Vehicle Type: A four-door, eight-seat midsize crossover SUV.
Price Range: From $37,645 to $53,725, including the $1,345 destination charge.
Powertrain: A 285-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6, and 10-speed automatic transmission.
Front-wheel-drive (FWD) is standard on most models, while all are available with all-wheel-drive (AWD).
The Sport and Sport Touring trim levels feature a hybridized 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 204 total horsepower with help from two electric motors.
The Sport is available with either AWD or FWD and the Sport Touring comes standard with AWD.
Video Review:
What’s New for 2023?
The Honda Pilot is redesigned for the 2023 model year. This fourth generation of Honda’s three-row SUV has a revised powertrain, new styling inside and out, upgraded infotainment and driver assistance technology, and the TrailSport, an off-road-themed variant.
What’s Good?
- Practical and space-efficient interior
- Strong V6 power
- Intuitive controls
What’s Bad?
- Interior materials are only average in quality
- Lacks precise handling of some rivals
- Top versions push too close to the premium-brand territory
- TrailSport trim level lacks the significant off-road capability
Would we buy one? Absolutely. It’s not the most interesting choice, but as before, it’s hard to go wrong with a Honda Pilot when picking a three-row SUV.
More Photos:
See more 2023 Honda Pilot Photos.
Overview:
The Honda Pilot was one of the pioneers of what’s become one of the hottest vehicle classes in the last two decades: the midsize, three-row SUV. Not only did it decimate station wagon demand in the US, it nearly wiped away the minivan market. That’s why nearly every mainstream brand has a rival to the Pilot.
Honda has stuck with its winning formula for this fourth-generation Pilot; seating for up to eight, a V6 engine, front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel-drive, and lots of storage solutions inside. However, Honda also continues to up its game in safety, driver assistance and infotainment technology, and fuel efficiency as the competition grows and gets more fierce.
Rivals for the 2023 Honda Pilot include the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Kia Telluride, Mazda CX-90, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, and Volkswagen Atlas.
Overall Score: 4.3/5 stars
Driving Experience: 3/5 stars
Every 2023 Pilot uses a 285-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine with 262 lb-ft of torque and a 10-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard on most models, with all-wheel-drive an option. AWD is standard, however, on TrailSport and Elite models, which also incorporate a hill descent control system for steep slopes. And all models have various drive modes for economy, snow, and a Sport mode.
The new TrailSport uses a reprogrammed all-wheel-drive system that includes settings for off-road trails and a sand mode, including a setting that mimics a differential lock. It also gets all-terrain tires, a retuned suspension, and an additional inch of ground clearance to 8.3 inches, but no pretense it’s as capable off-road as a Grand Cherokee 4x4. But it’s a direct rival to outdoor-themed versions of the Nissan Pathfinder, Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia, and others.
The V6 is familiar to anyone who’s driven a Honda product in the last couple of decades and that’s no bad thing. It’s smooth and adequately powerful for the Pilot’s size. And the new 10-speed automatic shifts more confidently than the old nine-speed automatic. However, even though the Pilot is rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, those who regularly haul trailers might be better served by the Explorer, Grand Cherokee, or Dodge Durango, all of which are available with far more potent engine options.
Safety Features: 4/5 stars
Every 2023 Pilot gets a version of the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance features. These include automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control with traffic sign recognition. Only the LX lacks blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic detection, while it takes going up to an EX-L or higher to get parking sensors.
However, neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety nor the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has rated the 2023 Pilot for crash protection or prevention yet.
Value: 4/5 stars
The late addition of the base LX trim level dropped the Pilot’s base price by more than $3,000 against the previous entry-level Sport model. All Pilot variants get the same engine and transmission, and the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance features that include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow traffic sign recognition and lane-keeping assist. LX, EX-L, and TrailSport get 18-inch alloy wheels, while other trim levels get 20s.
An EX-L AWD with second-row captain’s chairs — likely the most popular combination — comes in at about $46,000, on par with mid-level versions of the Palisade and Telluride, and easily less expensive than similarly equipped versions of the Enclave, Explorer, and Grand Cherokee L. And it includes desirable features such as leather seats, a power tailgate, and wireless Apple CarPlay.
However, buyers looking for a panoramic moonroof, a premium sound system, or even second-row heated seats have to nudge or break the $50,000 mark and go for Touring or Elite versions. Not only do mainstream rivals offer those features on less expensive variants, but that price starts to nudge premium three-row SUVs like the Infiniti QX60 or even the related Acura MDX.
Tech Features: 3/5 stars
Every Pilot gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility (wireless on EX-L and higher), keyless entry and start, Bluetooth connectivity, and LED headlights. LX and Sport models get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while all others get a 9-inch screen. Only Touring and Elite trim levels get built-in navigation, while the Elite adds a head-up display and digital driver information display, and it and the TrailSport get a forward-facing camera for a 360-degree view.
All said, even a 9-inch touchscreen is hardly newsworthy in 2023, let alone a small 7-inch one, especially on a $41,000 vehicle. And while Honda has improved its infotainment system over the previous Pilot — using one derived from the latest Civic and Accord — it doesn’t break any new ground. Hyundai and Kia offer more sophisticated screens, while Buick and Chevrolet have intuitive systems.
Practicality: 5/5 stars
Long a Pilot's strong suit, there’s abundant room for passengers and cargo or a combination of both. Honda says it added 2.4 inches of legroom in the second row compared to the previous model, and a little more than a half-inch of legroom in the third row. In pretty much every measurement, though, the Pilot has the most space among these vehicles, including the absolutely massive VW Atlas and fellow eight-passenger Subaru Ascent.
