2019 Honda Pilot

The segment it competes in has now started seeing a lot of competition which has now increased multifold. Although a pretty competent vehicle in its segment, the Honda Pilot faces steep competition from the likes of Ford Explorer, Subaru Ascent, Chevrolet Traverse, and other similar SUVs in the market.

As mentioned earlier, the Honda Pilot is available in five different trim levels to choose from, viz. LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The base LX trim is a bit bare-bones for today’s standard. With a regular air-conditioning system, a small 5” touchscreen display for the infotainment system without any sort of Smartphone integration like Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, it won’t be very suitable for you if you are into multimedia consumption while being inside. In contrast, the next trim in the lineup, the EX trim gets you a whole lot for a relatively slight increase in the pricing.

With a bigger 8” touchscreen display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for media consumption, it also comes with a three-zone automatic climate control system for enhanced comfort. With the EX-L and Touring trims also being really good choices, you should definitely go for the full spec’d Pilot Elite if you’ve got the cash and want the full experience of what it has to offer.

Without many options in terms of packages or optional features, if at all, you do get the option to choose between a regular bench seat or Captain’s seats for the second row in the Touring trim. The top-of-the-range Elite trim comes with the Captain’s seats for the 2nd row as standard.

Which Trim should you buy?

The EX trim might just be the most value-for-money trim in the lineup. You get most of the important and necessary features to make owning it a more pleasant experience. With features like keyless access and ignition, heated front seats, one-touch slide-and-fold second-row seats, you get more than what you are paying for.

Under the hood of the Honda Pilot is a 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 producing 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, and it is the same regardless of the trim. In terms of the gearbox, a 6-speed automatic transmission for the lower trim levels, while the higher trim levels, the Touring and the Elite come with the re-tuned 9-speed automatic transmission. 

While the engine is more than competent in terms of power delivery, the 9-speed automatic transmission might not be for everyone. Even though they have re-tuned it for the 2019 model which eliminated much of the low-speed stutters and jerkiness which it used to have, it is still not as smooth as the 6-speed transmission found on the less expensive trim levels.

With a 0 to 60 mph time of 6.3 seconds, the Honda Pilot is a surprisingly quick 3-row crossover SUV. Even though there are a few other competitors that are around a similar ballpark, it also dominates in terms of quarter-mile time and the top speed as well. 

How well does the 2019 Honda Pilot handle?

The V6 in the 2019 Honda Pilot feels very smooth and peppy, and overtaking is not an issue at all - floor the pedal at 50 MPH and the behemoth will run to 70 MPH in no time! This can also be attributed to the gearbox’s response and how well-calibrated it is when it comes to shifting to the right cog while overtaking. The suspension is pretty smooth and the ambient noises in the cabin are taken care of, making the drive quiet and tireless. 

Talking of the suspension setup, the Pilot handles very well on the twisty roads. Now, it is not a car meant to be driven enthusiastically on twisty roads but handles very well for its size. The steering is very light which helps the car to point in a direction easier for a 7-seater SUV. Now, the precision of the steering might not be as good but is, again, acceptable. 

2019 Honda Pilot Braking Performance

This is one department where the Honda Pilot fails to impress. Although the brakes are easy to use due to its relatively consistent and confidence-inspiring feeling, it is not as powerful as it should be. Taking 129 feet from 60 mph to standstill during emergency braking, it underperforms than most of its competitors, and that too by quite a margin as well, which is especially surprising considering the fact that the Pilot is one of the lighter SUVs in the competition.

In terms of rotor dimensions, the Honda Pilot and its competitors are more or less in a similar ballpark. But the calipers in the Pilot aren’t probably powerful enough to provide satisfactory braking performance - a place where the Ford Explorer takes the win. 

The fuel economy figures of the 2019 Honda Pilot are what you would expect from a big 3-row crossover SUV. While the front-wheel-drive variants have an EPA-estimated mileage rating of 19 mpg in the city, with 27 mpg on the highway, providing a combined mileage of 22 mpg; the AWD variants has a slightly lower 18 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, providing a combined mileage of 21 mpg. These figures might not look pretty impressive at first but are pretty decent for their segment. 

In terms of fuel economy, the Pilot and its competitors give very similar fuel economy figures, with the Ascent being relatively more fuel-efficient, and providing a significant jump in the city fuel economy. On the highway, the Honda’s V6 does its job well and returns the most range, making it ideal for weekend getaways. 

In addition to its numerous technology upgrades, updates to Pilot's interior include new trim around the vents, available 3-way heated front seats, and wider fold-down armrests for the driver and front passenger. Additionally, second-row captain's chairs are now available on both Touring and Elite models and second-row retractable sunshades are available on EX-L, Touring, and Elite trims. With that being said, although the design of the interior of the Pilot might seem pretty mature and clean, it might feel a bit dated to some. Other than that, there is nothing much to complain about. The quality of materials is quite premium for a non-luxury SUV, and the build quality is pretty solid as well.

