So far we have been very pleased with our Honda Pilot Elite. It is very well designed, especially the interior. It is very serviceable, but still looks nice. We love the safety features. The auto-dimming lights are great, and combined with the auto sensing wipers, they allow me to concentrate on driving instead of looking for controls. The vehicle is great for trips for two couples. My research ahead of purchasing said the navigation system and no knob for volume control were problems. Both take a little getting used to, but I really like the navigation system. The few things we have found so far that we would like to see improved are: a little more padding or memory foam in seat bottoms, height adjustment for the front passenger seat, foot operation of the rear cargo door, power-tilt steering wheel, and would like to name the addresses stored on the navigation system. Also, we have to turn off the automatic engine shut off in stop-and-go traffic, and performance needed in traffic suffers when the Econ mode is engaged.

As a previous owner of a 2016 Pilot, I am going to focus on my first impressions of the mid-cycle refresh of the 2019 Pilot, Touring model. LetÕs start with the transmission: My 2016 nine-speed transmission was jerky at low speeds which was slightly improved when I added a transmission cooler for towing. IÕm not sure what caused the improvement, but it most likely had something to do with a software update. Enter the 2019 nine-speed transmission; it seems that Honda has finally been able to tame the German-made option as all the jerky movements seemed to have disappeared. I havenÕt done any towing yet but my 2016 model performed flawlessly pulling a 2500 lb. boat up and down our Missouri hills. Now for the Sensing Suite: IÕm not sure what minor changes Honda has made but the not ready for prime-time Sensing feature seems to have little better responsiveness especially with the adaptive cruise control, which may have to do with the improved transmission. Honda has also added blind spot monitoring but they did remove the camera on the right mirror. IÕve gotten used to that camera and wished they would have left it there. In 2016 Honda forgot to include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (which they added in 2017). This time they forgot to add remote start with Honda Link. They have it on the Odyssey so why not the Pilot? Honestly, I donÕt see any value paying for a Honda Link subscription if remote start isnÕt included. The radio head unit, which now has a volume knob, is the same one thatÕs in the Odyssey, it can now be updated over Wi-Fi so you no longer have to use a USB drive. Appearance is subjective but I kind of like the new grille and the addition of the chrome strip around the bottom of the doors but other than that it pretty well looks the same. The plastic strip under the front and rear bumper has been changed to a silverish color to make them look like skid-plates but once again thatÕs a subjective look. The ride also seems to be a bit smoother and somewhat quitter. Hands Free power tailgate has also been added which I guess will be useful if I have my hands full. Some new graphics have been added to the instrument panel as well. The buttons on the steering wheel have been moved around so you will have to get used to that if you move up to a new Pilot. Another nifty feature thatÕs been added is Auto High Beam Headlights, nice feature but they are a little too sensitive and change back and forth too often.