The Pilot’s cargo area has 22.4 cubic feet of space with the third-row seats up and just under 114 cubic feet with the second and third rows down — and including a well under the false floor behind the third row. While that cargo space isn’t near that of the Honda Odyssey minivan, it’s well above the Ascent and Atlas and even the massive Enclave. Honda says the Pilot can tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped and with the dealer-installed trailer hitch (standard on the TrailSport).
As usual, there are numerous cupholders and compartments scattered around the interior. For the new Pilot, there are as many as 14 cupholders, eight of which can hold a 32-ounce bottle, according to Honda. There’s also an enormous center console in the front row, as well as a shelf in front of the passenger’s seat to hold phones, wallets, and other small items.
Styling & Design: 4/5 stars
Honda addressed criticisms that the previous-generation Pilot looked too anonymous so it toughened up the exterior with the redesign, and it looks less like a minivan than before, even if there’s only so much that can be done with the profile of a three-row SUV. The TrailSport, a trim previously seen on the Passport and Ridgeline, takes the rugged act to another level with chunky all-terrain tires, skid plates and recovery hooks, and blacked-out wheels and trim. It follows other three-row SUVs looking more like old-school SUVs in a bid to shed a soccer parent stigma that plagued other people movers.
While not immune to the move to screens, the Pilot’s interior is mostly user-friendly compared to many of its rivals. There are still physical controls for the heating and air conditioning, which is a tri-zone system on all trim levels. The upgraded 9-inch touchscreen lacks a tuning knob, but at least has a physical control for volume, and all models get steering wheel-mounted audio and phone controls.
Even though the materials are improved over the somewhat Tupperware-like plastics in the outgoing model, the Pilot doesn’t exactly feel plush, even in high-grade Touring and Elite models. The materials and design don’t feel nearly as upmarket as those in a CX-90, Palisade, or Telluride. At least everything feels better put together than in several other rivals.
Fuel Efficiency: 3/5 stars
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Pilot LX, Sport, EX-L, and Touring FWD at 19 mpg city, 27 highway, and 22 combined. AWD versions of those models — and the Elite with standard AWD — lose 2 mpg on the highway and 1 mpg combined. And the Pilot TrailSport with its offroad-style tires is rated at 18 city, 23 highway, and 20 mpg combined.
Those fuel economy figures are mostly on par with the competition, even though many automakers have shifted to turbocharged four-cylinders instead of V6s. The Pilot also forgoes the continuously variable transmission (CVT) that Subaru employs to eke out more efficiency at the expense of engine flexibility and interior noise.
However, despite the Accord and CR-V being predominantly available as a hybrid, Honda doesn’t offer such a setup for the Pilot. The Ford Explorer Hybrid, using a V6 engine, gets 27 mpg combined and the four-cylinder Toyota Highlander Hybrid is rated at up to 36 mpg combined, noticeable gains over the gasoline-only Pilot, and the Mazda CX-90 is offered as a plug-in hybrid and a first for the mainstream class. For 2024, the Kia EV9 will be the first mainstream all-electric three-row SUV and directly compete in this segment.
What’s it Going to Cost Me?
The 2023 Honda Pilot starts from $37,645 for an LX FWD and rises to $53,725 for an Elite AWD, including the $1,345 destination charge. All models get a 285-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6, and 10-speed automatic. As is the case with most Hondas, there are no factory options outside of the trim levels apart from extra-cost exterior paint colors. All-wheel-drive adds $2,100 on most models.
The Pilot LX starts from $37,645, and all-wheel-drive is optional. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, hill descent control, selectable drive modes, steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, a 7-speaker audio system, tri-zone automatic climate control, and keyless entry and push-button start. A 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system is also standard, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity, and front and second-row USB ports.
The Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance features is also included and comes with automatic emergency braking, a multi-angle rearview camera, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow and traffic sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, and a road departure mitigation system.
The Pilot Sport starts from $40,845, and all-wheel-drive is optional. It adds to the LX 20-inch alloy wheels, blind-spot warning, LED front fog lights, roof rails, heated front seats, and a power driver’s seat.
The Pilot EX-L starts from $43,645, and all-wheel-drive is optional. It gets 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, a power tailgate, parking sensors, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, acoustic glass, a 9-speaker audio system with a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, third-row USB charging ports, second-row sunshades.
The Pilot Touring starts from $48,145, and all-wheel-drive is optional. Over the EX-L’s features, the Touring gets 20-inch wheels, a hands-free power tailgate, a panoramic glass roof with moonroof, stowable second-row middle seat, Bose audio system with multi-zone audio, a power front passenger’s seat, driver’s seat memory settings, built-in navigation, and a wi-fi hotspot.
The Honda Pilot TrailSport starts from $50,045. It includes all-wheel-drive, 18-inch wheels on all-terrain tires, Trail and Sand modes, skid plates, recovery points, a Class III trailer hitch, a surround-view camera system with an off-road “TrailWatch” mode, and various exterior and interior detail changes.
Finally, the Honda Pilot Elite starts from $53,725. It adds to the Touring model ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, a multi-view camera with off-road mode, a head-up display, and an interior PA system.
If it were our money, it would stop with the EX-L AWD model. While it’s annoying Honda puts desirable items like a 360-degree camera and hands-free tailgate only on higher trims that come with other embellishments, the EX-L is well-priced in this class and would tick most of the boxes for most buyers.
