Laying eyes on the 2016 Honda Pilot for the first time, it’s hard not to see the minivan that lurks within. While Honda’s three-row family SUV has always had a familial relationship with the Odyssey, the old Pilot’s boxy disguise kept the secret. The new model’s softer lines and additional length make it much more minivan-esque. Add a pair of sliding rear doors and a HondaVac and this could be the next-generation Odyssey.
The new Pilot will share its engine and underpinnings with a new version of Honda’s people mover (due next year), as both eight-passenger vehicles share their basic architecture with the Acura MDX that was launched in 2013. Honda is being unnecessarily coy about the new Pilot’s specifications, but we do know that it rides on a 110.9-inch wheelbase, 1.7 inches longer than before, and that overall length has been stretched by 3.5 inches to 194.9. That extra space between the bumpers seems to have all gone into the third row and the cargo hold, surely a welcome development for the Pilot’s target market of minivan deniers.
Though it’s still eight inches shorter than the current Odyssey, the new Pilot’s size reminds us of the short-wheelbase minivans that were popular a decade ago. A new available one-touch folding seat in the second row affords easier access to the rear.
Honda says that despite its upsizing the 2016 Pilot is “almost 300 pounds lighter” than the 2015 model; we almost didn’t pass along that tidbit, given most carmakers’ track records on promises of weight reduction.
Under its hood the Pilot gets a new direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6; it’s the same engine as in the MDX, and it’s paired with either the MDX’s six-speed automatic or, in the top trims, a ZF-sourced nine-speed with automatic start-stop. Honda has not issued power figures for this engine in the Pilot, but in the MDX it is rated at 290 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque. The engine is equipped with two-stage Variable Cylinder Management, which switches between six- and three-cylinder modes depending on load and suggests that Honda’s boast of class-leading fuel economy for the Pilot may be more than just bravado.
The Pilot remains a front-driver with an available four-wheel-drive system that Honda says is substantially improved. Honda wouldn’t give us much detail on the setup, except to say that it uses two electronically controlled clutch packs on either side of the rear differential to maximize traction. Honda says it’s not a version of Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system, noting that the Pilot is tuned for all-weather ability rather than performance as in the MDX.
Honda was much more eager to talk about the Pilot’s new features, like a reversible cargo lid to keep dirty or wet gear from soiling the carpet in the hatch, a “tech locker” in the center console that’s also large enough to swallow your purse, and up to five USB ports, four of which can charge at 2.5 amps! Perhaps more importantly, a new seven-passenger configuration with second-row captain’s chairs will be available for those willing to spring for the more expensive trim levels.
In fact, much of Honda’s strategy with the new Pilot seems to be giving buyers the option to spend more money, with lots of extras such as 20-inch wheels, a panoramic roof, and a whole list of safety equipment including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and road-departure mitigation. Although Honda isn’t talking prices yet, as the Pilot doesn’t go on sale until summer, expect to see base stickers go up and the overall price range to expand rather dramatically at the top end.
