(June 17, 2015) TORRANCE, CALIF. — Fully redesigned from the ground up, and substantially re-energized in form and function, the all-new third-generation 2016 Honda Pilot stakes its claim as the new benchmark in the three-row mid-sized SUV segment.

With more of everything family SUV buyers are looking for — performance, fuel efficiency, comfort, safety performance and premium features — in every model and trim, the 2016 Pilot goes on sale June 18 with a starting price of t $29,995 for the Pilot LX with 2WD.

The new Pilot's 280-horsepower, directed-injected 3.5-liter i-VTEC engine adds 30 horsepower while receiving a segment-topping EPA combined fuel-economy rating of 23 MPG for the 2WD with nine-speed automatic transmission, up two MPG from the 2015 Pilot.



The technology-enhanced efficiencies continue with the available i-VTM4 AWD system that not only allows you to drive all wheels with traction in a variety of driving conditions but also applies torque vectoring to enhance dynamic driving agility.  And family functionality is better than ever, with a more spacious third row and cargo area and One-Touch Walk-in third row access, and a host of ports and plugs to accommodate virtually every imaginable device, from smartphones to iPads, game consoles to digital video cameras, with up to four 2.5-amp USB outlets for charging the family's most power-hungry stuff.

"The 2016 Pilot takes full advantage of Honda's packaging expertise to deliver the outstanding, family-friendly cabin space that has made Pilot such a popular choice of family SUV buyers," said Jeff Conrad, Honda Division senior vice president and general manager.

"This third-generation Pilot reaches higher into the premium end of the three-row SUV market than ever before with a new line-topping Elite model that will give us an even stronger foothold at the upper end of the midsize SUV segment."

The all-new 2016 Honda Pilot SUV, with seating up to eight passengers, joins the best-selling Honda CR-V and all-new HR-V as the flagship of an expanded lineup of Honda SUVs. It is the third generation of Honda's popular three-row SUV to be designed, developed and manufactured in America. The new Pilot was designed and developed by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., in Los Angeles and Ohio, and is manufactured exclusively by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC, in Lincoln, Ala.

"Our design team in California and development team in Ohio worked to create a new breed of no-compromise SUV that meets the diverse lifestyle needs of American families," said Marc Ernst, Pilot development leader. "This means the 2016 Pilot has incredible family functionality when the kids are in tow, a stylish and premium experience for a night on the town or an off-road adventure."

More than 1.4 million Pilots have been sold over the past 12 years. Pilot also ties the CR-V in having the highest brand loyalty of any Honda model, with approximately 63 percent of Pilot buyers returning to purchase another Honda vehicle.