When the 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month, it was highly anticipated if nothing else. Designed to replace the current Pilot's aging lines and rejuvenate its lagging sales, Honda's restyled midsize SUV was a big deal for showgoers and Honda alike.
When the 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month, it was highly anticipated if nothing else. Designed to replace the current Pilot's aging lines and rejuvenate its lagging sales, Honda's restyled midsize SUV was a big deal for showgoers and Honda alike.
Unfortunately then, a recent study from automotive research company CNW Research, shows that many people find the Pilot Prototype "boring." Supposedly, when several hundred consumers from Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles were questioned about the Pilot Prototype's styling, using Honda-supplied press materials, it was able to achieve an average point score of just 7.5 on a scale of 12. CNW president Art Spinella has said that a typical score for a new vehicle is in the 8.7 to 9.0 range.
Obviously, if the study results are any indication of the car-buying public's general perception of the Pilot Prototype, this is not good news for Honda. So to get more insight, we thought we'd conduct our own informal study right here. Though by no means a structured, scientific effort, we'd like you to leave your comments on the 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype in the space below. Do you think Honda needs to add more flash to the '09 Pilot or do you think its simplicity is an asset? What are your thoughts on its design? And perhaps most importantly, will people buy it? Comment away!
Written by: Rory Jurnecka