Jalopnik
The 2009 Honda Pilot shares a platform with the '07 Acura MDX, starting at a lower price, with simpler features, seating 8 people. It also features a new Variable Cylinder Management system, which means the engine, can run on 6, 4 or 3 cylinders. The looks draw heavily on classic American SUV design themes, but improve upon them in a clean, contemporary way. Just look at the area behind the C-pillars for instance; it resembles what the Jeep Liberty should have looked like. Inside, the central instrument binnacle is highlighted by a clear, lighted cover that certainly looks much better than the shabby black plastic you'll find there on most vehicles. The full press release follows the jump.
01/13/2008 - DETROIT -
A prototype of the next-generation Honda Pilot is being unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.
The prototype conveys design features of the more boldly-styled 2009 Pilot, set to debut in spring 2008, which emphasizes authentic SUV styling, clever and more accommodating interior packaging and advanced technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and convenience.
"The Pilot's pioneering formula improves for 2009 by enhancing its combination of refinement and efficiency with even more traditional SUV strengths," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "A powerful exterior design communicates strength and allows for more space inside."
Functional eight-passenger seating, a hallmark of the Pilot, becomes even easier to access in the third row as key dimensions for legroom, cargo and occupant space increase in all seating positions. A redesigned platform allows even more refined handling and ride comfort to exist seamlessly with all-weather and medium-duty off-road capabilities.
To further enhance safety, the Pilot will feature the Honda-exclusive Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE®) body structure and the most extensive use of high-strength steel in any Honda product to date.
The ACE body structure enhances frontal collision compatibility with vehicles of different sizes and bumper heights. A pedestrian injury mitigation design in the front of the vehicle is designed to help absorb energy in the event of a collision.
A crossover SUV platform underpins the Pilot to provide the best of the car and truck worlds by integrating the refined traits and packaging advantages of a unit body car design with the utility and capability of an SUV design. A V-6 engine introduces the latest generation of Honda fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) technology that operates in 6-cylinder mode for power and 4- and 3-cylinder modes for efficiency, an improvement compared to the existing Pilot's available VCM system that works exclusively in 6- and 3-cylinder modes.
Three rows of seats provide a high degree of adaptability for people and large cargo loads. The first row provides a commanding view of the road from two captains' chairs. A wide center stack and center console form the styling anchor for the interior with a design that emphasizes spaciousness and power, while allowing for convenient access to navigation, entertainment and climate-control systems.
The 60/40 split second row, now more spacious, slides further forward for increased ease of access to the third row. The 60/40 split third row, now supplies enough knee room for an above-average-sized adult male to fit comfortably, making the Pilot's third row among the most practical in the industry. Each side of the second and third row independently folds down for cargo. A flat floor is created when the second and third rows are folded down.
The Pilot originally debuted as a 2003 model in July of 2002. Design and development of the 2003 Pilot and the 2009 Pilot were carried out at Honda R&D Americas in Raymond, Ohio, and Torrance, California. The Pilot is assembled* at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln.
Among its numerous accolades, the Honda Pilot has earned Car and Driver Magazine's prestigious "5Best Truck" award on six consecutive occasions (2002-2007). The current-generation 2008 Pilot is also among an elite group of vehicles to receive both a "Top Safety Pick 2008" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a 5-star crash safety rating for frontal and side collisions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)**.
* Honda products are produced using domestic and globally-sourced parts.
** Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov. Model tested with standard side-impact airbags.)
Comments
That looks...bizarre.
Looks like a bugeyed freak!!!!! EWWWW, oh the horror
OMG - It looks like an old Isuzu Trooper in the back and I don't even want to look at the front.
What. The hell. Are they thinking.
And I thought the new nose on the Accord was bad. This, wow, yuck, woah. Not really very well integrated into the design, huh?
BURN IT!!!!!put it out of its misery
Honda apparently has secret ambitions to be better than BMW. At everything. Including shitty styling.
what
The face looks like a piglet sucking a jalapeño.
This, combined with AW's Wes Raynal reporting that the new 4-cylinder diesel won't be going in the Accord and will instead be reserved for Acura, gives me the strong impression that the house that Soichiro built has taken its eye off the ball.
The headlights are vaguely Tron-ish...
I can't see how this could ever "grow on me."
I'm not sure it'll be much of a Pilot with eyes like those.
OMG! Looks like- pressed thru a fugly grinder!
@SwatLax: maybe it's a tumor?
on the bright side, it appears honda has let one person, and not a comittee, design a new model. too bad it was a blind person...
The headlights looks like a transformer's eyes.
@superbmtsub: It's Optimus Prime's slow, disfigured brother, Gluteus Prime!
It's got the proverbial Coke-bottle bottom/Hubble telescope corrective spectacles!
I just don't get it - any design that draws a comparison to the original Liberty is not a good thing. But what I really don't understand is no matter how hideous the new Honda's (CR-V) they end up selling better than ever. Am I just getting old? If this was 1960 would I bitching about the missing tail fins?
That leather's awfully blue.
