(October 20, 2011) CHICAGO — Cars.com announced today that the 2012 Honda Pilot is the winner of its $37,000 SUV Shootout in conjunction with USA Today and MotorWeek.

The shootout pitted seven three-row SUV's and crossovers configured with family-friendly features — all under $37,000 — against each other in a series of tests.

"The Honda Pilot won for its great mixture of comfort, roominess, features and efficiency," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. "It is the perfect SUV for buyers who want to comfortably haul the entire family and all of their gear. 

The seven SUV's were tested over three days in order to measure all of the needs of family SUV buyers including gas mileage, storage, features and comfort. The testing included:

    • 230-miles of highway driving to determine each SUV's accurate gas mileage.
    • Driving of each car by each expert to measure each vehicle for features, ride quality, styling and comfort.
    • A day of family testing and driving where a family of four joined our experts to give their impressions of the family-friendliness of the vehicle. They inspected every vehicle and its features and took the vehicles on a test drive. 

"Interest in large SUV's took a hit during the gas-price spike in 2008," said Olsen.  "However, the reality is that if a family doesn't want a minivan, these vehicles are really the only other option. Manufacturers have realized this and now 3-row SUVs are more competitively price, and more fuel efficient than ever before." 

Other vehicles competing for the title included the Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Highlander.