Which 2017 Honda Pilot Is Right for You?
The Honda Pilot is a great all-around vehicle with lots of space and even the ability to go off-road, so why not make it your next vehicle? These are the five possible trims with the Honda Pilot, but they’re not all made the same. It’s more than better features, and this in-depth guide can help you figure out what makes them different.
LX
The LX is the base trim and has a starting MSRP of $30,595. That gets you a 2WD SUV with a 3.5-L V6 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. It gets 280 hp and 262 lb-ft. of torque, and can tow 3500 pounds. It can only get up to 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. If you want to spring for an all-wheel-drive version, you’ll pay about $1,800 more, gain the ability to tow 5,000 pounds and drop the mileage down to 18 city/26 highway.
The LX may be inexpensive, but it comes with a host of great standard features inside and out. Some of the best include a multi-angle rearview camera, push-button start, a hidden storage well, and steering wheel mounted controls. The Honda Pilot LX also has Bluetooth capabilities and a seven-speaker, 200-watt audio system.
EX
The EX starts at $33,030 and has some great features that are lacking in the LX. One of the best safety features Honda has to offer comes standard with the EX – Honda LaneWatch. This feature adds a camera that displays the blind spot on the driver’s side. That way drivers can visually confirm that it’s safe to change lanes. For added safety, the EX also has fog lights, Smart Entry, and a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines.
The interior of the EX also improves, upgrading to a 225-watt sound system and an eight-inch, high-resolution touch-screen. The Honda Pilot EX is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and has access to Pandora, SiriusXM, SMS text message function, and the ability to play specific songs by voice command. Like the LX, an extra $1,800 gets you AWD and all the attendant trade-offs.
EX-L
The EX-L has a starting MSRP of $36,445. The added cost is pretty reasonable, for what comes extra. This trim has everything the EX has, plus a one-touch moonroof, power tailgate, and acoustic windshield on the exterior. On the interior, Honda focused on comfort by adding sunshades for the second row, an automatic dimming rearview mirror, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Touring
The Touring starts at $41,670 and represents some pretty big changes for the Honda Pilot. One of the biggest is the addition of a nine-speed automatic transmission. It’s worth noting this affects the fuel economy, which drops to an estimated 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway using the two-wheel-drive option. The optional AWD version can get up to 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.
The Touring also has plenty of safety features to help keep you and yours safe. It comes with collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, forward collision warnings, and lane departure alerts. All of these features are available as part of Honda Sensing, which is standard on the Touring and Elite.
On the exterior, the Touring also adds roof rails for extra cargo space and acoustic glass on the front doors to decrease cabin noise. It includes body-colored parking sensors in the front and rear. The interior doesn’t have many changes, but the sound system gets a significant upgrade to a 540-watt, 10-speaker system.
Elite
The Elite is the best that the Honda Pilot has to offer, and starts at $47,070. The Elite comes with the nine-speed transmission from the Touring trim, but all-wheel drive is now standard. In addition to the Honda Sensing features, it includes a blind spot monitoring system to further decrease the risk of accidents. While Honda LaneWatch only works for a single side of the vehicle, the blind spot monitoring system covers multiple sides.
The outside of the Elite incorporates a panoramic roof, which is a large window on the top that allows passengers to look through and floods the cabin with light. You also get rain-sensing windshield wipers, a heated leather steering wheel, HD radio, and perforated, heated seats in the first and second rows with ventilation in the first row.
