The news that full-size SUV buyers across the country has been waiting for: the next-generation 2016 Honda Pilot touches down at dealerships across Canada today.

The new Honda Pilot is available in eight trim levels, all are AWD except for the base model LX 2WD trim. Equipped with an updated and more powerful 3.5L SOHC iVTEC Earth Dreams engine, putting out a healthy 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, mated to either a new six-speed or new nine-speed automatic transmission, the Pilot’s powertrain should stack up well.

Our Brendan MacAleer drove the 2016 Honda Pilot back in May of this year and he had some really good things to say about it. He ended his ‘First Drive’ story with, “If the Pilot also does well in safety testing, and depending where the price-point puts it in a very cost-conscious segment, sales should really take off. Get it? Take off? Dang, that joke stank worse’n a scared turtle on a hot dashboard.”

I can forgive Brendan that terrible awesome dad joke as he’s almost always right about things, and in his story, gives us a good overview of the Pilot’s new features and how well they work.

Features such as the new Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) AWD System and all-new selectable Intelligent Traction Management system featuring Normal, Mud, Sand, and Snow modes on the AWD models, and a whole whack load of safety and driving assistance features, part of the ‘Honda Sensing’ suite, like Collision Mitigation Braking System with Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation System with Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist System and Adaptive Cruise Control, ensure the Pilot has all the bells and whistles needed to stay current in today’s distracted driver environment.

The 2016 Pilot is available in LX 2WD, LX AWD, EX AWD, EX-L AWD, EX-L RES AWD, EX-L Navi AWD and Touring AWD. Honda Sensing is available on the LX AWD trim and standard on EX trims and above.

So let’s see how the Pilot stacks up with its competitors, price-wise.

LX
2WD 6AT
$35,490
12.4/8.8/10.8

LX
AWD 6AT
$38,490
13.0/9.3/11.3

LX – Honda SensingTM
AWD 6AT
$39,490
13.0/9.3/11.3

EX
AWD 6AT
$41,490
13.0/9.3/11.3

EX-L
AWD 6AT
$44,490
13.0/9.3/11.3

EX-L RES
AWD 6AT
$45,490
13.0/9.3/11.3

EX-L Navi
AWD 6AT
$45,490
13.0/9.3/11.3

Touring
AWD 9AT
$50,490
12.4/9.3/11.0

– Ford Explorer comes in at $32,999 – $58,599.

– Toyota Highlander comes in at $32,775 – $46,195.

– Nissan Pathfinder comes in at $30,998 – $48,803.

– Mazda CX-9 comes in at $33,995 – $45,995.

– Chevrolet Traverse comes in at $33,655 – $50,295.

– Dodge Durango comes in at $41,395 – $54,395.

– Hyundai Santa Fe XL comes in at $30,449 – $43,749.

– GMC Acadia comes in at $36,345 – $56,760.

So as far as pricing goes, the base model 2016 Honda Pilot is the most expensive of the lot to start off with, by a fair bit, but don’t let that fool you, it’s very competitive where the action is in the mid-level and high trim levels.

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