In terms of interior dimensions, the Honda Pilot and its competitors are similar but the Pilot does have a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to its cargo capacity - the 16.5 cubic feet of cargo should be more than enough for most people in most scenarios but when the luggage increases, the third-row has to be folded down to get more space. That being said, some of the noteworthy interior features are:

• 8-way power-adjustable driver seat with power adjustable lumbar support
• 4-way power-adjustable passenger seat
• Ventilated front seats
• Heated front and 2nd-row seats
• Ambient lighting
• Heated steering wheel
• Panoramic moonroof
• Leather-trimmed seats, steering wheel, and shift knob

What’s there to keep you entertained?

For the Honda Pilot’s infotainment system, the base LX trim starts off with a small 5” touchscreen display, along with a 218-watt 6-speaker audio system, plus a subwoofer with USB and AUX ports to help you listen to music. No Android Auto or Apple CarPlay or any sort of smartphone integration, unfortunately. For that, you need to upgrade to the EX trim level, which also upgrades to a larger 8” touchscreen display for the infotainment system. On top of that, you also get HondaLink and CabinControl smartphone integration for enhanced convenience.

The available next-generation HondaLink platform connects customers to online content both inside and outside for a variety of cloud-based services. CabinControl allows passengers to use their smartphones to control a range of Pilot features, including the audio system, Rear Entertainment System (if equipped), and rear climate control system. Touring and Elite trims get an updated 10-speaker system with a subwoofer, and 590 watts of power. That being said, some highlighting features of the infotainment system include:

• 5” / 8” touchscreen infotainment display
• Bluetooth connectivity
• USB connectivity
• AUX connectivity
• 6-speaker / 10-speaker music system
• Inbuilt navigation with turn-by-turn route guidance
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration
• Rear entertainment system 
• 4G LTE-based Wi-Fi hotspot
• Wireless smartphone charging

As mentioned earlier, the 2019 Honda Pilot gets an aggressive new styling which makes it look more modern than ever before. The front sports an aggressive new front fascia with standard LED low-beam headlights, while the rear features new taillights, a new bumper, and chrome accents. That being said, it is not what you would call a striking-looking design, but it is pretty good for what it is. It does not have a very flashy road presence, and it blends in well with all the others in its segment.

In terms of exterior dimensions, the Honda Pilot and most of its competitors are more or less in a similar ballpark, which is also the case with their wheelbases as well. But talking relatively, the Honda’s shorter wheelbase and lower height play an important role in making it a very nimble handler for the segment, and also helps in city maneuverability as well. That being said, some of the key exterior features are:

• Standard LED low-beam headlights
• Honda "flying wing" grille design
• 18-inch wheel designs on LX, EX, and EX-L 
• New 20-inch design on Touring and Elite 
• Hands-free power tailgate

The Honda Pilot shares the same platform as the Acura MDX, as well as the North American market Odyssey minivan. It has a unibody construction, and independent suspension designed to provide a car-like driving experience. For 2019, all Pilot models come standard with the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies. Honda Sensing helps provide greater awareness of driving conditions around the vehicle, and in some cases helps drivers maintain lane position.

It has what Honda calls the Advanced Compatibility Engineering or ACE body structure with crash stroke front frame design. It is a Honda-exclusive body design that uses a network of front frame structures to absorb and deflect the energy from a frontal collision. On top of your regular passive safety features like airbags and seat belts, it has got a number of advanced active safety features to prevent crashes from happening in the first place. These include:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control
• Brake Assist
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
• Blind Spot Information (BSI ) system with Rear Cross Traffic Monitor

The new Pilot was designed to provide a high level of active and passive safety protection and targeted a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from the very beginning, and it was able to fulfill that with 5 stars in most of the individual tests as well.

2019 Honda Pilot vs 2019 Ford Explorer

Unlike the Honda Pilot, the Ford Explorer comes with three engine options depending on the trim level, which is always a huge plus. Other than that, both the SUVs are pretty evenly matched, and it all depends on personal choice at the end of the day.

2019 Honda Pilot vs 2019 Subaru Ascent

Another closely matched SUV in the mid-size crossover SUV segment, the Subaru Ascent might just be the better choice if you are required to do a bit of light off-roading during your commute. With an all-wheel-drive drivetrain as standard across the trim level, it is not as tame as the Honda Pilot on road, but the economical 2.4L turbocharged Flat-4 engine under the hood gives the Subaru a slight edge in the competition.

2019 Honda Pilot vs 2019 Chevrolet Traverse

The Chevrolet Traverse is a bit larger and relatively roomier than the Honda Pilot, especially in terms of 3rd-row seating and cargo space. The extra amount of room and practicality does come in handy during long road trips. But other than that, the Chevrolet Traverse does not have much else to offer. 

The Pilot is still the easier one to get in and out of. The Pilot is also packed with more standard safety tech than the Traverse. Although a pretty competent SUV in its segment, the Traverse seems to fall a bit short when we compare it with the Honda Pilot.

The new Honda Pilot is considered among the benchmarks of SUVs in the 3-row crossover SUV segment, and that too for good reasons. It has a very competent engine, albeit without any engine options to choose from; good ride quality and comfort, surprisingly nimble handling for a big SUV. With a long list of standard features and creature comfort, advanced tech features, it also comes with a pretty impressive list of standard safety tech, especially for its segment making it a pretty impressive piece of kit in the competition that won’t disappoint one as a daily driver.