2007 Pilot EX-L 2WD: First Impressions

Author's Rating:

Pros: Roomy interior, abundant power, smooth handling, beautiful leather, numerous safety features, legendary Honda quality

Cons: Lacks creature comforts that should be standard at this trim level

The Bottom Line: 
If you're looking for a beautiful, functional, high-quality family vehicle, you can't go wrong with the Pilot EX-L.

Author's Review
I picked up a new 2007 Pilot EX-L yesterday and wanted to record some initial impressions before they fade from memory.

At first sight, the vehicle is quite impressive. The exterior color (Dark Cherry Pearl, new for 2007) is deep and complex. The interior leather (Saddle) is beautiful. The window glass is factory-tinted and reasonably dark.

The instruments and controls are laid out in typical Honda fashion, functional and somewhat minimalist. I have read other reviews that complain about the "odd" location of the shift lever on the steering column, but this is a typical location for the shifter in large SUVs and trucks.

The front seats are quite comfortable and offer plenty of support. The seat height is taller than I expected, but it is not uncomfortable. The view from the driver's seat is clear in all directions thanks to the large windows. Some reviews complain about an obstructed rear view, but I found it to be quite the opposite compared with larger SUVs and trucks that I have owned. By that same comparison, however, the side mirrors seem disproportionately small.

For the Pilot's car-like exterior length and width, the interior seems cavernous. The second-row seats offer plenty of room for adults, but the third row was obviously meant for small children only. All three rows have lap and shoulder belts, headrests, and both side-impact and curtain airbag protection. There are numerous anchor points for the newer LATCH infant seats.

On the road, the vehicle's performance is superb. The powertrain delivers smoothly and effortlessly thanks to a large engine with variable valve timing, a 5-speed automatic transmission, and drive-by-wire throttle. Acceleration and passing are a breeze, and braking is smooth and responsive. Handling is decidedly car-like, with no torque steer and comparatively little understeer noted. The turning radius is refreshingly tight compared to a large truck or SUV. Some reviewers have complained unduly about the vehicle's road noise. Anyone who thinks the Pilot is a noisy ride has obviously never driven a 4x4 SUV shod with BFG AT tires.

My primary complaint about the vehicle is that it lacks what should be standard creature comforts at this trim level. For example:

There is no automatic headlight on/off feature. I've obviously been spoiled by never having to use the headlight switch on my GM vehicles, because I found myself driving with the headlights off every time I got under way in the Pilot on the night I brought it home. To Honda's credit, the car will turn the headlights off if you leave the switch in the "on" position so as to not drain the battery, but the car chirps at you every time you shut it off and leave the lights on, making this entire set of constraints quite annoying.

There is no trip computer that shows fuel range, instantaneous and average fuel economy, etc. GM and Toyota have made these standard equipment on lesser trim levels for years. The Pilot has a couple of trip odometers and a bizarre green "ECO" light within the tachometer that turns on whenever the engine is not under load, supposedly to indicate that the engine is functioning within its range of greatest fuel economy. I found the flashing green light to be quite annoying and totally uninformative. I'd much rather know what the actual instantaneous fuel economy is than have my peripheral vision distracted by a flashing light every time I ease off the gas when driving on the highway.

There is no option for a power passenger seat. It's a non sequitur to have a beautiful heated leather passenger seat that is controlled by a clunky, stone-age lever mounted underneath it.

There is no external air temperature display. Again, I may have been spoiled by GM and Toyota, but when a vehicle has an internal climate-control system, I expect there to be a display of the external temperature, too.

The compass display on the rear-view mirror is rather strange. It's a fairly large (1.5") compass rose with blue LED backlight to indicate the cardinal direction in which the vehicle is headed. The metaphor is awkward in that if the vehicle is headed west, the "W" in the 9:00 position is lit; as opposed to an actual compass that, when properly oriented, always shows the present direction in the 12:00 position. I'd take a standard three-character direction/temperature display over this little oddity any day.

The steering wheel "tilt" feature really doesn't change the angle of the wheel, rather its height. All the available positions leave the wheel too "horizontal" for my taste. There is no option for a telescoping wheel or adjustable pedals.

I will give Honda props for a few nice features that I didn't expect:

There is a little storage area for the third-row seat headrests in the floor between the third row and the tailgate. The space is so small that not much else will fit there, but its nice to have a place to keep the headrests when the third row is folded flat.

There are fold-out hooks for plastic grocery bags mounted in the rear cargo area, which might be more useful than the traditional cargo net that is also included.

There are abundant 12V power outlets throughout the vehicle. If one of your older kids is stuck in the third row on a long trip, at least he'll have a constant supply of power to his iPod or PSP to keep him happy.

There are little storage areas throughout the vehicle: A generous center console, little cargo nets behind the front seats that the second-row passengers can use, etc.

Contrary to reviews from prior years, there are in fact standard fog lamps in the 2007 EX-L trim.

In summary: A beautiful, functional, high-quality vehicle that lacks only a little more refinement. Then again, perhaps that's what the Acura MDX is for!