Honda/Acura has tremendous engineering prowess, but their styling has steadily gone downhill. The new Accord looks like it was designed by GM in the '80s, the CR-V is worse than the last generation, the RL is the most bland luxury car in the market. On top of that, the MDX looks like it belongs on a Star-Wars set, and this new Pilot is just horrendous. The lights...the body...this is a huge mistake for Honda.
@ApolloV: I've been pondering why those new CRVs are everwhere too. They're really ugly. That bulge in the tailgate is one of the weirdest styling features I've ever seen on a car.
This thing takes it to a whole new level. Yikes.
Wow, it's awful. Much has already been said about the front, though it's not any worse than some current Ford truck grilles.
That tailgate, though, is a mess. What's with the inset taillights and the resulting bulge? Look in the right rear quarter shot—you can't even see the left light. I bet that's as close to violating FMVSS as you can get.
Between the front and the back, however, the thing's OK.
It looks like honda's version of the ford explorer america except with an chevy uplander rear end to make it look more minivanish.
@stopcrazypp: It must've stolen the Dave grille from Ford.
I wouldn't be surprised if they released a "Pilot Inspektor Lee" edition, it'd make sense if the Scientologists were behind something as deranged as this.
Holy crap, that's weird-lookin'.
Wait, you mean this isn't the 2009 Isuzu Trooper?
I scrolled down the page and that car's headlights scared the shit out of me. That makes it the only Honda that has ever stimulated emotion.
Rip the styling from the old Nissan X-Trail, add interior styling by Fisher-Price but assembled by tupperware. I had suspected something had gone wrong at Honda when the new CR-V came out with Ssangyong rear quarters. Now I can see that those evil Koreans have successfully infiltrated and are well into project "Ugly Honda."
You guys are being overly dramatic. It's not the most beautiful car ever, but it's not ugly. Besides, I'm sure they will tone it down before it gets shipped out, just liked they did with the accord coupe.
That being said, if you look at it head on, it looks kinda like megatron transformed into a honda element.
Detroit Auto Show: 2009 Honda Pilot Unveiled
Paris Auto Show: Plans for 2010 Pilot Facelift Revealed...
Man, the designers at Honda must have been low on sleep when they put this face on the Pilot. The current model is no looker, but this one is just fugly. To bad they didn't try to snag some of the design cues from the MDX. At least that one has a cool looking grill.
To be honest, this is the first time I've seen Honda's new design language kinda-sorta work. SUV's are big, ugly, blocky things and should be styled as such.
Gaaaa. That is awful. How could the company that did the Civic do such a bad job on the Ridgeline, then the Accord, now this. Seriously, how did the Civic get designed in the middle of all of this crap.
Almost makes me want to put Bangle up a notch or at least partially forgive him.
Almost.
I think I'm going to advise my mom to buy a Pilot sooner than later.
I keep looking at the pictures, and cannot stop chuckling to myself. The car seriously looks like it wants to buzz around, sprout some wings and fly off into the wild blue yonder.
Such a shame too, the concept illustration that Honda passed around had my hopes up for something attractive.
I've never liked the pilot and by the looks of it, I never will.
I think it looks marginally better than the current Pilot. The question I have is... what is the tow rating on the new model?
Isn't this a "version" of the 2009 Pilot that's been somewhat dressed up and dubbed a prototype rather than what will actually show up in dealerships this fall? In other words, shouldn't everyone chill out?
fugly! fugly! fugly!
Looking at this compared to the Explorer America you have to wonder if they got the same feeling women get when they show up at a party and someone is wearing the exact same dress.
But wait! Isn't that a tan interior with blue/black seats? What are they thinking trying to inject some color into the interior? This will not be tolerated!
Dam that Honda Pilot looks like a Ford Explorer...
@SwatLax: I could, but the doctors would have to cut it off to save my life.
I say we sue for false advertising! Especially since the last picture on the Honda Prototype site isn't even close to reality! What a disappointment!
Here I was all excited to see the new body style unveiled - what a disappointment!! SAy
Hey Honda People! you still have time to change your design on the 2009 PILOT...Search the web about the feedback of the 2009 PILOT and you'll know the feedbacks...Maybe HONDA hired designer from FORD or GM...what a PILOT crashed!!!
Comment on Detroit Auto Show: 2009 Honda Pilot Unveiled I waited and waited for the first generation Pilot to look better, better, better! This is a marginally improved styling attempt on ultra conservatism which will age well, however producing little emotion along the way; a vivid example of pure,100% Honda philosophy (that works and sells!). The new Pilot has many "traditional (old) Japanese styling school" details which lack sophistication. The second generation CRV had a purposeful, upright and clean look; the deteriorated third gen now comes with French curves in the rear quarters and an ugly, bulgy butt. The new Accord is bland and substandard in appearance to the Camry (think Ford Galaxy). I was going to "wait out" for a 2009 Pilot (hoping the changeover would happen in MY 2008) but purchased a Tahoe Z-71 and won't look back....I can accept four mpg less for more torque, more room and a little more "macho" and style. My wife may strong-arm me into replacing her 2005 Acura RL with the new Pilot. Styling be damned, Hondas are lovely inside, have the best engines in the world, and that intangible "Hondaness" that places the marque in an exclusive (and successful) place all of its own. **************Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides. (http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/united-states?ncid=aoltrv00030000000016)
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