When I first laid eyes on the current generation Honda Pilot — which was introduced for 2009 — I didn't quite get it. It's like the

The Pilot, with its seven-seat layout, is an ideal family vehicle. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

digital greeting that appears in the Pilot's gauge cluster when you first climb aboard: "Woloomo" the greeting reads. It left me scratching my head, thinking "Huh?"

After all, here's a crossover SUV that's based on the same platform as the Honda Accord sedan and Odyssey Minivan, loaded up with family-friendly features, and designed for mostly on-road driving, with perhaps a few dirt and gravel roads thrown in on rare occasions. Yet in a departure from the soft, friendly looks of the previous generation Pilot, the current version has boxy, angular styling that harks back to the primitive, rugged 4x4s of yore.

But like the Pilot's dashboard greeting — which expands outward from an imaginary horizontal line so that "Woloomo" becomes "Welcome" — the apparent contradiction between style and purpose quickly resolves itself.

Squared-off shape allows for maximum cargo space. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

The Pilot isn't some off-road poseur, putting on an appearance of false retro-ruggedness in order to garner sales. It's simply a matter of form following function: The boxy, slab-sided shape is the most efficient way to create the maximum family-friendly space inside the vehicle. If, like me, you happen to like the resulting rugged looks, that's a happy bonus. And if you don't that's okay, because you're sure to appreciate the resulting functionality.

With only a couple of years elapsed since its introduction, the Pilot returns for 2011 almost unchanged from 2010. There are a couple of minor instrumentation revisions (the ambient console lighting is now standard on all models, for instance) and a couple of exterior trim tweaks (the EX gets body coloured side moulding and chrome exhaust tips), but that's about it. Perhaps the biggest change is the exterior colour options: Bali Blue is no longer available and Taffeta White

Pilot interior is well laid out for easy access from the driving position. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

has been replaced with White Diamond Pearl.

Under the hood, all Pilots get Honda's 3.5L, 24-valve V6 with sequential multi-point fuel injection. This engine develops 250 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 253 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm, and can deactivate three of its cylinders during low-load driving in order to conserve fuel (Honda calls this “Active Cylinder Management”). The engine is hooked up to a 5-speed automatic gearbox with intelligently spaced gear ratios that make good use of the available power. There's no option for manual shifting, but to be honest I didn't really miss it — the Pilot's powertrain moves you along with unruffled, seamless power but doesn't in any way encourage you to get involved with the process. Quite the opposite, really — where the Pilot excels is in isolating the driver and passengers from vagaries of the outside world and whisking

Rear seating area is minivan-like spacious for a 7-seat crossover SUV. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

them along the road in a state of Zen-like calm and comfort. Honda's Variable Torque Management four-wheel drive system, which is standard on all but the base model, helps maintain this calm by providing confidence-inspiring traction when road conditions are less than ideal. Whether front-wheel or four-wheel drive, tires are P245/65 R17 all-seasons fitted to 17-inch alloy wheels.

Being a unibody design, the Pilot isn't up to serious off-roading use, but its integrated perimeter frame rails and generous 204-mm (8-inch) ground clearance mean that if the planned route turns out to include rough gravel or dirt roads, or perhaps even a grassy farmer's road, it needn't cause any concern to the driver or passengers. The perimeter frame rails also help give the Pilot a healthy 2,045-kg (4,508-lb) towing capacity in 4WD trim (the front-wheel drive version can haul 1,590 kg (3,505 lbs).

Of course the real

Access to the rear is easy. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

secret to a Zen-like driving experience is a quiet, comfortable and safe interior, and here the Pilot does exceptionally well, especially our loaded-to-the-hilt Touring edition test model. But even lower trim levels are equipped well enough to impart a strong sense of wellbeing: Every Pilot, even the base LX, comes fully-equipped with creature comforts like remote entry, power windows, tilt and telescoping steering, multi-zone air conditioning with second-row climate controls, 12V power outlets, illuminated vanity mirrors, an audio system with mp3 compatibility, an auxiliary input jack and a subwoofer, versatile seating, and plenty of cupholders and storage bins. There are a few unexpected standard features too, including active noise cancellation, ambient console lighting and automatic-on headlights.

