What non-Pilot owners are saying ... - Honda Pilot

blowe · 06-13-2005, 04:12 PM

I have gone to a couple other sites with forums dedicated to the Pilot's competitors just to see what a non-Pilot owner's view of our great SUV are. I do not mean to imply that we all are wearing rose-colored glasses when looking at our Pilots, but we all love our Pilots and I wanted to get a harsher view of our trucks.

When I say competitors, I mean the trucks that I looked at when contemplating my Pilot purchase. Those were --

Highlander
4runner
Pathfinder

These may not be "competitors" in your view, but it turned out that it didn't really matter. The same view cropped up everywhere I went. After you sift through all the "its not a SUV, its a minivan" and the "you can't tow anything with it" remarks, everyone seemed to pass on the Pilot because it was just a plain 'ol box. It didn't look cool from the outside or the overall styling was bland.

I will admit I am a Honda bigot and have heard all these comments before. I was just curious on what you all think of the styling? Do you love it ... hate it ... or just not care because it fit your lifestyle and you knew you would be driving it for a couple hundred thousand miles.

I personally lean to the last statement ... what do you all feel??

jl_ss · 06-13-2005, 04:15 PM

Styling is secondary - reliability, functionality (for my needs), safety, and value are my first concerns.

robottik · 06-13-2005, 04:44 PM

Love my PILOT. No other SUV has all the functionality I need except for the MDX. And I don’t think the MDX is worth the premium over the PILOT.

Now if money grew on trees, I would get an MDX because I do like the styling better. But I forgot to water my money tree and it died last summer during the drought.

Titans Fan · 06-13-2005, 04:48 PM

Silly me, I like the styling.

(and the reliability... and the price/value)

blowe · 06-13-2005, 05:00 PM

I am partial to the styling as well. The outside does seem somewhat boxy, but I love the way the inside is laid out. very well though out IMHO.

Being the owner of a VW, I will have to say that I like the uniqueness of my Passat. Styling, inside and out, is very "fun". I get all kinds of "COOL!!" and "WOW!! Look at that!!".

With the Pilot, I get ... "Man, this is nice. It has lots of features!!"

Not bad ... just different.

74PILOTMOM · 06-13-2005, 05:50 PM

She's not a head turner, but call me crazy, I don't care to be stared at.
I do think though, the more you look at her, you notice the sculpted lines and overall stance is quite attractive...But you really do have to study it.
I see no visual flaws....ie....Explorer's windows seem too small, and it too is a box with unclean lines. Don't get me started on the Santa Fe or Aztek, The Armada is just WEIRD with it's bubble head on a squareish body (love that Titan though) Trailblazer extended family...I don't know, I like their grilles, but the rest of it seems like a conglomeration of afterthoughts in design. Tahoe, I do think is pretty, but she's a truck through and through. Didn't want that.
OF COURSE, these are just my opinions. If we all had the same opinions the world would be boring!

osteome · 06-13-2005, 06:50 PM

What non-Pilot owners are saying ...

I wish I bought one?

BigDogDad · 06-13-2005, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jl_ss
Styling is secondary - reliability, functionality (for my needs) and value are my first concerns.

That pretty much sums it up for me too... What can I afford that will satisfy my needs and will last me a long time? If money was no object (YEAH RIGHT!) then maybe it would have been different, but then again...

I also like the way the Pilot looks!

cwa107 · 06-13-2005, 08:08 PM

What in particular is "bland" about the styling? It looks like an SUV. There's not a whole lot of possible variance in the styling unless you're looking for one that looks more like a sporty station wagon (Murano) or a bubble (MDX).

The only thing I really dislike about the Pilot is the plasticky dash. Everything else is wonderful. I'll listen to the nits about towing and off-roading all day long and shrug them off. Like I always say, 90% of SUVs never go off-road. 75% of SUVs never tow anything. Honda recognized and delivered exactly what most SUV buyers want... a minivan that doesn't look like a minivan, with excellent all-weather capability. If those two attributes are what you want, there's plenty of other SUVs out there that deliver exactly that. Just remember the trade-off.... it will handle and ride like a truck.

