What can you do to stand out in a crowd? Go Formal!
Check out the 2020 Honda Pilot AWD Black Edition SUV You Are What You Drive - A Bottom Line Review
The Bottom Line: Honda began manufacturing products in America when it opened its first plant in Marysville Ohio in 1979. Honda models are made in manufacturing facilities in the following U.S. locations: Marysville Ohio, East Liberty Ohio and Lincoln Alabama.
The Lincoln Honda factory handles production of the Honda Odyssey, Honda Pilot and Ridgeline models, in addition to production of V/6 engines for the US market. The Honda Pilot is a mid size SUV manufactured by Honda and introduced in late 2002. Primarily aimed at the North American market, the Pilot is the largest SUV from Honda, and features three row seating.
Honda is not a company that rushes into things. When its competitors were making big bucks with body on frame three row SUVS in the late 1990s, Honda responded with the unibody 2003 Pilot crossover. While many competitors have been forced to rethink their mid size SUV strategy, the Pilot has soldiered on through three generations with evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, changes.
This week Honda sent me a 2020 Honda Pilot AWD Black Edition SUV to test drive and review. The window sticker base price is $49,620. The options on the press car are: none. The total MSRP manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including the $1,095 destination charge, came to: $50,715.
The American mid size SUV market is loaded with competition from every car company. This class has name plates that we all recognize. To start with, the Honda Pilot goes up against its own sister brand at Acura with the MDX. Next up are the Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango, Ford Edge, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9, and the Toyota Highlander, just to name the top 10 best sellers.
So, what can you do to make yourself stand out in a crowd? Go Formal! The Pilot Black Edition should be called the Black Tie Edition, as it’s like wearing a Tux to a pool party. The Black Edition
comes with every option Honda can put into a Pilot, and it has a Crystal Black Pearl paint job with an Elegant Black Leather trimmed interior.
The exterior has 20” Black Alloy Wheels, Black Door Sash and Garnish Moldings, and Black Surround Window Trim, with Black Edition badges on the front grill, rear deck lid, front seats and floor mats. The roof rails and rack supports are Black too. The Black seats, floor mats, steering wheel and door panels are all contrast stitched in Red thread. And since black is not a color of light, the interior has Red Ambient LED soft cell lighting.
The Honda Pilot comes in 7 trim levels and 7 different price points, with the Black Edition being the top of the line model. The base Pilot starts at only $32,250, and tops out at $49,620, and this price includes AWD all wheel drive. The Black Edition is the best of the best in a midsize SUV, that you can buy from any manufacturer, for less than $50,000.
This model is powered by a 280 HP 3.5L liter VTEC V/6 engine with a 9 speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The AWD drive system
has Intelligent Traction Management with Hill Start Assist. The Pilot also has Start and Stop Idle management with Electric Power Steering, to help save fuel, and produce less emissions.
On the comfort side the Black Edition has a Heated and Leather Wrapped Black Steering Wheel, a Premium Audio System with 10 speakers, Blu-ray rear video screens, and wireless headphones. The car has wireless cell phone charging, is a wireless Hotspot, and has Honda Navigation with Audio and Voice recognition, and a Multi Screen Rear View Camera. Then add in power heated and ventilated front seats, 2nd row Captain’s Chairs with sun shades, and a 60/40 fold down third seat. A 115 volt outlet is in the back to power your laptop, electric BBQ, sound system, power tools, or an air compressor.
The Pilot Black Edition comes with every safety and technology feature Honda offers. Automatic Braking, Anti Lock Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Collision Mitigation Braking and Road Departure Mitigation. The list keeps on going, but you get the drift. This
Pilot is loaded with all the best options to have on any SUV.
In summary, there are a lot of midsize SUVS to pick from today, with more on the way tomorrow. Every make and model has a feature that stands out, but with Honda the 3 reasons for their continued sales success are simple. One - build a better product, Two - make it last forever, and Three - price it right.
Then add in the fact that Honda holds one of the highest resale values of any car company on the planet, and you have 4 of the best reasons to call, click or visit your local Honda dealer for a Pilot test drive today.
A word to the wise is sufficient. Be Smart, Stay Safe, and Just Breathe. Remember “You Are What You Drive ©” And maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today ©” .
This Bottom Line Review is provided by: Tony Leopardo © Autowire.net.
“Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net or visit Autowire.net at www.autowire.net