Honda Motor Co unveiled its new revamped 2016 Honda Pilot with novel features and added power. The new vehicle is completely redone and is much larger on the inside, especially the third row seats.
The new highly fuel efficient front-wheel drive 2016 Pilot has been rated at 20 mpg by the federal government in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.
The V-6 engine has been re-engineered and refined to deliver an output of 280 horsepower, 30 more than its predecessor while the torque is 262 foot-pounds, 9 more than the previous year’s model. The nine-speed auto-transmission is available only on the high-end Elite and Touring models and delivers quiet and vibration-free driving experience. The lower-end models feature six-speed automatic and its mileage is also lower by 1 mpg.
The new SUV is over 16 feet long and yet is very light, giving a sense of strength and stability, but not bulky nor cumbersome. The interiors of the 2016 Pilot exude luxury and opulence, primarily because of the rich leather steering wheel wraps and seats. The extremely smooth-finish interior plastics, 8-inch touch screen monitor and side-door sunscreens enhance the feel of luxury. The touch screen monitor can display views from the car’s backup camera. The Elite model also features four USB ports and a panoramic roof as standard fittings.
The 20-inch wheels deliver a smooth driving experience, including over bumps and rough surfaces. With the step-in being built wider at 2.5 inches and 1.2 inches lower than the previous model, access to the third row is made easy via a simple push-button. With this one-touch feature, the second row seats automatically move forward.
The third row, with 38.9 inches headroom and 31.9 inches of legroom, now features three-position recline seats and this arrangement is amply suited to comfortably accommodate adults. The space in the third row of the 2016 Pilot is more than what is offered by Toyota Highlander and Kia Sorento.
All models of 2016 Pilot come with antilock brakes, six airbags, electronic stability control and brake-assist. The high-end Touring and Elite models also feature lane departure and forward collision warnings along with the collision mitigation system.
The expected retail price of the base LX model with front-wheel drive is $30,875 and the starting price of the all-wheel Pilot LX is $32,675. The high-end Elite model, which includes 20-inch large wheels, spacious second-row captain’s seats, latest safety equipment and other luxury items like heated steering wheel as standard fittings, is priced at $47,300.
