Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012 Powerfully efficient. See photos, compare specs and learn more about the versatile features of Honda's crossover SUV

Honda pilot 2012

 Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

including powertrain, interior and feature upgrades. The model is available at Honda dealerships Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012

Honda pilot 2012 

Honda, like airline companies, likes its Pilots to be sober, and there’s nothing to raise the pulse in the 2012 Pilot, which the company has subtly refreshed. But for the vast number of Americans—and many of our own staffers—who appreciate the current Pilot and the innocuous, reliable, and easy way it transports up to eight people and their stuff, this is no bad thing.

For 2012 the Pilot is available in the same four trim levels as last year—LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring—and buyers can spec any Pilot with two- or four-wheel drive. On all Pilots, the seemingly Battlestar Galactica–inspired fascia seen on the current model is mostly gone, replaced with a rather plain face for 2012. A three-slat grille has been installed, while the lower edge and fog lights are redesigned. LXs still wear 17-inch steel wheels, but EX models and up gain new 18-inch aluminum wheels (an increase of 1 inch over last year’s). A power rear hatch is now standard on the EX-L, in addition to the Touring.

Like the changes to its face, the alterations to the Pilot’s interior aren’t immediately apparent and require a Pilot expert to spot. The buttons on the center stack were rearranged for what the company says is a more user-friendly layout, the trim ringing the gauges was redesigned, and the instrument cluster lighting is now white instead of ice blue. EX-L models without the optional navigation system get a new eight-inch color display above the center stack. Those with nav now have a sharper screen and memory expanded to 60 gigs. Honda’s HandsFreeLink Bluetooth and audio streaming is now standard on EX, EX-L, and Touring Pilots—previously the feature was available only when paired with navigation on EX-L and Touring models.

It’s the changes we can’t see that comprise the significant upgrades to the three-row crossover for 2012. Honda added sound insulation to all Pilots, and the acoustic windshield glass exclusive to last year’s EX-L and Touring models has spread throughout the lineup. A 2011 Pilot placed third in a recent three-way comparison test and excessive road and wind noise were among our biggest complaints with it, so any efforts to quiet the racket are welcome. The Pilot is powered by the same 250-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 as last year, but fuel economy is up, courtesy of friction-reducing engine tweaks. In a world where eight-speed slushboxes are becoming more commonplace, we expected Honda to upgrade from its five-cog unit, but the quint soldiers on. Regardless, the 2012 Pilot’s efficiency improvements vault it to the top of the eight-passenger crossover heap. Front-drive models now get 25 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in the city—up 1 and 2 mpg over last year’s car. Four-wheel-drive Pilots see the same mileage increases, now earning a rating of 17/24 mpg.

Prices for the 2012 Pilot are up marginally, with the EX-L model’s $300 increase being the largest. The front-drive Pilot LX starts at $29,280, followed by the $32,130 EX; $35,380 EX-L; and $40,030 Touring. Adding four-wheel drive to any model will set you back $1600. Honda says this refreshed model will begin arriving at dealers in September.

The Honda Pilot isn’t as weird as a Citroën, nor is it as thrilling as a BMW M3. In spite of this—or perhaps because of it—Honda’s eight-passenger crossover SUV sells in substantial numbers, impressive work for a car that debuted in its second generation for 2008. (It joined our long-term test fleet soon after.) To keep shoppers interested, though, Honda’s making some tweaks for 2012, and our spy shooters have caught one of the face-lifted Pilots running around.

The most notable difference is the change in the grille. The current car’s cyborg-like front fascia was a bit of a styling risk from such a conservative company, and while it probably didn’t hurt sales, it didn’t win loads of fans either. It’s immediately apparent from these images that the flat grille will disappear, to be replaced with a three-slat insert. Tape on the rear bumper suggests some resurfacing there as well. Otherwise, the Pilot’s exterior remains mostly the same as it has been; it’s an inoffensive design and still looks fresh enough to satisfy families in the showroom.

Mechanically, the alterations to the Pilot will most likely be evolutionary. Honda has been upgrading most of its models’ five-speed automatic transmissions with six-ratio units; you can expect the Pilot to join the six-speed in-crowd. Between the new gearbox and—perhaps—some finessing of the engine’s greasy bits, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pilot gain an extra mile per gallon or two. For the folks who put cartoonish drawings of themselves and their pets on the rear window, this will be pleasant news.

