The new Honda Pilot’s performance isn’t the most punchy, but its refinement more than compensates. Kevin Hackett for The National
The new Honda Pilot’s performance isn’t the most punchy, but its refinement more than compensates. Kevin Hackett for The National

Road test: 2016 Honda Pilot



When announcing their latest models, carmakers are often prone to using terminology and adjectives that you would normally associate with supercars. A case in point is the description Honda has given its all-new ­Pilot: “The Pilot has been completely restyled with a bold, new front grille and flowing, elegant lines of a sport coupé.”

OK, so while the style is new and the grille could reasonably be described as “bold”, there’s nothing remotely sporting about any aspect of this rather likeable barge. It’s a people carrier with SUV pretensions, and it will sit seven grown-ups in comfort. That’s the long and short of it – the Pilot is a large car for large families, and there’s nothing at all wrong with that.

Not having driven either of the previous two generations of ­Pilot, I don’t have a reference point when it comes to any improvements, but the styling is definitely more modern than before. Its footprint is substantial, being roughly the same size as a BMW X5 or Toyota Land Cruiser, and there’s no hiding its bulk. It’s perhaps not as ruggedly handsome as Ford’s ­Explorer, but you see so few ­Pilots on the road that if you fancy being a bit left field, it could strike a chord with your desire for ­individuality.

The Pilot’s interior isn’t quite the luxury environ Honda would have us believe, either. There’s nothing actually wrong with it, but the nasty hard plastics that cover much of the cabin, and the cheap switchgear, serve as permanent reminders that you’re in a Honda and not a premium German machine. In its defence, however, this all-wheel drive “Touring” model is well equipped, with an eight-inch infotainment screen (which does a fine job of collecting fingerprints), tri-zone air conditioning, leather upholstery, reverse camera, and “Sand Mode” for driving on the dunes.

I’ve been explicitly told that off-roading in this thing is off limits, so I can’t report on its desert-traversing capabilities, but it does possess generous ground clearance, and power is sent to all four corners. There’s no low-ratio transmission, however, so you’re probably best leaving the adventure stuff to the Land Cruisers, but at least this Honda has been designed with a bit of thought and ­consideration.

The 3.5L V6 up front, under the stubby bonnet, might not be the most punchy unit in the world, but delivery of the power and torque it generates is cashmere smooth. As is the rest of the driving experience, with the Pilot generating very little wind noise and being almost entirely insulated from tyre roar, any din being quashed by a clever ­“active noise control” system that neutralises unwanted sounds.

Acceleration isn’t particularly electrifying, even when you push your foot flat to the floor, partly because of Honda’s famed VTEC valve timing, which offers the goods at much higher than normal revs. Peak torque doesn’t come in until 4,700rpm, so you have to wring its neck if you need it to move with any kind of rapidity, but in normal circumstances, the power and twist being delivered in such a linear and progressive manner is perfectly in keeping with the engine’s character, which is as unfazed as George Clooney on a charm offensive. There’s nothing thrashy about it, nothing unpleasant – just dollop after dollop of hushed loveliness.

You sit up straight, but not quite as though you’re in a van, and the tall roofline makes for headroom aplenty. Visibility is excellent, and when you indicate to make a right turn, the central screen acts as a rear-view mirror, which takes some getting used to, but it’s an intelligent safety feature. The ­Pilot has been designed with occupant safety as a priority, but it doesn’t feel like it’s telling you off for the slightest infringement – thankfully, the beeps, shrieks and steering corrections that blight the driving experience of many modern machines are absent. Cornering at speed is remarkably flat and composed for such a large car, and the brakes offer reassuring retardation without being grabby.

This new model has been given the thumbs up by the ­United States’ Insurance ­Institute for Highway Safety, which bestowed it with the “2015 Top Safety Pick+” rating, and it isn’t difficult to see why. Its body structure has been engineered for maximum protection, and a raft of systems come as standard, including hill-start assist, electronic brake distribution and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.

As worthy as all of the above is, the new Pilot’s trump card is the way it goes about its business without fuss or nonsense. We’re talking about Bentley levels of refinement, and if your requirements from a new car are a relaxing experience in the cabin, with enough space inside to host a party, look no further – this ­Honda seals the deal.

motoring@thenational.ae

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Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs

Engine: 5-litre V8

Gearbox: eight-speed automatic

Power: 420hp

Torque: 505Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km

Price: Dh260,500

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)

Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)

Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)

The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410

Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000

Engine 3.5L V6

Transmission Six-speed manual

Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm

Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKelsey%20Mann%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Amy%20Poehler%2C%20Maya%20Hawke%2C%20Ayo%20Edebiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits

Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Storage: 128/256/512GB

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP

Group A

Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA

Group B

Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti

Group C

Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia

Group D

Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria

Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Surianah's top five jazz artists

Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.  

Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.

Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.

Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.

Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.

Company%20profile
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Company%20Profile
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The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5

Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

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Company Profile

Name: JustClean

Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries

Launch year: 2016

Number of employees: 130

Sector: online laundry service

Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding

RESULT

Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)

Kolkata win by 25 runs

Next match

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450

Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000

Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km