Overview & Reviews

For 2014, the Honda Pilot sees no changes.

• Comfortable ride
• Useful interior storage areas.
• Roomy third-row seat

• Lackluster braking distances
• Feels slow and cumbersome to drive
• Missing a few convenience and upscale safety features
• Some cheap interior plastics.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 23.00

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  Meh - if you want no surprises and can settle.... - 2014 Honda Pilot
  By Alvin - January 4 - 7:54 pm

  Brief summary - If you want a predictable vehicle with good resale value, good safety and plenty of room, the 2009-2015 Honda Pilot is the right vehicle for you. If you want some comfort, good looks, updated design (Pilot hasnt changed much since 2009) and modern technology advances (touch screen navigation), look elsewhere. Coming from previous Honda vehicles (Accord, CRV), we almost purchased the Odyssey before settling on the Pilot. Starting with the trim levels, Honda has these pre-designated so it doesnt confuse consumers. The only way to get both navigation and factory entertainment (DVD) system was the Pilot, which had a MSRP of $42k. Note that for the "top of the line" vehicle in 2014, this thing was well behind the times. Not only has there been no major updates to this Pilot since 2009 (when the first ever Samsung Galaxy smartphone was released), it was well behind the competition. The 14 Toyota Highlander came with LEDs, adaptive cruise control, panoramic moonroof, blu-ray DVD player, heated steering wheel and the 12-speaker JBL system. The Honda Pilot came with regular lights, regular cruise control, regular moonroof, regular DVD player, regular steering wheel, and regular "premium" sound system. FOR ALMOST THE SAME PRICE ($42k Pilot Touring 4WD vs $43k Highlander Platinum AWD) The Honda is very utilitarian meaning it serves its purpose. You want a dependable vehicle that has history of few mechanical issues, good resale value, a lot of interior passenger & cargo room, it is a good vehicle. But on top of a lack of value, it actually is uncomfortable (comparably). Hard leather seats that are far from plush, very hard-plastic interior (same materials as the base Pilot LX...) covers the interior of the vehicle, and a less-than-plush ride. Took a 19 hour road trip over Thanksgiving and it was less-than-desired comfortable, though I have been in worse vehicles. The navigation is an outdated & un-intuitive input system that requires the user to use a knob and turn to the right character, one alphabet at a time...think of a rotary phone but with the whole keyboard as possible options. Also note at 15k and 30k miles, Honda recommends the rear differential fluid to be flushed (~$80-$100 per instance) which wasnt an expected maintenance item. Its in the manual. Also for those who swear by Honda reliablity, google "Honda Pilot VCM" to read through the horror stories many Pilot owners have had with their ENGINE. With the new re-designed 2016 Pilots now out, you can really get a good deal on a low-mileage late model Pilot because the new one fixes a lot of the issues a lot of the old ones have. We got a decent deal (over $4k off MSRP) when we purchased the 14 Pilot 4WD, at the time of this posting new 15 Pilot 4WD Tourings could be had around the $35k mark with all incentives which is a great deal. PLUS - Good gas mileage (23-24mpg highway is realistic) - Aside from the VCM issue, no major concerns around reliability a lot of over 100k mile Pilots still on the road - Great resale value, Honda has done a good job here - Stellar interior room middle row seats has much leg/hip room as a minivan...without being a minivan - Boxy shape means flexibility to haul a lot of cargo like oversized gifts, bicycles and such - Sound system, for being no-brand, sounds pretty decent NEGATIVE - Comfort, comfort, comfort...almost 2 years into ownership, the seats havent gotten any better. - Cheap-ish interior material the fact the leather stains so easily to the very hard plastic that covers the interior of the vehicle from the dash to the door panels, even in the "top of the line" trim is disappointing - Less than plush ride, especially compared to the 14 Pathfinder, 14 Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon, 14 Highlander, 14 Enclave/Traverse/Acadia and even the 14 Durango - Old design, this thing hasnt been refreshed since 2009 when almost all its competitors have come with something new Would I do it again? Absolutely not. Do I regret it? Not really, I am confident this vehicle will run for a long time to come and hold its value respectably. But when you itch to trade the car in almost every month because making car payments on a car that you "settle for", it isnt a good feeling.

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  Dont bother - 2014 Honda Pilot
  By blakecatch22 - December 22 - 10:54 am

  We owned a 2005, 2007, and now 2014 Honda Pilot. The main problems are the fuel economy and power numbers are tepid, the 5-speed gearbox is jerky, and acceleration took nearly 10 seconds. Plus the transmission cost a small fortune to repair. Please, take my word and buy aToyota Highlander (which we now own) or the Honda Odyssey.

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  Just OK - 2014 Honda Pilot
  By driftma - April 8 - 1:49 pm

  Was looking at 3 row SUVs to fit the new twins and the dog. Decided on the Pilot over the CX-9 because of cost and dealership. For utility and storage and seating, the Pilot is great. However I feel it lags when it comes to acceleration, even compared to our 2012 CRV. It definitely drives like a truck. Having a little regret because I only use it to drive the whole family once every couple of weeks. Would rather have something more fun to drive. Im also finding the seat even with all its adjustments, difficult to find the right position as of yet (1 month).

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  MAN! I wanted to love this... - 2014 Honda Pilot
  By Nicole R. - May 9 - 5:38 am

  As an owner of a 2005 Honda Pilot EX, and itching to get a new ride, I test drove the 2014 Honda Pilot EX-L while I was getting a new catalytic converter at the dealership. The exterior was beautiful (Im a fan of the "squarer" bodies and think the new ones blend in with everyone elses vehicle), and the interior was "standard" Honda (definitely not as appealing as a Highlander, but Im not picky). Everything was great, until I pulled onto the highway... OMG, can I just tell you that my 2005 Pilot has MUCH MORE pick up than the 2014! I have a heavy foot, and when I merge I want to get to the speed limit as soon as possible...well, not with this one. You gotta be kidding me! The salesman said it has something to do with ECON but honestly, its an SUV - I dont care about gas mileage (I know... I should...) Plus there is no way to "save on gas" with the way I drive. What a disappointment!