2014 Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot has 4 trim levels to choose from. Its price ranges between $29,670 for the base LX trim and $39,820 for the top-of-the-line Touring trim. If you want better capabilities with the Pilot, you can avail the optional AWD system. The standard features include daytime running headlamps, dual-zone climate control, and a backup camera. The higher trims add bigger wheels, exterior chrome accents, leather interiors, navigation, and entertainment.

We Recommend

If you want a reliable and value-for-money touring SUV, you should go for the Pilot EX. With its $31,920 price tag, it adds certain features to the base LX trim such as a 10-way power driver seat with power lumbar, a cruise control, multiple 12V charging outlets, and rear HVAC. Even with the AWD system, the EX trim won't cost you more than $33,520.

Honda cars are known for their i-VTEC technology. With the same philosophy, the Honda Pilot is powered by a 3.5L SOHC i-VTEC V-6 engine. With a maximum of 250 hp of power, it outputs 253lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a 5-Speed automatic transmission. There's an optional AWD system as well.

The FWD acceleration of the Pilot allows it to reach 60 MPH from a standstill in 8.7 seconds. It takes twice the time to cover a quarter-mile. As it is a 4000 pound SUV, it won't go that fast. Still, with its 250hp V6, the Honda Pilot has a top speed of 125 MPH. With its class III trailer hitch, the Pilot can tow up to 4,500lbs.

Alongside the rivals, the Honda Pilot has a competitive price. All the SUVs are packed with a V6 engine as standard except for the Kia Sorento with its 4 cylinder motor. With its 290hp power, the Ford Explorer is the most powerful mid-size SUV. The Kia Sorento is the fastest SUV in terms of acceleration and goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 7.7 seconds, which makes it the only SUV in the competition to complete 0 to 60 mph in under 8 seconds. However, the Nissan Pathfinder takes over the Sorento in the quarter-mile run. The Honda Pilot remains to be the slowest SUV in terms of acceleration.

Honda never disappoints when it comes to fuel economy. Even though it's a massive SUV, the V6 on the Pilot will fetch you 18 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and a combined 21 mpg. With a huge 21.0 gallon tank, it has a highway range of 525 miles which can take you the way and beyond.

As compared to the Honda Pilot, both Nissan Pathfinder and the Kia Sorento have a much better fuel economy. The powerful Ford Explorer has the lowest mileage. The Pilot with its biggest tank takes over the rivals with its best-in-class mileage. However, the 2014 Ford Explorer has the lowest range followed by the Kia Sorrento.

The 2014 Honda Pilot has an interior that suits its SUV profile. As the Pilot is mostly inspired by the Odyssey, the cockpit is nearly identical. A spacious cabin makes space for up to 8 passengers. On the base trim, the cabin might look cheap for once, but it gets better with the higher trims. All the controls are placed according to the driver's perspective. Even the gear shift knob is integrated on the sensible dashboard that has lots of storage spaces for you.

The 4-spoke steering wheel can be wrapped in leather along with the gear shifter. The infotainment is placed at the extreme center leveled with the gauge cluster for better visibility. Talking about the seating, the Pilot ensures comfort for all the passengers. The base package offers front bucket seats with a 6-way driver and 4-way passenger manual adjustments. The higher trims offer a 10-way power driver seat with power lumbar support.

The touring trim adds 4-way power seats and 2 driver-seat memory settings. In the second row, we have a 60-40 split-bench seat with a fold-flat seatback. The 60-40 split-bench seat folds into the floor to provide space for the cargo. Both front and rear armrests provide storage space underneath. With fabric upholstery on the entry-level trims, the Pilot moves up to leather upholstery on the top trims. With that, you have metal-look and chrome accents.

With proper space for up to 8 passengers, the Honda Pilot has ample space. In comparison with its rivals, the Pilot fares well. The wide seats offer proper comfort to the passengers. For the first row, the Honda Pilot has numerous options. Even the second-row seats offer decent legroom for the comfort of three passengers. If you are going on a trip, you can easily fit 2 adults in the third-row seat. The seats use soft fabric that keeps you cozy during the hectic long road trips.

