Overview
The interior of the Honda Pilot is designed to be functional, versatile and very user friendly with many unique and thoughtful features to accommodate the needs and desires of the driver and passengers no matter what the task at hand.
Honda designers started with the image of a backpack: sporty and functional, utilizing durable materials and multiple storage areas for maximum versatility. The concept fit perfectly with the "ultimate family adventure" vehicle design concept and provided the basis for the Pilot's unique blend of sporty, functional and fun interior design elements.
In keeping with conventional Honda design philosophy of "man maximum, machine minimum," Honda designers sought to provide Pilot owners with the largest possible interior space while optimizing the exterior size for improved driveability, garageability and efficiency.
Consumer research further confirmed that while many SUV owners wanted more interior space and versatility, they did not necessarily desire a larger vehicle on the outside. The result is a vehicle that delivers the largest and most versatile cargo capacity of any vehicle in the mid-size class (90.3 cubic feet) in a compact-class exterior package.
Like all Honda vehicles, the Pilot interior is designed with world-class levels of refinement, comfort and ease-of-use (ergonomics). Controls are designed to be simple and functional with minimal complexity. Gauges, switches and warning lights are carefully positioned and well labeled for intuitive use. Every aspect of the vehicle's interior is optimized to provide an enjoyable and relaxing driving experience for all occupants.
Theatre-style seating / Panoramic Visibility
To ensure a high level of visibility and comfort for all passengers, the Pilot features theatre-style second- and third-row seats and a large, glassy greenhouse with the best outward visibility (282-degrees) of any vehicle in its class. Paying special attention to the comfort of third-row passengers, engineers raised the third-row seats approximately two inches over the first-row seats to allow for excellent forward visibility and a comfortable seating position. Second-row seats are raised about one-half inch over the front row for improved visibility without blocking the view of third-row passengers.
Eight passenger seating
For maximum versatility, the Pilot is equipped with three rows of seats - two front bucket seats and two rows of three-person bench seats. The second- and third-row seats are split 60/40 and can be individually folded flat in one simple motion to handle anywhere from one to eight passengers and a wide variety of cargo.
The Pilot's seats are designed to provide every occupant with a commanding outside view, comfortable seating position, and easy vehicle ingress and egress. The second-row seat was designed to fit occupants up to a 99th percentile adult male. The third row was optimized for children, although it will certainly accommodate adults on short trips.
All seating positions feature headrests and three-point seat belts. Front seat belts are equipped with pretensioners and automatic load limiters. All Pilots come with standard driver and passenger front airbags. The dual-stage, dual-threshold driver and front passenger airbags can deploy at two different rates, depending on the severity of the crash. In addition, if the occupant seat belt is not fastened, the airbags deploy at a lower collision speed to help offer more protection to the unbelted occupant.
The driver's and front passenger's seats also feature side airbags mounted in the outboard seat bolster. The passenger's seat is equipped with an Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) designed to prevent side airbag deployment if a child or adult of smaller stature is leaning into the side airbag deployment path and in danger of serious injury from the bag's deployment.
The driver and front-seat passenger sit in bucket seats with six-way manual adjustment, fixed head rests and three-point seatbelts with adjustable pillar anchors. All seats are designed to provide long-distance driving comfort with an excellent balance of driver comfort and enveloping feeling without sacrificing good vehicle ingress/egress. The driver's seat features a special lumbar support designed to hold the upper torso and pelvis in an orthopedically correct position. In keeping with the vehicle's stuffable storage capabilities, the front seat backs feature cargo pockets with elastic mesh netting.
EX models add an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, a second-row kid's activity tray and available leather trim and seating surfaces. EX models with optional leather interior (EX-L) feature leather trimmed first- and second-row seats, door panels and a matching vinyl third-row seat to minimize the scuffing and damage typically associated with a child-oriented third seat.
The three-person, second-row seat features two separate sections split 60/40 with individual fold-flat capability. Removable headrests and three-point seatbelts with pretensioners are provided for all three seating positions. Second-row seatbacks can be adjusted through seven positions of recline via a lever on each seat's upper bolster. To fold the second row seat flat for cargo hauling, the user simply lifts up on a lever located on the upper portion of the outboard seat bolster. A special four-bar linkage automatically cantilevers the bottom seat cushion both down and forward as the seat back is folded down to create a flat load floor with no gaps between seats for optimal cargo carrying utility.
Both second-row seats also feature a "walk thru" capability for improved access to the third row or rear cargo area. A lever on the seat bolster outer allows the seat back to pivot forward while the entire seat slides toward the front of the vehicle in one simple motion. The seat is returned to its original position by simply pushing back on the seat back.
The three-person, third-row seat also features a 60/40 split, six-position recline and individual fold-flat capability. Levers on the seat bolster and seat back allow for simple, one-step, transformation of seats from the side doors or rear tailgate opening. Headrests and three-point seatbelts are also provided in all seating positions. The third-row headrests must be removed for the seat to be folded flat. Headrests can be stored in a special compartment located beneath a hinged door in the rear cargo floor.
The second-row seats (outboard positions) feature the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system with easy-to-use tethers affixed between the seatback and seat bottom. The LATCH system, when used in conjunction with compatible child seats, eliminates the need to secure the seat using the regular seatbelts. Third-row seats are equipped with upper child seat anchors.
Both second- and third-row seats also utilize ceiling-mounted retractable shoulder belts in the center seating position. When in use, the shoulder belt attaches to a special receiver in the lap belt anchor. When not in use, the shoulder belt retracts snugly into a special ceiling fixture, providing for an open and unobstructed cargo space when the seats are not in use.