The Honda Pilot is a large crossover SUV. Newer Honda Pilots are built in Lincoln, Alabama and older models were produced in Alliston, Ontario, Canada until April 2007. The first generation Pilot was released in the summer of 2002 as a 2003 model, and in 2006 it received new front and rear fascias, a redesigned interior, and various standard safety features. The second generation Pilot was released in late 2008 for the 2009 model year.
The Pilot was designed to fill a large American demand, particularly a larger SUV with third-row seating. Prior to the introduction of the Pilot, Honda only had the compact crossover SUV CR-V, and the Honda Passport (a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo) which is truck-based and intended as a quick-fix, as the company recognized the competition from other refined mid-sized SUVs and crossovers. The Pilot shares underpinnings and the powertrain with the Acura MDX luxury SUV, and their platforms are shared with the Odyssey minivan and the Honda Accord sedan. The Pilot’s unibody construction and independent suspension is designed to provide handling similar to that of a car; however, it is also fortified with integrated perimeter frame rails, which helps it withstand towing and light off-road use. The Pilot is Honda's largest and only three-row SUV, although the 2010 Honda Crosstour surpassed the Pilot in length.
The Pilot is sold in North America, while Japan and Australia, for several years, got its relative, the Honda MDX (first generation Acura MDX) instead. In the Middle East, the Pilot is sold as the Honda MR-V. The second generation Pilot is also available in Russia and Ukraine. Also in the Caribbean, the Honda Pilot is available in Dominican Republic. The Pilot has been a critical and commercial success for Honda, selling over 100,000 vehicles in 2004, an increase of almost 20% over 2003. The Pilot is also sold in the Philippines
Read more about Honda Pilot: First Generation (2003–2008), Second Generation (2009–present), Off-road Capability, Awards, Problems
Famous quotes containing the word pilot:
“With two sons born eighteen months apart, I operated mainly on automatic pilot through the ceaseless activity of their early childhood. I remember opening the refrigerator late one night and finding a roll of aluminum foil next to a pair of small red tennies. Certain that I was responsible for the refrigerated shoes, I quickly closed the door and ran upstairs to make sure I had put the babies in their cribs instead of the linen closet.”
—Mary Kay Blakely (20th century)