We expect Honda to unveil the face-lifted Pilot sometime this fall, either at November’s Los Angeles auto show or at a less-full-of-fanfare venue. It’ll be a busy fall for the company’s crossover division, as we’re also expecting an all-new CR-V. We’ll bring you full info on both cars when it arrives.
Honda messed around with its Pilot SUV for 2012 and managed not to wreck a very good package. Nor dramatically beautify it.

The car company rearranged some controls, upgraded some trim and generally improved the interior enough that, while it isn't a reason to buy, it's no longer a reason not to.

Honda tweaked the front styling, replacing a grille that looked as if it were an industrial-size heating element with one that's clearly from the Honda family. Again, not a reason to buy, but not a reason to reject.

It bumped up the fuel-economy ratings by one or two miles per gallon, taking the combined city/highway numbers out of the high teens to 20 mpg (all-wheel drive) and 21 (front-wheel drive). But the boost isn't glaringly evident in real-world driving, which yields midteens, just as in most similar vehicles. It's reassuring to have better mileage on the window-sticker, but not a compelling real-life selling point.

But Pilot nonetheless is a champion.

It's the one to look at very, very closely if you're a family-first SUV buyer, not a style maven or lead foot.

It still has room for eight, trumping other guys' seven-passenger layouts.

Easy-as-pie third-row folding operation and second-row tilt/slide maneuver makes some rivals' rigmarole seem just stupid.

Big shelves, bins, storage spaces, cupholders make Pilot, still, about as family-friendly as you can find.

Pilot has a lot less cargo space than the bigger Chevrolet Traverse and Ford Explorer and other full-sizers. If you need to use all three rows of seats and still need a big cargo hold, Pilot might not be for you.

But if your needs are slightly less, then you'll find the Pilot passenger-roomy. And its second row easily slides fore-aft to help tailor the interior to disparate needs of the people and cargo.

Honda says the biggest changes for 2012 are the new front-end styling, the less bargain-basement feel to the interior (though Honda puts it differently), handier controls, audio system upgrades and a more versatile Bluetooth system that does more by voice command.

What Honda didn't do:
After the 2009 Honda Pilot SUV debuted, our editor-in-chief penned a blog titled, “The trouble with Honda design” with the popular crossover as the featured vehicle. With the release of the refreshed 2012 Honda Pilot, the vehicle’s functionality hasn’t changed, but the styling has taken a simple yet much-needed step forward.

The Honda Pilot remains one of the few large crossovers available with traditional, blocky SUV styling. That polarizing appeal has been carried into the 2012 model year with revised  headlights and a redone grille.

The Honda Pilot eight-passenger SUV receives a wide range of upgrades for 2012 with a sleeker front-end design, enhanced interior features and an EPA highway fuel economy rating of 25 mpg on two-wheel-drive models, an increase of 2 mpg compared to 2011 models.

The new styling for the front fascia, with its three-bar chrome-style grille, conveys a more sophisticated crossover SUV appearance. Interior styling changes focus on instrument panel refinement and a more intuitive button layout. For 2012, audio system upgrades on Honda Pilot EX and EX-L models include a 2 GB CD-Library (CD-L) and Bluetooth® Audio Streaming, along with the addition of Bluetooth HandsFreeLink® to those trim levels.

Feature upgrades on the Honda Pilot EX-L include the addition of a full-color 8-inch intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID) for audio and vehicle information. Models equipped with the available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System for 2012 receive subscription-free FM Traffic, 15 GB audio hard disk drive memory (HDD), and a higher-resolution display.

The fuel economy gains for 2012 result from combined improvements to the powertrain, chassis and vehicle aerodynamics. The 250 horsepower i-VTEC V-6 engine includes additional measures for friction reduction and improved efficiency. The 2012 Pilot becomes quieter with additional noise insulation and other enhancements throughout the vehicle.

