In USA they love big cars, in January, 2008 Japanese presented the second generation of the biggest off-road car – Pilot on the Detroit motor show.

Despite its aviation name, impressions of flight should be generated not through adrenaline, but comfort. Honda Pilot is an air bus on four wheels. The new model amazes not only with its dimensions, but also with internal space of salon, where eight adult persons can take places freely. At least, manufacturers declare this fact...

The off-road car engine is a modifed petrol V6 3,5 litres with capacity of 257 h.p., but its main feature – not in the fact it gives dynamics to the car, but in possibilities of effort optimisation and fuel expense it has. Variable Cylinder Management System allows disconnecting 2 or 3 cylinders, if there is no direct necessity in them. You can see at once that even a big American soul, which was never excited with the fuel expense, is pressed with world petrol crisis too.

The car's design also has nothing to deal with aircraft, though manufacturers declare that angular appearance promotes aerodynamics. It is obvious that this "dig" from Honda concerns Toyota LC 200.

Though Pilot is actually a child of the American car industry, a well-known emblem "H" is the best guarantee of Japanese authority. Cars' dimensions are almost identical, engines are comparable, so the main rivalry will be in other area. The only thing Pilot loses are off-road qualities – a crossover has a forward drive and automatically connected back. However, Honda Pilot's plus is its price – cheaper than the opponent, and automatic fuel economizing device.