When it comes to cargo space, the Honda Pilot may not be as great as the Ford Explorer. It does offer 18.0 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third row, which is better than some of its rivals. The flat to floor third-row bench seat increases the cargo capacity to 47.7 cubic feet. With the split-fold 2nd row seat, you can further increase the space to 87.0 cubic feet. Key interior features include:

• Fabric and leather upholstery
• Leather and chrome accents
• Heated front seats
• 10-way power driver seat
• Dash integrated gear shifter
• Tri-zone climate control
• Tilt and slide glass sunroof

How intuitive is the 2014 Honda Pilot's Infotainment unit?

The 2014 Honda Pilot has a center-mounted infotainment display. The 8.0-inch display is so placed that even the rear passengers can see it. Below that we have simply arranged controls so that the driver won't get confused. It offers Bluetooth and USB tethering with wireless connectivity and audio. The CD player is available with a 2-GB CD library. You can even connect your devices to the infotainment via an input jack. The standard music system has 7 229W speakers with a subwoofer. The EX-L trim adds a SiriusXM radio subscription to the package. With the touring trim, you get a satellite navigation system with a real-time traffic display.

The Touring trim gets a signal processor as well. The music experience is much better with 10 performance speakers and a 650W subwoofer. The standard rear-seat entertainment package comes with a DVD player, an A/V remote, two wireless headphones, and dual 9.0-inch displays with multi-source audio controls to keep the rear passengers entertained. Highlight Infotainment features are:

• Bluetooth and USB tethering
• CD player
• Sirius XM radio
• Satellite navigation system
• Performance speakers
• Rear seat entertainment system
• i-MID screen

With its boxy design, the Honda Pilot looks like a perfect touring SUV. As it is still a Honda, it won't give you rugged SUV vibes even with its outstanding capabilities. With the latest iterations to the design, the Pilot looks modern as we have new headlamps, a more uplifted front fascia, and a higher stance than any other SUV.

The headlamps on the Pilot come standard with daytime running lights and are pretty huge in terms of size. Between them, we have a new grille that comes with chrome on the top trims. The simple-looking bumper has a huge diffuser at the center where either side has options of fog lamps with chrome surround.

The stylish hood lines are aligned with the headlamps. Without the roof rails, the roof of the Pilot looks incomplete. From the side, the Pilot has boxy windows and a square third-row window. Still, the wheel arches add style to the design. For better rear visibility, the rear window covers half of the tailgate where the tail lamps are placed at either corner.

At the rear, you get a black bumper and the dual exhausts that are placed below it. To give the premium feel, the Honda Pilot offers chrome exterior accents with the front fascia, side doors, and rear tailgate handle. You can even avail chrome tips for the exhausts to give an aggressive rear look.

The Honda Pilot is comparatively lighter than the Ford Explorer. With its 4,306 pound weight, Pilot is still a heavy SUV when compared to the Pathfinder and the Sorento. In terms of length, the rivals are much longer except for the Sorento. The tall boy Pilot gets close to the Ford Explorer as both of them are pretty wide. To keep it clear from the rough terrain, the Pilot stands 8.0-inches above the ground. The 109.2-inch wheelbase isn't as long as the other SUVs but it does balance the Pilot properly. Key exterior features are:

• Daytime running lights
• Roof rails
• Chrome exterior accents
• Fog Lamps
• Dual chrome tip exhausts
• 18-inch machined accent alloy wheels

With its advanced compatibility engineering, Honda has developed one of the most rigid structures for all of its vehicles. The 2014 Pilot scored great overall ratings in both NHTSA and IIHS safety tests. To keep the occupants safe inside the cabin, the 2014 Pilot has up to 6 standard airbags and child protection latches in both the second and third row. Both the stability assist and brake assist keeps the SUV from rolling over at high speeds or due to extensive braking. Furthermore, you also get a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Standout Safety features are:

• ACE body structure
• 6 standard airbags
• Brake assistance
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Rearview camera

The Honda Pilot has been in the good books of the customers for its reliability and capability. It lives up to the image of Honda vehicles as it offers a remarkable value. All the trims are well equipped. The overall package of the 2014 Honda Pilot seems fair under $40,000 where you get a decently-equipped SUV with mild off-road and towing capabilities. Overall the Honda Pilot is utilitarian, still, we'd like to see it with a modernized cabin.