Honda jumped into the three-row crossover utility vehicle segment early on, quickly establishing itself as a formidable player. That’s good news for consumers who can expect much in the way of quality, reliability, and advanced trappings from Honda. The 2019 Honda Pilot features several styling, powertrain and technology enhancements as it keeps pace with an ever-changing market.
What's New for 2019
The 2019 Honda Pilot features a refresh on the current-generation design. New this year are updated front and rear fascias, including new headlights, bumpers, and taillights. Other updates include improved refinement for the nine-speed automatic transmission, a new display audio screen, 4G LTE WiFi, and Honda Sensing being standard on all trim levels.
Choosing Your Honda Pilot
Honda offers one engine with the 2019 Pilot: a 3.5-liter V6 which makes 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Honda pairs this engine with a six-speed automatic transmission on the LX, EX, and EX-L trims. Both the Touring and Elite trims have a nine-speed automatic transmission. This transmission now starts in second gear for a smoother launch and for lower speed acceleration. When operating in snow mode, the transmission also starts in second gear for better grip. All trims except the top-of-the-line Elite come with standard front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available on all other trims for $1,900.
The 2019 Pilot earns an EPA-estimated 19 miles per gallon in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 22 combined with FWD and the six-speed transmission, while AWD drops ratings by one mpg in each category. The Pilot with the nine-speed transmission gets 20/27/23 mpg (city/highway/combined) with FWD and 19/26/22 mpg with AWD. The Honda Pilot has a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.
Honda offers the 2019 Pilot in five trims: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The list of standard features includes LED low-beam headlights, automatic high beams, 18-inch alloy wheels, a six-speaker audio system with a five-inch display, heated door mirrors, and Honda Sensing. Honda Sensing represents a suite of driver-assist features, including lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control.
We applaud Honda for making its stellar Honda Sensing system standard across the 2019 Honda Pilot lineup. It not only makes driver-assist features available throughout, it also means families don’t have to choose among options to get what they want. That said, we think the EX-L delivers a comprehensive package, although we do recommend the Advanced Navi and RES Package if you have young children. Otherwise, forego this package and use the smartphone connectivity tools to help take you where you’re going.