2015 Honda Pilot Debuts Standard Roadside Assistance

Beginning with the 2015 Honda Pilot that's now on sale at dealerships across the country, all vehicles from the brand will add a standard, complementary roadside-assistance program as part of their new-vehicle limited warranties. Coverage will extend to three years/36,000 miles and include:

• Vehicle-unlock, battery-jump and winch service
• Fuel delivery for out of gas Hondas
• Flat-tire assistance, with reps able to either swap the affected vehicle's damaged tire with its on-board spare or help deploy the Honda tire-repair kit
• Help getting the vehicle to the nearest Honda dealership (if necessary)
• A wide variety of premium services when owners are more than 100 miles from home, ranging from setting up alternative transportation to providing reimbursements for food and lodging

And while the new program is no doubt the big news here, the 2015 Honda Pilot also sees a bit of a price bump for the next selling season along with a new player for its lineup.

In terms of MSRPs, the 2015 Honda Pilot will open at $29,870, which works out to an increase of $210 for the three-row crossover and includes standard features like a rearview camera with guidelines, tri-zone automatic climate control with rear-seat heat ducts, the automaker's intelligent multi-information display with an 8-inch high-res screen, Bluetooth technology, and a seven-speaker audio system with separate subwoofer and USB audio interface.

Now, that's for the starter 2015 Honda Pilot LX, but the roster also showcases up-level EX and EX-L grades that provide a wide range of premium goodies, highlighted by a Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation system, and the new selling season will see the debut of a trim level that splits the difference between those two. With an MSRP of $33,120, the 2015 Honda Pilot SE (Special Edition) adds:

• Pewter gray aluminum-alloy wheels
• A one-touch power moonroof
• Sirius XM Radio
• Honda's rear-seat DVD entertainment system, incorporating a 9-inch flipdown display screen and wireless headphones

Motivation for the 2015 Honda Pilot will continue to come from a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 250 hp, 253 lb.-ft. of torque, a max tow rating of 4,500 lbs. that's also complemented by a standard integrated trailer hitch, available all-wheel drive with Variable Torque Management, and fuel-economy grades of up to 18 mpg city/25 mpg highway/21 mpg combined.

(Note: For all the details on the new Honda roadside assistance program, please contact your local dealer, as the usual gamut of exclusions and restrictions apply.)