SKY-HIGH value
Honda’s big SUV is competent and comfortable
It’s a shame that, if you have a young family and are looking for a practical set of wheels, you probably will have to make some concessions, especially when it comes to having fun behind the wheel. Basically, if you need a vehicle that will carry your brood to and from hockey practice or school, you pretty much have to forfeit corner-carving agility in favour of cargo and passenger capacity.
Unfortunately, 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, giving it a more streamlined and less utilitarian appearance than the previous generation, while shaving 113 kilograms from the top-of-the-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 the front passengers, mostly 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, which you have to access for any function other than the climate control system, which has its own set of manual controls. This was my least-liked feature; in Honda’s quest to reduce dashboard clutter, even simple controls such as the volume for the sound system have been moved within the touch screen. 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 storage with the third-row seats folded 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) when equipped with the optional $1,566 towing package.
With the Touring trim level, emphasis is on passenger comfort, so it’s the only Pilot variation that seats seven instead of eight. In the second row, you’ll find individual seats with folding armrests and a centre console with a pair of cup holders, instead of the other models’ bench.
There’s also a standard Blu-ray player with individual headphones in the Touring to keep the young’uns entertained on long trips. Aside from separating duelling siblings, the seats allow easy access to the third-row seating via a single-touch button that swings them forward. As expected, adults will find that third row tight.
There’s still a 3.5-L V6 under the hood, but it boasts a 30-horsepower increase, now rated at 280, and peak torque is up nine pound-feet to 262. While all other trim levels come with a six-speed automatic transmission, opting for the Pilot Touring gets you 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 (versus 11.3 for the six speed-equipped models). On a 1,200-km weekend drive that included about two-thirds 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. The new Ridgeline, which is based on the Pilot platform, does away with this silliness and uses a more conventional shift lever.
Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are standard on the Touring, but using them to downshift is awkward. The engine blips uselessly, causing the car to lunge forward before it drops a gear.
Although the Pilot won’t stimulate the race driver in you, it has refined road manners. The cabin is well isolated from wind and road noise, and the suspension does an excellent job of damping construction-riddled pavement. Steering is light and lacks any type of stimulating feedback, and there’s no Sport mode to alter this, although there are Mud, Sand and Snow modes to provide additional traction in those conditions. Engine performance is very good, with more than enough passing power available when needed.
Driving dynamics are probably low on the list of priorities for most SUV drivers anyway. Safety, however, is probably pretty high, and this is where the Pilot excels. Among the standard driver assists you’ll find 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 torque-vectoring cornering assistance at the rear axle.
Another system that proved its worth was the rear cross-traffic warning, which caught a motorcycle coming from a fair distance away while I was backing 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 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.