The newest Pilot three-row SUV has been around some two years. The awesome high-riding model is definitely one of the best in its class, so we are wondering how come that the Japanese car manufacturer works on the updated version already. Well, we are not buying the story that the testing model is actually a mid-cycle refreshed Pilot. No, this has to be something else. Our trusted source claims otherwise. This is actually the first-ever 2019 Honda Pilot Hybrid. This makes sense, because today’s crossover offers just one engine, while most of the biggest rivals have some kind of hybrid already.
Pilot’s Engine
The current Honda Pilot is mated to a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. The engine runs either front or all four wheels mostly through a six-speed auto gearbox. Vanilla flavors such as Touring and Elite trims are using a far soother nine-speed automatic transmission. All AWD Pilots are paired with torque vectoring which significantly improves handling and provides modes for mud, sand, and snow. The drivetrain is good, almost perfect, but fuel economy numbers are not too good, so the Japanese carmaker wants to offer an alternative in the form of a hybrid.
Hybrid Powertrain
In case you think that the 2019 Honda Pilot Hybrid is going to use the same powertrain as the Acura MDX think again because this is not going to happen at all. Instead, the amazing SUV will rather employ a system that mirrors the Honda Accord Hybrid. Still, since we are talking about the three-row SUV, the two-motor powerplant has to deliver more than Accord’s current 212 horsepower. Perhaps the carmaker could make the current Atkinson-cycle, port-injected 2.0-liter inline-four to produce more than now. At the point, the engine pumps out 143 hp, while the electric motor in the back helps with 181 hp. The combined output is, as we’ve said already, exactly 212 horsepower, though the 2019 Pilot Hybrid will have to have at least 250 ponies in order to be adequate.
Camouflage Hides What
The testing prototype is hiding its ends, but we don’t expect much beneath the camouflage. Instead, the hybrid version of the SUV is going to host just a mildly restyled grille and perhaps a different bumper. Both headlights and taillights should host new graphics and nothing else. Inside, the vehicle will stay the same.
Arrival
Some reports say that the 2019 Honda Pilot Hybrid should be introduced at the 2018 New York Auto Show, but we think it’s too soon because this is the first testing prototype we’ve ever caught. Instead, the SUV will arrive in the fall.