2003 Honda Pilot EX

Although Honda SUV owners are highly unlikely to misplace their Passports, a worthy replacement is awaiting anyone who wants to. Caught with its pants down at the dawn of last decade's SUV frenzy, Honda cut a deal with Isuzu in 1994 to re-badge and refine the Rodeo. This midsize SUV apparently served its purpose while the company developed its own active-family bookends, the compact CR-V and full-size Odyssey.

Sharing mechanicals with the Acura MDX, the Pilot's greenhouse is rounder. EX level includes body-colored molding and alloy wheels.

When Honda developed its own midsize family-transporter for the 2000 model year, that vehicle went to its Acura division. The MDX abruptly won countless awards and legions of loyal owners. Finally, Honda gets its own version of the MDX for 2003, the Pilot. Although more value-priced than its upscale older brother, the Pilot isn't as blue-collar as one might initially expect. Many of the MDX's amenities are either standard on the Pilot or available as options.


At their cores, both the Pilot and MDX have the Odyssey platform (which is basically Accord architecture), but with stouter siderails. Underpinnings are front struts with coil springs and semi-independent multilink suspension in the rear (which allows a flat load-floor inside). Pilot is more softly sprung than the MDX, and its 16-inch tire/wheel package also biases the Honda more toward daily commuting duties than the Acura's sportier suspension and canyon-carving 17-inch arrangement. The Pilot's steering is quite accurate, although slightly slower than the MDX's. Stability is laudable, and body roll is well controlled by the widest-in-class track (more than 63 inches) and dual stabilizer bars.

Honda is refreshingly honest about its 8-passenger tally including three third-row kids. Pockets, nine cupholders, and cargo tie-downs abound. This wide-body also has a 90.3 cubic-foot cargo capacity.

Pilot also shares the MDX's four-wheel disc braking system with ABS at each corner and electronic brake-force distribution proportioning. Performance is above average for the midsize SUV class. Although we didn't tow with the Pilot, we'd speculate that it's slightly under-braked at tag-along capacity (a 3,500-pound enclosed trailer or a 4,500-pound boat).


Another commonality is the 240-horse 3.5-liter VTEC V-6. This all-aluminum, variable-valve-timing powerplant is characteristically smooth. High-end thrust is particularly noticeable during freeway passing—valve timing changes at 4,300 rpm. Although the peak torque doesn't occur until 4,500 revs, low-end launch and ensuing acceleration are surprisingly sprightly (especially when considering the vehicle's 4,400-pound heft). A 0-60 sprint that's near the top of the midsize class supports this. We managed an 8.57-second best; other independent lead-feet report 8.1.