Interior styling changes are designed to increase refinement throughout the cabin while also enhancing the intuitive nature of the controls. The instrument panel uses a more unified color theme with less contrast between panels. A glossy black center panel for audio controls replaces the high-contrast silver panel of the previous model. Speedometer and tachometer gauge faces incorporate a new look with distinct segments surrounding each meter's perimeter, along with white background illumination for nighttime driving instead of the previous model's aqua-blue background illumination. The redesigned center stack adds a subtle U-shaped character line and different textures to create a layered effect on the panel. Ideal for phones and audio players, a larger center storage pocket is 0.4-inches taller. A simplified layout for the climate controls replaces some of the buttons with dials for a more intuitive, easy-to-use overall design.

The top of the center stack on each Pilot model contains a unique display that varies by model. Honda Pilot LX and EX models contain a three-line display. Pilot EX-L models for 2012 (without navigation) receive the new i-MID, which provides a convenient platform for integration of vehicle information and compatible personal electronics through a color LCD screen and intuitive steering wheel controls. The Pilot EX-L rearview camera display appears in the i-MID and includes guidelines for judging parking distance. The i-MID also shows HandsFreeLink® operation, user-loaded wallpaper such as photos, a fuel-economy display and an audio interface.

Available on Honda Pilot EX-L and standard on Touring, the 2012 Pilot adopts the latest version of the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™2. Now with 60 GB of total system memory (includes 15 GB allocated for user media) and voice recognition for three languages, this system uses multiple global positioning satellites covering all of the U.S. including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico. Its new FM Traffic feature provides free, continuous updates on traffic and incidents, helping drivers avoid gridlock. The hard drive can store thousands of minutes of music, which is accessible by simple voice commands using the Song By Voice™ feature. Additionally, 2012 Pilot models with navigation feature a multi-view rear camera (wide view, normal view and top-down view), with the image displayed on the navigation screen for convenient parking help when in Reverse.

Adding to the comfort level of the 2012 Honda Pilot is a reduction in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Enhanced body seam sealing around the unit-body connection points, and re-tuned rear suspension sub-frame mounts, result in lower noise levels in the passenger cabin. Other specific NVH countermeasures include body-seam sealants to reduce air leaks, enhanced pillar separators, revised insulation materials and acoustic windshield glass on all models.

The tailgate features a lift-up glass hatch for convenient access to the rearmost cargo area. The model's 18.0 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the third row matches or exceeds the trunk space of a typical large sedan and can accommodate items as large as a mid-size cooler or a folded stroller. For maximum cargo space, the second and third rows fold flat into the floor to create 87.0 cubic feet of storage capacity, while also providing sufficient width for 4-foot-wide items.

The cargo area has a hidden storage well that provides 2.8 cu-ft. of additional space and can combine with the above floor storage area by securing the hinged cover against the seatback. The Pilot Touring also provides a load-supporting cargo net (20 lbs. maximum weight) to further subdivide the rear cargo area.

Key interior dimensions are identical to the previous Pilot model, including front headroom (40.0 in. for Pilot LX and EX, 39.3 in. for moonroof-equipped Pilot EX-L and Touring), second-row headroom (39.8 in.) and rear headroom (38.2 in.), legroom (front 41.4 in., second-row 38.5 in., and third-row 32.1 in.). Passenger volumes are likewise identical (153.7 cu-ft. for Pilot LX and EX, 152.7 cu-ft. for Pilot EX-L and Touring), as are cargo volumes (87.0 cu-ft. total, 47.7 cu-ft. behind second-row seats, and 18.0 cu-ft. behind third-row seats)

The exterior alterations are fairly subtle, with a new three-bar grille, more aerodynamic front fascia and reworked halogen headlights and turn signals. Trim levels from the EX up get new five-spoke, 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels.

Inside, the biggest news is a larger, eight-inch infotainment display screen, along with a refined center console that features a more intuitive layout and a glossy black finish in place of the high-contrast silver used in the previous Pilot. A redesigned instrument panel and larger central storage pocket round out the interior changes.

What hasn’t changed is the generous amount of interior room: 18 cubic feet of cargo space are available behind the third row of seats, a figure that swells to 47.7 with the third row folded and 87 cubic feet if the second row gets folded, too. If carrying passengers rather than cargo is the task, the spacious second row slides forward for increased ease of access to the third row, which supplies enough knee room for an above-average-sized adult male to fit comfortably.

