There are a number of reasons you might need three rows in your vehicle, but whether it’s hauling children or just needing a lot of space to move things, check out the 2016 Honda Pilot. In the three-row crossover class, the Pilot is comfortable and redesigned for 2016.
Now going into its third generation, the Honda folks have designed a Pilot this time around that is “just right” with kudos to the new interior styling. One standout that driver and passengers can enjoy is lots of cubby holes and space for whatever you need to store.
The competition in this class includes the Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Highlander, Ford Flex and Chevrolet Traverse, all choices for a large SUV, all fine choices to be sure. Finally, it might just come down to the preferences you feel comfortable with. Do take a look at the redesigned Pilot.
With five trim levels; LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and the Elite, the Pilot seats eight except the Elite, which only seats seven since there are captain’s chairs in the second row.
On the base LX, you get 18-inch alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, cruise control, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, noise cancellation, 60/40-split folding third-row seat and seven speakers with Bluetooth phone and audio connect as well as a rearview camera.
The EX will add to the base features a keyless ignition and entry, automatic headlights, fog lights, LED running lights, heated mirrors, and the Honda Lane Watch blind-spot camera. There is also an eight-way power adjustable driver seat and an eight-inch touchscreen interface with the HondaLink smartphone-enabled features. The EX is also equipped with an Intelligent Traction Management system with a Snow mode if you opt for a front-wheel-drive or the All-Wheel- Drive has a Snow/Sand/Mud mode feature.
The EX-L offers a sunroof, power tailgate, leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather upholstery. For the front seat passenger, you get four-way power adjustable front seat options and there are heated front seats for driver and passenger.
For extra packages, the EX and EX-L has a Sensing package with adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation automatic braking, road departure intervention, forward collision warning and lane departure warning.
The EX-L can also have a navigation system and rear entertainment system added along with two additional USB ports in the second row and a 115-volt power outlet.
For the Touring, you get the EX-L options and roof rails are added as well as a nine-speed automatic transmission, front and rear parking sensors, 10 speakers and driver memory settings.
The Elite trim is the top-of-the-line and for this, there are 20-inch wheels, LED headlights, automatic high-beam headlight control, blind-spot monitoring, heated steering wheel, automatic windshield wipers, panoramic sunroof and heated and air-conditioned seats in the front and heated seats in the second-row.
Under the hood, the 2016 Honda Pilot has a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel-drive is optional too. There is a six-speed automatic transmission on the LX, EX, and EX-L and the Touring and Elite trims have nine-speed automatic transmissions with an automatic stop/start system.
Safety features on the 2016 Honda Pilot include antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front side and side curtain airbags and a rearview camera. The Honda Lane Watch gives you the extra blind-spot camera feature on the trims above the LX and the Elite has the blind-spot warning system. The Touring and Elite have front and rear parking sensors.
Extra leg and headroom in the third row of the 2016 Honda Pilot is a plus. Overall there is 83.9 cubic feet of space when at maximum capacity. Behind the third row, there is also a floor panel that can be taken out for even more storage space while all the seats are being used. Honda also went all out on the Pilot with plenty of cup holders and storage bins.
The second-row seat slides forward to make it easier for the third-row passengers to get inside and the second-row seats also tilt and slide forward with the push of a button on the EX-L, Touring and Elite.
The quality has also been improved overall on this Honda and it shows with plush surfaces all around and the eight-inch touchscreen is good for all your needs from entertainment to navigation.
When driving the 2016 Honda Pilot, it feels good and takes the bumps and curves with ease. Indeed, this one is a luxury eight seater that everyone can enjoy.
Should You Need to Know: When the Honda Pilot is properly equipped, the front-drive model will allow you to tow as much as 3,500 pounds or the all-wheel-drive will allow for up to 5,000 pounds of towing.
Miles Per Gallon: On the 2016 Honda Pilot Elite AWD that I drove gas mileage came in at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 miles per gallon on the highway.
Cost: The 2016 Honda Pilot Elite AWD I drove had a price tag of $47,300.
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