Introducing the Pilot in 2003 to compete with the wildly popular Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander, Honda came late to the SUV party. But, in typical Honda fashion, it made a grand entrance, offering a wealth of standard amenities, excellent build quality and great safety features to boot. Consumers often had difficulty finding Pilots in stock at their local dealerships, such was the demand. Since then, there has been a proliferation of SUVs in the marketplace, with nearly every manufacturer offering a mid-size sport utility. Pilot is still one of the best.

For 2006, Pilot has only gotten better, adding a maintenance-minder system, reverse parking-assist camera, standard stability control and side-curtain airbags for all three rows. The exterior also got a freshening up.

Offered in two well-equipped trim levels (LX and EX), all-wheel or two-wheel drive, the Pilot is powered by a 244-horsepower V-6 paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. Standard features on the LX include keyless entry, cruise control, power windows/mirrors/door locks, air conditioning and third-row seating. Upgrade to the EX and you’ll get eight-way adjustable power seating, steering-wheel audio controls, HomeLink, automatic climate control and more storage spaces. Options include a leather package on the EX, which adds heated front seats, XM Satellite radio and the ability to add either a navigation or DVD system (unfortunately, you can’t get both). I tested the top-of-the line two-wheel drive EX with leather and navigation system. Most controls are intuitive and easy to use, but the odd placement of the stereo’s volume and tuning controls had me switching stations when I wanted to turn it up. Also, the headlights do not turn on automatically, but the interior accent lights do, creating a potential hazard for the driver who could mistakenly believe the headlights are on when they aren’t.

Great for active families, the Pilot is a soccer-mom car that dads will love to drive. Both the second- and third-row seats can be folded flat to create a whopping 90 cubic feet of cargo space. Leg room in the second row is ample, but as with most SUV third-rows, the last row of seating is best suited for children. Even with a full passenger load of eight, there is a respectable amount of storage space behind the third row. Just throw your golf clubs in the back and drive the kids’ carpool on the way to the course. My only complaint is that you have to remove the third-row head restraints to fold the seats down.

Performance on the Pilot is adequate. Drive quality is smooth and comfortable, and the vehicle handles well for its size. Two-wheel drive models come equipped with the Variable Cylinder Management system, which shuts down two of the six cylinders when the extra power is not needed, for example during deceleration or highway cruising. This saves on fuel-economy while not compromising horsepower.

Typical of Honda, safety features are excellent and, as mentioned, have gotten better for 2006. Airbags abound and all models include anti-lock brakes and Vehicle Stability Assist. The government awarded the Pilot its highest rating of five stars in all crash tests, and the Insurance Institute for Highway rated Pilot “Good,” its highest rating.

Generally, you can’t go wrong if you choose a Honda and the Pilot is no exception. In the crowded field of mid-size sport utilities, Pilot is the cream of the crop.