With its strong branding and body style, the Honda Pilot is an easy contender for families in the market. In this generation, compared to the last, it has three rows of seats, easy-to-use technology and a more durable body style.

I spent a week behind the wheel of the Pilot for this test. It wasn’t the first time I’d driven the new generation, but it was the first time I’d spent significant hours in it since attending the launch in Sonoma, Arizona in the middle of winter in a snowstorm.

This time, I drove the vehicle around Atlanta, Georgia, using it just like the family, running errands, loading and unloading groceries, and going to and from the gym. Even under very different test drive conditions, there’s a lot to like about the SUV.

KEEP: Tough guy looks

I like the changes Honda made to the exterior of the Pilot, CR-V and Passport. They look sturdier than before and have the equipment to back it up. The Pilot, like the Nissan Pathfinder, achieves a level of comfort with its capabilities that larger, more purpose-built SUVs can’t.

CHANGE: Derailleur

I tried, really tried to adopt low profile shifting in Honda products. That’s… cool. But it’s not great. I’d rather see a rotary or stick shift here, or even a column shift like Hyundai Motor Group and General Motors have switched to.

CHANGE: Scan and search buttons

While I wholeheartedly applaud Honda’s bringing back the volume control for its infotainment system, after ditching it early on in the last-gen Civic, my annoyance with the search/skip buttons is growing.

While most drivers will use the steering wheel controls to scroll through a song or find the right radio station, their passengers have a long search or skip ahead of them. And the buttons are small.

This could be solved by following the “driver controls the radio” rules, but this is not always practical.

I’m also not a huge fan of the screen cover, which sees cheap-looking plastic heavier on one side than the other due to the placement of the physical controls.

KEEP: Physical checks

The Pilot has a refreshing number of buttons and knobs. Everything has its place, easy to find at first glance and just as easy to find by touch when the mood strikes and you need to keep your eyes on the road.

All air conditioning functions are controlled by knobs and buttons, even at the back. This allows for ease of use that doesn’t require navigating the depths of menus, just doing something as simple as turning down (or up) the high fan speed so you can (or can’t) hear your kids complaining about themselves from the third row.

STORAGE: Rear underfloor storage

Pilot’s storage space under the floor is not only suitable for buying food. I visited a local plant store and filled it with my purchases, which then contained all the spare dirt for easy cleaning.

You can also keep emergency supplies like a first aid kit, flashlight and roadside assistance gear in there without eating up the rest of the cabin’s storage space.