2007 Honda Pilot e-LX review from North America
"Very nice quality and good engine, but too many little faults to be a good SUV"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
No problems at all mechanically.
General comments?
This Honda Pilot has all the options including GPS navigation with integrated back up camera and voice command. The Pilot is high quality and drives fine. However, there are a number of design issues and faults that I was not aware of until some time spent behind the wheel. Some of the short comings are:
Radio controls are not in traditional locations...confusing.
Front seats are quite firm and too short for thighs.
When the gas tank is 1/2 to 3/4 full, the gas sloshes when starting and stopping... apparently no baffling.
Way too much interior road noise even for an SUV.
Fuel economy is okay, but no where near the advertised 22 mpg highway. Fuel gauge is inaccurate... goes down quickly from full to half, then slows.
I paid almost $1000 extra for receiver hitch option installed by dealer. Includes hitch, transmission cooler, and power steering cooler. Miserable tow vehicle even towing 1,500 lbs. Fuel economy drops to 12 mpg and engine is at 4,000 RPM most of the time in 3rd gear... even on flat roads. Now I understand why the power steering cooler! Continuous high RPM would overheat the power steering pump.
Rear lift door does not extend high enough even for normal height male... I have the bumps to prove it! Shutting the lift door is a challenge... too much spring.
The 2007 Pilot is a nice car and the engine is smooth, quiet and powerful, but I would rather have a Chevy Tahoe or Trail Blazer. Honda hasn't figured out how to build an SUV yet!
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  | A good effort by Honda, but GM, Jeep and Nissan still make better SUV's |
| Not bad for Highway driving and road trips... not in the rain however |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model Year | 2007 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.5 FI Gas Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 3 miles |
| Most recent distance | 6500 miles |
| Date of Entry | 4th December, 2007 |