The Honda Pilot has been an essential part of the brand’s lineup right from its introduction in 2002.
The current generation, which first showed up in 2016, is a departure for the model. The Pilot’s gone all swoopy, adopting the curvier, more aerodynamic styling seen on its CR-V and HR-V little brothers. It’s immediately identifiable as a Honda, which no doubt helps it stay a strong seller in the three-row crossover class. A light facelift for 2019 gave it a Clarity-inspired front end complete with standard LED lights.
It doesn’t throw many surprises, but the Honda Pilot is competent in many ways. Its model structure keeps things simple: every Pilot comes with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 putting out a healthy 280 hp and 262 lb-ft. Crucially, Honda has made sure this powerplant delivers all its grunt on regular gas, not premium, saving buyers cash at the pumps.
Front- and all-wheel drive are both available, with transmission choices coming down to two automatics: a six-speed or a nine-speed. At it’s most fuel-miserly (front-drive, nine-speed), the Pilot posts up 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, for a combined 23 mpg. Wholly class-competitive, if not stellar — it’s surprising Honda hasn’t given the Pilot a hybrid version, at least not yet.
The Pilot’s interior is a hearty and roomy place to be. It’s built with family use in mind, coming in seven- or eight-seat configurations. Storage nooks and crannies abound, and the available CabinTalk system allows those up front to talk with other rows easily. The Honda Sensing suite of safety tech is also standard across the board.
Honda designed and builds the Pilot in America. The Lincoln, Alabama factory takes care of Pilot production, along with the Passport, Ridgeline, and Odyssey.