2023 Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot gets a big redesign this year, entering its fourth generation with better tech, a new engine, more space and storage and a more sculpted exterior appearance. Larger and wider than its predecessor, the nearly full-size, 200-inch long Pilot stretches past competitors like the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, and Mazda CX-9. Having brought back its LX base trim, the Pilot also actually lowers its starting price from last year, placing it back in contention with entry-level trims of Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade.

The Honda Pilot comes in six trims: Sport is the next up from the LX, and EX-L sits at the middle of the range. Touring adds premium sound, standard nav and a panoramic sunroof, while an off-road-oriented TrailSport trim provides skid plating, extra ground clearance, all-terrain tires, off-road shocks, terrain modes, a “TrailWatch” multi-view camera and a specially tuned AWD that apportions more power to the rear wheels. Topping off the range, the Elite trim offers premium frills like heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, head-up display and an all-digital gauge cluster. 

All Honda Pilots get a new 3.5L V6 that makes 285 horsepower, a 5-horse gain over the outgoing V6 (its 262 lb-ft of torque is unchanged from the outgoing powerplant). A 10-speed automatic transmission replaces the outgoing nine-speed, and all-wheel drive (AWD) can be added for $2,100 to any Pilot, except TrailSport and Elite, where a more sophisticated “intelligent variable torque management” (i-VTM4) AWD system is standard. When properly equipped, the Pilot can tow up to 3,500 pounds in front-drive configuration, or up to 5,000 with AWD.

The Pilot is also surprisingly capable off-road in its new TrailSport trim, which adds beefy skid plates that, unlike some casual off-roaders, can really support the weight of the vehicle. This is the first modern Honda SUV that feels truly capable in the dirt, even if it isn’t as rough-and-tumble as the Toyota 4Runner. On the road, it keeps its comfy ride and pleasant handling, but the added size means more weight. Don’t expect BMW X5-like speed from the Pilot.

A stalwart of the midsize three-row SUV class, the Honda Pilot can seat up to eight. A second-row bench that seats three is standard, and on the top Touring and Elite trims the middle section can be removed and stowed, creating two separate captains’ chairs. If you unexpectedly end up needing to take on another passenger at band practice, you can pull it out and install it again quickly and easily. Captains’ chairs are the standard configuration on TrailSport, which gets a low-profile second-row center console, and the third row is a two-seater on all trims. 

Honda says that the 2023 model is the most spacious Pilot ever for both passengers and cargo. Total cargo capacity comes in at 87 cubic-feet with both rear rows folded, 48.5 cubic-feet behind the second row, and 18.6 cubic-feet behind the third, which challenges class leaders like the Chevy Traverse and Volkswagen Atlas. As before, Honda is generous with its active-safety gear, with even features like adaptive cruise control being standard. With all this new room and capability, the redesigned Pilot is an even better value than before.

Performance: 12/15

While the new V6’s power output almost exactly matches that of the outgoing VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) version at 285 hp, the Pilot’s acceleration feels slightly anemic, in part because it’s now powering a much larger and heavier vehicle. 

While its power is adequate for the type of driving a three-row crossover is typically asked to do, certain maneuvers like short-onramp merging can leave the Pilot feeling flat-footed. Sport Mode perks it up some, but its aggressive dialing up of the throttle response can make the Pilot feel a bit spastic at low speeds. 

While its steering feel is comfortable and precise, the Pilot is far from a handling machine. It wallows a little but only when driven hard, and its compliant suspension soaks up road roughness competently without feeling spongy. Still, those looking to check the “fun to drive” box in a three-row crossover will want to look to more dialed-in competitors like the Mazda CX–9 and Kia Telluride, as well as the Ford Explorer ST. 

For outdoor enthusiasts, the Pilot offers something that many competitors lack: a dedicated off-road trim. With its improved ground clearance, torque-vectoring AWD, terrain modes, trail-monitoring camera system and unique off-road hardware, the Pilot TrailSport offers greater capability than the typical unibody soft-roader. While it may not quite attain the off-road chops of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, it holds its own against credible off-road variants like the Explorer Timberline and Telluride X-Pro.

Fuel Economy: 11/ 15

The Honda Pilot claims an EPA-estimated 22 mpg combined (19 city, 27 highway) in front-wheel drive versions, and 21 mpg combined with AWD (19 city, 25 highway), with the TrailSport doing a point or so worse on each. Real-world economy falls at the lower end of this range, which trails most competitors, but the Pilot is still about even with the Atlas and Telluride, and only slightly behind the Nissan Pathfinder. Unlike the Explorer and Toyota Highlander, the Pilot lacks a hybrid version that could help mitigate its thirst.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 14/15

Every Pilot comes standard with forward-collision warnings, auto-emergency braking, road-departure mitigation, lane-keeping, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise with low-speed follow. Hill-descent assist and a rear-seat reminder and rear seatbelt monitoring are also standard, and additional assists like parking proximity sensors and blindspot monitoring with cross-traffic detection quickly become standard as you move up the trims. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has yet to finalize testing and ratings for the new Pilot, but recent testing on the outgoing model reveals some gaps for rear-occupant safety that the 2023 will need to overcome. In August 2023, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the redesigned Pilot the highest Top Safety Pick+ title, crediting structural changes for improved passenger-side small overlap front crash testing.

The older Pilot had earned the same “Poor” rating as the Palisade and CX-9 for new IIHS testing that places a crash-test dummy in the second row behind the driver. Among three-row SUVs, the Ford Explorer and the Subaru Ascent are the only vehicles that have passed the new test so far. 

