Zander Drives Cars

One of the most over-saturated car markets out there is the mid-sized family SUV market. It seems as if every single brand offers at least two different seven-seat family haulers designed to either look pretty, deliver “driving pleasure” or offer a lot of features. This, unsurprisingly, lead to a lot of competition among brands to capture potential buyers. One of those brands is Honda. Honda is in a bit of a brand resurgence if you will, there’s a new Civic, a new HRV, a new CR-V, and soon, a new Accord. The Pilot, however, is one of the only cars that hasn’t been vastly updated for the 2023 model year. So, can it still stand up to its rivals?

The third generation of the Honda Pilot strayed away from its boxier routes to become more like the Toyota Highlander and Mitsubishi Outlander, and while some welcomed the newer, sleeker look, it diminished the identity of the Pilot, making it the background in a wide-shot. That is not to say, however, that it is in any way an ugly car. I do quite like the front fascia, with the blacked-out grille that interrupts the headlights on either side of it and the hexagonal pattern on the lower portion of the bumper. Granted, most of the black accents are a part of the Special Edition package that, exterior-wise, give you a black grille, black wheels, black roof rails, and a black rear lower bumper. Proportionally, it isn’t too bad either. Plenty of mid-sized SUVs are either too long and low or too tall and short. The Pilot balances its shape well and has an inoffensive side profile to go with it.

The interior of the Pilot is your standard Honda SUV fare. Like the Passport I drove earlier this year, one of the main features present in the Pilot is the absolutely cavernous center console. Seriously, this is Suburban levels of massive. That being said, the center console is much lower than the seats themselves, making it difficult to do a quick reach-in or coffee cup grab while you’re driving, let alone not being able to rest your arm on it. Honda has solved the latter issue by putting manual armrests on their front seats, but they aren’t very supportive and feel like an afterthought. Aside from the center console, not much in this interior needs tough scrutinization. The trim pieces all line up and feel solid to the touch, the steering wheel has a nice leather-esque feel, and you even get a sunglass holder – something I haven’t seen in a while. As for rear seat passengers, there is more than ample rear seat room even with the front seats pushed back far. This is most likely due to the Pilot’s small hood, giving the cabin more space than some of its competitors. Third-row access is done by pressing a button on the seat and manually sliding it forward, giving you enough room to sit in the good enough third row. Listen, I was spoiled by the Suburban. Nothing will beat the Suburban. Impressively, with the third-row seats up, you still have enough room in the back for a decent amount of groceries and you even have the ability to access more storage space as well by removing a part of the floor in the way back.

The Pilot Special Edition really shines when it comes to the pure amount of “stuff” you get in this car. Think of it like a base model with all the technology and gimmicks of the Touring and Elite. For starters, you can roll up (and down) all windows, including the sunroof, by pressing a cheat code-like sequence of buttons on the key fob. Another exterior feature you receive is a foot-activated trunk opening sensor which anyone who has ever used them knows, even if they can be mildly unreliable, they are extraordinarily helpful. The Pilot comes equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen with everything but navigation. Yes, there was no button or menu for navigation. That being said, the rest of the system worked very well and was responsive and intuitive, and connecting my phone to Bluetooth was easier than in some other cars I’ve driven recently. You also get a semi-digital driver’s display, with your speed and tachometer staying analog. You can show what song is playing on the small center screen along with other essential functions such as a compass or tire pressure, but don’t expect a full-sized map display. It is important to note that a new generation Pilot will be coming next year, and if we’re basing this on the rest of Honda’s new lineup, it will most likely have the same screen and driver’s display as the new CR-V or Civic.

Heated power front seats are also given to you in the Special Edition trim, however, they aren’t full leather like they are in top trim models. To round out the features on the Special Edition, you get a collision avoidance system, lane-keep assist, a multi-angle rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, a three-zone climate system, wireless phone charging with five USB ports located in all parts of the vehicle, and a power moonroof. Most of these features are not present on lower-trim versions of the car, and considering the next trim up is the off-road-oriented TrailSport model, the next trim to get most of these “tech/convenience-oriented features” is the Touring, which starts at almost $46,000.

All Honda Pilots come with a 3.6-liter V6 engine making 280hp and 262lb-ft of torque. This is mated to a 9-speed automatic (thank you Honda for not putting a CVT in here) with a “shiftable” setting that sends power to either the front or all four wheels. I’ve seen people complain that the power is less than what should be coming out of a 3.6, and while I get it, the point of this SUV isn’t maximum power output. It is a midsized SUV, not a Civic Type-R. Plus, the Pilot has more power than the Toyota Highlander, so there. In fact, the 6.3 second 0-60 time makes it quite brisk in terms of its size. Fuel economy is rated at (for the AWD version I drove) 19 city, 26 why, and 22 combined. It’s not amazing, but Honda’s V6 engines can take 87-octane fuel unlike some other V6 engines being produced by Japanese manufacturers.

“How does it drive?” Like a midsized SUV. I know that might sound like an insult, but it isn’t, I promise. When I drive a family hauler, I don’t want a rough ride with tight suspension; I want smooth, silky glides over potholes and angelic fluid motions when the wheels turn. Thankfully, this car has that. Granted, the ride is slightly firmer than others in its class, but that means whoever buys this car will think of their old Civic Si when turning into the driveway fast. You’ll also think of your Civic Si because of the noise the engine makes. Yes, this is not the VTEC 4 banger, but the noise the V6 makes is a very good one and can be heard pretty regularly if you decide to pull away from a stoplight quickly. The Pilot is a genuinely enjoyable car of its size and something most people could get behind once they get out onto the open road.

Here’s the deal. If you want my opinion, wait a year for the new generation Pilot. I know this is contradictory considering that I do genuinely like this car, but the new one will have a slightly boxier look and have the new Honda Interior which is top notch. If you do decide to buy this car before the new generation, you’ll still be happy with it. My mom’s friend just bought one and loves it, so if you’re on the fence: just listen to some 18 year old and his mom’s friend from highschool talk up the Pilot. We wouldn’t let you down, I promise.

Huge thank you to John and Claire from Heritage Honda Westminster for letting me come down and drive the Pilot. They have a great selection of new and pre-owned Hondas and are soon getting a shipment of brand new CR-Vs in as well. They are good people. Click here to view their inventory.