Helpful tech is crossover’s calling card
Honda has updated its hot-selling Pilot crossover. Not only is there fresh styling to talk about, but this three-row vehicle also bristles with new technology, additional refinement and even more standard features.
First-time owners and repeat customers alike are sure to notice the Pilot’s freshened exterior styling. Designers made it more aggressive looking, without going totally overboard. The grille is new, incorporating Honda’s “flying wing” motif with chrome trim extending above the headlight assemblies, which now house standard LED low-beam lamps.
The vehicle’s front bumper has been reworked, sporting larger fog-light openings. There’s also new garnish moulding on the lower portion of said bumper that gives the appearance of a skid plate.
Around back, the new Pilot sports a reworked liftgate and updated tail lights with amberhued turn-signals. Like up front, additional brightwork low on the rear bumper gives this family vehicle a slightly more aggressive appearance.
Lower-end models roll on 18inch wheels, but Touring and Black Edition versions, the top two models, feature attractive 20s.
Inside, the styling changes made are more subtle. There’s new trim around the air vents (how exciting!), wider folddown armrests for the driver and individual riding shotgun as well as three settings for the heated front seats. Touring and Black Edition models can be equipped with deluxe second- row captain’s chairs, reducing total seating capacity from eight to seven.
More technology than ever Many of the new Pilot’s visual enhancements are fairly minor, but things get much more interesting when you focus on technology.
And right out of the gate, Honda Sensing is now standard in every version of this utility vehicle.
The brand’s suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies includes things like forward collision warning, road-departure mitigation, lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control, features that can really take the stress out of driving. Automatic high-beams and a multi-angle backup camera are also standard across the board. Blind-spot monitoring is included on higher-end models, that is, EX, EX-L, Touring and Black Edition.
Wireless charging is also being offered for the first time in this vehicle; additionally, LED fog lights are available as well.
There’s a Honda-engineered Display Audio system with a vibrant seven-inch screen. It is standard across the board. With Android as its foundation, this infotainment system features customizable shortcuts and simplified menus so it’s easier to use. Of course, common smartphone gestures like pinch-to-zoom, swiping and tapping are all supported, as is Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto. But perhaps best of all is the inclusion of a volume knob. No longer do you have to fiddle with a cumbersome touch surface just to manipulate the radio volume.
The drive Generally, the Honda Pilot feels smaller than it is. Make no mistake, it’s a large vehicle, clocking in at more than two tons and nearly 4,991 mm in length, but underway it doesn’t seem that bulky. The steering is nicely weighted and sharp enough, its brake pedal is firm and reassuring. The transmission indeed seems more responsive and refined. Curiously, in normal driving, it starts out in second, which blunts off-the-line giddyup ever so slightly, though this isn’t a big deal because the gearing is still plenty low. If you’re taking off on a hill, go wide open with the throttle or have the vehicle in sport mode it will start off in first for fastest-possible acceleration.
And no matter the driving situation, you shouldn’t be wanting for power. The Pilot moves with reasonable authority, even while clambering up winding mountain roads. The added low-speed torque provided by a forced-induction engine might be appreciated in certain circumstances, but that would mean sacrificing this naturally aspirated V6’s throaty intake sound. Peg the accelerator and at about 5,000 rpm the Pilot starts to wail as VTEC switches over to the nasty cam lobes for a valiant sprint to red line. It’s unexpectedly raucous for a family vehicle, though the internal-combustion music is much appreciated.
The verdict The popular Honda Pilot is better than ever for 2019. Drivers are sure to appreciate its newly refined nine-speed transmission, additional safety features and an updated infotainment system. These enhancements are merely icing on the cake, as this vehicle was already a solid offering in its segment.
Base price for this updated three-row crossover is $43,013, but the range-topping Black Edition-trim model tested here checked out at $55,913, both prices including $1,922.50 in delivery fees. The new Pilot should be available at dealerships right now.