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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  All Favorable - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By LindaB - January 27 - 10:00 am

  Excellent handling and comfort. Formerly owned a Nissan Pathfinder and found the Honda handling far superior. Very comfortable with all features handy. Honda thought of everything.

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  Firs Honda Is Great Experience - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By shy - January 27 - 10:00 am

  After 2 Subaru Foresters, which we loved, we outgrew this fine car. Shopping for something bigger, we drove the Toyota Highlander and the Pilot. No comparison--Honda won hands down on features and value. Very pleased to date and highly recommend.

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  the best - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By edwin ortiz - January 27 - 10:00 am

  this car is great!!!!!!!!!!

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  Awesome - 2003 Honda Pilot
  By gerardcan - January 27 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is full of power. I drive the Pilot a lot of times in full passenger capacity in uphill climbs and never had problem accelerating. The cargo space is roomy when the middle and third seat is folded. The only drawback i have seen so far is that the wiper control would sometimes be accidentally turned on when changing gear from the park position.

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  Love This Car/Truck - 2004 Honda Pilot
  By aeye - January 27 - 10:00 am

  We looked at many AWD vehicles including Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Pathfinder and Saturn Vue. We test drove most and the Pilot felt great. We love the extra seating, but mostly the extra room with the rear seats down. Since we come from a van we feel weve given up nothing in cargo space. Love the Honda, had an Accord before and loved that too.

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  2004 Pilot Great Car - 2004 Honda Pilot
  By wayoway - January 27 - 10:00 am

  The Pilot for 2004 is an improved version of the 2003 model. The leather seats and outside mirrors are now heated. It is powerful, accelerates and brakes well, and steers easily. The new smart air bags are standard, and it gets a very good safety rating. The navigation system is easy to use. Holds up to 100 personal addresses - use them for destinations; for instance to easily return home after a cross- country trip. The voice prompts are nicely tied into your location and give count downs to a turn. Much better than the portable navigators. My 2004 was discounted $1700 off MSRP!

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  Well built but ordinary - 2008 Honda Pilot
  By mkarstad - January 26 - 9:38 am

  Driving in the Canadian winter is not fun, yet the Pilot, even at -45 degrees C runs fine. The traction assist will catch you unaware on ice corners and might cause you to over-correct. The get-up-and-go on ice is fantastic! Cold starts without plugging in are no problem, and the engine warms up very quickly. Feild of view for a tall person is limited by the side pillars I find myself leaning forward and back with a lot of head movement while checking intersections.

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  My wife and I are very pleased with our new Pilot - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By John Braun - January 25 - 5:47 am

  We love our new Pilot, having owned it for only a couple of weeks to this point. For us, it came down to the Pilot vs. the Toyota Highlander. Our previous 2 vehicles were a Toyota Rav4 and Toyota Venza. We had no problems with either of them, but we felt it wouldnt hurt to look at the competition- the Pilot. We test drove a 2016 Pilot, then a 2015 Highlander back-to-back. Surprisingly, we both quickly chose the Pilot hands down. We felt that it was best for our family. Highlanders 3rd row was quite inferior. As for the reviewers that criticize the Pilots styling, I cant help but wonder why you would still move forward and purchase the vehicle if you didnt like the way it looks. I personally like the way it looks. As for the 9 speed transmission, I admit that we were tempted to get the Touring model, but some of the critical reviews scared us off. If you are considering a 9 speed, be sure to take one out for an extensive test ride to save yourself from any surprises later. All in all, we are quite pleased with our Pilot

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  Best SUV on the market! - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Bob Semple - January 24 - 12:55 pm

  This is an amazing vehicle! It features a smooth, quiet ride with exceptional visibility. Weve owned it since April - 14,000mi so far - two major road trips. It handles beautifully with gas mileage 24.7 overall. The 9-speed transmission is smooth and shifts flawlessly. We purchased the Elite to get all the electronic safety features we could - they all work beautifully. The vehicle is close to being able to drive itself! The fabulous GPS has guided us through 11 states without mistakes! The entertainment system performs well in all functionality including movies. After owning 4 vehicles from Lexus I can honestly say that this SUV is one of the great ones - nice job HONDA!!!

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  Piloting our lifes journey - 2016 Honda Pilot
  By Mark - January 22 - 3:40 am

  We had traded it in their 2012 Honda CRV for a 2015 Honda Pilot and were traveling through life just fine for a year. Then one day stopping by the Honda dealership there it was the 2016 pilot. Before I knew it I was in talking to my salesman they gave me a fantastic deal on a trade in three and a half months later are 2016 Honda Pilot touring all wheel drive arrived. This vehicle is so much more than the 2015 pilot was smooth quiet very powerful and all the options that one could well it. I must say the button shifting was something to get used to but now Im very accustomed to it and wouldnt go back to a regular manual shifter. I cant say enough about the weight of the pilot Drive handles and once in awhile I must say I am guilty of disappointing kids and their little rocket cars as I ease into the gas pedal and deposit them in my rearview mirror. Handling is great visibility is good and Im very happy with the vehicle.