2016 Pilot Touring a refined family hauler
Roomy Honda SUV no race car but it’s comfortable, competent and stylish
Overview: All-wheel-drive mid-size crossover
Pros: Abundant safety technology, quiet and comfortable ride, fuel efficient
Cons: Not the most engaging driving experience Value for money: Very good, especially the lower spec models What I would change: Transplant the shift lever from the Ridgeline How I would spec it: Definitely an AWD version, probably the more affordable LX
It’s a shame, but if you need a vehicle that will carry your brood to and from hockey practice or school, you’ll likely forfeit corner-carving agility in favour of cargo and passenger capacity.
Sadly, one of the things you’ve got to give up in the 2016 Honda Pilot is an engaging driving experience. But here’s what you don’t give up: Comfort, safety, space, efficiency and good value.
Honda redesigned the Pilot for 2016, making it more streamlined and less utilitarian than the previous generation, while shaving 113 kilograms from the top-line Touring model we drove ($52,670 as tested). Its shapelier silhouette, however, has probably soaked up some interior space. Despite boasting a 4.5-centimetre longer wheelbase, interior volume is up only 11 litres. Still, the cabin feels roomier for front passengers, thanks to the redesigned dashboard, which is shorter top to bottom, providing more knee room.
Within the new dash, you’ll find a large central touch screen for all functions — even sound system volume controls — except the climate control system, which has its own set of manual controls. And sometimes, just returning to a previous screen requires scrolling through several menus.
The centre console is also narrower and sits lower, contributing to a more spacious feel, while still containing a large concealed storage space. Cargo room with third-row seats down is average for the class, at almost 1,560 litres, and if a family camping trip requires even more cargo, the Pilot can tow up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) with the optional $1,566 towing package.
The Touring trim level emphasizes passenger comfort, so it’s the only Pilot variation that seats seven instead of eight. Secondrow occupants are in individual seats with armrests and a centre console with cupholders, instead of the other models’ bench. There’s also a standard Blu-ray player with individual headphones in the Touring for the young’uns. The seats also allow easy access to the third-row seating via a single-touch button, though adults will find them tight.
The 3.5-L, 280 horsepower V6 under the hood boasts a 30-hp increase, and peak torque is up nine pound-feet to 262. While all other trim levels come with a six-speed automatic transmission, the Pilot Touring gets a nine-speed gearbox. Only the base $35,590 LX model is a front driver; all other trims include AWD.
The transmission shifts smoothly and a start-stop function provides marginally better fuel economy than the six-speed AWD models, at 11 L/100 km combined (11.3 for the six speed models). On a 1,200-km weekend drive that included about twothirds highway driving, our test Pilot used 10.3 L/100 km.
The transmission selector buttons, however, are awkward to use; you must push down one button for Park, pull back on another for Reverse, and push down another for drive. Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are standard on the Touring, but downshifting makes the engine blip uselessly, causing the car to lunge before it drops a gear.
With refined road manners, the cabin is quiet and the suspension does an excellent job of damping construction-riddled pavement. Steering is light and lacks any type of stimulating feedback, and there are Mud, Sand and Snow modes to provide additional traction in those conditions. There’s also more than enough passing power available when needed.
When it comes to safety, the Pilot excels, including among standard driver assists adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and lane-departure warning, blind-spot information, and rear cross-traffic warning. The Pilot Touring also includes Honda’s Intelligent Management system, which provides torquevectoring cornering assistance at the rear axle. Another worthy system was the rear cross-traffic warning, which caught a motorcycle a fair distance away as I backed out of a parking spot.
The 2016 Honda Pilot is more stylish than the previous generation. It also rides better, is quieter, and has received a wallop of new technology that makes it safer and more convenient. All of these factors should help when the time comes to put your family first when choosing a new vehicle.