Tow Vehicle Test: Boater's Delight
Honda makes a play for the boating crowd with its midsize Pilot 4WD EX-L NAV.
by Randy Scott
Honda
the automaker, big brother to Honda Marine, is a company that understands boats — which is why its
midsize SUV, the Pilot, bears two tow ratings: 4,500 pounds for boat trailers, and a 3,500-pound
rating for everything else. Same engine, same suspension, same tow package, same everything — but
different tow ratings and a definite perk for boaters. Sweet.
To put this into perspective, a rating of 4,500 pounds is enough to tow a 22-foot Stingray
220 LX runabout, whereas a rating of 3,500-pounds would limit you to a much smaller 18-foot 180 RX.
Do the math, and you can see the benefit Honda offers boaters. Why does Honda do it? Because its
engineers realize the aerodynamic design of boats reduces drag on the tow vehicle and is less
taxing on the powertrain and other key components. So why don’t other automakers follow Honda’s
example? Go figure.
Not only does the EX-L Pilot give the boater a towing bonus, but the vehicle is also
recognized as one of the best values in the midsize SUV market. The Pilot is solidly designed, has
outstanding fit and finish, is known for component longevity, and offers great performance. The
Pilot is built on a strong, truck-based unit-body design — a plus when it comes to the added
demands of towing — and boasts a sophisticated suspension system, featuring MacPherson struts in
front and a multilink independent rear. As a result, the Pilot handles superbly for such a large
and heavy vehicle.
With fuel prices soaring nearly as high as the space shuttle, it’s nice to know
two-wheel-drive (2WD) Pilots come standard with Honda’s i-VTEC engine. This 3.5L V6 engine features
Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), which deactivates three of the engine’s six cylinders during
cruising and deceleration to improve overall fuel efficiency. If you were to use the Pilot solely
for towing, however, the VCM feature would rarely kick in due to the added load of the boat and
trailer.
The 4WD model comes with the non-VCM, VTEC 3.5L engine. Each engine, however, puts out 244 hp
and 240 pounds per foot of torque, and is coupled with a smooth five-speed automatic transmission.
The subject of
Boating World’s test is the 4WD Pilot with amenity-laden, top-of-the-line EX-L trim.
(Other trim levels are base EL and up-level EX.) With a 22-foot, 4,500-pound Centurion Air Warrior
ski boat from Castaic Marine in tow, the non-VCM-equipped test rig nets 8.8 miles per gallon (mpg).
Because the towed weight is at the Pilot’s maximum-allowed capacity, acceleration from 0 to 60 mph
is a rather anemic 19.6 seconds, which is something to consider when you’re merging into highway
traffic. Without the boat, though, acceleration improves dramatically to 8.3 seconds, and fuel
economy increases to 18.4 mpg.
The Pilot can seat an entourage of up to eight passengers, but if you intend to carry that
many, you should plan on putting small children or extremely slender adults in the third row. All
passengers, no matter where they sit, will be well-protected, thanks to standard front- and
side-curtain airbags with rollover sensors. In government crash test ratings, the Pilot rates
extremely high. It also rates extremely high in another category — as a tow vehicle for boaters.
Honda Pilot 4WD EX-L NAV
Engine: VTEC 3.5L V6
Horsepower: 244
Torque: 240 lbs.-ft.
Passengers: 8
Ground Clearance (min.): 8 inches
Cargo Capacity (max.): 87.6 cubic feet
Towing Capacity: 4,500 lbs.
Fuel Economy As Tested: 8.8/18.4 mpg (towing/non-towing)
Price As Tested: $36,040