If you’re looking to move people or carry a lot of stuff, you may want to consider the updated styling of the 8-passenger 2012 Honda Pilot Touring AWD edition. As I’m normally behind the wheel, I rarely get the opportunity to understand the nuances of being a passenger in the vehicles I review. While in my driveway, I spent quite a bit of time in the back of the Pilot.
The Pilot’s interior is massive. This mid-sized SUV was definitely designed to move people with a spacious interior, and amenities that include a rear entertainment system. The Pilot provides comfortable seating for 8 people with a 2nd and 3rd row of seating.
While seating in the 2nd row is comfortable for almost anyone, the same can’t be said for an easy-to-access 3rd row. In one latch flip, I easily jumped into the third row to quickly realize that my 5’9” frame wouldn’t last too long in the 3rd row. My 10-year old self would have easily enjoyed sitting in the 3rd row. Even with the Honda Pilot, I will still continue to question the practicality of a 3rd row seating.
The one downside to having a full cabin of passengers, the cargo area behind the third row is extremely limited. Both 2nd and 3rd row are 60/40 split seats and offer the flexibility of accommodating a mix of passengers and cargo.
For parents with needing extra anchors for child seats, you’ll be happy to know that the Pilot comes with three lower anchors and tethers in the 2nd row and one in the 3rd row. That’s four baby seats and one busy family.
Other great features that will keep the kids entertained in the back of the Pilot include a 9” DVD entertainment unit with a detachable remote, three separate wireless headsets and independent climate controls. One of the coolest features in the Pilot is the integrated 2nd row sunshades.
Under the hood, the Honda Pilot Touring AWD comes equipped with a 3.5-litre, 24-valve, SOHC, i-VTEC® V6 engine, 5-speed automatic transmission and generates 250hp at 5700rpm and 253 lb.-ft. torque at 4800rpm. Fuel efficiency is managed automatically in the engine system and allows the use of 3, 4 or 6-cylinders to be used depending on the driving conditions.
As winter is just around the corner for us in the prairies, the AWD is an added bonus for driving through the slush and potholes of our glorious Winnipeg streets.
The Pilot comes in five different trim levels starting with the base LX 2WD ($34,920) and on the top end with the Touring AWD ($48,520). The Pilot competes with the Ford Flex, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9 and GMC Acadia.
Photos by Ron Cantiveros | Filipino Journal
