2015 Honda Pilot

The 2015 Honda Pilot has always been a reliable SUV that is smooth and spacious. It comes in five trim levels starting from LX for $29,870 to the Touring trim which is available for $40,020. All of the trims are offered in two variants, FWD and AWD. All variants come with a slew of standard features like ABS, traction control, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, and an LCD display with AM/FM. The higher trims offer 18-inch aluminum wheels, lumbar support for the driver seat, fog lamps, etc. The top Touring variant offers luxury features like park assist, leather upholstery, and a navigation system that works conveniently.

We Recommend

The thing about the Pilot is that it offers all the necessities right from the base model. The top Touring variant pushes the car to a different segment and thus creates a wider competition list for it. Hence the best option to buy is the SE variant which slots above the LX variant with a lot of additional features but does not burn a hole in your wallet like the Touring variant which comes at a $10,000 additional cost. The option of AWD or FWD is more or less a personal choice but just a $1000 over the FWD makes AWD a really good deal. It makes the car a much more capable machine able to put the power down on all four wheels.

The performance of the Pilot is right on point thanks to its 3.5L V6 engine producing 250 horsepower at 5700 RPM. The power comes in early at the RPM range resulting in good power delivery and with its 253 lb.-ft of torque, it is a capable SUV. The car comes with a 5-speed automatic which compliments the engine decently and shifts smoothly at any RPM range.

The engine performance coupled with the tall stance and car-like drivability makes the Pilot a versatile choice for anyone looking for an SUV that is fun to drive in the city as well as a decent off-roader. It also has excellent real-world performance as can be observed from its 7.6 seconds 0-60 mph time and the 15.9-second quarter-mile time.

The Honda Pilot offers tough competition to its rivals, the 2015 Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Explorer, and the CX-9. Even though the performance specifications may seem lackluster than the three rival cars, the Pilots results in performance that goes head-to-head with its competition as can be seen from its 0-60 timings, its quarter-mile time, and its top speed. This puts it in a sweet spot between the Traverse and the Explorer while the CX-9 stands apart with its high torque which can be a good thing while going off-road.

The fuel economy of the Pilot is where it truly shines. It offers 18 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway, which when compared to the other three SUVs with very similar fuel mileage of 17/24, the Pilot seems way ahead. This, coupled with the fact that it has a decent tank capacity of 21 gallons, easily beats its competition. 

The Traverse comes with a 22-gallon tank while the Explorer and the CX-9 come with 18.6 gallons and 20.1 gallons tank capacities respectively. As can be seen above, all the mileage specifications result in an increased range for the Pilot that is ahead of the competition. The Pilot hence can be deemed as much more economical than the other three by a big gap.

The interior of the Pilot is at best described as versatile. The dash and the cabin are laden with hard plastics. While this does give the cabin a cheaper look, it does what it is supposed to do and that is a practical space with a lot of cargo capacity. With so much space, comes a large number of storage options like cubby holes and bottle holders as well. Moreover, the tall stance gives it enough space for the headroom except for the third row which may seem cramped and is good for kids and not for full-sized adults. 

Both the second and the third-row seats are 60/40 split to give an option of even more cargo capacity. It can easily seat 8 people if needed and compares well with its rivals. The Pilot also has a lot of comfort options like dual-zone climate control and adjustable lumbar supports in the higher variants. Overall, the interiors are good.

The Pilot has a similar interior space as compared to its rivals but lacks cargo space, especially when compared to the Traverse which may be a downside. However, folding the third row can solve that issue by liberating more cargo volume. The Pilot still performs better than the Mazda in terms of interior space and capacity. Some of the key interior features are:

• Sliding glass sunroof (SE trim and above)
• Heated front seats (EX-L trim and above) 
• Leather seats (EX-L trim and above)
• Dual-zone air conditioning (Standard)
• Driver seat lumbar support (EX trim and above) 
• Cloth Seats (Standard)
• Keyless Entry (Standard)

How intuitive is the 2015 Honda Pilot's infotainment unit?

The infotainment features of the 2015 Honda Pilot come with a lot of options but are reserved for the top trims. These include a SatNav system with 15 Gb of data storage, a Bluetooth hands-free interface, Sirius XM radio, and a lot more. The lower variants still come with AM/FM radio, a rearview parking camera, and a 7-speaker audio system. This leaves a lot of connectivity features only to the top trim variants which are priced much higher. Some of the highlights of the infotainment system on the Pilot are:

• 7 speaker audio system
• AM/FM
• Satnav in higher trims
• 7-inch LCD display
• Standard rear-view camera

The big and bulky body keeps true to traditional SUV design even though it's based on a unibody construction with an independent rear suspension. The curb weight is also kept less than its competitors even with dimensions taller than others. This gives it a sure-shot SUV look especially when compared to the Traverse and the CX-9 which are more road-oriented vehicles and have longer wheelbase because of the same. The added chrome bits on the grille and the rear give it a premium appeal and the boxy design makes sure that it still looks the part of an off-roader.

It is not just the dimensions but the boxy design of the Pilot that gives it a taller appearance. The ground clearance is also a plus point with 8 inches while the Chevrolet Traverse, Explorer, and the CX-9 come with 7.2, 7.6, and 7.8 inches of ground clearance respectively. Some features of the exterior are given below:

• 17-inch steel wheels (Standard)
• 18-inch aluminum wheels (EX trim and above)
• Fog lamps (EX trim and above)
• Chrome exterior trim

The Honda Pilot is laudable when it comes to safety. It scores a four-star rating out of five in crash tests conducted by the NHTSA. It scores a ‘Good’ rating in nearly all parameters in the IIHS test as well. All variants come with front airbags as well as side curtain airbags for all three rows. All variants also come standard with a rear-view parking camera which is a nice safety feature for such a big vehicle. Some key safety features are:

• Traction Control
• Anti-Lock Braking System
• Rear View Parking Camera
• Side curtain airbags

The Honda Pilot is an excellent choice for a wide range of buyers. It is an SUV that can transition from dropping your kids to school to heading off-road on some nasty trails all while you sit comfortably in a spacious and roomy cabin with a lot of creature comforts. The design may seem old, and the plastic bits may seem a bit below category standards, but the SUV packs a punch in an all-in-one package that caters to all the needs you want from a vehicle.