Family Favorite: Honda’s Pilot Elite SUV

We like our washer-dryers, right? Like that they wash and dry. Like that they just keep on spinning and tumbling. Like that they do their job quietly and without fuss.

But the truth is, we don’t love them. Not in the same way we love our 98-inch Sony Bravia LED 4K big-screen TV or Nespresso Vertuo coffee maker. They’re appliances that get the task done. Any emotional attachment? Not so much.

You could say the same about the newest Honda Pilot. It’s a totally dependable, reliable, easy-to-own-and-operate, beautifully built, high-quality appliance.

But in this hugely competitive and packed mid-size crossover market—I count 30 different models—the Pilot goes head-to-head with some real superstars. Like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-90, Jeep Cherokee L, and Toyota Grand Highlander.

Among these rivals, the Honda is best likened to a pair of Hush Puppies shoes. They fit great, last a lifetime, look good, and priced right.

A week behind the wheel of a new, top-of-the-line 2024 Pilot Elite AWD—$54,475 very nicely loaded—only confirmed that if you’re looking for a washer-dryer of three-row compact SUVs, the Pilot is the perfect choice.

No, it won’t stand out in the parking lot. Ironically, Honda’s new HondaLink phone app not only lets you do cool stuff like lock and unlock doors and check the Pilot’s fuel level remotely, but it’ll also tell you where you’re parked.

But for most family buyers, style is not a deal-breaker. While the Pilot’s exterior design is generic, its lines are easy on the eyes and, most importantly, will stay fresh and modern for years to come.

I do like the bold front end, with that upright grille flanked by slit-eye LED headlights. And, in case you forget what you’re driving, there’s a nice, oversize H-for-Honda badge on the grille.

Of course, if you want sexy, there’s a brand new, suited-and-booted Black Edition model on offer that becomes the flagship Pilot. It comes with glossy-black 20-inch alloys, lots of Black Edition badging, and blacked-out chrome.

Inside there’s more embossed black leather than Ozzie Osbourne’s closet, plus plenty of red accents, crimson stitching, and logo’d mats and seats. Yours for $55,675.

Where the Pilot really stands out is in its cavernous interior. Here is a true three-row people-carrier with minivan-like amounts of space and the cargo capacity of a Mayflower moving truck.

Behind the third row there’s a generous 22.4 cubic feet, and with the third row folded flat, it increases to 60 cubic feet. Now fold flat that second row and it swells to a whopping 112 cubic feet. There are New York apartments with less.

Up front, behind the wheel, you sit in leather-clad, armchair-like pews with heating and cooling and see what’s going on via a configurable 10.2-inch instrument display, a 9-inch central infotainment display, and a 4-inch color heads-up display.

And, unlike so many rivals, they’re a cinch to operate for even the technically-illiterate like me. Lots of big knobs and easy-to-read buttons, along with intuitive touchscreen commands.

The K.I.S.S. mentality also applies to what’s under the hood. The only engine on offer is Honda’s tried-and-tested 3.5-liter V6 that delivers a meaty 285 horsepower punch. Coupled with a 10-speed automatic, the Pilot can scoot to 60 miles per hour from standstill in a whisker under seven seconds.

All-wheel-drive comes standard with the Elite and Black Edition models— it’s optional on most others—and it not only helps give more balanced handling and better off-road versatility, but it gives the Pilot a 5,000-pound towing capacity for when you need to haul that U-Haul trailer.

On the road, precise, confidence-inspiring steering and right-now braking, plus plenty of tire grip, make the Pilot a joy to drive. No, it’s not even remotely sporty, but that’s just fine. On the road it’s nothing less than a peaceful sanctuary of motion.

While the washer-dryer analogy may sound a touch negative, remember that with all that space, you can slide a good-sized Maytag washer-dryer in the back. With room to spare.

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