2019 Honda Pilot Review

 What's New for the 2019 Honda Pilot?

The 2019 model year finds the Honda Pilot midway through its third generation of production-and receiving a facelift. It is, however, still available in five trims: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, and Elite trims. Powering the vehicle is a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. If you go with the LX, EX, or EX-L, the engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. On the other hand, if you go with the upper-level Touring and Elite, the V6 is hitched with a 9-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters, and the engine comes with idle stop technology to avoid wasting energy when at a complete stop. The Elite has standard all-wheel drive, while the other trims offer a choice between that and front-wheel drive.

The 2019 Honda Pilot is a three-row vehicle. However, the Elite comes with a second-row pair of captain's chairs to set maximum occupancy at seven. The LX, EX, and EX-L go with a bench-style seat to increase it to eight, and the Touring offers you a choice between both setups. The EX is where Honda adds front-seat heating and a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support. The EX-L elevates with leather upholstery, a two-position memory system, and a 4-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. Rear-seat heating appears on the Touring and Elite. Standard comfort and convenience features on the 2019 Honda Pilot include cruise control, remote keyless entry, push-button engine start, Bluetooth®¹ wireless technology, seven-speaker 215-watt audio, a USB port and audio jack, a USB charging-only port, and a 5-inch color LCD screen. If you go with the EX, you will also get tri-zone automatic climate control, remote engine start, and a smart entry system. A garage-door opener, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, two additional USB charging-only ports, hands-free text-messaging, Apple CarPlay™² and Android Auto™³ for smartphone integration, HD Radio™, a trial subscription to SiriusXM® satellite radio, and an 8-inch display screen appear on the EX-L. The Touring gets a satellite-linked navigation system, HondaLink®⁴ remote connectivity, and a 10-speaker 590-watt premium stereo system with multi-zone audio.

Notably, the Elite is the only model with a heated steering wheel and wireless phone charging capability. New for 2019 is CabinControl™, which is standard on all trims above the LX. CabinControl™ is designed to turn your smartphone into a remote control to operate all your infotainment functions. Also new for 2019 are the CabinTalk™ in-car PA system, which appears on the EX-L and higher; and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot and a 10.2-inch-screen entertainment system with a Blu-Ray player, which appear on the Touring and Elite. Standard safety features on the 2019 Honda Pilot include six airbags, a multi-angle rearview camera, automatic high beams, LED daytime running lights, anti-lock braking, vehicle stability assist with traction control, and hill start assist. For 2019, Honda extends to all trims Honda Sensing®, a driver-assist technology package that combines lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision braking, road departure mitigation, and collision mitigation braking.