2017 Honda Pilot – It will be The Modern Family SUV
Released last year, the Pilot is a rather fresh model out there, so an update is still unannounced. However, rumors say that the 2018 Honda Pilot is going to be the car’s mid-life refresh which is faster than many of us thought. It seems that Honda will be making this move to give the vehicle more technology and also bring it up to date with the design. Because the current model didn’t follow Honda’s latest design scheme, it might become a problem in the future and Japanese car maker want’s to correct few things. We are quite sure that the car is still going to sell quite well. Why?
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Changes @ New Honda Pilot 2018
Well, at just over $31,000, it is one of the cheapest three-row crossovers that come with a standard V6 engine. On top of that, it is smooth, quiet and powerful for what it is. The upcoming 2018 model, on the other hand, is said to come with the same chassis and pretty much identical running gear. However, some people say that its brakes, engines, and even interior are all going to be tweaked and improved. This should prepare the Pilot to deal with some of its upcoming competitors. It will also allow it to remain fresh which is quite important in this day and age. The only drawback is that this car and changes for it are just a rumor at this point, and it may hit the market well into 2018 or even early 2019.
2018 Honda Pilot Short Wheelbase Version?
There is no doubt that Pilot is one of the most popular SUVs on the market and with introduction fo 2018 model we are sure that its market position will only get better. One of the latest reports that we have received regarding this vehicle and the future lineup is related to the possibility of the introduction of two-row version.
Rumors about smaller version are suggesting that this one would be produced for the US market only, but we are still short on info regarding it. If the 2018 Honda Pilot comes with only two rows, we will hopefully see it with smaller engine also, and that is where the 2.0-liter turbo could be the perfect fit. To be honest, it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see more compact version delivered for the next or the year after that.
Same platform could be utilized here, and it could potentially bring all the benefits of the larger brother in a smaller package without any drawbacks. The biggest difference would be the shorter wheelbase, but since this would presumably be the two-row model, it wouldn’t significantly influence the interior space for five passengers when compared to the standard version. On top of that, trunk capacity will most likely stay on the similar level making the 2018 Honda Pilot one of the best choices in the segment.
Interior
One of the largest griefs with the ongoing model is the interior. While it is spacious and quite well made, some of the design choices are less than ideal, and we can agree with many people that want to see upgrades here. Rumors suggest that the 2018 Honda Pilot is finally going to drop the push-button gear selector. This is not that great to use, and it usually is not that durable. In its place, a normal gear-shifter will be installed. This will likely be made out of aluminum and wrapped in leather so that it will feel even more premium than before. On top of that, some suggested that certain editions of the car will also get steering wheel paddle shifters which would be quite unusual in its class. The three-row crossover is also expected to get a nicer trunk that should offer better and optimized layout. In this segment, it will provide a new fake floor to allow longer items to be loaded with more ease.
Design
So far not much has been said about the design of the upcoming Pilot. However, some reports did say that Honda might take a bold approach and offer a more aggressive looks. This would be done with the help of a new set of headlights, likely a new grille and possibly a new rear end as well. New designs for its wheels as well as a subtle rear spoiler could also be added. Sportier looks might not be the first thing that comes to your mind when Pilot is mentioned, but it is clear that buyers want to see these improvements even on three-row SUV’s.
Engine @ 2018 Honda Pilot
The base engine in the rumored 2018 Honda Pilot is still expected to be the same 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6. However, this time around it might get a small bump to around 300 horsepower and closer to 270 lb-ft of torque. The increase of 20 hp should affect performances, and it could offer more than before but do not expect it to beat sporty sedans. The older six-speed automatic transmission for this engine is supposed to be discontinued altogether. In its place, the nine-speed automatic is going to be offered and with it Honda allows the engine always to be in optimum rev range while improving overall efficiency by few percent.
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The big change here is supposed to be a new hybrid powertrain. While not much has been said about it, some people say that Honda might use a new turbocharged petrol engine for it. This powertrain would develop, with the help of two electric motors, over 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with the fact that it will also have a set of batteries to supply electric units allowing few miles of electric-only driving, over 30 MPG on average should not be impossible. Also, unlike the regular car, this particular version might get to use a newly developed CVT gearbox. There are many things that need to be confirmed and are still only in rumor mill so we will wait for additional info to be offered.
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Take a look at the 2016 Honda Pilot while we wait for the new model for 2018.
