Honda Pilot 2011 Review

The Honda Pilot 2011 is a midsize SUV that can accommodate a whole family. On the downside it has a poor braking performance, poor fuel usage and sluggish acceleration

Available in either front-wheel drive or all-drive, the Honda Pilot 2011 has four trim levels that include the LX, EX, EX-L and the Touring. Standard features in the base LX trim include a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, keyless ignition, seventeen-inch wheels, cruise control, rear privacy glass, automatic headlights, trailer hitch, air conditioning, split-folding second row and third row seats, auxiliary audio jack, CD and MP3 player and a 7-seven speaker sound system.

The EX trim has some more features than the LX model. These include; painted body molding, heated exterior mirrors, foglights, seventeen-inch alloy wheels, 8-way power adjustable driver seat, roof rail, steering wheel with mounted audio controls, satellite radio, in-dash 6-CD changer player and a an automatic tri-zone climate control.

The EX-L model steps from EX with features such as heated front seats, inlaid leather steering wheel, leather upholstery, power passenger seat, increased sound deadening, sunroof and rearview mirror (auto-dimming) with a mounted back-up camera. The EX-L comes with an optional DVD entertainment system on the back seats, navigation system, ten-speaker sound system, Bluetooth connectivity and an iPod port.

Optional features in the EX-L are standard on the Touring model. Its features include tire pressure indicators, rear-window sunshades, a power liftgate and driver memory functions.

The Honda Pilot 2011comes equipped with a 250 horsepower 3.5 liter V6 engine that produces 253 lb-ft of torque. This paired to 5-speed automatic transmission. All models come with a standard front-wheel drive with the all-wheel drive being an option.

According to EPA fuel efficiency for the front-wheel is estimated at 17 miles per gallon in the city, 23 miles per gallon on the highway and combined fuel efficiency of 19 miles per gallon. The all-wheel drive has a fuel efficiency of 16 miles per gallon in the city, 22 miles per gallon on the highway and combined fuel efficiency of 18 miles per gallon. The variable cylinder management system partially shuts down some of the V6’s cylinders when not in use.

The 2011 Pilot’s interior is well laid out with easy access to the controls. The Pilot can accommodate eight passengers with adults being able to fit well in the third row seats. An advantage of the Pilot is that it has a three lower anchors and tethers for children while most SUVs have two.

Cargo capacity with all seats in use is estimated at 18 cubic feet. With the third row seats are folded down cargo capacity increases to 47.7 cubic feet. Maximum cargo capacity of 87 cubic feet can be obtained with the second and third row seats folded down.

Standard safety features in 2011 Honda pilot include antilock disc brakes, airbags (front seat airbags and side curtain airbags), and stability control. In the government crash test, the Pilot 2011 received 4 stars for the front impact test and 5 stars for the side impact test.

The average price the 2011 Honda Pilot ranges between $27,088 and $38,807. Honda gives the Pilot 2011a basic warranty for three years and a powertrain warranty for five years.

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