2026 Honda Pilot

For the mid-cycle refresh of the 2026 Pilot, Honda leans into the throwback styling cues of the redesigned 2023 Pilot. It appears boxier, with a broader grille flanked by vertical air intakes. This gives it a bolder, more classic SUV presence. The Pilot excels inside as one of the roomiest in the class. Unlike some rivals, it lacks a more efficient hybrid option, but its strong safety rating, proven reliability, updated tech, and versatile seating arrangements make it one of our top-rated 3-row SUVs.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize SUVs, including the Honda Pilot.

The 2026 Honda Pilot 3-row SUV rolls into the new year with more standard features, a more insulated cabin, and a broader upper and lower grille that makes it look more truck-like. Changes inside include a standard power liftgate, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The outgoing model had a standard 7-inch touchscreen. Updated software runs on Google built-in, so using native apps is as easy if not easier than using your smartphone, and Honda added more insulation under the hood and in the door panels, as well as using semi-tempered side windows to better isolate the cabin.

The refreshed 2026 Honda Pilot costs nearly $2,000 more than the 2025 Pilot. The base Sport with front-wheel drive (FWD) costs $43,690. All-wheel drive (AWD) costs $2,100 extra on Sport and EX-L models. It’s standard on Touring, TrailSport, Elite, and Black Edition grades. The EX-L strikes the sweet spot for value, costing less than $50,000 with AWD.

These figures include both the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) and the mandatory $1,495 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

The Pilot has a higher base price than rivals such as the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Toyota Grand Highlander, but its base model is better equipped. Competitors also include the Subaru Ascent, Mazda CX-90, Nissan Pathfinder, Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Explorer, and Volkswagen Atlas.

Before buying a new Pilot midsize SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. That extra money paid up front could have advantages down the line — the Pilot has above-average resale values. Recouping more money when you sell a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on your next one.

If you want a V6, you’re in the right place. As more automakers replace displacement with turbocharged 4-cylinder engines in their midsize SUVs, Honda has stayed the course with its proven 3.5-liter V6 rated at 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. It’s powerful and tuned right with the 10-speed automatic transmission. It flicks through those lower gears quickly to make for confident passing moves, but those lower gears come in handy for Snow mode — one of five drive modes — to get out of treacherous terrain or when towing up to 5,000 pounds (with all-wheel drive; tow capacity is 3,500 pounds with front-wheel drive).

The Pilot handles with the typical top-heaviness of a midsize SUV, with plenty of lean in turns, but Honda steering is characteristically precise, albeit light. Don’t look for much resistance on the steering wheel, and that’s perfectly in character with a vehicle built for quiet and comfort, in most cases.

Honda Pilot Off-Road

The TrailSport model adds an element of deeper off-roading than just the access roads heading to a car camping site. It has its own special suspension setup for greater axle articulation and wheel travel than a standard Pilot, and it rides an inch higher. All-terrain tires give it more grip and grit, but lower fuel economy and a slightly louder ride.

Honda Pilot Fuel Economy

• 2026 Pilot FWD: 19 city/27 highway/22 combined mpg
• 2026 Pilot AWD: 19 city/25 highway/21 combined mpg
• 2026 Pilot TrailSport with all-terrain tires: 18 city/23 highway/20 combined mpg

The Pilot trails rivals when it comes to efficiency, and lacks an efficient option. The redesigned 2026 Hyundai Palisade and forthcoming 2027 Kia Telluride have hybrid options to keep pace with the segment-leading Toyota Grand Highlander hybrid rated at 36 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. There’s also the Mazda CX-90, which nets 25 mpg with all-wheel drive and offers a more efficient plug-in hybrid option.

One of the roomier interiors in the 3-row midsize SUV class, the Honda Pilot seats up to eight passengers, though a removable second row seat and available captain’s chairs result in a popular 7-seat configuration.

The front seats accommodate frames of all sizes, and standard heated front seats, along with a power driver’s seat, provide ample comfort. The second-row seats accommodate two adults in comfort, offering 40.8 inches of legroom, which is slightly more spacious than the Kia Telluride. The flexible middle seat provides busy families with some on-the-go flexibility for unexpected carpool duties. The 32.5 inches of legroom in the third row is plenty for kids, and getting in and out of the wayback only takes the push of a button.

The Pilot has 18.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, which is enough to lineup four carry-on bags without stacking anything on top. The 87 cubic feet of space with rows two and three folded down matches rivals.

The Pilot has 14 cup holders, eight of which can handle 32-ounce bottles. The storage space in the center console can accommodate an iPad or other tablet types. Naturally, the top two trims feature fine materials, including perforated leather seating surfaces, as well as a wealth of technology. The TrailSport model is also well-appointed, however. The Black Edition adds contrasting red stitching around the cabin.

Redesigned in 2023 with a more truck-like SUV body, the refreshed 2026 Pilot leans into that approach with a broader-looking front end. A more rectangular grille sits over a much more pronounced lower grille flanked by vertical air intakes. Roof rails are not standard, and most models ride on 20-inch wheels. With a body-color C-pillar and boxy windows, it succeeds as a modern interpretation of classic SUV design.

Multiview Camera System
Standard on all but the Sport and EX-L, the brand’s surround-view camera system uses cameras mounted at the front, rear, and from the side mirrors to project views all around the Pilot. Split-view projections help not only on the trail but in garages crowded with the accumulations of the modern family.

Removable/Stowable Seat
Honda continues to innovate with seating arrangements, and one of the neatest tricks from the Honda Odyssey minivan migrated to the Pilot. The second-row bench seat has a middle seat that can be folded down to serve as an armrest or cupholders between the two outboard chairs, or it can be removed altogether with the press of a button and lift of a latch. Once removed, and weighing about 35 pounds, it fits neatly below the cargo floor in back. It’s standard on all but the Sport and TrailSport models.

One-Touch Second-Row Seats
Honda’s smart approach to seats extends to passengers of every size and age. Standard across the lineup are one-touch second-row seats that tilt and slide forward with the simple push of a button. Grade schoolers could access the third row on their own, and child safety seats can remain in place in the second row.

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Standard across the lineup, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allow you to connect your smartphone without the clutter of wires in the console.

Wireless Device Charging
All but the base Sport have wireless phone charging, so you never have to worry about bringing a cord along to stay connected to your device.

The Pilot 3-row midsize SUV employs a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission feeds power to the front wheels in Sport and EX-L models, while all-wheel drive is optional. All-wheel drive is standard on Touring, TrailSport, Elite, and Black Edition models.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Honda’s new-vehicle warranty lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles. These arrangements are usual for the class. Honda also includes scheduled maintenance for the first two years or 24,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The Pilot has a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and earned the maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety equipment includes forward collision warning — enhanced by camera and radar systems to detect pedestrians, cyclists, lane markings, curbs, and road signs.