Take Me to the (Honda) Pilot!

When Elton John sang the classic song Take Me to the Pilot on the B-side of his hit Your Song in 1970, not many automakers had plans for a three-row midsize SUV. In fact, back then, most SUVs weren’t geared for family drivers like the 2022 Honda Pilot is. The SUV was actually conceived as a rugged vehicle for hunters, campers, and other folks who wanted something to stand up to the rigors of the outdoors. However, over the past few decades, the SUV has become the vehicle of choice for family drivers who want something with room for all the kids and the knowledge that you can get wherever you are going, no matter the weather. If you want a three-row SUV that has these qualities, then you should check out a Honda Pilot for sale at Ryan Honda of Minot.

Seven Great Trims to Choose From!

For the 2022 model year, Honda decided to pull out all the stops, giving drivers the choice of seven different trims. To start, Honda replaced the base LX trim of the Pilot with a new trim called the Sport, giving you more standard features than ever before. This includes LED headlights and the Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Monitor. This feature is part of the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistance technologies that come standard on all models of the 2022 Pilot, and it works in two ways.

First, it lets you know if there are any vehicles, pedestrians, or objects in the path of your Pilot when you go to back up. Often, these things can be hidden, leading to many accidents. Second, it lets you know if there are other vehicles in your Pilot’s blind spot when you change lanes. This will also help you avoid highway collisions.

The Pilot Sport also has the Honda Display Audio infotainment system on an eight-inch high-resolution color touch-screen. This integrates key vehicle information systems with Bluetooth connectivity and a seven-speaker 215-watt audio system. You can stream all of your favorite music using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, depending on your phone’s operating system.

Honda also came out with a new version of the Pilot called the TrailSport. This model has been designed for off-road enthusiasts, and it rides on a set of trim-exclusive 18-inch TrailSport Wheels with special Rugged-Style all-season tires. The Pilot TrailSport has been given a lift, going from the already impressive 7.3 inches of ground clearance on the Pilot to an exceptional 7.9 inches, so you will have no problem traversing obstacles in your path on or off the road. As a result, the Pilot TrailSport has a very useful 19.6-degree approach angle and 20.8-degree departure angle.

In all, there are seven great models of the 2022 Pilot, ranging from the basic Sport to the rugged TrailSport to the striking Black Edition. What’s more, every Pilot except for the Sport has a leather interior and can seat up to eight passengers depending on the seating configuration. This is something that other three-row midsize SUVs don’t offer except on their most expensive trims.

One Engine to Power Them All!

Many automakers put an underpowered engine in their lower trims, forcing you to have to pay extra to get the performance you want out of your SUV. This can cause serious headaches when you go to buy an SUV, as you prepare to pay one price, only to find out you will have to pay more to get the kind of vehicle with the features you really need.

Fortunately, this is not the case with the 2022 Honda Pilot. The manufacturer has decided to equip each of these Honda SUVs with a standard 3.5-liter V6 gas engine paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. This engine features Honda’s i-VTEC system to improve efficient performance. Variable Cylinder Management will help you reduce fuel consumption, while Active Noise Cancellation reduces cabin noise from the engine. The direct fuel injection system on the 3.5-liter V6 engine helps it deliver a potent 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. Each transmission comes with paddle shifters, so you can get the control and enjoyment of a manual transmission without the headaches of using a clutch.

This engine is truly powerful, allowing the Pilot to tow up to 5,000 lbs. This is especially helpful if you choose the TrailSport model, as you will probably want to tow a camping or boat trailer for your next adventure. This engine also helps you go fast, with the 2022 Honda Pilot able to go from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.2 seconds, with a top speed of 113 mph.

The 2022 Pilot is surprisingly fuel-efficient for a vehicle of its size. If you choose to go with front-wheel drive on your Pilot, you can expect to get an EPA-estimated 20 MPG in the city, 27 MPG on the highway, and 23 MPG combined.[a] If you want the added traction of all-wheel drive, you will still get solid fuel economy. The Pilot with all-wheel drive provides an EPA-estimated 19 MPG in the city, 26 MPG on the highway, and 22 MPG combined.[a] This will be especially helpful to family drivers on a tight budget.

You Could Get Lost in Space in the 2022 Pilot!

You would be forgiven if you thought that the engineers who designed the 2022 Honda Pilot were magicians. That is because they have somehow figured out how to fit so much passenger and cargo space into a midsize SUV. While the Pilot has an easy-to-maneuver 111-inch wheelbase, making parking it surprisingly easy, it also has 151.7 cubic feet of interior passenger space for up to eight passengers to enjoy.

This is why the Pilot is one of the few midsize SUVs that truly has a usable third row of seats, especially on long drives. For example, the Pilot provides 31.9 inches of legroom in the third row of seats, allowing passengers to stretch out. This is also a fair proportion of space, as the first row passengers have 40.9 inches of legroom, and those in the second row get 38.4 inches.

This spaciousness is also seen in the cargo space provided by the Pilot. While many three-row SUVs become a sad compromise between passengers and their belongings, with most of them providing too little of one or the other, the 2022 Honda Pilot succeeds in giving you plenty of both. While there is 151.7 cubic feet of space for your passengers, the trunk provides up to 18.5 cubic feet of space for their belongings. If you decide you need more room, simply fold down the third row of seats to free up a total of 55.9 cubic feet of cargo space. If you need to use your Pilot for utility purposes, you can get an incredible 109 cubic feet of space behind the first row of seats. Just fold down the second and third rows, and you can start fitting lumber for your home improvement projects or your belongings if you are in the process of moving. Whatever your cargo needs, the 2022 Pilot can easily meet and often exceed them.

You’ll Be Singing Your Song With the 2022 Pilot!

The 2022 Honda Pilot is a nice family car with its versatile amount of space, powerful engine, and standard safety features. But it is more than that because, with the new TrailSport trim, you can take your Pilot off-roading. The amount of cargo space available on the Pilot makes it good for people who need to move things when they aren’t chauffeuring the kids. So if you let Honda take you to the Pilot, you’ll be singing your song in no time, your own personal happy song!

[a]20 city/27 highway/23 combined mpg rating for 2WD trims. 19 city/26 highway/22 combined mpg rating for non-TrailSport AWD trims. 19 city/25 highway/21 combined mpg rating for TrailSport. Based on 2022 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.