Overview & Reviews

Since its launch for the 2003 model year, the Honda Pilot has helped shape the market for crossover SUVs with three rows of seating. Offering V6 power, respectable fuel economy, a comfortable ride, plenty of interior space and seven-to-eight-passenger seating, the Pilot is exactly the kind of vehicle that appeals to growing families who are leery of traditional minivans. Other crossover SUVs might be sportier to drive or more stylish on the inside, but Honda's three-row crossover appeals to your practical side and packs in a lot of functionality.

Choosing a Pilot is straightforward, as Honda packages equipment in a few basic trim levels rather than offering countless options. Regardless of the year, all Honda Pilots give you three useful rows of seating and lots of storage slots, though early models are smaller and aren't quite as accommodating for teenagers in the third row. Cargo capacity has also increased over the years.

User Reviews:

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  Very Satisfied - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By minnpilot - August 23 - 7:30 am

  Was all set to buy a new AWD Sienna because we were very satisfied with our 2000 which had 100K trouble free miles. Before we purchased we decided to go to the Honda dealer to look at an Odyssey. Liked the Odyssey, but living in Minnesota really wanted awd also. I knew about the Pilot, but the exterior appearance never did anything for me. Our sales person encouraged us to take it for a drive and just fell in love with it. Plenty of room for our two boys and the visibility is great. Power delivery is extremely smooth and powerful. Seamless shifting from the 5 speed auto. We are very satisfied with the ride and handling. Bottom line...if we were to do it again wed still buy the Pilot.

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  Noisy speakers - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By Carla - August 20 - 7:47 am

  We absolutely love this car. Very comfortable ride, kids love the DVD entertainment system. The 60/40 seat fold is wonderful. Not too much space left if the third seat is up. Overall, its great!

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  nice suv but horrible gas mileage!!! - 2004 Honda Pilot
  By tylerfamily - August 17 - 10:00 am

  weve had our pilot for 11 mos. and my #1 complaint is the gas mileage. im lucky to get 17 mpg on the hwy. its a nice suv. however, i dont think i would purchase another one. ive already had something go wrong with the suspension, 1 recall, horrible gas mileage, and about 4 times a month it dies when you first start it. for a vehicle that only has 10K miles i feel that this should not be a problem. i totally baby this car, i try to go no faster than 70 mph on hwy and still get 17 mpg if im lucky. if getting good gas mileage does not matter to you than i would suggest this vehicle! it does handle well and is reliable.

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  Good Country miles/Poor City Miles - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By AJ Ware - August 15 - 2:25 pm

  I really like my Pilot LX 2wd so far. Great interior, good acceleration. This SUV drives like a car. Got this car because of the 3rd row. The back row will fit two adults under 60 comfortably or 3 kids under the age of 12. Be aware that if you are transporting more than 2 car seats in the middle row access to the 3rd row is practically impossible. This car is perfect for the family of 5 or less that still wishes to add a couple of adults on board (i.e. grandma and grandpa) on weekend trips. The only problem Ive had so far is with the phone voice recognition system. It absolutely doesnt work. The system will not recognize voice prompts to make out going calls. I have been using aux port and Hey Siri to make calls through the car speaker system instead. As for MPG, this car is awesome on the clear highway but stinks in the heavy rush hour traffic of Los Angeles (405 and 10 freeways) Traffic free trips will get 22-25 mpg. Traffic jams will burn 14-17 mpg. I average 18.75 mpg calculated by hand - per tank. Oh well, I guess thats the price of owning a bigger car. Not bad but was hoping for 22 mpg. The base LX model gave me many standard features I wanted but I do wish I had the EX features of auto unlock doors and Siri voice command. Other than that most other features were overkill for my taste. Coming from a 2007 Toyota Rav 4 SUV Id say Honda did a good job in making a versatile family hauler. If they fix the tech problems I dont see how this car cant be a winner among families that want the opportunity to open the door for an extra friend or family member to tag along on the next outing.

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  GAS SIPPING 2 WDR - 2006 Honda Pilot
  By Tom - August 14 - 4:46 pm

  After careful research I opted for the Pilot. It seemed to offer the most versatility and best fuel economy (2wdr) in its class. I went with the EX model that in my opinion is worth the xtra 2500. Not only do you get roof rails, but pwr driver seat and a capable audio system with steering mounted controls. The interior cloth fabric is upscale vs.the LX. The ride is very quiet and subtle, there is lots of power reserves for passing or mountainous driving. The transmission shift precise yet refined. The VCM works great, shift between 6-3cyl is virtually undetectable. Due to precise steering + very good pwr assist. brakes and a fairly stiff suspension the 4300 lbs SUV has a distinct car feel.

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  Terrible transmission - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Mo - August 12 - 7:57 am

  2016 Honda Touring! Will be trading in this fairly new care as the transmission is horrible. $45,000 and you get a transmission that is stuttering, slow to respond and a car that is jerking at low speeds. May others with the same problem....look it up. Loved Honda until this.

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  Dont Buy if you want to pull the 5,000lb limit - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Debbie - August 11 - 6:11 am

  We bought the 2016 Pilot Touring thinking it would be a good upgrade from our 2013. However, even though they advertise that it will pull 5000lbs, all the towing equipment is extra, unlike our 2013. (We only had to put a electric harness on it.) First our salesman told us that the hitch, and harness are all separate add-ons now. Then we get a call telling us that the radiator has to have a special cooler installed for another $500. Guess what folks, they havent made the cooler yet. We have been waiting since July for our new Pilot. It finally came on Sept. 3, but we are still waiting for Honda to develop a cooler for it. Of course the warranty would be void if you pulled without it. We love our Hondas but this ridiculous. Very disappointed with Honda this time around

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  Everything is great!!! - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By Honda Pilot - August 9 - 1:20 pm

  I have had no trouble with my Pilot. I have three kids and was not ready to go to a mini van so I got a Pilot. It was the best investment I have made. The Entertainment package is a must have for anyone with kids!

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  Comfortable & roomy - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Shay - August 7 - 6:31 am

  I love my Pilot EX w/ Leather & Nav system. It gets better mileage than I thought it would ranging from 22-28 mpg on the freeway. I have driven from the Bay area, CA to Seattle 3 times now and only filled it up 2 times. The nav system never lets me get lost. Been to Tahoe quite a few times & just breezed through the chain requirements w/ the AWD & had no problems. I have had a Civic & Accord in the past so figured Honda would be a good choice for the SUV. SOOOO ROOMY too. I have moved twice only using my Pilot. I packed so much stuff into & on it. Very mechanically reliable too. Owned it since 01/2005. Couldnt be happier. Best automobile I have EVER owned. Would buy again!

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  Honda Pilot for Earl - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Earl K - August 6 - 8:56 pm

  I live in Colorado and go to the Mountain all the time. With the Pilot I dont have to worry about the weather. Blizzards, snow drifts are easy for the Pilot. We own a cabin in the mountain and even with 3 foot drifts of snow I can get into the cabin. The Pilot is the only vehicle that can handle my family on trips. My son is 64", My daughter is 60", I am 60" and my wife is 57". Of course the adults sit in the front and there is plenty of leg room for the kids in the back. Gas milage across Nebraska or Kansas is usually 24-25 Miles per gallon, easy to deal with. The Pilot has also been in some pretty hairy situations in the mountain and come out like a rose.