2021 Honda Pilot

The world of family vehicles is no longer ruled by the minivan. Today’s roads are filled with SUVs–some large, some small, some capable and some fast. And some are just an alternative to the minivan that lack any true distinction other than hauling kids. Honda’s Pilot embodies the spirit of the people mover, and has for almost two decades. Though it’s lived in various forms over its three generations, it’s maintained its purpose. A competitive SUV market has led it to embrace some surprising talent, resulting in a go-almost-anywhere vehicle that carries most (but not all) of the must-haves to keep it high on the shopping list. 

The current-generation Pilot received mild improvements for 2020 after a more substantive facelift in 2019. The 2021 model year sees another round of modest updates that come in the form of a newly-standard nine-speed automatic transmission, a new Special Edition trim, a few new tech features and a slight price increase.

Honda offers the Pilot in several trims: LX, EX, EX-L, Special Edition, Touring, Elite and Black Edition. Honda’s suite of advanced driver assistance safety tech (Honda Sensing) is standard across the line and includes, collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and automatic high beams.

The base LX model is adequately equipped ($32,550), and comes with seating for up to eight people, 18-inch wheels and LED daytime running lights and push-button start. Unfortunately it is the only trim that gets a tiny five-inch LCD audio display. It also misses out on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, which is standard on every other trim along with an 8-inch touchscreen.

Stepping up to the EX model ($35,230) adds blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, LED fog lights and heated front seats. The EX-L ($38,660) brings leather upholstery, memory seats, a one-touch power moonroof and second-row sunshades. The new Special Edition trim starts at $39,260 and gets a wireless phone charger, a hands-free power tailgate, black roof rails and 20-inch wheels. The $43,220 Touring model brings a rear-entertainment system, heated second-row seats, a 590-watt sound system and LED headlights. The $48,720 Elite trim upgrades to a panoramic roof, second-row captain’s chairs, ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel. The most expensive Pilot is the Black Edition ($50,220), which comes with a blacked-out interior and exterior trim as well as red LED ambient lighting and 20-inch black alloy wheels.

All Pilot models are powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 engine and the nine-speed automatic transmission (that previously was only available on certain trims) and delivers 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The proven powertrain is used in other Honda vehicles, such as the Passport, and has been refined for effortless daily driving. 

Power delivery is smooth and uninterrupted, especially with the well-timed nine-speed transmission. The powertrain can deliver more than enough punch to quickly pull into traffic or to merge onto the freeway. The Pilot isn’t necessarily quick, but the engine’s power is well-matched for its size and weight.

Lower trims get fatter 18-inch wheels that aim a smoother ride better than the 20-inch wheels that come on more expensive models that let more bumps and bangs into the cabin. Even so, the Pilot maintains a better-than-decent ride in all its forms. There is a lot of lean and movement on curvy roads as the Pilot’s suspension is a little too squishy. 

The Pilot’s cabin is a highlight and is both roomy and useful, offering seating for up to eight people with a standard bench in the second row. Higher trims get second-row captain’s chairs, a helpful arrangement for keeping kids separated, but does cut into passenger capacity by one. Up front, the seats are deep, supportive, well padded and serve well on long road trips when kids do little to let parents relax. The dash is laid out intuitively with all controls clearly labeled and easy to reach from the driver’s seat. 

Honda’s move to nix the Pilot’s volume knob was reversed in 2019, though more physical buttons could be helpful for climate and other frequent tasks (climate is accessed via a mix of physical and on-screen controls). Though Honda’s native infotainment software runs smoothly on the Pilot’s optional 8-inch touchscreen, the system still requires too many taps and menu options. On the upside, it runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which means controlling most functions necessary for carpool survival require almost zero learning curve . 

While the second row is roomy and comfortable with 38.4 inches of legroom, accessing the third row for adults can be a chore due to its low positioning. Taller children and teenagers might also shy away from getting stuck in the wayback. Legroom in the third row is 31.9  inches, which is not the worst, not the best. The 60/40-splitting rear bench is helpful for smartly packing cargo on weekend getaways because storage behind the third row is a bottom-of-the-class 16.5 cubic-feet of cargo space.

Despite getting a healthy list of standard advanced driver aids, the Pilot missed out on a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It earned “Good” scores in all categories, except for small overlap front passenger-side, where it was rated “Acceptable.” Still, the list of standard features is long. The Pilot snagged a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Pilot is a competent alternative to a minivan, and makes a dutiful companion on road trips, practice drop off and grocery runs. It doesn’t offer the engaging drive of a Mazda CX-9, the space of the Volkswagen Atlas, the style of the Kia Telluride or a frugal hybrid powertrain on the Toyota Highlander, but the Pilot’s plentiful space and comfortable ride make it a solid choice in its segment.