Interior Design and Special Features

The 2009 Honda Pilot's interior layout is attractive in the same rugged way as the exterior, but it drew split opinions among our staff in regards to whether it maintains Honda's traditional combination of intuitive controls and high-quality materials. The center stack is littered with small buttons that are difficult to decipher at a glance, but some found they become intuitive with repeated use. The main information screen/navigation system's central control knob and related buttons are located at knee level, requiring a potentially unsafe downward glance, but some liked that they fell right at hand level and could be operated by feel. The new Pilot's dash consists of roughly textured hard plastic: Some of our editors appreciated the low-sheen rugged look, while others thought they looked cheap and preferred the richer-feeling materials found in competitors such as the Hyundai Veracruz. Gauges are clear and pretty nifty-looking to boot, while the navigation system is one of the best in the business once you've got it up and running. The sound quality of the uplevel 10-speaker stereo is also top-notch.

The ace up the 2009 Pilot's sleeve in this category is its appreciably roomier third-row seat. There are 1.8 extra inches of legroom back there relative to the previous Pilot, and Honda claims that a "95th-percentile adult male" can now ride in the third row without issue. We're not sure how happy that guy's going to be about it, but it's true that the new Pilot's third row isn't the penalty box it used to be. Both the second and third rows are plagued by low cushions, though, which means that even moderately long-legged passengers will be forced to adopt a knees-in-the-air riding style. Overall, rival crossovers like the Flex and GM's Acadia/Enclave/Outlook/Traverse foursome offer superior third-row accommodations.

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Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2009 Kia Borrego midsize SUV is available in two main trim levels, LX and EX. Rear-drive Borrego LX V6 models come standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, a back-up warning system, an integrated tow hitch, air-conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control, a tilt/telescoping steering column and a six-speaker audio system with CD/MP3 player, satellite radio, USB port and auxiliary jack. The EX V6 trim adds foglights, heated outside mirrors, an eight-way power driver seat, a four-way power passenger seat, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Borrego V8 models are also offered in the same LX and EX trim levels and are very similar in terms of equipment, but come standard with 18-inch wheels. Four-wheel-drive models are equipped similarly and also have a windshield de-icer.

In terms of options, there's a Convenience Package for LX models that adds leather seating and a power driver seat. Two additional option packages, Luxury and Premium, are available exclusively on the EX. The Luxury Package includes chrome wheels, leather upholstery, a power tilt/telescoping steering column, a memory function for the driver seat and heated front seats. The Premium Package adds running boards, a sunroof, a 10-speaker Infinity audio system, rear air-conditioning controls and a rear back-up camera. Additional options for the EX include a rear-seat DVD entertainment system and voice-activated navigation.

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News Shahriar Davaran: The 300C gains a V8 engine, auto-dimming and power-folding heated exterior mirrors, driver memory functions, power-adjustable steering column, upgraded leather upholstery, rain-sensing wipers, remote ignition, "Tortoiseshell" interior trim and a universal garage opener.

Optional on all but the LX is the Protection Group, which adds front side airbags, side curtain airbags, auto-dimming rearview mirror and Bluetooth phone connectivity with iPod integration (uconnect phone). The 300C gains rear parking assist with this package. The Limited and 300C can also be equipped with a rear-seat entertainment system with Sirius Satellite TV, and a voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic (uconnect GPS). The Luxury Group for the 300C adds adaptive cruise control, HID headlamps and heated rear seats. The 300C Heritage package adds 20-inch wheels and the same performance-tuned steering, suspension and shocks found on the Dodge Charger R/T Daytona, plus a bunch of the above luxury features. A sunroof is optional on all but the LX.

Of special note is the Walter P. Chrysler Executive Series long-wheelbase package available on Touring and 300C trim levels. It adds 6 inches to the standard wheelbase to increase rear seat legroom. It also includes the Comfort/Convenience and Protection Groups, plus the rear-seat entertainment system, uconnect Tunes and uconnect GPS. On the 300C version, the Luxury Group and eight-speaker surround sound system are included.

The 300 SRT8 is equipped similar to the 300C Heritage, but comes with an even more powerful V8, Brembo performance brakes, special stability control calibration, unique exterior trim, a sunroof and an integrated rear spoiler.
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2009 Honda Fit Vehicle Overview

Introduction

On a weekly basis, we auto writer types in the office get weekly reports about what cars are most popular in terms of searches on our site. And for much of 2008, we were amused by reports for "Inside Line," our dedicated car enthusiast site. One phrase kept coming in as number one. It wasn't one of the expected ones like, "Nissan GT-R," "Bitchin' Camaro" or even "Danica Patrick." It was, believe it or not, "2009 Honda Fit."

Sure, we can understand why "normal" car shoppers would be interested in the Fit. This entry-level model, introduced just a couple years ago, quickly became a hit thanks to its high fuel mileage, innovative interior and nimble handling. But car junkies? Either the Fit has suddenly become cooler than a GT-R, or real-world, $4-dollar-a-gallon gas and everyday practicality have trumped supercar daydreams.

Dr. Michael McCue Dr. Marion Reed Dr. Ramin Modabber Dr. Doris Whittlesey Dr. Alma Murphy Dr. Wendy Tcheng Dr. Sandra Erickson Dr. Marc Olivier Dr. John Scialli Dr. Michael Scannell Dr. Jennifer Eastlack Dr. Bradley Oswood

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