Survey: Prototype Honda Pilot scores ‘lousy’ with consumers

I for one don't like SUVs in general - I'd rather have a station wagon with AWD. I agree with you about this Pilot concept - it is ugly. However, the current Pilot is no beauty either, yet it still sells well. Perhaps SUV buyers covet vehicle attributes different from those of buyers of regular cars. I guess beauty IS in the eye of the beholder.

I too like station wagons, especially the Audi Avant; however, my wife insists on driving a small SUV and has a decades-long phobia against station wagons. I won't hold the Pilot's lackluster appearance against it but I would not buy one because I do not trust Honda's AWD system that has constantly slipping (and wearing out) clutches to accommodate the deliberate small speed difference between front and rear axels.

the only truck that honda won't win the hearts at car&driverr

But compared to this concept, the current Pilot is actually distinctive. I didn't know it was possible to make this SUV more boring to look at, but they did.

I agree, it's ugly looking.

Yikes!

From the side shot it looks like the nose of the Chevy HHR got merged with a Dodge Nitro.

The concept drawing in the last pic shows more flowing smooth curves and lines which are much more appealing. And the I made out with a Ridgeline, then a new Accord and washed myself off with a Ford Escape look is not cool.

But what are the chances they will rush a quick refresh out before the due date. Highly unlikely. Another score for Toyota with the 4 Runner and Highlander.

This isn't good-looking.

I'm a big Honda fan, but I will be the first to say that it simply isn't. The Highlander puts it to shame.

Yes, you'll slam anything Toyota of Honda, but it's not because you know the truth, quite the contrary actually.

yep

"...while it is neither attractive nor unattractive to me, there is something about those headlights that really annoys me."

It actually has something of a "deer-in-headlights" look about it, which IMO is very funny. It should be the opposite.

The car is HIDEOUS!

I was looking forward to the new Pilot, and as a current owner, this prototype doesn't excite me at all. I passed on the new accord sedan and it looks like I will pass on the new Pilot as well- Honda needs to hire some design talent, the vehicles perform well and I have never had an issue w/ any of my Honda products, but the styling is pushing me away from the brand...

Let them come out with this and see what Chevy does with a redesing of the Trailblazer, will blow it out of the water I'm sure.

As for now, I'd personally give a good look at the Saturn Outlook. Very nice looking car.

The Trailblazer is a POS, and it's dying, to be replaced by the Chevy Traverse.

Ugly.

Looks like a bad version of the nissan Pathfinder. That's 3 ugly cars almost back to back. The Ridgeline, Accord Sedan and now this. I'm a Honda Fanatic but this is getting worse. They never really made beautiful cars (except 1990-1993 accord) but atleast they were ok looking but well engineered. Now....they look terrible. I suspect hondas have to look boring so that Acura can look good. Big mistake.

redo this Honda!!!

I'm disappointed in Honda. After two successful redesigns of their bread-and-butter, Civic and Accord, the only one missing was the Pilot... but they really screwed it up.

Somehow, it manages to be both completely indistinctive and offensive simultaneously.

It actually looks like a last-gen GM or Chrysler product from the side paneling.

I'm not a big fan of this redesign, Honda would be wise to try and find a quick fix before the production model comes out ( i doubt the concepts grill/headlight cluster will stay, but it needs more help in other areas). The competition has moved on since Honda introduced the Pilot, when it was really in a class of one, other makes have 3 rows of seating and unibody construction now, with better styling. Time will tell if Honda's reputation for reliability/driveability will hold off stiff competition from GM(?!), Mazda, and Toyota.

When the Pilot came out, wasn't the Toyota Highlander already available?

Don't get me wrong, it's a very good car (current model), but it didn't exactly start this segment.

The Highlander was smaller and did not offer 3rd row seating (flip folded into the floor with little or no packaging drawbacks), a defining feature that has been copied many times over since the Pilot was introduced. If you do some research, you'll find at the time, for the price, no other make offered car-like driving with efficient 8 passenger carrying capabilities...even though it's styling was likened to an over-grown CRV.