Honda says it engineered the Pilot for reduced noise levels, pointing to enhanced body seam sealing around the unit-body connection points and re-tuned rear suspension sub-frame mounts as factors that contributing to a quieter cabin. Other NVH countermeasures include body-seam sealants to reduce air leaks, enhanced pillar separators, revised insulation materials and acoustic windshield glass on all models.

Honda delivered on its promise of offering the most fuel-efficient eight-passenger crossover, with the new Pilot netting an 18/25 mpg rating for two-wheel drive models (4WD-models return 17/24 mpg). The otherwise carryover 250 horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 features reduced-friction internals and a few other tricks to contribute to the mileage tally, while a host of other improvements ranging from a variable-displacement power steering pump to improved aerodynamics also help in the economy department. An aging but smooth five-speed automatic transmission handles shifting duties.

An optional Variable Torque Management 4-wheel-drive (VTM-4) system is a good choice for those needing extra traction, but the Pilot isn’t intended for serious off-roading.

The Pilot comes in four different trim levels, including the LX, EX, EX-L and Touring.

The LX comes equipped with front and rear air conditioning, keyless entry, a tilt and telescope steering column, cruise control, power windows, power door and tailgate locks, an AM/FM/CD stereo system with seven speakers including a subwoofer and Radio Data System, a trip computer and an integrated Class III towing receiver.

The EX adds a tri-zone automatic climate control system, a power driver's seat with 10-way power adjustment, a security system, XM Radio, body-colored side mirrors and door handles, alloy wheels, roof rails, fog lights, an exterior temperature indicator, and a HomeLink Remote System, and more. For the latest model year, the EX also features Bluetooth HandsFreeLink (previously exclusive to EX-L with Navi and above models), Bluetooth audio streaming and a new 2 GB CD Library that replaces the previous 6-disc CD changer.

Additional EX-L features include leather-trimmed seating surfaces, heated front seats, a 4-way power front passenger's seat, a one-touch power moonroof, an automatic-dimming rearview mirror and the availability of either the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System or the Honda DVD Rear Entertainment System with a 9-inch screen. The addition of either the navigation or the entertainment system also adds a 115-volt power outlet. New for the latest model year is the addition of a power tailgate to the Pilot EX-L, a USB Audio Interface, and an intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with QVGA resolution. The i-MID includes a rearview camera display, iPod album artwork display and a user-loadable wallpaper function.

The Pilot EX-L with Navigation adds an upgraded navigation system with a higher VGA resolution replacing the previous QVGA display and an internal hard drive that replaces the previous model's DVD-based system. New features include FM Traffic, Song by Voice, rearview camera with a 3-mode display and a Multi-Information Display in the center of the gauge cluster.

The top-of-the-line Pilot Touring includes the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with rearview camera, a premium audio system with 10 speakers, the DVD Rear Entertainment System, two-position memory seats, roof rails, corner and backup sensors and side-mirror integrated turn indicators.

The Pilot protects its occupants with three-row side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor, driver's and front passenger's side airbags, active front seat head restraints and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist. Vehicle Stability Assist, Honda speak for electronic stability control, is standard on all models.

Honda’s mid-size Pilot SUV has been a hit for the automaker in terms of both sales and image. It’s drawn buyers into Honda showrooms who likely wouldn’t have come in to drive the CR-V (too small) or the Ridgeline (too oddly styled). Now that it’s due for a refresh, the 2012 Honda Pilot has the chance to bring even more customers into Honda dealers.

Although owners lover their vehicles, the 2011 Honda Pilot has a few shortcomings. The grille, for example, dates back to Honda’s much-unloved styling tweaks of 2009, and the interior of the Pilot isn’t on par with the interiors in the 2011 Ford Explorer and 2011 Dodge Durango. Fuel economy isn’t great, either, with the Pilot managing just 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway.

For the 2012 Honda Pilot, the automaker has apparently managed to fix what was broken without changing what wasn’t. We haven’t driven the 2012 Pilot yet, but we hear it will come with a new (and more pleasantly styled) grille, a new interior and better fuel economy, thanks to a six-speed automatic transmission replacing the current five-speed unit.

There’s also word that the Honda Ridgeline pickup will be revised for 2012, and a sport model will be added to the lineup. Expect better fuel economy from the Ridgeline, too, since it’s likely to get the same new six speed transmission used in the Pilot.

Honda pilot 2012