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4.7

2005 Honda Pilot

Starts at:
$27,550
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LX AT EX AT EX-L AT EX-L AT with RES EX-L AT with NAVI Shop options
New 2005 Honda Pilot
Choose trim
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LX AT EX AT EX-L AT EX-L AT with RES EX-L AT with NAVI Shop options
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Key specifications

Highlights
Gas V6
Engine Type
17 City / 22 Hwy
MPG
255 hp
Horsepower
8
Seating Capacity
Engine
Gas V6
Engine Type
3.5L/212
Displacement
255 @ 5600
SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM
250 @ 4500
SAE Net Torque @ RPM
Suspension
Independent Strut
Suspension Type - Front
Multilink
Suspension Type - Rear
Not Available
Suspension Type - Front (Cont.)
w/Trailing Arms
Suspension Type - Rear (Cont.)
Weight & Capacity
4,414 lbs
Base Curb Weight
4,500 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
450 lbs
Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.
N/A
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
Electrical
N/A
Cold Cranking Amps @ 0° F (Primary)
130
Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps)
Brakes
Pwr
Brake Type
4-Wheel
Brake ABS System
N/A
Brake ABS System (Second Line)
Yes
Disc - Front (Yes or )

Notable features

15-hp boost for 2005
New tire-pressure monitor
Standard AWD
Eight-passenger capacity
Navigation and entertainment options

Engine

Gas V6 Engine Type
3.5L/212 Displacement
255 @ 5600 SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM
250 @ 4500 SAE Net Torque @ RPM

Suspension

Independent Strut Suspension Type - Front
Multilink Suspension Type - Rear
Not Available Suspension Type - Front (Cont.)
w/Trailing Arms Suspension Type - Rear (Cont.)

Weight & Capacity

4,414 lbs Base Curb Weight
4,500 lbs Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
450 lbs Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.
N/A Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
N/A Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.
20 gal Fuel Tank Capacity, Approx
N/A Aux Fuel Tank Capacity, Approx

Electrical

N/A Cold Cranking Amps @ 0° F (Primary)
130 Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps)

Brakes

Pwr Brake Type
4-Wheel Brake ABS System
N/A Brake ABS System (Second Line)
Yes Disc - Front (Yes or )
Yes Disc - Rear (Yes or )
11.8 x -TBD- in Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
12.3 x -TBD- in Rear Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
Not Available Drum - Rear (Yes or )

Photo & video gallery

2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot 2005 Honda Pilot

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
3 years / 36,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years / 50,000 miles
Powertrain
3 years / 36,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
Less than 12 months or 12,000 miles from their original in-service date.
Basic
4 years / 48,000 if vehicle purchased within warranty period\n\n1 year 12,000 miles if vehicle purchased after warranty period expired
Dealer certification
182-point inspection

The good & the bad

The good

Reputation for reliability
Abundant cargo space
Solid construction
Resale value
Carlike handling and refinement

The bad

Lack of Low-range gearing
Short seat bottoms
Nonstandard radio controls
Occasional uncertainty in turns

Consumer reviews

4.7 / 5
Based on 68 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.7
Interior 4.3
Performance 4.6
Value 4.7
Exterior 4.4
Reliability 4.7

Most recent

closing in on 200K- 2005 EXL-RES

we bought this new in 2005 for the wife's commuter and our family truckster. We have pulled boats, jet ski's, motorcycles, and quads over the years. We have made numerous trips to California from Oregon and loved every mile. sure the control lights burned out, but was as easy fix. other than that, it has been tires and regular maintenance for 15 years and 190,000 miles! My wife has moved onto an electric car, which she loves. But I keep driving the pilot to the airport and back each week for work. Just this last weekend we loaded the bikes and took it to the coast.
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 5.0
Interior 5.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 3.0
Reliability 5.0
42 people out of 42 found this review helpful. Did you?
Yes No

2003 Pilot EX-L

I used to own a 2003 Honda Pilot that due to my own fault died at 583000 miles (yes, you read this right!) Other than 5 timing belts, brakes, tires and an alternator the car performed and looked as good till the end, as it did the first day I got it. And of course I'm currently driving another Pilot with 198K on it. Just a baby!
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 5.0
Interior 4.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 5.0
21 people out of 21 found this review helpful. Did you?
Yes No
Photo of Kristin Varela

2005 Honda Pilot review: Our expert's take

By Kristin Varela


The Honda Pilot is actually the vehicle that started this whole “quest for the quintessential mom-mobile” about a year ago. I learned about the Pilot when trying to find family vehicles with three rows of seats. After doing some research online (not easily I might add, flipping from one car website to another only to give up in frustration after sensory overload had set in and I still didn’t find the info I needed), I decided that the Pilot was the car for me. Of course, I hadn’t actually driven it (a minor detail, I figured) but all the online reviews I read ranted and raved about Honda’s safety and durability.

I wonder if the automotive journalists who wrote those reviews ever put children in the Pilot. Since Honda claims that “The Pilot continues to lead the sport utility segment as the ultimate SUV for family adventure” it would be logical to test it in real life with a real family.

The Honda Pilot has seating for eight, so it can be a great alternative for carpooling families who don’t want to drive a small school bus. The two Latch connectors are easy enough to use. Both the second and third rows split (60/40) and recline, making child car seat installation easy. They also fold flat with a simple lever pull (although it requires first removing the headrests in the third row and sliding the second row forward).

