2012 Honda Pilot to Top Class in Mileage

Besides the first glimpse of a completely redesigned 2012 Honda CR-V earlier today, the company also has released a single image and a few tidbits of its upcoming 2012 Pilot SUV.

The company says the Pilot will be “substantially” updated for 2012. While not a complete redesign, the styling is much softer than the current Pilot, which is likely to turn-off fewer shoppers who might have found the current Pilot too dramatic.

The biggest news is Honda claims the 2012 Pilot will have the highest EPA fuel rating of any three-row eight-passenger “SUV.” Honda did confirm with us that it includes large crossovers like the Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander in that claim.

Those two crossovers are the most efficient of their size at 17/25 mpg city/highway for the V-6 Explorer and 18/24 mpg for the V-6 Highlander. The Pilot currently has a single V-6 engine option, which likely won’t change. The 2011 is rated at 17/23 mpg, so it doesn’t have far to go to surpass the competition.

We also expect the somewhat funky interior of the current model to be significantly redesigned, as well.

The 2012 Honda Pilot will go on sale in September.