Around for more than three decades and traditionally well received, one could label the Honda Pilot as “Old Reliable.”
Since its inception in 2003, sales in the U.S. have only dipped below the 100,000 mark three times. Sales of the midsize SUV reached a high of 159,615 in 2018 and last year Pilot sales were solid at 124,209.
Despite its consistency, the Pilot has its detractors. Reliability is its calling card, not excitement. It’s known for being a no-frills, family-friendly three-row SUV that features an exterior look that doesn’t inspire any oohs and ahhs. The Pilot is straight forward and deemed a safe choice in its class.
However, the class is changing. Top competitors now include the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride and Hyundai Santa Fee, which all provide more premium interiors and have a hybrid option. The Pilot is slow to change. Honda says a hybrid version of the Pilot could arrive by 2029.
Although competition has increased in recent years, the reliable and well-rounded Pilot remains in the upper echelon for families seeking a three-row SUV. It has a sizable list of safety features, but the Pilot’s base price (around $42,500) is more than the Palisade, Santa Fe and Telluride.
One of the Pilots’ major improvements this year is ditching its smallish 7-inch touchscreen for a standard one that’s 12.3 inches. It’s fast and relatively easy to master. And we like that Honda has multiple physical buttons and knobs for commonly used functions that many SUVs have imbedded in the screen.
The interior includes trays, pockets and cupholders for the convenience of all eight passengers (seven if the second row has the comfy Captain’s Chairs). There’s nothing upscale about the seating, but the first two rows are roomy and comfortable, and the third row is suitable for even some teens.
The cargo area is extremely spacious with both rows folded to the floor, creating 87 cubic feet. There’s 18.6 cubes of room behind the third row and it expands to 48.5 when the third row is folded to the floor.
Even though driving the Pilot offers no exhilaration, the performance remains a good selling point. The engine is a 3.5-liter, V6 that produces 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The standard front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive is an option) SUV goes 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds. The fuel economy of 19-27 mpg is far lower than any midsize SUV hybrids.
AT A GLANCE – 2026 HONDA PILOT
• Performance: 3.5-liter, V6, 285 horsepower
• Mileage estimate: 19-27 mpg
• Price estimate: $42,500 to $55,300
• Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles; Drivetrain: 5 years/60,000 miles; Roadside Assistance: 3 years/36,000; Corrosion: 5 years/unlimited
The Pilot delivers a comfortable and composed ride. It offers reasonably precise steering and gives the driver a feeling of confidence in all situations. That includes an ability to maneuver on challenging roads, where the Pilot is steady and predictable. It also can handle some mild off-roading with the AWD TrailSport model, a good choice if that’s your thing.
Standard driver safety features include collision mitigation braking; lane departure warning; lane keeping assist; road departure mitigation; adaptive cruise control; blind spot monitoring; traffic jam assist; cross traffic monitoring; driver attention monitoring; and high beam headlines.
The 2026 Honda Pilot remains solid and dependable, yet an unexciting choice among midsize SUVs. It’s best known for being a reliable family-friendly vehicle that has no major weaknesses.
Jeffrey Weidel is an award-winning journalist from the Sacramento region who has written automotive reviews for nearly three decades and now appears in Folsom Times. Follow him on BlueSky at jeffweidel.bsky.social. skiweidel@gmail.com.
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