2011*honda
The V-6 is the only engine offered and adds four horsepower, now rated at 248 horsepower but all have cylinder deactivation that leads to exceptional mileage: 18/27 mpg city/highway when teamed with a five-speed automatic. The Touring and Touring Elite models get a six-speed automatic and some aerodynamic tweaks to achieve 19/28 mpg. Both figures are tops in the class, even against the four-cylinder 2011 Toyota Sienna, which gets 19/24 mpg.
2011*honda
Teaching an old car new tricks Although the CR-V's displacement remains at 2.4 liters for 2011, Honda has managed to boost output by about 20 horsepower. The crossover now spins its flywheel to the tune of 180 ponies and 161 pound-feet of torque. From behind the wheel, however, you'd be hard pressed to notice. In fact, we didn't notice until we'd checked the specs.
In sum Though we wouldn't go so far as to say that it's already out-classed, the 2011 Honda CR-V is not the hippest car. Its cabin tech package checks a lot of the right boxes, but pales in comparison to what we're seeing from upstarts Hyundai and Kia. For the most part, these cabin tech options are bundled in with the top-of-the-line EX-L trim level, leaving potential buyers stuck with a high cost of entry for what's essentially outdated tech.
The Honda's taken some blows in the cabin tech department and scored some minor victories in the performance department, so it comes down to sticker price. The 2011 Honda CR-V starts at $21,695 at the LX trim level, but because Honda ties its options into the trim levels, you'll get next-to-no tech at that point. If you want Bluetooth hands-free calling, navigation, a rearview camera, premium audio, or even a USB port, it's all or nothing for the EX-L with Navigation model, which rolls all of that in with heated leather front seats for $28,645. Adding all-wheel drive bumps the damage up to $29,895. There are no more options beyond this point, so add in a $780 destination charge for an as-tested price of $30,675.
The 250-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 that powers the 2011 Honda Pilot isn't exceptionally fast with the smooth-shifting five-speed automatic, but it has a pleasant, responsive, and refined feel and is sweet-sounding. A cylinder-deactivation system is there to help cut fuel consumption while coasting or cruising, yet the Pilot is quite thirsty, with EPA ratings of just 16 mpg city, 22 highway with four-wheel drive. Handling is much better than the tall silhouette suggests, and once you get past the initial surprise of the tall driving position, you'll find handling to be reasonably crisp, with good maneuverability.
The 2011 Honda Pilot has a carlike unibody design, bolstered structurally with some of the benefits of an SUV, so it's able to draw from the best of both worlds. Ride quality is a little firm, but with the optional four-wheel-drive (actually all-wheel drive) system, which has a Lock mode, the Pilot is great for getting through deep snow, mud, and the like. Four-wheel-drive models can tow up to 4,500 pounds.
From a practicality standpoint, the interior of the 2011 Honda Pilot interior brims with cubbies, holders, and bins for accoutrements of all sorts. Oddly, the chunky, oversized aesthetic doesn't carry over to instrument-panel controls, which come across as cluttered, and the hard-plastic surfaces used throughout the dash are disappointing.
The thick rear pillars could be in the way for some drivers when parking or changing lanes, so the backup camera, which comes standard on the 2011 Honda Pilot EX-L and Touring models with the nav system, could be useful.
Base 2011 Honda Pilot LX models come with rear air conditioning, keyless entry, cruise control, and a seven-speaker sound system, while the top-of-the-line Touring includes a host of tech features, such as a nav system, a rearview camera, a Bluetooth hands-free interface, a USB audio plug, backup sensors, and available rear DVD entertainment. The availability of the navigation system has been expanded to EX-L models for 2011. 041b061a72