‘05 Pilot soars in all-around quality

In 2002 and 2003, Car and Driver Magazine made the Honda Pilot the first consecutive-year winner in its annual 5Best Trucks competition.

In naming the Pilot best large sport-utility vehicle, C&D called it “ideal for family travel” and reeled off a sturdy list of winning attributes.

“As we noted last year,” the editors wrote, “the Pilot doesn’t excel in any one automotive area, but it’s very good at everything, with the added attraction of outstanding quality and a high value quotient.”

But Honda wasn’t finished with the Pilot and neither was Car and Driver. The ‘05 model year brings the Pilot a host of improvements and — surprise! — a third straight C&D best-of award.

Honda has grown accustomed to accolades — at least one of its vehicles seems always to be included in the annual best-of lists — but in an industry where some awards can be had for the price of an ad schedule, the C&D honor actually means something.

To take top honors in its category, the Pilot had to face down some serious competition (although there was also a luxury-sport-ute category, won by the Cadillac XRS, which aggregated some of the obvious contenders); clearly the C&D editors see something special in it.

The Pilot and its first cousin, the Acura MDX, have been favorites of ours since their introductions for their unpretentious attention to creature comforts, surefootedness in bad conditions and overall quality.

As Car and Driver pointed out, you will find rigs that do some things better, but you’re hard pressed to find any that excel across a broader range of capabilities.

You’d be a fool to test Pilot’s mettle on California’s notoriously rugged Rubicon Trail, but you can fit a 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood in the cargo hold; the Pilot won’t best a Bimmer sport-ute in a slalom heat, but it will coddle your mother-in-law with a ride that’s among the best.

You may be running cross-town with a full load of eight or crossing the mountains in a blinding snowstorm; in either case your needs will be well met.

The Pilot is based on the Odyssey minivan and utilizes a car-like unibody, which lends a solid feel on the road, while a wide track adds lateral stability. Its relatively long, 102.5-inch wheelbase creampuffs the ride on rough surfaces, and front and rear stabilizer bars keep body roll to a minimum in the curves.

The cabin feels drum-tight, with no squeaks or rattles, and is quiet both at speed and around town. A redesigned dash includes a tasteful ambient lighting system, which is especially appreciated during these long, dark days of winter.

Large door handles and doors that open wide make easy work of ingress and egress and the seats are roomy and comfortable, although, as always, the third-row, three-across bench seat is best left to the youngsters.

Clever design means second- and third-row seats easily fold out of the way to create a large, flat-floored cargo area. With the third row up, there’s room in back for groceries or a set of golf clubs but not much more.

The interior is packed with convenient storage cubbies and cupholders and all the surfaces have that ineffable feel of Honda quality.

Thanks to VTEC, Honda’s variable valve lift and timing system, the engine produces plenty of power at almost all speeds. At 4,400 pounds, the Pilot’s no lightweight — and it isn”t the best choice for pulling a trailer — but the engine is up to most tasks, delivering the 0-60 run in under 8 seconds.

For ‘05, Honda has boosted power by 15 horsepower, from 240 to 255, and the benefits are most noticeable on freeway entrance ramps and while passing on two-lane highways.

Fuel economy numbers are decent for an SUV at 17 city/22 highway and the engine meets Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle standards.

The new drive-by-wire system is integrated with the traction control system and the five-speed automatic transmission to provide seamless shifts; fourth and fifth gears have been revised this year to minimize shift shock and, indeed, the transmission produces smooth and quick shifts.

Also new for ‘05 is a tire-pressure monitoring system with location sensor, so you don’t have to fumble around trying to find the offending tire.

I’ve always been a fan of Honda’s electronically controlled AWD system; its sensors are set to anticipate loss of traction and the Pilot acts quickly to counter impending wheel-spin.

At $34,135, our EX-L tester was not a bargain-basement-baby, but considering its feature set neither was it an outrage.

Order a base Pilot LX ($27,865, including destination) and the standard features list includes all-wheel-drive; air conditioning; traction and cruise control; power windows, mirrors and locks; anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution; remote keyless entry; CD player, and rear-window defroster.

There are three EX trim levels, with prices starting at $30,435, all the way up to the EX-L, which includes a DVD player among its noteworthy goodies.

A navigation system is available, as well, but can’t be ordered in tandem with the DVD system.

Electronic stability control is available, but only on the two up-level trims, and Honda does not yet offer side-curtain or rear-seat airbags, focusing instead on structural integrity to protect occupants.

In fact, Honda has made structural improvements this year it expects will produce improved crash safety results.

There’s nothing flashy or trendy about the Pilot. It provides reliable, comfortable and relatively economical transportation with Honda’s traditional emphasis on quality. The neighbors may not go green with envy when you put it in the driveway, but you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing your new Pilot is among the best of the breed.

That’s what the Car and Driver editors say, anyway.