Looking to make a good thing better, Honda pulled the wraps off a concept replacement for its popular Pilot midsize SUV.
Honda Pilot Concept
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A Consumer Guide Automotive Best Buy since its launch for 2003, Pilot has carved out a healthy chunk of the midsize SUV market for Honda.
The Pilot Concept foreshadows a 2009 Pilot that is slightly larger overall, packs more muscle, and sports more distinctive styling.
Honda claims the Pilot concept has notably more passenger and cargo space, though the SUV has grown only modestly outside.
Though Honda won't confirm, Consumer Guide expects Pilot to offer a 3.7-liter V6 shared with the MDX SUV from Honda's luxury arm, Acura. The current Pilot uses a 3.5-liter V6. The V6 features Honda's Variable Cylinder Management system that can shut down two or three cylinders to conserve fuel when power demand is light.
The first-generation Pilot took its share of lumps for bland, uninspired styling. The Pilot Concept goes some distance to answer critics with sharper lines and bolder, more pronounced body features.
Expect to see a redesigned Pilot in showrooms before the end of 2008.
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