Sacramento,
California -- The Honda Pilot, a three-row people mover with a pretty fair
following, has been tweaked for 2019. Good
news: all the changes make it a better sport-utility vehicle.
My tester was
the 2019 Pilot AWD Elite, the very name implying a healthy dose of luxury and technology. And yes, that is the reality.
The list of
comfort/convenience features is staggering.
Ditto the number of state-of-the-art safety features. While Honda offers bargain vehicles
throughout its fleet, the Pilot is an exception. The bottom line on my tester was $49,015.
Not that
there's anything wrong with that. I liked
the leather-trimmed interior; the spacious, well-appointed cabin and
comfortable, powered seats. Liked the
20-inch alloy wheels too. Did I mention the panoramic roof? Liked that too. Add the hands-free power
tailgate to my like list.
A refreshed
outside appearance is an attractive plus.
In a nutshell, this Pilot wears a
Honda badge but feels and looks like an upper-end Acura.
Driving the
Pilot was a pleasure, although I wish there was a more-powerful engine option
beyond the 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 280 horsepower. To be sure, that power plant handles the
majority of driving chores quite nicely.
I felt I needed a little more oomph, however, during a steep uphill run in
the Sierra Nevada.
The interior
cabin was pleasantly quiet, even with the engine at full song. The nine-speed transmission and all-wheel
drive marriage was seamless and a secure performer on slick/icy mountain roads.
Max cargo room
is generous at about 84 cubic feet.
Fuel mileage
on the tester was only fair at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on
the highway.
Overall, Honda enthusiasts who show loyalty to the brand are not going to be disappointed. They can rightly point to the Pilot's charms
when facing off against motorists who prefer, say, a Mazda CX-9 or a Chevrolet
Traverse.
Pilot fans
will enjoy the 2019 improvements. And
well they should.
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