Wards Auto Logo Honda Designer Believes ’09 Pilot’s Boxy Look Will Grow on
05-30-08, 08:27 AM
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DETROIT – Honda R&D Americas Inc. Chief Designer Dave Marek has a message for those who criticize the new for ’09 Pilot cross/utility vehicle’s styling: It will grow on you.
Marek recalls a General Motors Corp. executive at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit saying the new Pilot was “a license to print money” because of its interior roominess.
Marek recalls a General Motors Corp. executive at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit saying the new Pilot was “a license to print money” because of its interior roominess.
. Then there is the irony of a Honda designer referencing a GM executive as support.
Fact is, currently there are NO midsize or larger CUVs/SUVs currently on the market that have boxy styling and are selling successfully. The only vehicle that even comes close is the Ford Escape, but that is a compact CUV.
We'll see in the coming months and years how the sales of the new Pilot hold up, but market trends are against the Pilot doing well, even if it is a Honda.
Consumer perception right now is that a boxy SUV equals a fuel hogging and inefficient vehicle. Even if that's not the reality, that is the perception that Honda will have to fight against.
Bringing up the CR-V here is also irrelevant. While some may find the CR-V ugly, its styling greatly appeals to women.
06-01-08, 07:18 PM
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Honda designer reveals 2009 Pilot's design was influenced by the bean counters
May28
april2008/2009-pilot-ri.jpg
http://www.leftlanenews.com/honda-de...-counters.html
The 2009 Honda Pilot was met with a lukewarm reception at its debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, and it sounds as if Honda designers weren't 100 percent behind the redesign, either. Honda R&D Americas Inc. Chief Designer Dave Marek says the new design "will grow on you," but sounds rather uncertain in his defense of the new model.
The biggest knocks against the '09 Pilot is its boxy exterior and floating front grille. Many feel that Honda has missed the mark as modern crossovers are sleeker and more car-like, while the new Pilot looks more SUVish with a rugged exterior.
Marek revealed to WardsAuto that the grille was more influenced by Honda's accounting department than the design department. “The (controversial) grille was a case of taking something that was on something else… and kind of massaging it to fit,” he says. “On the mockup, (it) looks good. When you actually manufacture it, oops! That’s actually what happened."
It remains unclear if the Pilot's questionable design will hurt sales, but the new model does have some pretty big shoes to fill — the previous-generation Pilot consistently sold over 100,000 copies annually.
May28
april2008/2009-pilot-ri.jpg
http://www.leftlanenews.com/honda-de...-counters.html
The 2009 Honda Pilot was met with a lukewarm reception at its debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, and it sounds as if Honda designers weren't 100 percent behind the redesign, either. Honda R&D Americas Inc. Chief Designer Dave Marek says the new design "will grow on you," but sounds rather uncertain in his defense of the new model.
The biggest knocks against the '09 Pilot is its boxy exterior and floating front grille. Many feel that Honda has missed the mark as modern crossovers are sleeker and more car-like, while the new Pilot looks more SUVish with a rugged exterior.
Marek revealed to WardsAuto that the grille was more influenced by Honda's accounting department than the design department. “The (controversial) grille was a case of taking something that was on something else… and kind of massaging it to fit,” he says. “On the mockup, (it) looks good. When you actually manufacture it, oops! That’s actually what happened."
It remains unclear if the Pilot's questionable design will hurt sales, but the new model does have some pretty big shoes to fill — the previous-generation Pilot consistently sold over 100,000 copies annually.
06-02-08, 12:46 AM
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06-18-09, 11:40 PM
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06-19-09, 12:37 AM
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To each their own... I love our Pilot. It does what it's intended for... hauling people and bulky items. I can fit 3 child seats on the middle bench w/out any problems and still have room for 3 adults in the back. I get 22mpg on the highway and 19 on the city for a combined 20-21 avg. It takes regular gas and oil changes are always a breeze (only 4.5qts of oil and the filter and plug are inches away from each other). It also does some things that the GS can't do (except w/ minor mods), which is use the navigation controls while the vehicle is in motion, 4x more voice commands (i.e. control the front and rear HVAC and audio controls), and an IPOD ready interface. There are a few things that Honda could've done better though. It's missing bluetooth keyless ignition, power folding mirrors, power folding running boards, and that damn grill. Changing that grill is on the priority list after I get some running boards installed. The plastic in the dash is not that cheap compared to other manufacturers. And one more thing, this new body style is actually more aerodynamic than the previous model.