My biggest complaint about the Pilot is the seatbelts. I hate to say that it’s overshadowing all the positives things about this vehicle. The center seatbelt in both the second and third rows extends down from the ceiling (instead of the seat back, like many other cars). The problem with this is threefold: When in use, they obstruct my rear line of sight; they’re a pain in the butt to unhook and recoil back into the roof; and most importantly, they don’t fit children well. For older children just outside of booster seat size (the ones that are most likely to sit in the center position), the seatbelt crosses too high on the neck to be comfortable, causing them to push the seatbelt behind their back, where it doesn’t do them a lick of good.

The other issue is the seat belt buckle receptors (my newest pet peeve). They are on flimsy bases requiring a person to hold the receptor steady with one hand while using their other hand to insert the buckle; simple enough for adults, but very difficult for children.

OK, now that my gripe session is over – oh, wait. I lied. I have one more thing to gripe about. The head restraints in the front two seats have a square hole cut out of the center. I’ve heard it’s to improve visibility for backseat passengers, although numerous attempts to contact Honda public relations to verify this yielded no response. This design is quite uncomfortable for a driver or front passenger who is on the short side. The crown of my head fits right into that hole, as opposed to resting on the head restraint.

Enough complaining! On to the good stuff: The center console features an innovative and fabulous design. The flat surface with mesh-like sides is a perfect spot to hold a purse. The flat part slides open for access to a multitude of compartments to hold everything from coffee cups and snacks to travel tissues and wet wipes. The main compartment has tons of room for CDs, DVDs, a cell phone and even has a power outlet to charge that cell phone.

Two mesh pockets on the back of both the driver’s and passenger’s seats hold all the kiddy stuff that has a tendency to otherwise end up under the seats, never to be found again.

The DVD and rear audio system is a pleasure to use. It simply requires opening the TV screen and putting in the DVD (located just below the front radio controls in easy reach for the driver). Everything else happens on its own. No complicated system here – just the way I like it.

I do in fact enjoy my week in the 2005 Honda Pilot. It’s easy, smooth and comfortable to drive and has enough power to still be fun. With all the positive publicity surrounding it, I guess I have overly high expectations. With the exception of the (huge) oversight of the seatbelts, it mainly lives up to its reputation.

*For more information on the Honda Pilot and its safety features visit Cars.com.

© 2005 Mother Proof – All Rights Reserved

Read more


The Honda Pilot is actually the vehicle that started this whole “quest for the quintessential mom-mobile” about a year ago. I learned about the Pilot when trying to find family vehicles with three rows of seats. After doing some research online (not easily I might add, flipping from one car website to another only to give up in frustration after sensory overload had set in and I still didn’t find the info I needed), I decided that the Pilot was the car for me. Of course, I hadn’t actually driven it (a minor detail, I figured) but all the online reviews I read ranted and raved about Honda’s safety and durability.

I wonder if the automotive journalists who wrote those reviews ever put children in the Pilot. Since Honda claims that “The Pilot continues to lead the sport utility segment as the ultimate SUV for family adventure” it would be logical to test it in real life with a real family.

The Honda Pilot has seating for eight, so it can be a great alternative for carpooling families who don’t want to drive a small school bus. The two Latch connectors are easy enough to use. Both the second and third rows split (60/40) and recline, making child car seat installation easy. They also fold flat with a simple lever pull (although it requires first removing the headrests in the third row and sliding the second row forward).

My biggest complaint about the Pilot is the seatbelts. I hate to say that it’s overshadowing all the positives things about this vehicle. The center seatbelt in both the second and third rows extends down from the ceiling (instead of the seat back, like many other cars). The problem with this is threefold: When in use, they obstruct my rear line of sight; they’re a pain in the butt to unhook and recoil back into the roof; and most importantly, they don’t fit children well. For older children just outside of booster seat size (the ones that are most likely to sit in the center position), the seatbelt crosses too high on the neck to be comfortable, causing them to push the seatbelt behind their back, where it doesn’t do them a lick of good.

The other issue is the seat belt buckle receptors (my newest pet peeve). They are on flimsy bases requiring a person to hold the receptor steady with one hand while using their other hand to insert the buckle; simple enough for adults, but very difficult for children.

OK, now that my gripe session is over – oh, wait. I lied. I have one more thing to gripe about. The head restraints in the front two seats have a square hole cut out of the center. I’ve heard it’s to improve visibility for backseat passengers, although numerous attempts to contact Honda public relations to verify this yielded no response. This design is quite uncomfortable for a driver or front passenger who is on the short side. The crown of my head fits right into that hole, as opposed to resting on the head restraint.

Enough complaining! On to the good stuff: The center console features an innovative and fabulous design. The flat surface with mesh-like sides is a perfect spot to hold a purse. The flat part slides open for access to a multitude of compartments to hold everything from coffee cups and snacks to travel tissues and wet wipes. The main compartment has tons of room for CDs, DVDs, a cell phone and even has a power outlet to charge that cell phone.

Two mesh pockets on the back of both the driver’s and passenger’s seats hold all the kiddy stuff that has a tendency to otherwise end up under the seats, never to be found again.

The DVD and rear audio system is a pleasure to use. It simply requires opening the TV screen and putting in the DVD (located just below the front radio controls in easy reach for the driver). Everything else happens on its own. No complicated system here – just the way I like it.

I do in fact enjoy my week in the 2005 Honda Pilot. It’s easy, smooth and comfortable to drive and has enough power to still be fun. With all the positive publicity surrounding it, I guess I have overly high expectations. With the exception of the (huge) oversight of the seatbelts, it mainly lives up to its reputation.

*For more information on the Honda Pilot and its safety features visit Cars.com.

© 2005 Mother Proof – All Rights Reserved

Read more

Safety review

Based on the 2005 Honda Pilot base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
5/5
Frontal passenger
5/5
Nhtsa rollover rating
4/5
Side driver
5/5
Side rear passenger
5/5

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