Along the new and improved HR-V, Honda is also introducing the refreshed 2019 Pilot on the US market. The redesigned and refreshed 2019 Honda Pilot already arrived at dealers across the country, bringing with it a long list of upgrades to Honda’s 8-seat SUV.
The numerous changes include more aggressive exterior styling, an available new hands-free power tailgate, substantial powertrain refinements, major upgrades to available connected-car technology, an available new Display Audio touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and a volume knob. The 2019 Pilot also adopts the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver-assistive and safety technology as standard in all trims.
The 2019 Pilot LX with standard front-wheel drive carries a starting price of $31,450 (excluding $995 destination and handling).
Pilot also remains one of the few models in its segment to offer 8 seats (7-seats with the optional second-row Captain’s Chairs), with three-person capacity in both the second and third rows, and with third row access made simple and easy by the available One-Touch Walk-In feature.
Available fog lights are now LED, the turn signal is thinner, and Pilot Elite models benefit from multi-element full LED headlights, including high beams. Additionally, Pilot Elite models receive power folding mirrors with automatic dimming.
The rear receives new taillights with amber turn signals and LED backup lights. A chrome strip on the rocker extends along the side of the vehicle, wrapping around the rear bumper and highlighting the lower bumper’s skid-type design. Wheels are also more ruggedly styled, with 18-inch designs on LX, EX and EX-L, and an aggressive new 20-inch design on Touring and Elite trims.
All 2019 Pilots feature more aggressive front and rear styling to compliment the Pilot’s robust off-road and all-weather driving capabilities, supported by Honda’s available intelligent Variable Torque Management system (i-VTM4) with true torque-vectoring. Standard on all AWD trims, i-VTM4 uses an electronically-controlled, hydraulically-actuated rear differential to apportion engine torque between the front and rear axles, and dynamically distribute torque between the left and right rear wheels.
In addition, the 2019 Pilot’s 9-speed automatic transmission, available in Touring and Elite trims, gets new tuning for enhanced drivability and smoother shifts, while Pilot’s Idle Stop system now provides quicker restarts.
Honda’s blind spot information system (BSI), previously available only on the Elite trim, is now standard on EX, EX-L and Touring trims as well. Additionally, Rear Cross Traffic Monitor has been expanded from the Touring and Elite trims to EX and EX-L.
The Pilot’s new instrument cluster now uses a 7-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) with a wide range of information content. Not only does it display typical vehicle functions such as vehicle speed and RPM, the TFT includes a Multi-Information Display (MID) with driver-selectable customizable features, such as audio system information, a detailed trip computer, phone information, and turn-by-turn route guidance on Pilot models equipped with navigation.
The most expensive 2019 Honda Pilot is the Elite trim level with AWD. Its price is $48,020 and the 9-speed auto is included.
