- Honda hasn’t revealed pricing for the 2023 Pilot. The 2022 model starts at $38,080, plus a mandatory $1,295 delivery fee
- The 2023 Pilot looks more rugged than the model it replaces and features a clever removable second-row center seat for flexible passenger configurations
- On sale next month
The Honda Pilot has always been one of the most well-rounded midsize 3-row SUVs. For the 2023 model year, it’s getting less… well… rounded. But it should keep its jack-of-all-family-trades character.
Honda today revealed an all-new, fourth-generation Pilot, redesigned in full. It’s boxier than the model it replaces and even more spacious. A new TrailSport trim also makes it off-road-capable in a way previous Pilots haven’t been.
More Rugged Look
Honda is leaning into a more rugged image with its recent SUV designs. So you knew its biggest SUV would emerge with a blockier look. Designers didn’t disappoint.
If the 2022 Pilot is a convincing minivan alternative, the 2023 model looks ready to play with more trail-oriented SUVs like the Jeep Grand Cherokee L or Subaru Ascent.
It’s 3.4 inches longer than the last generation and wears upright proportions and the sort of high, blocky grille we’ve come to expect from American SUV designers. Chunkier fender flares add to the effect, while a canted C-pillar lends a bit of Chevy Equinox to the rear.
Spacious, Flexible Cabin
Much of that extra length has been given to the second and third rows in the form of added legroom. Cargo capacity is up, too, with a full 113.7 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. That dwarfs what you get in some full-size SUVs like the Toyota Sequoia.
Three-row SUV shoppers are often left debating between second-row captain’s chairs for their comfort, and a second-row bench seat for its additional capacity. Honda has come up with a unique solution, trying to give buyers both.
In Touring and Elite trims, the second row features a removable center insert. Take it out, and you have captain’s chairs offering easy access to the third row. Add it in, and you leave it up to create a center seat or fold it down to act as a console between second-row passengers. It fits in a storage cubby under the cargo floor, so you can change your seating configuration on the go.
The base Sport trim gets a 7-inch touchscreen and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims get a 9-inch screen, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless charging.
Aesthetically, the new Pilot stays away from the sleek mesh dashboard look of other recent Honda designs. Instead, it gets a cushy, minivan-like design theme with a wide center console and high-mounted screens to keep the driver’s eyes near the road even when checking the nav.
New V6, Off-Road TrailSport Model
Under the hood, a new dual overhead cam 3.5-liter V6 appears, good for 285 horsepower – five more than last year’s Pilot. Power goes through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Sport and Touring models come as front-wheel drive, with all-wheel-drive available as an option.
Elite and TrailSport models get Honda’s i-VTM4 torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system standard. It features trail, sand, snow, and tow modes.
Speaking of the TrailSport model, it’s the other big news for 2023. Honda introduced the TrailSport name in 2022 with a package of light off-roading equipment. This year, it’s more serious about selling you a trail-ready Pilot.
The Pilot TrailSport features a retuned suspension designed for the trails, a 1-inch higher ride height (though Honda hasn’t said how much ground clearance any model gets), reshaped front and rear bumpers for more capable off-road angles, and skid plates to protect the underside from brush.
Our Lyn Woodward got the chance to test the TrailSport off-road before it made its first public appearance and walked away impressed.
The all-new 2023 Honda Pilot is set to go on sale next month.
