Crossover minivans with three rows of seat are much trendier today than the other two-row option. It is stylish, pragmatic and family (or if you must say—clique) oriented. It is not an easy feat for a car company to think of comfort of a driver and a few passengers, more so of the comfort of the whole family. But Honda did it and we can do nothing but to stick our two thumbs up.
Pilot AWD goes against Dodge Durango, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-9.
What Meets the Eye
The design itself blatantly tells that the carriage is actually a minivan surrogate. For more flair, the carmaker endowed the crossover with unified side-glass for windows and sweptback corners for the front end. This 2016 model is even larger with the additional 1.8 inches by the wheelbase and 3.5 inches in length. Hauling weight of your whole family or gang, the man in front of the steering wheel may want to free some weight. This is where we may have to say kudos to Honda, for it successfully trimmed relatively 309 lbs. from the previous 4,302-pound model. Openings may mean 4 doors plus one since it’s specifically a hatchback.
Inside is a spacey room for your kids (who may be in their disagreement or “those moods”). The dashboard may not one of the most opulent but it is pretty impressive and complete with the basics.
Under the Hood
While we can congratulate the enhanced fuel economy and acceleration of our Honda Pilot, here, we may want to probe on the contributors. First, the 3.5L V6 that serves as the heart of this reliable horse. Letting yourself be in control or if you’re being light-hearted about it, there’s no issue with the 9-speed automatic gearbox working closely with the V6.
- Engine : 3.5L aluminum V6, front placement
- Transmission : 9-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
- Drivetrain : AWD
- Power : 280hp
- Torque : 262 lb.-ft.
- Mileage : (city) 19 MPG; (highway) 26MPG
- Price : starting at $47,300
