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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  Great....but the Buzzing will kill me! - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Justin - April 18 - 9:54 pm

  My wife and I are fairly happy with our Pilot. We have 25k miles on it now and still doing well. Great get up and go and good simple luxury items. My only problem is the buzzing that seems to come from the entire dash no matter which road Im on. I am going to have a 2nd dealer look at it, but no improvement so far. I push on the plastic dash in many different areas and it stops for 30 seconds or so... then it starts right back up. Only option is to open the windows or turn up the stereo! I have a 1996 Corolla with 206k miles on it and still no buzzing!

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  Best SUV for the Money Anywhere! - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By kellnron - April 14 - 10:00 am

  We took a beating by trading a 2001 Subaru H6 Outback LL Bean edition to buy this model and I still dont regret it. The transmission is smooth as silk (unlike the Subaru). It rides on the highway very smoothly & quietly (I dont miss the crossbar wine of the Subaru). It has plent of cargo space for anything and the 7-passenger seating is great. Everyone in my family wants one after they have driven it. Honda hit the nail right on the head with this one, its a great value.

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  Well worth the buy! - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By akschaf - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I just took delivery of my new pilot on Monday 10/07/02. What a vehicle! I just took it on a 292 mile road trip and would you believe I received 23.8 miles per gallon with speeds between 60-70 mph. we only used 12.2 gallons of gas. Honda has done a great job on this vehicle. Very very comfortable. We are a former 1996 Honda EX Passport owner. This was a good vehicle, very few problems, we bought it certified with 15,000 miles on it. During ownership we put approx 60,000 miles on it. There is no comparison with the Honda pilot. We are truely pleased with our decision to buy the Pilot.

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  Total miss for Moms - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Jessica - April 12 - 2:48 am

  I love just about everything about my Pilot. Lots of room on the inside, comfortable, good storage. However, they missed a couple of VERY VERY VERY important features for a busy, distracted mom. 1) The bluetooth is more of a pain than it is worth. You are limited on dialing while driving - I spend lots of time in stop and go traffic, and that is when I make my calls, but I have to use my phone to make the calls, then transferring over is dicey on whether or not it works. 2) The touchscreen is good in theory, but doesnt translate well to driving and trying to use it. 3) The Pilot also does not have volume knob. It may seem like a small detail, but if you hear a funny sound coming from the kids in the back, and you need IMMEDIATE silence, you wont get it with the Pilot. You dont realize how often you need your radio muted, until you drive this car and realize that you have to hit the volume "area", and then get your finger on the TINY mute button, all the while you have a child puking in your back seat. Or you can choose to use the steering wheel control, and hit the down arrow 47 times. Either way, it is a total nuisance. Had I know this before, I would NOT have bought the car. Its THAT important. My husband thought I was being dramatic, then we took the Pilot on a 3 hour trip. At the end, he agreed the entire touch screen was worthless, and the muting is a real problem.

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  15K review, not so perfect - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By path4 - April 11 - 2:34 pm

  I have owned it for about 11 month and put it 15K miles. Averaged 14mpg city, 20-22mpg highway @75-85mph. The seat is not comfortable. I can not find a configuration that fully support my back. Not a problem for short trips, but I take long trips often and I always have back pain and sour neck after driving 2 hours. Engine is pretty quiet, but wind noise and road noise become annoying @ 80mph. More sound dumpening material should be used. Both my wife (not a good driver) and I find it easier to drive than corolla and accord. The rear backup sensor is well worth the money.

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  My Pilot - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Sandm - April 10 - 6:36 am

  I traded in a 8 year old Explorer for the Pilot. It was the only SUV in this class I liked better than Explorer and I am very happy with it. A smooth, comfortable ride with better gas mileage than most SUVs. It lives up to the Honda name.

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  Definitely not a highway car - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Buzzy - April 7 - 8:35 am

  The vehicle is an in-town performer. Quick and agile, good boat ramp puller, and plenty of family features. However, extreme road noise on the highway and lousy front brake rotor design makes for a disappointing product. If the load is light and the speeds are low, this is a good neighborhood vehicle. But a road warrior, it is not.

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  Great SUV.. - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By omgjscj - April 7 - 2:00 am

  This is the first suv that i have ever owned. My pilot drive like a car, but with the plus of an suv. The interior has lots of space, unlike a car.

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  Dream Mobile - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Pegasus - April 4 - 8:06 pm

  Our Pilot has been a dream machine. It drives more like a car than SUV, corners beautifully and drives smoothly. It is incredible in slush, rain and snow, firmly gripping the road. Its very roomy inside and because the floor is flat, the dog no longer insists on lying on the seats, and stays comfortably on the floor, affording us even more space. The only drawback is the gearshift midway back on the steering column. Nothings perfect, but this comes close!

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  2004 HONDA PILOT - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By SCOTT POPE - April 2 - 8:00 am

  MY HONDA PILOT IS A GREAT VEHICLE. DURING THE HURRICANES IN FL I USED MY AWD PILOT TO PULL A TREE THAT HAD FALLEN OVER FROM THE WINDS BACK UP STRAIGHT AGAIN. THE ONLY NEGATIVE, WHICH IS A BIG ONE, IS THE FACT THAT I BOUGHT MY PILOT IN JAN 2004 AND THE GPS MAPPING DID NOT HAVE STREETS AND BUILDINGS (NEW COURTHOUSE) IN THE GPS. THESE STREETS AND THE COURTHOUSE ARE OVER THREE YEARS OLD!! HONDA SAID I COULD PURCHASE A NEW DVD FOR APPROX. $175 TO UPGRADE MY ALREADY POST DATED SYSTEM........NOT A GOOD PR MOVE IN MY OPINION.