The Pilot makes a pinpoint landing with a fancier fuselage and a first-class cabin
The third-generation Honda Pilot utility vehicle, which arrived for 2016, is one of a trio of the company’s vehicles receiving styling and content updates for the 2019 model year.
The Pilot joins the HR-V compact utility and the two- and four-door Civic car models that are also receiving facelifts. In terms of sales, all are at or near the top in their respective categories. Honda clearly intends to keep it that way.
Although exterior changes are subtle, they do help make the Pilot less anonymous. The redesigned grille is stylish without being overbearing, while the fog lights are integrated with the lower air-intake garnish instead of being positioned below. There are also new taillights and a redesigned bumper.
Interior changes are slightly more obvious, including a new touchscreen that comes with an actual volume knob for the audio system. Previously, you had to adjust the level on the touchscreen with a swipe of your finger, forcing you to take your eyes off the road to do it.
Now available for all but the base Pilot LX trim is a new infotainment system that includes CabinControl. With a smartphone app, rear-seat passengers can remotely change their audio and climate settings. CabinControl can also send directions to the navigation system.
Optional CabinTalk allows front-seat passengers to communicate to riders in back over the audio-system speakers. Note that CabinTalk doesn’t allow for twoway conversations.
Ultimately, what makes the Pilot so useful is its interior space. There’s room for up to eight passengers, which automatically places it ahead of other seven-seat utility vehicles such as the GMC Acadia, Ford Explorer and Mazda CX9, but equal in capacity to the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander.
The Pilot’s standard 3.5-litre V-6 carries over with 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque.
The LX, EX and EX-L models each come with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the premium Touring and Elite trims have nine forward speeds.
The standard all-wheeldrive system, called Intelligent Traction Management (i-VTM4), is effective for most weather and surface conditions. It can direct up to 70 per cent of the torque to the rear wheels and 100 per cent of that to the outside wheel while turning. Called torque vectoring, it creates more cornering control/stability with reduced understeer (the natural tendency for the vehicle to travel in a straight line when turning the steering wheel).
The i-VTM4 can be set to Normal, Snow, Mud or Sand modes, with their own throttle, transmission and torque-distribution settings. A brief test of the Pilot’s AWD system over a boulder-strewn and deeply rutted off-road course (set up by Honda) clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of the system.
On the highway, the Pilot performs effortlessly and the torque-vectoring capability makes a noticeable difference at higher speeds. The V-6 is certainly no slouch off the line or when passing, and with the six-speed automatic transmission it’s rated at a decent 13.0 l/100 km in the city and 9.3 on the highway (12.4/9.3 with the nine-speed automatic).
Regardless of transmission, all Pilots can tow up to 2,270 kilograms.
Pricing starts at $42,900 for the decently equipped base LX that for 2019 adds LED headlights and LED daytime running lights, automatic high beams and a number of dynamic-safety technologies under the Honda Sensing banner.
At the upper end, the Touring and new-for-2019 Black Edition that tops out at $55,800 come with heated second-row high-back bucket seats, hands-free power tailgate, ambient lighting, premium audio system and 20-inch wheels (18-inchers are standard). A dual-pane panoramic roof is also standard with both trims.
Whichever you select, the Honda Pilot is a comfortable and competent vehicle, with the carrying capacity of a minivan, but with the all-weather, all-road capability normally reserved for serious off-roaders.