First Drive: 2016 Honda Pilot

The term "walk-off home run," coined by Oakland A's relief pitcher Dennis Eckersley, originally applied to the losing team. Specifically, to the pitcher who'd just thrown the game-ending home run and then had to walk off the field in shame. These days, it's often applied to the winners, who can walk off the field immediately rather than play out the rest of the game.
2016 Honda Pilot Full Pricing AnnouncedA walk-off home run occurs when a batter for the home team hits a home run in the bottom of the last inning (not necessarily the ninth) that gives his team the lead. As there is no opportunity for the visiting team to score again, the game ends on the spot. Everyone walks off the field. Calling the 2016 Honda Pilot a walk-off home run is bold for a number of reasons. First among them is that the game will never be over; the competition always gets another chance at bat. Second, it implies a neck-and-neck finish, which doesn't give Honda enough credit. See, Honda was confident enough in the new Pilot to bring nearly all the competition to the launch event for expedited, on-the-spot comparison tests. Not only did Honda bring a Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Explorer, Nissan Pathfinder, and Toyota Highlander, but it also brought top-spec, loaded examples, not cut-rate base models. Our normal comparison test procedure requires multiple editors and a lot more testing and arguing, so don't consider this the final word, but at this event the Honda knocked off all of them with ease.

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What makes this new Pilot so good? It starts at the bottom. The new Pilot shares its platform with the new Acura MDX, and it's an excellent platform. The Pilot's impressive handling and body control are evidence. Should customers be terribly late to soccer practice and hustling the car for all it's worth, they'll find a very willing partner in the Pilot. It turns in sharply, smoothly transfers its weight, grips like a sedan, holds its line perfectly through a corner, and handles bumps as minor annoyances, not threats to stability. Topping it off is best-in-segment steering that not only feels nicely weighted, exhibiting no on-center dead spot and requiring no mid-corner corrections, but even returns a little road feel. It doesn't drive like a massive, eight-passenger SUV. It drives like the moderately sporty family sedan you gave up because you needed more space. That's just how it goes around a corner. There's also the way it goes and stops. The fully revised 3.5-liter V-6 is more powerful than before and a touch more efficient. More important, the Pilot is nearly 300 pounds lighter, which contributes greatly to the improved driving experience. The engine feels strong and responsive, not overburdened like some of the competition. Acceleration from a stop and for passing is more than adequate. The lineup's real gem is the all-new nine-speed automatic transmission that comes on the top two trim levels. If you're willing to spend the money, go for it. The standard six-speed auto shifts just as nicely, but the nine-speed's wider gear ratio spread allows for more aggressive acceleration in lower gears and lower engine speeds in higher gears, giving you a stronger sense of acceleration from a stop and passing without hurting you on fuel economy. Either way, seamless cylinder deactivation and nearly seamless automatic engine start/stop will help keep the mpgs up. Front-wheel-drive models do experience a bit of torque steer, which isn't appreciated. On the other end, the Pilot brakes strongly and confidently with a nice, solid pedal.



Source: Motor Trend