2019 Honda Pilot Road Test and Review

2019 Honda Pilot Burgundy Off Road Front Quarter ・ Photo by Honda

The 2019 Honda Pilot addresses the only thing that might have been wrong with the previous year's model. Apparently, it wasn’t perceived to have any credible off-road talent. Whether that’s a big deal with buyers is another argument. As we all know, the percentage of people who own all-wheel drive vehicles and take them off-roading can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand.

However, Honda felt its three-row mid-size crossover SUV was not being appreciated fully. So the company has given the 2019 Pilot a revised look that supposedly reflects its mud-squelching abilities, and also bolstered the amount of standard equipment across the trims. More details are a click away.

Pricing

The 2019 Honda Pilot starts at $32,445 for front-wheel drive LX trim. The EX comes in at $35,325, and the EX-L (denoting leather) begins at $38,755. The Touring trim is priced from $43,515 and the Elite tops the range at $49,015. There are also some pre-bundled packages: The EX-L with navigation and a rear entertainment system costs from $40,755, and the Touring with captain’s chairs in the second row starts at $43,815. All prices include $995 destination fees.

The Elite is the only trim with all-wheel drive as standard. It’s an extra $1,900 in the other trims, but at least it’s available across the range. The top two trims also have an upgraded nine-speed automatic transmission, while the rest employ a six-speed automatic.

Photo by Honda

Equipment

The main story here is that Honda Sensing is standard even in the base LX model. This is an array of advanced driver aids that includes forward collision mitigation with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and road-departure mitigation. You must step up to the EX, however, for blind-spot monitoring with a rear cross-traffic alert.

More equipment means heading for the higher trims rather than ordering extras. Honda finds the EX-L is the most popular. This trim includes a moonroof, a powered tailgate, memory settings for the driver’s seat and side mirror positions, and the aforementioned leather seating surfaces and leather-covered steering wheel. 

Photo by Honda

Options

If you go for the EX-L with navigation and the rear entertainment system, and there’s another cool feature that’s new in the 2019 Pilot: CabinTalk. It enables the driver to speak with those in the back seat through the rear speakers or even their headphones. If they’re watching a Blu-Ray disc, this function pauses the action, so no (well, less) eye-rolling from the kids.

Meanwhile, the Touring trim has a hands-free tailgate operation, an upgraded audio system, ambient cabin lighting, and much more. The Elite enjoys wireless device charging, Wi-Fi, rain-sensing wipers, and ventilated front seats, among other things. The lowly LX, meanwhile, is eligible for a few items such as roof rails, rear parking sensors, and 20-inch alloy wheels.

Photo by Honda

Comfort and Cargo

The base Pilot is set up to seat eight, which might come in handy for the school run, although the middle seats in the second and third rows are small. The third row is best left for small and flexible types. Higher trims offer a pair of captain’s chairs in the second row, cutting the headcount to seven.

From ride quality to seat cushioning, the Pilot makes comfort a virtue. Those soft bits where elbows come into contact with cabin are always good to have. Cargo volume is also a highlight. Behind the third row is 16.5 cubic feet (plus some underfloor stowage). Fold it down for 46.8 cubic feet, then flatten the second row for 83.9 cubic feet.

Photo by Honda

Engine and Fuel Economy

There’s one engine, unchanged from when this generation (the third) debuted for 2016. It’s a 3.5-liter V6 making 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. It’s also refined and efficient, and it should be as reliable as the sunset and sunrise. This amount of power is sufficient for moving an all-wheel drive vehicle built for eight occupants. As mentioned, the automatic transmissions have six or nine forward gears and all-wheel drive is optional.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates fuel consumption at 19 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and the six-speed automatic, or 1 mpg less with all-wheel drive. The nine-speed automatic improves to 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway/23 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and again gives up 1 mpg with all-wheel drive.

Photo by Honda

Interior Design

The Pilot's dashboard design and center console are unfussy. A driver will have no problem looking past them and concentrating on the road conditions instead. Speaking of which, outward vision is especially good, adding to the feeling of reassurance that invariably comes with driving a crossover.

It’s a testament to Honda’s skill at ergonomics that there are no little annoyances — like not being able to see the entire instrument cluster when the steering wheel is adjusted to one’s perfect position. The 2019 Pilot also adds a knob to adjust audio volume. Using the push-button shifter to select modes like Drive and Reverse becomes intuitive after the first use; it helps that those switches are laid out in a similar fashion to how a shift lever would work. A little “shelf” just above the door pocket is also perfect for stowing phones.

Photo by Honda

Exterior Design

For 2019, the Pilot sports a tweaked nose and tail. The styling is pleasant enough, but doesn’t necessarily say “take me off-roading.” Like its predecessor, the overall effect is rather unmemorable. But at least it isn’t “polarizing” — a well-used critic’s term that’s really shorthand for “only the designer’s mother could find something nice to say about it.”

This model year brings LED daytime running lights and low-beam headlights as standard throughout the Pilot lineup, while the reversing lights have been repositioned for better visibility. Oh, and the lower part of the new front bumper has a “skid garnish” (Honda’s description), which looks a bit like a skid plate but is made of plastic.

Photo by Honda

Performance

Maximum towing capacity is 5,000 pounds. The engine has no problems pulling that amount. It might even feel like there is no trailer attached until the start of an uphill stretch.

When driving unhitched, there seems just the right amount of muscle, with strong, smooth, and linear acceleration, without being the least bit intimidating. This is yet another example of how well Honda “pitches” things, how the company hones responses to driver inputs, and how a vehicle should behave. Our main complaint is that the brake pedal has a long travel; we’d prefer a more decisive initial bite. There are no gripes regarding noise levels, however. This is one seriously quiet cabin.

Photo by Honda

Handling

The Pilot's all-wheel drive system has real torque vectoring, not some brake-based simulation. That means it can distribute power among the wheels for grip and traction in virtually all conditions. For getting around corners, it will speed up the outside wheels to keep the line tight. It really works.

Torque vectoring is also a boon when the terrain gets challenging. The Pilot allows the driver to select the appropriate transmission/engine setting for mud, snow, and sand (this feature is not available in the entry-level LX). Front-drive versions of the EX and higher trims also have a Snow mode. Generally, the Pilot’s suspension is set up on the soft side. Lumps and bumps are hardly heard and rarely felt.

Photo by Honda

Safety

Since the Pilot will most probably be bought for families, it’s good to know that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given this generation a maximum five-star score, while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named it a Top Safety Pick+.

Photo by Honda