FLPilot · 06-13-2005, 09:01 PM

After seeing some posts of the rollovers that some members had posted here in their Pilot's and the fact that they were able to post about it means the world to me. I would rather be in my bland (which I don't agree) Pilot and be able to live to tell everyone how much I love it. I remember back when I first looked into buying my Pilot everyone (Except for me and a few others) was complaining about not having a sunroof and again the reasoning was "Safety came first". That's why we have such great crash test ratings.

Just my $.02

mgorbsk · 06-14-2005, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Titans Fan
Silly me, I like the styling.
(and the reliability... and the price/value)

I personally didn't like the Sterlings. Are there still any on the road?

CNYGuy · 06-14-2005, 02:11 PM

I like the styling, it has clean lines, and is well-defined. I like that it is unlike many other SUVs, but not in a wierd way. And it's reliable, practical, efficient, sporty, fun to drive, safe, etc. etc....

wbhikergirl · 06-14-2005, 02:28 PM

I have an '03 and I like the total package. Good looks, great performance, and value, value value. I wouldn't trade my Pilot for any other car (except maybe a lighter colored one!). I don't need to tow anything but kids, and have you ever tried to drive a mini van in the snow? I have a friend who just traded her Pilot in for an Envoy. She's still kicking herself as I type!

Maybe if my needs were different I'd look at another type of vehicle, who knows. As for what the buyers of other models think, that doesn't matter much to me. If I cared what others thought I might have gotten an M Class. Then I might REALLY be sorry!

74PILOTMOM · 06-14-2005, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wbhikergirl
I have an '03 and I like the total package. Good looks, great performance, and value, value value. I wouldn't trade my Pilot for any other car (except maybe a lighter colored one!). I don't need to tow anything but kids, and have you ever tried to drive a mini van in the snow?

YEAH! WHAT SHE SAID!!!

Scoobs · 06-14-2005, 07:04 PM

The styling of the Pilot will age well, probably better than the styling of the MDX. To my eye Hondas seem to age better than their Acura equivalents. As for the other vehicles, who cares what a 4Runner owner thinks about the Pilot?

06-13-2005, 04:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
blowe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 147 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	What non-Pilot owners are saying ... I have gone to a couple other sites with forums dedicated to the Pilot's competitors just to see what a non-Pilot owner's view of our great SUV are. I do not mean to imply that we all are wearing rose-colored glasses when looking at our Pilots, but we all love our Pilots and I wanted to get a harsher view of our trucks. When I say competitors, I mean the trucks that I looked at when contemplating my Pilot purchase. Those were -- Highlander 4runner Pathfinder These may not be "competitors" in your view, but it turned out that it didn't really matter. The same view cropped up everywhere I went. After you sift through all the "its not a SUV, its a minivan" and the "you can't tow anything with it" remarks, everyone seemed to pass on the Pilot because it was just a plain 'ol box. It didn't look cool from the outside or the overall styling was bland. I will admit I am a Honda bigot and have heard all these comments before. I was just curious on what you all think of the styling? Do you love it ... hate it ... or just not care because it fit your lifestyle and you knew you would be driving it for a couple hundred thousand miles. I personally lean to the last statement ... what do you all feel?? __________________ blowe ------ 05 SBP EX-L w/ RES: Mud flaps, cargo tray, OEM All Weathers Mats, TV Tuner 02 VW Passat: Monster mats, Mud flaps, Sunglass Holder, Wett 1.0 bar chip The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right. ~William Safire

