2013 Honda Pilot Review and Prices

Styling: The 2013 Honda Pilot might get a new exterior color or two and Honda could commemorate the end of this second-generation version with a special trim package. But it’ll essentially repeat changes included in the model-year 2012 midcycle freshening. Foremost among these was a new grille design that erased the most egregiously ugly aspect of Pilot’s previous exterior detailing. The freshening did little, however, to make this crossover look less trucky versus trendier rivals. Pilot acquired its square-cut profile as part of its last redesign, a model-year 2009 reshaping intended to make it look more macho than the first-generation 2003-2008 Pilot.        

The 2013 Pilot will also carry over a model-year 2012 update that gave the dashboard a needed degree of unification. Subtle new colors and shapes, sharper gauge lighting, and simplified climate controls were welcomed but didn’t fully eliminate the instrument panel’s slightly cluttered feel.

The 2013 Pilot will also continue with a solidly constructed cabin that’s deceptively roomy, fitting three rows of seats into a space most rivals reserve for two. Here, Pilot’s upright profile will pay off in chair-height comfort for the first two seating rows and surprising space for a couple of not-too-large adults in the third row. The 2013 Pilot’s overall length will remain midpack for the class, which again means only average overall cargo volume but also a three-row SUV that’s easy to maneuver and garage.

Expect the 2013 Honda Pilot to carry over a four-tier model lineup beginning with the base LX and climbing through the smartly equipped EX, leather-trimmed EX-L, and fully loaded Touring. The LX will again likely be identified by black exterior detailing instead of the body-colored trim on the other models. Otherwise, check wheel size and type for visual distinctions. The LX model should retain 17-inch styled steel wheels while all other 2013 Pilots ought to repeat with alloy wheels – 18-inchers on the Touring and 17s on the others.

Mechanical: The 2013 Honda Pilot falls far too late in this crossover’s lifecycle to warrant meaningful mechanical changes. That strongly suggests it’ll return with the only powertrain this second generation has known. The engine would again be an all-aluminum single-overhead-cam 3.5-liter V-6 with 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque (in simplest terms, torque moves you forward, horsepower sustains momentum). The sole transmission should remain a five-speed automatic. And every 2013 Pilot model would remain available with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.

None of those specifications would set the 2013 Pilot apart from the midsize crossover-SUV herd, but some would keep it behind the curve. Most V-6 rivals have more horsepower and torque, and virtually all of them employ automatic transmissions with a more efficient total of six forward gears.

Again compensating to some degree for absence of a fuel-saving sixth gear ratio will be Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management, which automatically idles two or even three cylinders in low-demand cruising. And while Pilot’s all-wheel drive (AWD) system won’t have off-road ready low-range gearing, virtually no rival will, either. The 2013 Pilot, will again enable drivers to maximize torque transfer to the rear axle to enhance traction at low speeds, though continued absence of hill-descent control would be a demerit.

Still, even without change, the 2013 Pilot should again make the most of its modest-on-paper resume. Acceleration should remain just fine, transmission behavior smooth and responsive, and tow ratings competitive. A slightly rough ride over bumps likely will again be the price of handling that’s better than you might expect.

Features: The 2013 Pilot will offer most of the comfort and convenience features available on its competitors, though full parity may have to wait for the 2014 redesign.

For example, even the lowest priced versions of most newer rivals come with Bluetooth hands-free cell-phone connectivity (which we consider a safety feature) and a USB interface for iPods. Unless Honda loosens its features strategy, the 2013 Pilot will likely continue to confine Bluetooth to EX models and above. And it’ll probably again limit the USB interface to just the EX-L and Touring models.

The navigation system will likely remain the province of the 2013 Pilot’s most expensive trim lines -- as standard on the Touring and as a roughly $2,000 premium for the EX-L model. (No telling whether Honda will finally allow EX-L buyers who opt for navigation to also get the rear-DVD entertainment system in combination).

Otherwise, the 2013 Pilot will available with most expected crossover features, including power heated front seats, power moonroof, and backup camera. Expect a power liftgate to remain exclusive to the EX-L and Touring models, where it’ll be standard.

But since Honda doesn’t offer individual factory options, you’ll likely be required to ascend the model ladder to get the blend of features you desire. Every 2013 Pilot, though, will come with front and rear air conditioning, cruise control, tilt and telescope steering column,

keyless entry, and power locks and windows with auto-up/down for the driver and front-passenger windows. Also included will be automatic on/off headlights, a trip computer, digital compass, and an integrated class-3 towing receiver. The standard audio system will again be an AM/FM/CD stereo with seven-speakers including a subwoofer and an auxiliary jack for digital devices.

Every 2013 Pilot should again seat eight courtesy of two front buckets and three-passenger second- and third-row bench seats. Unlike most rivals, Honda hasn’t offered Pilot with second-row captain’s chairs, though their addition could be part of a farewell 2013 trim edition. Models so equipped, however, would sacrifice Pilot’s place among the few SUVs with anchor positions for four child safety seats – three in the second row and one in the third.

Honda won’t tinker with a Pilot cargo matrix that allows the third-row seat to drop into a rear floor well. Maximum cargo volume almost certainly will remain a middling-for-the-class 87 cubic feet. But with both rear benches folded, the 2013 Pilot should again be capable of carrying a 4-foot-wide plywood sheet laid flat. Standard safety features will again include head-protecting curtain side airbags that deploy in side collisions as well as in impending rollovers.