The EX trim adds things like heated front seats, steering wheel mounted audio controls, power driver's seat,

DVD A/V makes for smiling little faces. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

automatic tri-zone climate control, exterior temperature indicator, second-row folding centre armrest, upgraded 155-watt audio with six-disc in-dash CD changer, a security system and more. The EX-L trim bumps up the level of luxury to include leather upholstery, leather-trimmed steering wheel and shifter, a power moonroof, power passenger's seat, backup camera, auto-dimming rearview mirror and XM satellite radio.

Our fully-loaded Touring model pulled out all the stops and added, on top of the EX-L features, a 512-watt premium audio system with Bluetooth connectivity and USB auxiliary input, heated second-row seats, integrated second-row sun shades, driver's seat memory, power tailgate, a 115V rear power outlet, a voice-activated GPS navigation system and a 9-inch widescreen rear DVD entertainment system with integrated remote control and twin headphones.

The safety side of the equation is covered by

The Pilot offers massive cargo space when all the seats are folded forward. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

dual front, front side and 3-row side-curtain airbags, vehicle stability assist with traction control, four-wheel ABS disc brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, a tire pressure monitoring system and hill start assist, all of which is standard on every Pilot.

All this adds up to a very pleasant driving experience. The first two rows provide very comfortable seating, and even the third row has adequate space for a couple of average-size adults or three kids, at least for short trips. Individual air vents back there help in the comfort department by ensuring at least a modicum of independent climate control. Thanks to the active noise cancellation the Pilot has commendably low interior noise levels, and the ride is smooth and forgiving on paved roads without being soft. Indeed, the Pilot has precise, responsive steering and handles reasonably spirited cornering without fuss. You won't get riled up when you need to reconfigure the seating, either:

The Pilot is fully capable of light-duty off-road. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

The second and third rows flip forward with ease and lay nicely flat to make transporting life's baggage a pleasure.

All in all, I was impressed with the Pilot and found little to fault. It would be nice if the rear seat heaters would turn off automatically, because it seems my kids always jump out and leave them on, and then I'll drive around like that for several days. The interior could use soft-touch materials on more of the surfaces. The fuel economy, at 13.1 / 9.1 L/100km (city/hwy, 4WD) is mid-pack for this segment, so although it's not bad it could be better. And while I like the overall styling I'm not particularly keen on the slightly puckered look of the grille. Still, that's a short and nit-picking list of faults — overall I think the Pilot is one of the best products in Honda's current lineup. It offers rugged good looks and a civilized, upscale driving experience with driving dynamics equal to many sedans. It can carry bulky cargo or eight passengers with equal ease. And it is available with the kinds of luxury features that will make even long road trips seem like short jaunts.

With suggested prices starting at $34,820 and our loaded Touring tester priced at $48,420 plus $1,590 for delivery (and backed by a three-year/60,000km limited warranty and five-year/100,000km powertrain warranty), the Pilot is well positioned in the mid-size SUV market. It will be well worth a look for any buyers considering such vehicles as the Ford Flex, Mazda CX-9, Chevrolet Traverse/GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave, Hyundai Veracruz, Kia Sorento, Toyota Highlander, or any other SUV or crossover with three-row seating capacity. The Pilot should prove especially appealing to those who prefer interior space over swoopy lines, or who simply like the Pilot's boxy, rugged looks. In any trim level the Pilot is a well-equipped vehicle, and the Touring model has all the features you could possibly need for relaxed, comfortable driving. Woloomo to the Pilot! (Welcome, that is.)

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J003) Standard Metallic Paint

(J004) Standard Black Paint

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(HIK) Honda iLinc Kit