06-13-2005, 04:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
robottik Super Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Here Posts: 632 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Love my PILOT. No other SUV has all the functionality I need except for the MDX. And I don’t think the MDX is worth the premium over the PILOT. Now if money grew on trees, I would get an MDX because I do like the styling better. But I forgot to water my money tree and it died last summer during the drought. __________________ 2004 Honda Pilot EX - Midnight Blue Pearl OEM Accessories: All-Season Floor Mats - Cargo Cover - Cargo Tray - Rear Splash Guards - Running Boards - EX Emblem - Chrome Bumper Trim - Fog Lights - Separation Net Non-OEM Accessories: WeatherTech Dark WeatherFlectors - Stainless Steel License Plate Frame - Superior Dash Black Burlwood Dash Kit - Several Wwong Accessories - Vibrant Performance Stainless Steel Exhaust Tips (#1503) - Garmin Nuvi 660 GPS with Friction mount - Thule Atlantis 1600 Cargo Box - Honda Pilot Keychain (of course!)

06-13-2005, 04:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
Titans Fan Super Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 1,283 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Silly me, I like the styling. (and the reliability... and the price/value) __________________ '03 Pilot EX Silver Fog lights, side steps, Hollandia sunroof, cargo cover, crossbars, splash guards, '04 horns, & a bunch of wwong's 3M goodies '99 CRV

06-13-2005, 05:00 PM	#5 (permalink)
blowe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 147 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I am partial to the styling as well. The outside does seem somewhat boxy, but I love the way the inside is laid out. very well though out IMHO. Being the owner of a VW, I will have to say that I like the uniqueness of my Passat. Styling, inside and out, is very "fun". I get all kinds of "COOL!!" and "WOW!! Look at that!!". With the Pilot, I get ... "Man, this is nice. It has lots of features!!" Not bad ... just different. __________________ blowe ------ 05 SBP EX-L w/ RES: Mud flaps, cargo tray, OEM All Weathers Mats, TV Tuner 02 VW Passat: Monster mats, Mud flaps, Sunglass Holder, Wett 1.0 bar chip The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right. ~William Safire

06-13-2005, 05:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
74PILOTMOM Super Mom Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Port Orchard, WA Posts: 1,997 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	She's not a head turner, but call me crazy, I don't care to be stared at. I do think though, the more you look at her, you notice the sculpted lines and overall stance is quite attractive...But you really do have to study it. I see no visual flaws....ie....Explorer's windows seem too small, and it too is a box with unclean lines. Don't get me started on the Santa Fe or Aztek, The Armada is just WEIRD with it's bubble head on a squareish body (love that Titan though) Trailblazer extended family...I don't know, I like their grilles, but the rest of it seems like a conglomeration of afterthoughts in design. Tahoe, I do think is pretty, but she's a truck through and through. Didn't want that. OF COURSE, these are just my opinions. If we all had the same opinions the world would be boring! __________________ '03 PILOT Starlight Silver EX-L FormFit Air deflector, Splash Guards, Honda hitch, Honda All Weather Mats, dead pedal cover from wwong, Westin Oval Sidesteps, MICHELIN Cross Terrains ----------------------------------------- '08 RIDGELINE RTL Formal Black hitch only so far... ----------------------------------------- '02 XR50R The cutest honda ever. -----------------------------------------

06-13-2005, 04:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
jl_ss Super Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: MA Posts: 3,790 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Styling is secondary - reliability, functionality (for my needs), safety, and value are my first concerns.

06-13-2005, 06:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
osteome Super Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Formerly of New Hampshire / Now in Germany Posts: 1,071 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	What non-Pilot owners are saying ... I wish I bought one? __________________ Hers: 2004 Stratosphere Mica / Stone Toyota Sienna XLE Limited with Navigation and Rear Seat Entertainment acquired when we traded our.... 2003 Sagebrush EX-L with lower trim, foglamps, all weather mats, cargo tray, separation net, rear flaps, XM Skyfi / Ipod via a Blitzsafe adaptor, HondaPilot.org sticker, wwong's dead pedal cover, console pads, and fog light lens tape His: 2002 Honda CRV EX in Mojave Mist over tan, 5 speed manual, OEM all weather mats and rear mud guards with Ipod via factory radio Soon to be ours: 2009 BMW M3 Convertible; Silverstone Metallic II / Bamboo leather, 6 speed manual, Premium, Cold Weather, Technology, and Premium Sound Packages, 19" Wheels, Ipod adaptor

