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PALM SPRINGS, CA – Thank goodness Honda Motor Co. Ltd. makes terrific automobiles.
Because if vehicle buyers made their decisions on looks alone, they might not find many reasons to darken a Honda dealer’s door.
A case in point is the all-new Pilot cross/utility vehicle. It drives well, gets decent fuel economy, is spacious and comfortable and performs every task asked of it without a fuss.
But let’s be blunt: The sheet metal is dull and dated. Compared with dramatically styled CUVs such as the Buick Enclave and Mazda CX-9, the Pilot is the wallflower at the high-school prom.
Where the Pilot is stiff, sterile and upright, the Enclave is smooth, alluring and suave.
Where the Pilot’s front end is cold and uninviting, like the pursed lips of an angry librarian, the Enclave is a Hollywood starlet.
Honda has a good explanation for the Pilot’s appearance: It must appeal to CUV buyers who want car-like handling, and it must look like a traditional, rugged SUV for the customer who enjoys a little off-roading. Honda doesn’t have one of each. The Pilot pulls double duty – and does it very well.
