CROSSOVER TICKS RIGHT BOXES
Honda Pilot makes a fairly convincing argument against the minivan
The Pilot has been around for 14 years, so it seems Honda was hip to this anti-minivan, pro-crossover thing long before parental units decided that the cure for the terminally uncool minivan was a taller, tougher and less space-efficient SUV.
Redone from nose to tail, this third-generation Pilot arrived for 2016. Less boxy and looking more, um, minivan-ish, it’s bigger, lighter, a bit more ritzy and more fuel efficient than its predecessor. The 2017 Honda Pilot starts at just over $40,000 for the base LX model with allwheel drive; we tested the toptrim Touring model that rides on 20-inch wheels and rings in at $51,490.
The Pilot is classified as an eight-seater, but if you opt for the Touring, you’re settling for seven spots because the secondrow bench is replaced with two heated captain’s chairs, which is certainly a better arrangement for a pair of warring siblings. The Touring’s standard rearseat entertainment system with remote headphones and a nineinch flip-down screen will also help in that regard.
For accessing the third row, the captain’s chairs have a one-touch button for slide and tip, but as is the case with most three-row crossovers, it’s no picnic for the less than limber to get back there. And even then, the space is best suited for smaller children.
When it comes to cargo capacity, the Honda Pilot is near the top of the pack. With the third-row seat in place, there’s a useful 510 litres of space and a good-size under-floor compartment. The light third-row seatbacks easily fold flat with the tug of a couple of straps, liberating up to 1,557 L. For hauling big loads, levers on the sides of the captain’s chairs snap them down to extend the flat load floor, allowing for 3,072 L. It’s a cavernous space with few intrusions.
Power for all Pilots comes from a normally aspirated and directinjected 3.5-L V6 that makes 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. While a six-speed automatic transmission is standard, the Touring gets a ninespeed automatic, along with a fuel-saving stop-start system. It’s a smooth engine, but you’ve got to really sink your foot to get the power, after which it scoots with authority. The transmission avoids the dreaded hunting between gears, but the shifts are occasionally a bit abrupt. In typical Honda tradition, the Pilot is a decent-handling rig, with good body control and a compliant ride.
The Pilot’s cabin surely plays the function card, with plenty of storage cubbies, cup holders and a big bin between the front seats. However, there’s a lot of black plastic in here. That may be passable in the lower-trim models, but for a near-luxury SUV costing more than $50,000, it comes across as way too Rubbermaid. Look to the Mazda CX-9 to see how artful and beautifully built an interior can be in this class.
Still, the Touring isn’t hurting for features. The front seats are heated and cooled, the steering wheel warms your hands on a cold morning and the panoramic sunroof lets in the light. Standard safety and driver assists include lane-departure assist, blindspot warning, a rear cross-traffic monitor, forward-collision warning and mitigation, and adaptive cruise control. I quickly switched off the overly sensitive lanedeparture assist, as it nudged the steering wheel at the merest suggestion I might be wandering from my lane.
Surely Honda is sick of criticisms about its new button-andknob-free interface. Well, here’s my two cents: humans have evolved with opposable thumbs for many reasons, including picking bugs out of your mate’s coif, snagging tasty termites and, crucially, twisting volume knobs. It’s ironic that in a time when we are all screaming about distracted driving, manufacturers peddle something that requires both eyes and numerous digit-stabs to get anything accomplished.
There are buttons and a volume-control slider on the steering wheel, but in all, this movement is an ergonomic step backwards. That said, the touch screen is big, clear and the Garmin-based navigation is a breeze to operate.
If you’re in the market for a three-row crossover, the 2017 Pilot is worth a long look. Ergonomic whining aside, it ticks all the boxes when it comes to functionality and drivability with its versatile interior and competent road manners. Throw in its light off-road ability and the capacity to tow 2,268 kilograms — about 5,000 pounds — and you’ve got a pretty convincing anti-minivan argument.