06-13-2005, 08:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
cwa107 Super Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Middletown, PA Posts: 2,491 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	What in particular is "bland" about the styling? It looks like an SUV. There's not a whole lot of possible variance in the styling unless you're looking for one that looks more like a sporty station wagon (Murano) or a bubble (MDX). The only thing I really dislike about the Pilot is the plasticky dash. Everything else is wonderful. I'll listen to the nits about towing and off-roading all day long and shrug them off. Like I always say, 90% of SUVs never go off-road. 75% of SUVs never tow anything. Honda recognized and delivered exactly what most SUV buyers want... a minivan that doesn't look like a minivan, with excellent all-weather capability. If those two attributes are what you want, there's plenty of other SUVs out there that deliver exactly that. Just remember the trade-off.... it will handle and ride like a truck. __________________ 2010 Honda Pilot EX-L 4WD, Dark Cherry Pearl w/ black leather - equipped with black side steps, WeatherTech Floorliners and USA SPEC iPod Integration 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium - Ruby Red Pearl 2005 Honda Pilot EX 4WD (traded)

06-13-2005, 09:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
FLPilot Ex-Pilot Owner Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: FT. LAUDERDALE, FL Posts: 2,101 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	After seeing some posts of the rollovers that some members had posted here in their Pilot's and the fact that they were able to post about it means the world to me. I would rather be in my bland (which I don't agree) Pilot and be able to live to tell everyone how much I love it. I remember back when I first looked into buying my Pilot everyone (Except for me and a few others) was complaining about not having a sunroof and again the reasoning was "Safety came first". That's why we have such great crash test ratings. Just my $.02 __________________ Learn how the acai berry and 18 other fruits has helped others with high blood pressure, cholesterol, back pains, arthritis and many other ailments. www.thegreatproduct.com/acai_juice

06-14-2005, 02:11 PM	#12 (permalink)
CNYGuy Super Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 365 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I like the styling, it has clean lines, and is well-defined. I like that it is unlike many other SUVs, but not in a wierd way. And it's reliable, practical, efficient, sporty, fun to drive, safe, etc. etc.... __________________ 2007 Odyssey EXL-RES/NAV Silver Pearl Metallic 2003 Accord Sedan EX-V6 Graphite Pearl

06-14-2005, 02:28 PM	#13 (permalink)
wbhikergirl Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 10 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I have an '03 and I like the total package. Good looks, great performance, and value, value value. I wouldn't trade my Pilot for any other car (except maybe a lighter colored one!). I don't need to tow anything but kids, and have you ever tried to drive a mini van in the snow? I have a friend who just traded her Pilot in for an Envoy. She's still kicking herself as I type! Maybe if my needs were different I'd look at another type of vehicle, who knows. As for what the buyers of other models think, that doesn't matter much to me. If I cared what others thought I might have gotten an M Class. Then I might REALLY be sorry!

06-14-2005, 07:04 PM	#15 (permalink)
Scoobs Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Clarington, Ontario Posts: 1,207 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	The styling of the Pilot will age well, probably better than the styling of the MDX. To my eye Hondas seem to age better than their Acura equivalents. As for the other vehicles, who cares what a 4Runner owner thinks about the Pilot? __________________ 2003 SS EX-L , Towing Package, Crossbars, Chrome Trim, Separation Net ( To keep the real Scoobs in the back ) , Rear Splashguards, Chrome Exhaust Tips, PowerBulbs PowerPlus +50 bulbs (great bulbs) -- Replaced with 2008 RAV4 V6 Sport 2004 Titanium Silver Toyota 4Runner SR5 Sport V8, Philips +30 Premium -- Replaced with 2007 4Runner Limited V8

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