I recently spent a week test driving the 2026 Honda Pilot around Vancouver.
The 2026 Honda Pilot receives notable tech upgrades, design refinements, and enhanced cabin comfort across its lineup. On the outside, the three-row SUV features a redesigned front fascia with a larger, more prominent grille, updated front and rear scuff plates, and standard roof rails across more trims. Powering the vehicle is a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, offering up to 285 horsepower and smooth gear delivery. Drivers also benefit from a retuned steering system for sharper handling and precision, alongside added safety features such as a Post-Collision Braking System integrated into the standard Honda Sensing suite.
I took a drive to the Coal Harbour area of downtown Vancouver to attend the Westin Bayshore 65th anniversary party. It’s quite a milestone and the hotel celebrated their 65th anniversary with an exciting party that featured various food and drink stations celebrating each of the decades since the hotel opened in 1961. My family has had many celebrations and dinners at the hotel over the years and we all have fond memories of Trader Vic’s restaurant.
That evening I visited nearby Krave Kulture Yogurt, the newest location from North Van’s popular spot known for making its fresh organic yogurt and kefir in-house daily using Canadian milk, the shop serves up both sweet and savory handcrafted yogurt bowls, frozen yogurt, smoothies, and jarred parfaits. Whether you are grabbing a quick loaded breakfast bowl with house-made granola or picking up a glass jar of probiotic yogurt to go, Krave Kulture focuses on wholesome, gut-healthy foods.
I had a medium bowl with Vanilla and Raspberry froyo.
The next day, Lawrence joined me for dinner at Dachi in the Hastings-Sunrise neighborhood on East Hastings. Dachi is an intimate neighborhood restaurant and natural wine bar centered around community and thoughtful, seasonal cooking. The cozy, living-room-like space serves low-intervention wines, sake, craft cocktails, and a rotating, family-style menu made from locally sourced Pacific Northwest ingredients.
I love tasting menus especially creative ones that feature vegetables and proteins from local farms and producers. That is exactly what Dachi does: a multi course tasting menu, including some off menu dishes, for $78 per person that both Lawrence and I enjoyed.
Some of the dishes that blew us away in terms of flavour and creativity were the Corn Custard with makgeolli vinegar, chili oil, corn salad. As well as the Off menu Chile relleno and the Cropthorne Farmstand cantaloupe with fermented melon seed caramel, mascarpone cream and crumble; a simple yet refreshing finish.
After dinner we visited the adjacent, Plain Jane Ice Cream situated right next door to Dachi on East Hastings Street. Plain Jane Ice Cream specializes in New Zealand–style ice cream with a “not too sweet” philosophy. The shop blends real frozen fruits directly into a smooth organic French vanilla base using a specialized New Zealand churn machine to create a freshly blended, soft-serve-like treat. Focused on high-quality ingredients rather than artificial flavorings or excessive sugar, it offers a refreshing, fruit-forward alternative to traditional dense ice creams.
I had the Raspberry and Lawrence had the blueberry ice cream.
The next day I drove to the Riley Park neighbourhood to Turf on Main, a multi-concept wellness hub that blends a fitness studio, coffee bar, and plant-forward bistro into one bright, communal space. Expanding on its original Kitsilano concept, the Main Street venue offers movement classes—like strength and mat workouts—alongside an all-day menu packed with clean, nourishing food, fresh juices, and specialty coffee. It serves as a popular hangout spot in Mount Pleasant for grabbing a healthy post-workout smoothie or sitting down for a casual, nutrient-dense bite. I had a Cortado and picked up one of their tasty salads to go.
Inside the Pilot, the cabin receives a major technology upgrade with a standard 12.3-inch ultra-wide HD touchscreen featuring Google built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, complemented by a 10.2-inch digital driver display. Honda has also prioritized interior quietness by introducing semi-tempered door glass, new door and hood insulation, and sound-dampening fender liners that significantly reduce wind and road noise. For off-road enthusiasts, the adventure-focused TrailSport trim adds a 360-degree TrailWatch™ surround-view camera system, while higher-tier models like the Touring, Elite, and Black Edition elevate luxury with premium diamond-quilted Ultra Suede seat accents, heated second-row seating, and an available 12-speaker Bose audio system.
By: Richard Wolak
Disclosure: Honda Canada provided me with the Honda Pilot 2026 SUV to test drive, and photograph. As always, all opinions and photos are my own.