Saturday, October 3, 2015

2016 Honda Pilot Review: Completely Improved

2016 Honda Pilot Review: Completely Improved



Big and blocky on the outside but underneath just a roomy, family-friendly crossover, the previous-generation Honda Pilot perhaps tried out a little too hard to look like something it wasn't. It was like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory gearing up in full Under Armour apparel to fake his way into an iron man competition. Now, the fully redesigned 2016 Honda Pilot has a more traditional crossover looks. It's probably a more honest approach, and it's secured by new installations that have made this third-generation Pilot a better choice for a three-row large crossover than in the past.

The Pilot’s noted for its flexibility, and that’s in full force in this new style. Three rows of seats have space for up to eight passengers. The front seats are just about ideally shaped, and with step-in height nearly an inch lower than before, the Pilot is a more rewarding bet for smaller or older drivers. The middle row is adult-friendly, and for the first time, you can get a version with two captain’s chairs and a pass-through. The seat reclines for long drivings and possesses its own tray table and cup holders.

Honda implies the new Pilot is nearly 300 pounds much lighter in comparison to the previous generation and has 30 more horsepower. With 280 horsepower on tap from its 3.5-liter, direction-injection V-6 and a nine-speed transmission that offers a much wider gear spread than the previous generations' five-speed, this a more faster, more responsive Pilot. Honda claims 7 seconds to 60 and I see absolutely no reason to doubt that. I didn't need to paddle-shift through the gears to accelerate onto the short onramps of the Hudson Parkway; the Pilot has a lot of pop to make merging simply a matter of dropping your right foot.

Cargo space is critical in an SUV. Pilot has a great amount behind the third row (16.5 cubic feet), second row (46.8 cubic feet) and first row (83.8 cubic feet). There’s smart concealed storage beneath the load floor in the rear, an excellent place to stash a briefcase or computer bag out of site when parking.

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