An even better of the best. Honda has created an improved Pilot with new features and options that’ll have you ready to hit the road.

When it came to improving the Pilot for 2006, designers and engineers had their work cut out for them. They weren’t working to better an SUV in need of some serious help. Instead, they were starting with a vehicle that won the large SUV category in Car and Driver's "5 Best Trucks" competition for the past four years.

Perhaps one of the biggest changes in 2006 is that the Honda Pilot is now available in 2WD and 4WD models, both sporting 3.5-liter, 24-valve, V-6 engines with 244 horsepower. In addition, safety in the Pilot has really taken a front seat with the addition of three-row side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor along with Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) with traction control.

And to ensure passengers never experience a dull moment, the Pilot is equipped with the Honda DVD Rear Entertainment System with a new nine--inch screen and 115-volt power outlet, available on EX-L models. According to Honda, the exterior is also redesigned, featuring sculpted hood and fenders, a new grille, a rear roofline spoiler and clear taillight lenses.

And that’s not all. Check out a complete list of what’s new in ’06 for the Pilot, according to Honda:

Exterior
• New alloy wheels (LX, EX)
• Redesigned hood, fenders and grille
• Projector beam halogen headlights
• Clear taillight lenses
• Fog lights (EX, EX-L)
• Side-marker lights on front fenders
• Body-colored body side moldings (LX)
• Body-colored door handles (EX)
• Body-colored power side mirrors (EX)
• Redesigned rear bumper and skid garnish
• Redesigned rear roofline spoiler
• New exterior color: Amazon Green Metallic

Interior
• Conversation mirror with sunglasses holder (EX-L)
• Backlit gauges
• New seat fabrics (LX, EX) and leather (EX-L)
• New seat seams and stitching

Engineering Safety
• 244-horsepower engine
• 24-valve SOHC i-VTEC® (2WD), 24-valve SOHC VTEC® (4WD)
• Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM™) (2WD)
• Active Control Engine Mount System (ACM) (2WD)
• Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) (2WD)
• Driver's and front passenger's seat belt reminder
• Three-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensor
• Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) with traction control

Available with 2WD and 4WD, the Pilot comes in LX and EX trims starting at $26,995.