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:

• 

  Honda Pilot - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By Norm Srodawa - November 11 - 5:16 am

  Great ride, lots of power, not too bad on fule for its size. Very dependable and roomy. Had a Ford Explorer before and this is a dream compared to that. Better gas milage, handling, ride with more room. Wife loves it.

• 

  Love it!! - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Ken Tessener - November 11 - 2:20 am

  Only had this vehicle one month, hopefully I will feel the same in future months!!!!

• 

  Good dependable transportation - 2004 Honda Pilot
  By JM - November 11 - 12:20 am

  Nice size, but with 8 seats, not enough space behind. Feels safe while driving even on a rainy day. Fast passing speed. Good stereo (didnt came with the 6 CD player, until 05. Nice color silver with gray leather. Wife is in love with her SUV. Might last 10 years in good shape.

• 

  Happy Owner - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By jusa1 - November 10 - 11:52 pm

  Chose the Pilot after considering many competitors in its class. We have not been disapponted in our choice. We love the style and features and the interior funtionality of the seats. Using the third row is easy, and stowing it is painless. My son loves the entertainment systems, and my wife an I love that we get to hear "adult" music again. We got 20 mpg on mixed driving from the very first tank. Not bad for a vehicle of this size and power. Dealer provided a price at invoice (below Edmunds TMV at the time) with no bargaining. They also gave top value (again based on Edmunds values) for the 2001 CRV that I traded.

• 

  Infotainment is Terrible - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Willsboro Bob - November 5 - 7:15 pm

  All Pilots come without a CD player – something that sales people should point out! It costs about $280 to have Honda add one. I had Honda add one. I drive a lot and listen to books on CD while I drive. It is important to me that the car remember where the CD left off when I turn off the car. That way it will continue the story when I start driving again. About 10-20% of the time the car forgets where it was and starts the CD from the beginning. Ive owned 4 Toyotas and this has never happened with any of them. Otherwise, the infotainment system is a mess. It is not at all intuitive. It is difficult or impossible to operate with gloves on (I live in northern NY and it is cold in the winter). The voice commands are finicky. It forgot all the speed dial numbers that I manually entered! The infotainment display occasionally gets stuck - an obvious software bug. As for the rest of the car, it downshifts too far when accelerating quickly. I pull a boat and admittedly, the car is good at that. The drivers seat is comfortable but the drivers seat arm rest tilts down at an odd angle and is next to worthless. The battery is inaccessible - I cannot use the car to jump start my tractor! In short, this could be a good car but it is plagued with a series of small but annoying design flaws and software bugs.

• 

  Excellent SUV - 2010 Honda Pilot
  By Mark Beres - November 4 - 3:30 pm

  My girlfriend purchased a Pilot. We looked at all of its competitors in class, and the Pilot was the undeniable standout. We took it to Colorado and put it through the paces - EXCELLENT comfort, good views, handles superbly offroad (we went on some really craggy/bumpy rock roads ... steep too). The rear-diff lock is a definite plus (and helpful in steep spots). The Pilot is incredibly comfortable, exceptionally roomy. She got the EX-L, and its comfort and ride are awesome. Only negative is that the steering is heavier than some might like, but that makes it really solid at highway speed. The backup mirror is VERY useful. It eats gas (we got 23 mpg between Tucson and Telluride).

• 

  a very balanced SUV - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By path - November 2 - 4:16 am

  Suspension is tighter than TrailBlazer and Ford 150 and also less body roll, which make it quite accord like and easier to drive than my old acord. 3rd row seats are not bad at all for asians. But, there is not much space left when all up. Low-end performance could be improved, but highway passing is a breeze. The auto5 trans responds quickly for normal driving. It shifts between 5k-6k rpm if you floor it. Its not as quiet as camery and there is a lot of wind noise at 80+ mph. But, that is the same with TrailBlazer. F150 is quieter though. My pilot had a "winnnnn..." sound at 60-70mph at the neginning, which went away after breaking-in at 1K miles.

• 

  Love My Pilot - 2004 Honda Pilot
  By brucebro - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Pilot for three months and have fallen in love with its handling, comfort and features. In those three months, living in Upstate NY, Ive been able to experience springlike driving conditions back in November, to downright ugly (its -16 degrees right now) winter conditions and Ive been impressed with both.

• 

  AWSOME - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By - October 31 - 10:00 am

  I love this thing. The day after I got it I had to pull an Explorer out of the mud.

• 

  Pilot - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By - October 31 - 10:00 am

  This is most definatly the best SUV on the market in this price range