2016 Honda Pilot: The Size that Matters

The Pilot is the largest of the Honda trio of SUVs that includes the CR-V and HR-V.  The Pilot is in its third generation beginning with this model and comes in as a great three-row family vehicle to enjoy.  The Pilot has been the second largest vehicle on any Honda lot for a long time behind only the Odyssey and that fact still remains.  This new models is actually only slightly smaller than the previous version but you won’t really feel the difference at all and at the top of the line Elite trim, the Pilot comes very near being a luxury SUV for everyone to enjoy.

If you were the Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Highlander or Ford Explorer you might must fear the Honda Pilot as it comes rolling in.  The sharp style of the SUV and comfortable near luxury interior that gives anyone plenty of toys to play with make the Honda Pilot one of the most enticing SUVs on the market today.  Very few three row crossovers can even come close to the Pilot for features, drivability and equipment, which is exactly how Honda wants it to be as they continue to look to be the leader in the crossover SUV category.

The drive inside the Honda Pilot give the feeling of easy control and confidence from behind the wheel.  This SUV gives a dynamic drive that ensures you can enjoy the ideal driving conditions on and off the road.  The suspension is soft, allowing you to feel a smooth ride even when road abrasions are present.  The steering is exceptional, making adjustments with ease and control that help this SUV make the changes from lane to lane, from road to trail, and from city to highway easily and expertly with little fuss.

Only one engine is offered on the Pilot which may be all it needs since this is one excellent engine.  The power comes from the 3.5-liter V6 that brings in 280 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque.  In many lineups you see many engines with the same transmission, but in this case you have one engine that can have either the six-speed automatic or the nine-speed automatic transmission.  To make this an enjoyable powertrain all models can be had with AWD and there is a traction management system offered to optimize the driving for both the AWD and FWD versions for snow, mud or other surface challenges.  The engine is also equipped with an Eco model to shut off half the cylinders when not needed.  Finally the fuel mileage for the Pilot shows up at 19 city/27 hwy mpg for the 6-speed in FWD, 18 city/26 hwy mpg for the 6-speed in AWD, 20 city/27 hwy mpg for the 9-speed in FWD and 19 city/26 hwy mpg for the 9-speed in AWD.

Honda Sensing and Under Floor Storage are two features that give you quite a bit of added value.  The Honda Sensing combines adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-path detection and other safety systems to help keep you and your family safe.  The under floor storage offers an additional three cubic feet of storage to help with some of the smaller hard to place items when you are driving.

The interior of the Pilot offers plenty of soft features and a surprisingly quiet cabin.  Every seat is comfortable and the overall feeling is that of a luxury vehicle that someone forgot to tell the Pilot it was a luxury model.  This gives you a great place to pilot the vehicle from (sorry, I had to) and enjoy the equipment, features, controls and awesome looks of the interior of this exceptional three-row SUV.  The rear passengers benefit from plenty of space, additional USB ports and the HD rear-entertainment system to keep everyone happy on the journey.

Gone is the boxy look of being chiseled out of stone for the Pilot.  What has replaced this block-shaped exterior is one of smooth refinement and excellent curves and lines.  When you see the three Honda SUVs together the only distinct difference you can see is the size of each.  Once again you can see some luxury touches on the outside with LED headlights and a new taillight design.  The cargo floor has been lifted a couple inches and the glass in the rear no longer opens independent of the hatch, but the refreshed styling give the Pilot a fantastic and sophisticated look.

Features are a huge part of what Honda offers you with the new Pilot you have chosen.  The base LX model starts with a multi-angle rearview camera and a tire pressure monitoring system, cruise control, audio and phone control which are located on the steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, a 4.2-ich infotainment screen, push button starting and an Eco model to improve fuel economy.  the EX model adds the Intelligent Traction Management System, an upgraded audio system with HondaLink and the LaneWatch right side view camera system.

To really upgrade this SUV, the optional features are included mostly by stepping up to different trim levels of this SUV.  The EX brings in the dynamic guidelines on the rearview camera system, the EX-L adds leather upholstery, the nine-speed automatic transmission puts you in the Touring and Elite models.  AWD is an option for every model except the Elite where it is standard fare.  The Honda Sensing is offered on all models except the LX to give the benefit of the active safety features that help you stay safe on the road.

As the largest of the “Honda Three” you might expect your new Pilot to cost a lot, but it really doesn’t.  The base model LX shows up at a price just under $31,000 with the EX coming in at $33,300.  The EX-L stretches us to $38,500 with the Touring coming in around $42,000 and the Elite will bring you in at $47,300.  The Honda Sensing option adds $1,000 to any of these prices with the AWD adding $1,800.  The Honda Pilot has been a fan favorite for several years and continues to offer us a great SUV at the perfect size for a larger family or a group of friends to have a great time and enjoy some adventures together.