The new Pilot and Accord don’t shake things up

It’s not one, but two major unveilings that Honda orchestrated last week to mark the update of aging products in two segments with opposite trajectories. Once considered the flagship of the brand, the Accord resists the decline of its category, while the midsize SUV Pilot reworks its image with a design full of confidence.

But first, let’s talk sedans. The Agreement, now in its 11^e generation, persists and signs with intermediaries with a recipe rather similar to that of its predecessor. Based on its reworked front platform, the model simplifies its presentation and lengthens by 70 mm. Its face is now composed of a less visually insistent grille and smaller horizontal headlights.

On the mechanical side, the hybrid is in the foreground. The optional engine is now a 2.0L Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder producing 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque using two electric motors. It should make up no less than 50% of the sedan’s sales, according to Honda’s projections. A 192-hp 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder always takes care of moving the entry-level versions with a CVT gearbox.

The cabin is completely revamped, featuring a vertical honeycomb stripe that incorporates the nozzles, a Civic-like approach. Honda promises better quality materials and the hybrid livery will be entitled to the most impressive touch screen ever integrated into its models (12.3 inches).

A more outdoor-focused Pilot

The Honda Pilot is entering its fourth chapter with a completely new foundation that increases its wheelbase by 70 mm (2891 mm in total) to improve ride comfort. A variable-reduction steering comes into support, as does a beefier braking system and revised suspensions.

A TrailSport version, more focused on off-roading, also slightly increases its ground clearance (25 mm) and benefits from protective plates under the chassis.

But beyond these technical considerations, the Pilot is gaining in aesthetic maturity, like the Accord. The lines are more straightforward, the proportions better balanced to give a rendering that sticks well to a refreshed image without overdoing it.

Under the hood, there is still a 3.5L V6, but now with double overhead camshafts. Producing 285 hp – 5 hp more than before – it relays its 262 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through a new, more responsive standard all-wheel drive system that can send up to 70% of the available torque to the back. A 10-speed transmission sits between the two. The Pilot can also tow a load of 2268 kg.

The passenger compartment also gains in volume in addition to being modernized. The second and third row seats offer a little more legroom. 7-inch or 9-inch touchscreens depending on the livery are the gateway to navigating through an infotainment system that Honda announces is simplified and faster.

Honda has not revealed the prices of these two new generations of the Accord and Pilot.