[Peelot]

I test drove a Pilot the other day and loved everything about it except for one thing. During highway speeds, the steering seemed overly sensitive and I also noticed a lot of body roll. Is this just me? Or is it something you get use to after driving it for awhile?

 

[Len]

Personally, I think it's because of the Goodyears that Honda put on the Pilot. The Pilot definitely drives better with better tires.

 

[BillR]

If you really try you can get sea sick in a Pilot.
I thought the same thing at first but in real life driving the body roll isn't bad. It's a very stable vehicle.
After I test drove one I tried the same thing in my Mountaineer and it was worse.
I don't disagree with Len's comments about tires.
If I knew when how bad the stock tires were when I picked it up I would have traded them in for Michelin CrossTerrains.

 

[TopMomm]

I remember thinking the same thing about the roll the first week. In fact, I remember sort of dreading getting in the car for a couple of days -- because of the motion sickness feeling. I never dared mention it to the kids or husband, tho; didn't want to put the thought in their heads.

I sort of blamed it on the tires, also, but to tell you the truth, it just went away. I had the tires rebalanced at the beginning of week 2, and whether it was psychological or not, the nausea seemed to disappear around the same time.

I no longer notice it...at all. It is a non-issue, and I'm the kind of person who does get carsick on winding roads, etc.

Hope that helps puts your mind at ease. I'd probably try to upgrade the tires, tho; these are crummy.

 

[Peelot]

rely

Thanks for your info. I'll talk to the dealer about putting on some Michelin Crossterrains.

 

[copperpoppy]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I didn't want to say anything but, I noticed a bit more "play" in the steering compared to the Accord. Is that what you're all talking about?

 

[N_Jay]

Its an SUV!!

What are you comparing it to?
It has less body roll than my Range Rover had.

 

[xyzzy]

Exactly N_Jay. I would say that it's probably somewhere inbetween an Excursion and a TT.

Chris

 

[Howdy Ag]

Definitely less roll than my '92 Explorer so we don't notice a problem. Heck, the Explorer didn't roll so much as bounce from side to side.

 

[Peelot]

At highway speeds, making small turning corrections, it seems that there is a delay...play....or slop in turning. When initiating the turn, the body seems to roll first and then with a short delay the SUV begins to turn. It reminded me of when I was a kid driving my old Corvair down the highway...but not quite so bad.

 

[N_Jay]

Have you driven other SUVs?

Have you driven other SUVs?
Maybe its your expectations?
or;
Maybe you have a bad sway bar link?

 

[Peelot]

You may be right. I test drove the Pilot again to make sure I wasn't imagining the problem. And the problem was still there. However it would be better described as a sway rather than a roll. That is, when you turn the steering wheel, the nose of the Pilot sways or turns in the direction of your intended turn while the rear of the SUV sways or turns in the oppossite direction and then after that the SUV begins to turn. I also test drove the Highlander and it did not show any of these characteristics. But the suspension was much tighter and the ride was a lot less comfortable. It rode much like a Cherokee.. you feel each bump on the road.

 

[Dano]

haven't notice the small adjustment delay in the turning. the car does want to pull right on long sloping turns to the left (like on an exit ramp). . .probably a biproduct of its wide stance. You have to turn a little more than you might expect. . .