The 2019 Honda Pilot keeps its powertrains, but gets a new face and more tech.
For thirteen years, the Honda Pilot has reliably provided its manufacturer over 100,000 sales almost every year. Originally debuted at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, Honda’s been building the third generation Pilot in Lincoln, Alabama for three years now. It’s time for a mid-cycle refresh, and that’s exactly what the company has done for 2019. The 2019 Honda Pilot isn’t a radical departure from the 2018 model, but there are a few changes.
Most notably, the 2019 Honda Pilot sports a more aggressively styled front end than before. Honda has given the Pilot a larger, single-bar grille to match the new corporate identity of its other cars – namely the Civic, Accord and the smaller CR-V. Honda has also upgraded the infotainment system to the latest Display Audio unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. The 2019 Honda Pilot kicks off at $31,450, which is a $550 jump over the 2018 base model’s starting price. Both exclude a $995 destination fee.
All 2019 Honda Pilot models soldier on with the same 3.5-liter V6 as the 2018 models. Whichever trim you choose, you get 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. In LX, ES and EX-L trims, that engine comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. On Touring and Elite models, you get Honda’s nine-speed automatic instead.
Honda has also retuned the nine-speed automatic transmission. As part of an effort to refine its operation, the company has tuned the transmission to start in second gear for smoother launches. When you select Snow mode, the car will also start off in second.
Honda Sensing now standardÂ
Regardless of which 2019 Honda Pilot you pick, the Honda Sensing safety suite comes standard. The system includes collision mitigation braking, forward collision warning, road departure mitigation, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control.
Apart from the standard safety tech, Honda also includes a CabinControl app for the 2019 Honda Pilot. It allows connected phones to control the audio system, rear entertainment system and rear climate controls. CabinTalk is also available, which allows the driver to communicate with passengers in the rear seats through headphones or the rear speakers. Finally, the 2019 Honda Pilot includes AT&T 4G LTE connectivity on Touring and Elite trims. Qi wireless charging is available as an accessory on EX, EX-L and Touring trims.
The 2019 Honda Pilot is available to configure now on Honda’s website, and the new models will hit dealer lots soon. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views and real-world reviews.
2019 Honda Pilot Pricing:
| Model | Transmission | Starting MSRP (w/ $995 dest. charge) | Fuel economy (City/Hwy/Comb) |
| LX (FWD) | 6-speed auto | $32,445 | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| LX (AWD) | 6-speed auto | $34,345 | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| EX (FWD) | 6-speed auto | $35,325 | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| EX (AWD) | 6-speed auto | $37,225 | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| EX-L (FWD) | 6-speed auto | $38,755 | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| EX-L (AWD) | 6-speed auto | $40,655 | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| Touring (FWD) | 9-speed auto | $43,515 | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| Touring (AWD) | 9-speed auto | $45,415 | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| Elite (AWD) | 9-speed auto | $49,015 | Â 19 / 26 / 22 |
