2019 Honda Pilot Release date, Price and Changes

2019 Honda Pilot – Minivans are great but not that many people like the way they look. Well, a while ago manufacturers realized this, so they started to offer three-row mid-size crossovers. One of these is the Pilot, a crossover which is basically a minivan under its skin. It shares the same platform with Honda’s minivan, and it has roughly the same driving characteristics too. However, it looks much better, and it definitely offers a more imposing look over the road. Unfortunately, the car is not nearly as good as it should. While it has a really stylish design and a great interior, the driving characteristics let it down. On top of that, the engine is not as direct as one would like and it falls behind the rivals of its class. Even so, it still sold relatively well, and it looks like Honda is looking to improve that.

2019 Honda Pilot Release date and Price

So far it seems they are going to do that by releasing an update on the 2019 Honda Pilot. This will be the car’s first major facelift, and we expect quite a few nice things from it. From starters, the design will definitely see an upgrade over its predecessor. On top of that, the car should get a revamped running gear. It still is unclear as to what this update will bring, but chances are they will install different shocks and springs. Some also suggested some models of the Pilot will get an air-ride system. While this is still a long shot, it might happen considering some of the higher end versions of the car start from more than $45,000. The new model will likely be revealed in the early 2019, and it should go on the market shortly after.

Any new versions?

Honda is currently missing high-performance versions of their cars. While their manufacturers do have some, Honda never really had answers to them. Well, this might change with the 2019 Honda Pilot. So far it looks like they might release a Type R version for it. This would be closely related to the Ridgeline so that it will be street oriented. The car would get a slightly lower suspension setup, bigger brakes than the regular car, larger wheels wrapped in performance tires as well as chassis braces. Even though not official just yet, this trim level would basically solve most of the car’s issues even if they let the rest of it unchanged.

Design – Inside and Out

The interior of the 2019 Honda Pilot might receive slight upgrades to remain up to date. The center stack should remain the same as before and so will the instrument cluster. However, the car might receive a new three-spoke steering wheel as well as a different infotainment system. The latter would use a new higher resolution screen, and it might receive physical buttons as well. Some also said the car’s two-piece armrest will be gone, but we do hope this is not true as it is one of the better designs on the market. The design on the exterior will remain quite similar to the current car too. The big change here will likely be the rumored sports version. This should provide a far more aggressive body kit than the other cars. Some also said the car will get design cues from the Type R Civic, but we truly hope this is not the case.

2019 Honda Pilot Specs and Engine

For now, the car is available with a 3.5 liter naturally aspirated V6. With 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, this manages to put out a respectable amount of power even at low RPM. For now, it looks like this engine will remain standard on most models. However, both the 6 and the nine speed gearboxes will be gone. In their place, Honda is expected to install their brand new ten speed automatic. This is a far more refined gearbox which we do hope to see in more of their cars. The rumored performance version of the car is quite possible to receive a new 2.0-liter turbo-four engine. With around 300 horsepower and over 300 lb-ft of torque, this should easily motivate the relatively lightweight crossover. With the help of a better all-wheel drive system and a differently tuned automatic, the car should become a blast to drive.