2016 HONDA PILOT ELITE VIDEO REVIEW

2016 HONDA PILOT ELITE VIDEO REVIEW by Auto Critic Steve Hammes

When it’s time to take the family on a vacation the 3-row crossover is the perfect tool. It’s no wonder these types of vehicles are causing us to say goodbye to the traditional sedan. And Honda thinks they’ve got just the right combination of car and SUV for you. This is their all-new Pilot.

The crossover craze is in full swing and as an automaker, the more you can jam into your lineup the better. Because they’ve evolved in fuel efficiency and driving acumen, they can satisfy a broader audience without penalty. So here I find myself with the 3^rd generation 2016 Pilot on a beach vacation – and not just any Pilot, the new top of the line Elite model…see, it even says so on the tailgate. The most obvious change comes in the form of sleeker styling – something Honda missed out on last time just as the industry was abandoning the boxy SUV look. I’m not saying I love it, but the new face is spot on and shows Honda’s willingness to go bolder in their traditionally conservative styling. The LED headlights, daytime running lights and taillights along with the 20” wheels bring an upper class look to the Elite trim. If Honda had only extended the LED treatment to the fogs it’d be perfect. As it pertains to the functional changes, this Pilot is more spacious with an airy cabin afforded by dual sunroofs, includes easier access to the 3^rd row and treats its occupants to all of the comfort and convenience features you could want in a smarter and more comprehensive way. Especially in a vehicle of this type, you want ease of use and clever solutions and the Pilot does not disappoint. Smart entry, push button start, a huge center console to take on all of your stuff and tri-zone climate control with cooled seats gets you ready to roll. That is if you can navigate this new gear selector which is unnecessarily cumbersome. But more about the new transmission in a minute.

Another welcome and brilliant change comes in the new Garmin navigation system; a one screen solution that works so much better than anything Honda has offered before. Searching for destinations as you often do on vacation could hardly have been easier with the exception of some less than perfectly executed voice commands and the biggest bummer – no real buttons, just touch functionality. And with 5 USB ports scattered about and a multitude of electronics connection points, everyone’s toys are taken care off. Same with the Blu-ray player and drop down screen in the 2^nd row, which gives those in the heated captain’s chairs remote controlled entertainment options. Quiet and luxurious, smart and easy, spacious and flexible – the Pilot Elite gets an A+ for its key crossover attributes.

The direct-injected, multi-displacement 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 works through 9-speeds to all 4 wheels via a new all-wheel drive system with a Land Rover-like Traction Management setup. It includes torque vectoring to help the Pilot slither through the mountain passes with better handling. Mileage is rated at 19mpg city/26mpg highway on regular with a new start/stop system contributing to the Pilot’s favorable numbers and stellar driving range. If Honda can tweak the interplay between the drive-by-wire throttle system and the 9-speed gearbox in around the town driving the Pilot would be an indisputable winner. The ride quality is just a tad firmer than it needs to be but the Pilot drives with a newfound nimbleness that’ll please the driver. It’s also much quieter inside. A host of new safety features are here and of course, the Elite takes it a step farther with a real blind spot monitor, rain-sensing wipers and auto high-beams. Again, it’s a luxury-level treatment for Elite customers commensurate with the $47,300 MSRP – one of the few Hondas that cross the $40k mark.

When all was said and done and the beach jaunts were over, the Pilot made such a favorable impression on all of us that I’d even consider overlooking the transmission’s annoyances if I was in the market. Pricing starts at about $30,000 for a front-drive Pilot LX and runs through various EX trims before arriving at the big boy Touring and Elite models.

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