BTW: I would take off the RR Sport, M-B GL, Cayenne, and both BMWs, but I do like the Range Rover and Q7. I would add Infiniti's FX and believe it or not the Buick Enclave, and well, that's it...don't care for the MDX that much either - it's trying to be FX-like but all that boring functionality makes it minivan-like...maybe the recent rumors that Acura is making another lux/sport CUV will go after the FX/X6 market and focus more on sport and less on practicality will change my mind on Honda/Acura design of late...

The X5 is an extremely attractive SUV. Take it from me; I have one.

Hehe, if you say so...but deep down I feel like I've seen it before, except lower, kinda like a station wag - oh wait, nevermind :-)

When it comes to real wood in luxury cars, you're probably right. But I think Acura should get rid of wood - fake or real, all together. They are a new lux brand and they should offer something new and innovative (other than metallic painted plastic please!) and leave the wood in the last century with the Ford Model T and corsets...

I agree the Pilot is dull looks like a Pathfinder. Atleast the interior looks promising. The good thing is Acura did a nice job with their design studio seperating the MDX from the Pilot. Many don't like the MDX look but not because I am an Acura fan because i'm not a suv fan, but the MDX is definetly one of the top 5 best looking suv's right now.

BMW X5

Range Rover

Range Rover Sport

Mercedes-Benz GL550

Audi Q7

Porsche Cayenne Turbo

BMW X6

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I really like the MDX... but care to retract that statement?

Probably the only survey/focus group that I agree with.

I'm sure this will sell like hot-cakes. The thing with Honda is, even if their vehicles look like crap (which they rarely do, by the way), people still buy them just to have a Honda. Well, except for the Insight, of course.

I am more concerned with the reliability of the awd system's clutches wearing out. This would improve with a better towing ability! Honda's are not known for there towing or payload ability. For the record I love my 2007 Civic. Although I think this looks great.

you could say the same thing about those who own a toyota, chevy, ford, etc...

Best in class for,Reliability,safety,economy ignorant? Maybe you should do your homework before you rant! Another way of looking at why someone would buy a vehicle would be a status symbol? or if you had a small unit? But lets face it Honda is a peoples car not a flashy Ferari. Most car people apreciate all the above atributes for obious reasons. We all cant be important like you.

Minus these S4 Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne Turbo,BMW X6, BMW X5. The Porsche looks weird, Q7 is long and the interior is "yawn". X6 is just ugly with a tight roofline. X5 not enough change for a redesign. MDX is beefier ,sexier and the HID and LED rears make it look more enpensive than all these other's even if it isn't.

Take a look at this and tell me the X5 isn't better-looking...

http://www.che168.com/Upload/Image/Word_Pic/20070425/11774881878019.jpg

Yes, it's a BMW bodykit.

What's wrong with the Q7 interior? Looks nice to me....

http://images.motortrend.com/roadtests/luxury/suv_truck/112_0603fs_05z+2007_audi_q7+interior.jpg

Especially when compared to the acres of fake wood in the MDX. If there was one thing I could change about the entire Acura lineup, today, it would be that they all used real wood, EVERYWHERE. That's what the Germans do. That's what Lexus does. I think even Infiniti uses real wood everywhere, on the models that have it.

I agree that the MDX's edgy, creased, LED-bejeweled design looks very upscale. However, having had an X5 for two months gives me a much deeper appreciation of its design. It is a beautiful SUV, especially with the 20" rims like this.

http://www.x5world.com/x5-e70-forum/41778-just-completed-performance-delivery-my-new-x5-4-8-a.html

I think Honda is a great car company but this Pilot looks like an old Ford Explorer

S4 I give you the MDX has fake wood but the adaptive suspension , heated rear seats ,self leveling zenons, back up camera, power lift gate, Traffic nav, led tail lights. 300 HP most in class, widest sunroof in it's class and the list goes on is all real. Wood is boring atleast they made there fake stuff look different, and even with fake stuff the interior looks better than the Porsche, BMW and Q5 because all their interiors are plain. Infiniti interiors aren't anything to brag about either because the suffer from plastic syndrome.

One word....
UGLY !!!