Used 2019 Honda Pilot EX-L SUV Review

There were already a lot of things we liked about last year's Honda Pilot. Even among its all-star midsize SUV rivals, the Pilot got high marks for its spacious interior, powerful and efficient V6 engine, and clever storage solutions. Our only significant gripes concerned the unrefined nature of the gear shifts coming from the available nine-speed transmission and the unintuitive touchscreen infotainment system. Well, now we don't even have those to complain about.

For 2019, Honda has retuned the nine-speed, eliminating much of the low-speed stutters and jerkiness that it used to exhibit. It's still not as smooth as the six-speed transmission found on the less expensive trim levels, but it's considerably better than last year. The infotainment system's user interface has also been updated. It's more intuitive to use this year and has a physical volume knob that replaces the previous touch-sensitive volume slider. Rounding out the 2019 Honda Pilot's changes are new tech features, added standard safety features and styling enhancements.

Considering that the Pilot was one of the highest rated in the class before these improvements, we're certain that we'll like it even more now. We're sure you will, too. In a segment that includes the very desirable Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander and Volkswagen Atlas, it could very well be the best when it comes to a family-friendly choice. The Pilot definitely deserves a spot on your short list.

Notably, we picked the 2019 Honda Pilot as one of Edmunds' Best Midsize SUVs, Best Family SUVs, and Best Gas Mileage SUVs for this year.

What's it like to live with?

With a spacious cabin, exceptional comfort and a tremendously roomy cabin, the Honda Pilot is the quintessential three-row crossover. As soon as we got behind the wheel of this newest model, our editors universally agreed: The Pilot was the best of the bunch. We immediately reached out to Honda and secured a fully loaded Elite model for our long-term test fleet. Over the course of a year and 25,000 miles, we drove our Black Forest green tester to Las Vegas, Sacramento and Oregon. Usually, it performed the commuting duties typical of a family-friendly SUV. To read about our experiences, read our long-term Pilot test. Note that while we tested a 2016 Pilot, most of our observations still apply to the 2019 model. The only exceptions deal with the infotainment and transmission improvements Honda made for this year.

The eight-passenger 2019 Honda Pilot is a midsize SUV that is offered in five primary trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Elite. All models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 (280 horsepower, 262 pound-feet of torque). A six-speed automatic transmission is standard for most trims, while a nine-speed transmission comes with Touring and Elite models. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is available for all models (standard on Elite).

Standard features for the LX include 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, active noise cancellation, air conditioning, 60/40-split folding third-row seats, a multi-angle rearview camera, a 5-inch touchscreen and seven-speaker audio system with USB/auxiliary inputs. Standard advanced safety features include adaptive cruise control, frontal collision warning with automatic braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist and automatic high-beam assist.

The EX adds LED foglights, heated mirrors, remote ignition, keyless entry, a terrain management system, tri-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, one-touch slide-and-fold second-row seats, an 8-inch touchscreen, HondaLink and CabinControl smartphone integration, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert.

Stepping up to the EX-L trim gets you a sunroof, a power liftgate, a universal garage door opener, rear-seat window sunshades, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, driver-seat memory functions, a power-adjustable front passenger seat and second-row USB charging ports. There's also an EX-L subtrim that adds a navigation system and a rear entertainment system with a 10.2-inch screen with HDMI input, Blu-ray player and streaming apps. You also gain a 110-volt power outlet and intercom system through the rear headsets.

The Touring trim gets all of the above plus 20-inch wheels, roof rails, front and rear parking sensors, hands-free operation for the liftgate, heated rear seats, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a 10-speaker premium audio system and multi-zone audio. Heated second-row captain's chairs are available (reducing seating capacity to seven).

The Elite trim comes standard with the captain's chairs, as well as automatic wipers, power-folding mirrors, a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and a wireless charging pad.