Underneath the rugged exterior of the 2012 Honda Pilot beats the heart of a roomy, fun-to-drive crossover SUV. Well actually, it’s the heart of a Honda Odyssey minivan, but you would never know it. The 2012 Honda Pilot is everything you would expect in a Honda and a lot more of what you want from an SUV. The Pilot comes in 4 trims, the Base LX, EX, EX-L and Special Edition Touring. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all trims are available with all-wheel drive. However, the 2012 Pilot remains virtually the same from the 2011 version except for a restyled front grille, which was done for looks as well as aerodynamics and resulted in a mileage improvement. The fact is, since its last restyling in 2009, the Honda Pilot hasn’t changed much, and Honda is promising a redesign for 2014.

The 2012 Honda Pilot comes with a 250-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. All Honda Pilots have the Variable Cylinder Management system, which deactivates up to 3 cylinders when they're not needed. While this is of great help in saving fuel on the road, the Honda Pilot’s reported mileage is still 18 mpg city/25 highway. Even though this is an increase over previous models, it is still far below some of the Pilot's competition. This is due in large part to a 5-speed automatic transmission, which seems out of place in such an advanced crossover SUV. Even the VW Touareg has an 8-speed, for heaven’s sake. But this makes for quick, confident acceleration, and provides enough muscle power to tow up to 4,500 pounds with all-wheel drive. The talk around the water cooler is that Honda may introduce a 6-speed for the 2014 redesign, but only if it thinks the benefits will outweigh the costs.

Another change to the styling of the 2012 Pilot is that the wheel size has been increased to 17 inches on the LX and 18-inch, highly stylized alloy wheels on all other trims. The wheel changes, despite the Pilot's high center of gravity, make for a stable and smooth ride. Interior changes were kept to a minimum, but the addition of noise-dampening windshields has made for a quieter ride. Some dash controls have been replaced with dials, making for a clean, well-thought-out instrument panel. Instrument backlighting was also changed by replacing the bright aqua used in previous models to a soft white, thereby improving contrast and readability. The Pilot still has a peculiar dash-mounted shift lever, however it's reported to be easy to use and doesn’t get in the way.

Certainly the 2012 Honda Pilot comes with a list of great standard options that you would expect from Honda: Bluetooth connectivity, USB/iPod ports, a power moonroof, heated front seats, a backup camera and a power liftgate. Also found in most models is a navigation system with voice recognition, subscription-free traffic information and a 2-15GB hard drive for music storage. The second-row passengers have their own climate controls on their own LCD screen, which should make everyone happy. Standard for the Special Edition Touring trim is every parent’s best friend: a rear seat DVD player.

Here’s where the Honda Pilot really shines: It has seating for 8 in front bucket and second- and third-row bench seats that carry three passengers each. One feature that will be attractive to families is that the Pilot has four anchor positions for child safety seats in the second and third rows. In addition, the third row drops into a concealed spot in the rear floor, and with both rear benches down, the Honda transforms into a huge cargo space. It is quoted that a Pilot can haul a 4-foot-wide plywood sheet laid flat or two golf bags. Most of us just want to know if it will hold the kids, groceries and the dog without a food fight starting.

As always, safety is another strong point in the Honda line. The 2012 Pilot comes with standard front airbags and side curtain airbags that run the entire length of the car, which protects all passengers even in the third row. Antilock brakes, anti-skid and traction control are standard for all models.

The 2012 Honda Pilot is a smart, affordable option that has a sense of style and zip. It is a first-rate choice for any family that needs lots of seating and cargo space but still wants some style and comfort.