Comfort & Room: 14/15

The Pilot boasts a spacious, comfortable cabin with easy controls and plenty of room to stretch out. The rearward rows are especially nice, with second-row seats that generously slide and recline. At higher trims, they also get their own bank of climate controls and a removable center position that can be stowed in a hidden underfloor compartment. In contrast to some competitors’ awkward second-row tilt-n-slide mechanisms, the Pilot’s seats scoot promptly out of the way with a single touch of a button when it’s time to access the way-back. 

The two-seater third row is actually comfortable, with reasonable legroom (32.5 inches, 1.2 short of the Atlas but ahead of most other alternatives) and even the ability to recline slightly. There are also lots of amenities here including dedicated climate vents, a double cupholder on each side and, on higher trims, a USB port apiece. 

Back up front, the Pilot’s “Body Stabilizing” seats are broad and supportive, and powered, heated and ventilated with memory. One odd quirk is that the driver’s seat doesn’t like to return to its last set position upon startup even when “Seat Position Movement at Entry/Exit” is disabled, so you’ll need to get friendly with that memory button (which, as a further annoyance, won’t move the seat when the Pilot isn’t in Park). An otherwise straightforward dash layout with plenty of intuitive physical switches and buttons makes it a snap to find frequently used functions. 

Infotainment: 14/15

On all but the lowest two trims, the Pilot gets a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base models make do with a simplified infotainment setup and a 7-inch screen. Honda’s infotainment interface is crisply responsive, with a simplified navigation menu and an easily customizable tile layout. Although the hard buttons to the left of the screen feel a little cheap, we’re grateful for the presence of a volume knob. 

The Pilot’s gauge cluster is half digital and half analog, with an information screen on the left displaying the tachometer that blends seamlessly with the physical speedometer on the right. Only the top Elite trim gets a 10.2-inch all-digital gauge cluster. EX-L and up feature a wireless phone charging pad in the center console and USB ports all the way to the third row. A seven- or nine-speaker sound system is offered, except on the top two trims, which come standard with a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system for an immersive, concert-like feel. 

Cargo Space & Storage: 14/15

The Pilot will now carry 87 cubic-feet of cargo with all seats folded down, putting it ahead of the Toyota Highlander (84.3) just short of the Ford Explorer (87.8) and behind the class-leading Volkswagen Atlas (96.8). However, the Pilot beats most competitors with volume behind the rear seats, which is up to 18.6 cubic feet. The Pilot gets no power-folding function for flattening the rearward rows, but a powered lift gate is standard on EX-L trim and up, which on the top two trims is hands-free.

As for small-item storage, the Pilot is positively bursting with compartments and cubbies. Cupholders of all sizes abound, cascading down each door, while slots and compartments beckon from every available surface. The deep bucket of a center console replaces the previous generation’s rollaway door with a sturdier hinged lid, a clever illuminated shelf appears in the passenger-side dash, and the center console has room for two smartphones side by side. The Pilot is truly a wonderland of interior storage. 

Style & Design: 7/10

Like many recent Honda redesigns, the Pilot’s exterior has been made more trucklike in an effort to stave off persistent accusations of a minivan-like appearance. While the upright grille, squinty headlights and longer hood help toughen it up some, the Pilot isn’t scaring anyone and still reads as more pudgy crossover than sinister SUV. Standard LED headlights sharpen the Pilot’s after-dark appearance, and higher trims get plentiful gloss-black accents.

The interior’s redesign is more utilitarian than aesthetic, with big improvements to the climate controls, storage and seating reconfigurability. However, some nicer materials are available as well, and the screen placement and gauges are modernized. The practical wipe-clean leatherette and ample stitching and padding in the TrailSport’s interior is lovely, and even if this cabin doesn’t quite match the sizzle of the updated Telluride or the stylishness of the Mazda CX-9, its practicality exceeds most competitors.

Is the 2023 Honda Pilot Worth it? Which Pilot is the Best Value?

At $37,295 with destination, the front-wheel drive Pilot LX starts at around the same price as base trims of the Telluride and Palisade, though it undercuts the base Explorer, Highlander and CX-9 by $1,000 or more. The AWD-standard Subaru Ascent, it should be noted, puts them all to shame with its $35,120 base pricing. Like the Honda, it also offers a generous level of safety equipment.

The Pilot’s lower two trims are pretty well equipped with tri-zone automatic climate, adaptive cruise and all the safety tech, with the Sport ($40,495) adding heated powered seats and blindspot monitoring. However, many shoppers will consider mid-trim Pilot EX-L ($43,295) to be the proper starting point, as it’s the lowest trim that offers the larger 9-inch screen, wireless CarPlay, parking proximity sensors and a powered lift gate.

The Pilot TrailSport’s off-road suspension and advanced camera system make it a very tempting proposition, but it’s also spendy, starting at $49,695 with standard AWD. At the top of the line, the Pilot Elite’s $53,375 starting price soars past those of the plushest trims of Highlander, Ascent, CX-9 and Palisade. Only the opulent Explorer King Ranch, Telluride Prestige X-Pro and near-luxury trims of Grand Cherokee surpass it. 

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the 2023 Honda Pilot?

The Honda Pilot isn’t expensive to insure. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,009 for a Pilot Touring, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $2,217 for the Ford Explorer Limited, $2,081 for the Kia Telluride SX and $2,115 for the Volkswagen Atlas SEL. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.