Overview
Mid-size three-row SUVs like the 2024 Honda Pilot are popular with families, due in no small part due to their roomy cabins, which provide equal space for both people are cargo. Right now, buyers are spoiled for choice, and it’s hard for an SUV to stand out from the crowd. The Pilot’s boxy look doesn’t—nor do its features or capabilities. Under its hood is a 285-hp V-6 engine and a 10-speed automatic; all-wheel drive is optional but the Pilot’s standard setup drives the front wheels. For those who plan to venture off-road, there’s a hunkier looking TrailSportmodel that gets more ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and underbody protection skid plates. Most buyers will end up with one of the Pilot’s mid-range trims though, and they’ll find it’s a pleasant SUV in which to run errands or tackle road trips. The Pilot’s refined road manners, smooth-running V-6 engine, and modern tech make it a good choice among mid-size crossovers, but rivals such as the Kia Telluride, the Hyundai Palisade, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee L all offer similar—and in some cases, more upscale—packages.
What’s New for 2024?
For its second year on the market, the fourth-generation Pilot receives no notable updates. For 2024, it’s offered in the same range of trims and with the same gas-engine powertrain as the 2023 model.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
We recommend the Pilot EX-L due to its balance of price and features. The EX-L trim adds leather seats, the bigger 9.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a power tailgate. Whether or not you need all-wheel drive is a matter of personal preference. For us, we think the increased towing capacity is worth the money.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Pilot is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that makes 285 horsepower and is mated to a 10-speed automatic. Although the SUV is primarily a front-wheel-drive model, all-wheel drive is available as an option. While the V-6 engine doesn’t make the Pilot particularly quick, its throttle response is linear, and the 10-speed automatic’s shifts are smooth. On the road, the Pilot feels refined and offers confidence-inspiring steering and braking. The most rugged TrailSport model proved itself capable of the moderately-difficult terrain we encountered on real-world off-road trails near Breckenridge, Colorado, and again in Sedona, Arizona. But Honda hasn’t created a rock-crawling super-machine that’s intended to tackle Moab alongside Broncos, Wranglers, and 4Runners. The Pilot Trailsport has a special suspension with a 1.0-inch lift, steel skid plates, all-terrain tires, a hill-descent control system, and a specially tuned all-wheel drive system with a Trail driving mode.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates that the Pilot is good for up to 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. We’ve tested a 2023 Pilot TrailSport, with its beefier all-terrain tires and added off-road armor on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route, and it returned 22 mpg. That’s just shy of other V-6-powered three-row SUVs such as the Kia Telluride that returned 24 mpg. The Pilot Elite we tested, which rolls on less aggressive tires, delivered 27 mpg in the same test. For more information about the Pilot’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Being a family-friendly SUV, the 2024 Pilot’s cabin is designed with that use case in mind. All models are capable of sitting up to eight in the three rows but the EX-L trim can be had with optional second-row captain’s chairs that reduce passenger capacity to seven; captain’s chairs are standard on the TrailSport. The Touring and Elite models come with a second-row seat design where the middle seat portion can be removed and stored under the floor in the cargo area when not needed. Honda boasts that eight of the Pilot’s cupholders can hold big 32-ounce water bottles and that its cargo area is more voluminous than ever before. There’s reasonable cargo space with all three rows of seats up; we fit six carry-ons sized boxes behind the third row, two more than we could stuff into a Kia Telluride.
Infotainment and Connectivity
A 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and an accompanying 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster are standard on the Pilot. Honda’s latest infotainment interface is easy to use and features both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. TrailSport, Touring, and Elite models get a larger 9.0-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability; the Elite also comes with a 10.2-inch gauge cluster. Honda hasn’t said what the standard stereo will be in the Pilot, but the Touring and Elite models come with a 12-speaker setup from Bose.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Honda equips all Pilot models with a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features it calls Honda Sensing. The bundle includes automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlamps, and more. For more information about the Pilot’s crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Standard adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Honda’s warranty is entirely average for its class. Hyundai, for example, offers one that’s significantly longer. All Pilot models come with a complimentary maintenance plan that covers regular oil changes and basic services for two years or 24,000 miles.
- Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for two years or 24,000 miles
Specifications
Specifications
2023 Honda Pilot Elite
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 8-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $53,755/$53,755
ENGINE
DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 212 in3, 3471 cm3
Power: 285 hp @ 6100 rpm
Torque: 262 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 13.8-in vented disc/13.0-in disc
Tires: Bridgestone Alenza Sport A/S
255/50R-20 105H M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.8 in
Length: 199.9 in
Width: 78.5 in
Height: 71.0 in
Passenger Volume, F/M/R: 57/57/40 ft3
Cargo Volume, behind F/M/R: 87/49/19 ft3
Curb Weight: 4670 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.2 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.7 sec @ 90 mph
100 mph: 20.1 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.6 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.1 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.4 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 112 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 189 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.84 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 20 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 27 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 490 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/19/25 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
2023 Honda Pilot Trailsport
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $49,695/$50,150
Options: Diffused Sky Pearl paint, $455
ENGINE
DOHC, 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and aluminum heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 212 in3, 3471 cm3
Power: 285 hp @ 6100 rpm
Torque: 262 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 13.8-in vented disc/13.0-in disc
Tires: Continental TerrainContact A/T
265/60R-18 110T M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.8 in
Length: 200.2 in
Width: 78.5 in
Height: 72.0 in
Passenger Volume, F/M/R: 57/57/40 ft3
Cargo Volume, behind F/M/R: 87/49/19 ft3
Curb Weight: 4709 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.9 sec
100 mph: 20.3 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.4 sec @ 90 mph
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.9 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.0 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 111 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 189 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.85 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 18 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 22 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 400 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 20/18/23 mpg
More Features and Specs
