I could go on and on with comparisons (and don't worry I'll throw in a few more for good measure later) but let's cut to the chase instead. For those who use their SUV as a stylish replacement for their minivan, the Pilot is perfect. It doesn't have the towing capacity or off-road prowess of the full-size SUV used in this comparison, but the Pilot's target market, people who represent the majority of sport utility owners, won't care.

What do they care about? For many, getting Honda reliability, build quality, fuel economy and resale value in an all weather vehicle that incorporates a roomy, versatile interior, superb ride, impressive handling and adequate passing power. Not bad.

I won't spend any time rehashing Honda's reliability, the company's reputation speaks for itself. Build quality? Except for a freak dash trim piece that had come loose (first time this has happened in any Honda test vehicle yet), fit and finish is near perfect and only high quality plastics and materials are used. What about fuel economy? Let's do another comparison? The Pilot uses 13.8 / 9.6 L/100km city/hwy while the GMC Envoy XL (smaller than the GMC Yukon) usurps 15.0 / 10.0 L/100km respectively. In all fairness, the more powerful 270-hp Envoy tops the Pilots 2,557 L (90.3 cu ft) cargo capacity by 282 L (9.9 cu ft) when both vehicles rear rows are folded flat, yet only seats 7. But it's the last item, resale value, that buyers should spend more thought considering, because it hits you square in the pocketbook. Honda, like Toyota, regularly tops the charts.