Initial Quality – The 2009 Honda Pilot is a redesigned model and had not yet been included in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS) when this review was originally published.

Performance and Design – The 2009 Honda Pilot is a redesigned model and had not yet been included in the J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study (APEAL) when this review was originally published.

Predicted Reliability – The Honda Pilot was redesigned for 2009 and is too new to have been included in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which measured dependability of 2006 model-year vehicles. However, based on the performance of previous Honda Pilots during the past five years in both our Initial Quality and Vehicle Dependability studies, the predicted reliability rating for the 2009 Honda Pilot is 3 out of 5.

Fuel Economy – The 2009 Honda Pilot is equipped with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that drives the front or all four wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission. Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology, which shuts down two or three of the six cylinders under low-load cruising conditions, is standard on all Pilots. With front-wheel drive, the Honda Pilot is rated to get 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway by the EPA. The Pilot 4WD is expected to return 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

Our review vehicle, a Pilot Touring with 4WD, averaged 16.5 mpg in mixed driving. Combined with the Pilot’s standard 21-gallon fuel tank, this actual fuel economy figure results in an approximate 345-mile range between fill-ups of regular unleaded.

Safety – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 2009 Honda Pilot gets 5-star crash-test ratings for frontal and side impact occupant protection, and a 4-star rollover rating with front- or all-wheel drive.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety calls the Honda Pilot a “Top Safety Pick” because it has standard stability control and received a “Good” rating in the offset frontal impact crash test, a “Good” rating in the side impact crash test, and a “Good” rating for rear impact protection.

Environment – According to the EPA, the 2009 Honda Pilot consumes 18 barrels of petroleum annually with front-wheel drive, and 19 barrels of petroleum annually with 4WD. The resulting carbon footprint rating is 9.6 tons of air pollution per year with front-wheel drive and 10.2 tons of air pollution per year with 4WD. According to the EPA, the Honda Pilot’s national air pollution score is a 6 out of 10, and in California and New England the air pollution score is a 7 out of 10.