Pilot, one being a flat load floor, another an exceptionally wide track. The latter is good for stability and interior cargo space few competitors match.

The Pilot is longer and taller than the Toyota Highlander, but shorter in length and height than either Ford Explorer or Chevy Trailblazer. Again, its width outsizes them all.

The 3.5-liter single overhead cam 24-valve VTEC V-6 borrowed from the MDX produces 240 horses and 242 lb-ft of torque. It gives this Pilot confidence and a quicker step than the Highlander. But Chevy’s Trailblazer is the big muscle in this class, which helps both in acceleration and towing capacity.

Like most of today’s sport utilities, the Pilot does not purport to be rough-and-tumble. Its Variable Torque Management 4-Wheel Drive (VTM-4) is basically front-wheel drive with the ability to shift torque rearward as slippage occurs. There is a switch on the dash that locks the rear to prod the Pilot out of deep snow or mud, but it releases at 18 mph.

Peace of mind is really what the Pilot’s 4-wheel character is about. Family comes first in this formula, evident in everything from the number of cupholders (9) to child-seat anchors (6) to a rear console called the “kid’s activity center” (it has little niches for sticky stuff like ketchup) to storage pouches (6).

Perhaps the most prominent family feature, however, is seating for eight. During my test drive, I encountered two Pilot owners who volunteered they bought it for the third seat. Not exactly a scientific sampling, but telling nonetheless. This rear row is admittedly designed for kids, but works well in this regard. It folds flexibly, as does the second row for cargo/passenger combinations, or folds away entirely for that flat cargo floor I mentioned.

And since no self-respecting modern family would be without luxuries, the Pilot obliges here as well. My uplevel EX model came with goodies like power driver’s seat, audio controls on the steering wheel, separate climate control front and rear, and an audio/DVD entertainment system to keep rear passengers mesmerized during the long commute. That last little extra sets you back $2,000.

We can’t review for the family without mentioning safety, either. The Pilot has front and side airbags for front passengers only and no airbag protection for heads. But excellent structure has earned the Pilot five-star crash ratings for both front and side collisions.

The Bad News
There really isn’t “bad” news about this Pilot. After all, it’s a Honda through and through: nice performance, quality fit and finish, optimum convenience and the promise of reliability.

But it’s exterior is the automotive equivalent of sensible shoes and its driving personality is that of an efficient assistant. Not that “sex appeal” and “fun” were anywhere in the job description, but neither was “dull.” Family transportation can be both fun to drive and cool to look at. This Pilot takes no risks in either department.

My only specific criticism is the same one I level at all Honda products with a shifter on the steering column: Why does it always drop into the gear below drive when you shift from park? Can we not get this right?

Gas mileage
EPA rated at 17 mpg city/22 highway

Price
Manufacturer’s base, $32,020;
Price as tested, $32,480

Is it worth it?
Sales prove that people prefer the rugged sport utility image to a minivan, but the minivan need has not diminished. The Pilot marries the two in an extremely competent, very pleasant vehicle.

And while those of us who require a little spice when we eat our vegetables regret the absence of pizzazz in this Pilot, families on the go who place convenience, reliability and practicality above all will find it truly seductive.

People will love the Pilot like they love a dependable appliance. It’s exactly what they need when they need it.

What’s not to love about that?

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville’s daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.