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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  bought 07 ahead of new body style - 2007 Honda Pilot
  By Go Bears - September 10 - 12:06 pm

  I got 2k off of invoice to buy the Pilot in January. The EX-L MSRP is $33,840, the invoice was $30,530 and I paid $28,530. How can you go wrong? Great truck! The new Acura (visions of the new Pilot) doesnt really make me want to wait and buy at or near sticker. I think it is well equipped, very comfortable and as safe as any vehicle on the road. I was considering a Benz or BMW but everyone I talk to that has one says you have to sell before the warranty is up. As good as any vehicle for the money- it is a depreciating asset. I wish there were better colors. I have no idea what some others have said about a vibration at 55mph. They must need a tire balance. GREAT TRUCK BUY IT!

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  Love My Pilot! - 2004 Honda Pilot
  By Mary Ray - September 6 - 2:00 am

  This SUV is great for hauling people and freight. It is comfortable and reliable, getting 18 MPG. Ive driven 3 GMC Suburbans. They were always breaking down and had terrible gas mileage.

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  Pilot Rview - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By shibatey - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Love this SUV! As a former owner of a Suburban which broke down constantly, I love the reliability, handling, and styling of the Honda Pilot. Very practical car and stylish at the same time. Priced correctly by Honda, but the problem is that dealerships are adding $2000-$3000+ as the Dealer Markup because of the demand.

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  LOVE IT! - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By VERY PLEASED - September 5 - 10:00 am

  MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BOTH OWNED ACCORDS.I NEEDED SOMETHING ROOMER.THIS IS IT. IT HANDLES JUST LIKE A CAR. THIS IS MY FIRST SUV AND I AM SO HAPPY THE PILOT WAS MY FIRST CHOICE. I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE CHANGE FROM A CAR TO A SUV WITHOUT LOSING THE SMOOTHNESS OF THE RIDE NOT TO MENTION IT IS AFTER ALL A HONDA.

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  best suv for 8 seats - 2006 Honda Pilot
  By karen jenkins - September 3 - 10:53 pm

  For an 8 seater, leather seats, sun roof, awsome sound system, step boards, very nice floor carpets, cup holders, second row seat tilt back, leg room in third row( unlike Jeep Commander)xm radio, great handling, eco into 4 cylinders, cruise, radio control in thge stearing, heated front seats, second and third row fold down different ways, excellent horse power, great driving visabilty, nice car.

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  2005 Honda Pilot - 2005 Honda Pilot
  By KRByrd - September 3 - 1:56 am

  If you have ever owned a Honda, you will recognize the feel and the performance in this vehicle. It has three rows of seats and it comfortable in every one. You have great visibility and plenty of power to get you anywhere you want to go. It just "fits" perfectly. I even towed a large trailer and I couldnt even feel any difference in the performance of my Pilot.

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  Bad Transmission Valve after only 3 months - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Bigbluesc - September 2 - 7:02 pm

  Purchased this car a little over 3 months ago. Yesterday we were driving and both the " Transmission System Problem" and "Emission System Problem" error messages came up. The car then started shifting poorly and literally jumping between the lower gears. We had it towed to dealership whos solution was to simply drain the transmission fluid and refill it to the "Honda specified level". The car drives ok at the moment but there is no chance this is a viable long term solution. Incredibly frustrating to buy a brand new car and have issues after only 3 months. We had our last Pilot for 8 plus years without a single issue which is why we stuck with the Pilot for our new car. Clearly we have made a huge mistake.

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  Love it - 2006 Honda Pilot
  By Nicole - September 2 - 11:56 am

  Got my SUV 3/06 and I love it. My husband and I are expecting our second child and wanted something with space but didnt want a caravan. This definitely will do the job. Very spacious third row. Second row easily fits 2 car seats with plenty of space. It has great crash testing ratings which was a big factor for me. I cant say enough about this except it was worth every penny.

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  high expectations - 2004 Honda Pilot
  By eddie mejia - September 1 - 10:00 am

  looks like a sturdy suv rides like a car.

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  Loyal Honda Owner - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By JW - August 31 - 1:57 am

  I love my new 2016 Honda Pilot EX-L AWD. It is powerful and accelerates very nicely. It looks great and handles well. It is comfortable and I love having the sun roof or moon roof, or whatever you call it. This is my second Honda Pilot, I traded my 2004 Pilot (180,000 mi) in for the new one. I also own a 2009 Honda Accord (wifes car). I find that Hondas are well built and reliable. I love the amount of room my new Pilot has, and I love the features of raising and lowering the last row of seats. It handles well, has lots of room, and I love driving it. The down sides are the visibility out of the windows for some reason seems difficult when I am checking traffic during freeway driving and changing lanes. I love the side and backup cameras but hate the fact that "objects are closer than they appear". That is certainly a true statement and if you ask me it takes away most of the advantage of having the cameras. I do find it difficult to look at the screen when changing lanes, I have too much around me to watch and keep track of and rarely have the opportunity to safely look at the monitor long enough for it to be a benefit. So it doesnt provide me much advantage while actually driving but I like it at stop lights and situations like that when I am sitting still and want to see my blind spot on that side of the car. I only use the back up camera to see what is behind me before I start rolling backward. If you try to use it to see where you are going while backing up you will most likely run into things because you will close in on stuff terribly fast. However, the back up camera is a big help in parking lots to see if cars are coming down the isles from left or right before backing out of your space. Controls: I hate... hate... hate... the fact that there is no volume control knob. I thought it would just take some getting used to, but no! I WANT IT BACK!!! Instead of glancing at the knob while reaching for it, and returning my eyes to driving while I adjust things by feel and sound, I have to maintain eye contact with the touch screen on my dash far too long to adjust the volume or to mute the radio. The eyes have to watch the screen while adjusting and I find it and unsafe distraction. I hate that with a passion. Huge down-side and should be brought back. I will never buy a future car that has no volume knob and I hope Honda is listening. The other part about that is trying to adjust something on the touch screen when you turn on your right hand blinker. The right side camera view activates and your touch screen disappears in the middle of you tapping on the screen. Very frustrating. By maximizing the touch screen technology theyve removed some important tactile abilities of driving and overloaded the visual and mental aspects. For the same reason I would never purchase an automobile that removes the gear shift. My version of the pilot has the gear shift, but I noticed the Touring model doesnt. I would never buy a model that removes the tactile sensation of dropping the car into drive without looking at it to make sure it is in "D". I believe the traditional gear lever method that auto stops at "D" when pulling downward (or backward) on the gear shift provides more error-proofing than the simply feeling for buttons and choosing the proper direction like is found on the touring model. The button method relies upon making the correct choice every time, whereas the gear shift method is more of an automatic muscle memory process rather than a decision process that the buttons cause. Again, the tactile ability is removed and adds more visual and mental distractions for the driver.