| tracy |
We took our first road trip in the Pilot last week - 900 miles to Grandma's, 900 back, and some side trips, so about 2000 miles altogether. Here's how I rate the Pilot...
Cargo capacity - 5 out of 5
On the way down (third row down) we loaded two huge suitcases, two carryons, and various other things (scooter, bicycle helmet, etc.) and could have closed the cargo cover if we'd had one. Coming home we added several Priority Mail boxes, a garbage bag full of clothing, a huge shopping bag full of purchases, 2 cases of lemonade (why can I not find Minute Maid Light lemonade here? WHY????) and a 20" bicycle, and I believe we still could have closed a cargo cover if not for the bicycle. Not to mention about a billion pillows and stuffed animals in the 2nd row. With the 3rd row in use, cargo area was of course very limited, but I was still able to carry everything I needed (tote bag, beach towels, whatever we happened to buy that day, etc.)
Seating - 4 out of 5
When it was just the three of us (hubby, The Girl, and I) we were extremely comfortable. Plenty of leg room (I used to get leg cramps from not being able to stretch out, and I'm only 5' 2"), climate control was perfect, etc. When we put the 3rd row up and loaded the Pilot with cousins (ages 8 to 12), those in the 3rd row complained of being hot. I do wish there were air vents back there, and I think that would be a huge consideration if I needed to use a 3rd row on a regular basis. They also complained about being cramped until I moved the 2nd row forward. However, they all wanted to ride with me, so I can only presume it wasn't too miserable back there. We had difficulties using The Girl's booster seat in the 3rd row, because it intruded over the other seats' seatbelt buckles.
Gas mileage - 3.5 out of 5
I don't pay attention to such things. When it's empty, I put gas in it. But hubby said we got 19 mpg on the first tank, 19 mpg on the second, and then he stopped counting. I had hoped for low 20s on the highway, but since we had the A/C running the entire time, and were fairly loaded down, I guess that was just wishful thinking.
Navigation - 4 out of 5
Has anyone else noticed how ridiculously out of line the estimated time of travel is? I mean, you should have seen The Girl's face drop when it said our trip would take 20 hours (we average 14 hours of actual driving). For shorter distances, it's routinely double the actual driving time. Also, I was disappointed in the lack of road information once we got to our destination. Some state highways weren't in the database (not new highways), leading to longer-than-necessary route suggestions from the Navi. And finally, when we plotted our way back, hubby noticed the miles didn't match up with the miles we had driven down, following the same route. I.e., we knew the trip back would be 900 miles, but the Navi said it would be less than 800. As we progressed, the miles remaining according to Navi eventually agreed with the actual miles, so it made an adjustment somewhere. Despite its faults, the Navi was extremely useful, and I think it has joined the list of Things Tracy Requires on her Vehicle. And I do have to admit it impressed the inlaws, as did the back-up camera. Speaking of which...
The "I Have a Cool Car!" Factor - 4 out of 5
Yes, it's petty, but tell me you've never taken just a tiny bit of joy out of someone's admiration of your car. Tell me you wouldn't grin just a tiny bit when your sister in law laments that she can't take the crowd in her Tahoe because she left the removable 3rd row at home, since that's the only way she can carry cargo. Tell me you've never, not even once, been tempted to say "CD play disc 5" when you could just as easily push a button. Tell me you don't get a little thrill when you throw it into reverse and your passenger sees the rear view and says "Oh my God! That is SO COOL!" Then you're a better person than I am.
In conclusion... we've made this trip at least twice a year for over 20 years, in a wide variety of vehicles (econobox, coupe, midsize sedan, large sedan, minivan, small SUV) and I think this is the best combination of comfort, convenience, and driveability. A minivan is great for the drive there and back, but I hate dealing with the bulk on a daily basis. Cars are easy to drive around town and more efficient, but you lose the high seating position and the ability to carry more cargo and passengers. My small SUV (CR-V) needed a tad more cargo room, and I really wanted to be able to carry more passengers. The Pilot is just right - fun to drive around town, easy to park, and room for everything. |
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| slimmn |
Nice review.
We (family of 4) just bought ours a couple of months ago, and just took our first camping trip - and loved it. Almost went out and bought a Thule box, but my buddy (who also has a Pilot) told me not to, and that if I needed one, then I suck at packing.
Our trip was fairly short (180mi, one way), 80% freeway, travelling between 75 - 85mph on the freeway, and we averaged 20.3mpg with a full load. How fast were you driving on the freeway? I'm guessing that every mile above 60mpg really hits the Pilot hard becasue of the somewhat boxy front end. |
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| tracy |
quote:
Originally posted by slimmn
How fast were you driving on the freeway? I'm guessing that every mile above 60mpg really hits the Pilot hard becasue of the somewhat boxy front end.
Our route was mostly interstate, so I'd say we usually drove about 75-80 mph (hubby closer to 80, me closer to 75, and he did most of the driving). We don't have any accessories that would cause drag (side steps, crossbars, etc.) |
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| christopherlutz |
Great Post!
I too am on a road trip...though much longer. I am, as I type, mid-trip having driven from Dallas, Texas to Orange Country California. Our pilot is only a couple of months old and I was really looking forward to how it was going to perform.
Since, Tracy did such a great job with the format...I'll rip it off:
First, I have a black 06 Pilot EXL - no nav.
Cargo Capacity - I agree with Tracy IF you don't need the 3rd row seats. If you do need the 3rd row seats, storage is SEVERELY limited. We are a family of 4, so normally, this isn't an issue; however, our we're driving back with 2 extra people.
Enter the Yakima Pro 15s - This baby, while expensive, is fantastic. I did quite a bit of research before spending the $650 on Yakima racks and the box...it was well worth it. It added 15 cubic feet of very usable space and was really handy on the way out.
Gas Mileage - well, mixed review here. We generally didn't get much more than 19 - 20mpg. One leg we recorded 25 mpg. I spent more time than I should have analyzing the cylinder deactivation and determined that it makes a HUGE difference. Surprisingly, wind resistance didn't seem to matter much I was able to hold 75 - 80mph in ECO mode as long as the road was flat. Even slight inclines caused it to turn off. I'm curious how much the AC affects mileage...but, not curious enough to suffer through destert driving with it off....:)
Seating Comfort - outstanding. 3 straight days of driving...no discomfort and I'm 6' 1'' 240lbs.
Our return trip starts Thursday taking us through the Grand Canyon....I'll update here if there is anything worth mentioning.
Thanks to all for such a great forum. |
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| mrtrik |
quote:
Originally posted by christopherlutz
I'm curious how much the AC affects mileage...but, not curious enough to suffer through destert driving with it off....:)
I've had my pilot about a month and a half. It's got about 3000 miles on it now. I've kept track of every fillup. I find that the AC doesn't make much difference. Whether I use it or not, my mileage is consistent.
What matters is speed....
If I drive 90% freeway and keep it around the speed limit 65-70. I get about 21mpg. If go over 75 a lot, then it dips down into the 19's. If I do mostly stop and go driving, then mileage drops to 17 - 18mpg.
All this with the A/C. I'll take 21mpg for AC comfort. Once Sept/Oct rolls around here in MA, then the A/C won't be needed. I'd be surprised if my MPG improves... |
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