Home » Car Reviews » Honda » Pilot » 2003 Honda Pilot Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle
2003 Honda Pilot Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle
…Continued
With all seats folded, the Pilot provides a full flat cargo floor and the largest cargo capacity of any SUV in the segment. And with its wide wheel track, the Pilot can accept four-foot wide items like plywood sheets between the wheel wells with no tilting or scraping of interior surfaces.
The Pilot features a 240-horsepower, 3.5-liter, VTEC V-6 engine and Honda's patented VTM-4ª (Variable Torque Management 4WD) advanced four-wheel drive system. VTM-4 combines the best features of modern on-demand and conventional four-wheel drive systems while minimizing penalties to vehicle weight, efficiency and interior space. VTM-4 delivers power to all four wheels under acceleration and when wheel slippage is detected in slippery conditions, but also benefiting driving dynamics and stability in virtually all circumstances.
The system goes one step further by providing a "locking" feature that effectively locks the rear differential for improved traction in extremely slippery or "stuck" conditions. We tested this in some obstacles that would challenge the best of the truck-based utilities, and no suburbanite need fear the winter or avoid the camping life. With Pilot's 8" ground clearance, 21-degree entry/departure angles and tow hooks front and rear, there is no reason to get stuck. More likely, Pilot will be pulling some trucks out of ditches.
With rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes, Honda has good reason to be proud of Pilot's on and off road and winter performance. They have used a wide wheelbase not only for interior comfort, but to minimize roll and pitch in winding roads.
The Pilot employs highly efficient body crumple zones and sophisticated airbag technology, and is expected to achieve a Five Star safety rating for both frontal and side impacts. The advanced safety systems include dual-stage, dual-threshold driver and front passenger airbags; a front passenger side airbag with Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and headrests and three-point seatbelts in all eight seating positions.
