2023 Honda Pilot Review

With its exceptional levels of road and seat comfort, upscale cabin design, and useful storage areas, the third-generation Honda Pilot immediately became our favorite three-row crossover SUV when it debuted in 2016. But the years hence have seen the Kia Telluride and its mechanical twin, the Hyundai Palisade, usurp the Honda to claim the crown as their own. So what's a deposed ruler to do? Rally the troops and get better, and that's what we see in the fully redesigned 2023 Honda Pilot.

Many of the Pilot's updates occur to attributes that we thought the old Pilot needed to make improvements to. Honda stretched out the wheelbase (the space between the front and rear wheels) and overall length to open up more passenger room, particularly in the second and third rows to make them more accommodating for adults and bulky child safety seats. New styling inside and out helps to modernize the Pilot and make it feel more rugged and less curvy. And in an effort to inject some excitement into what was a very competent (but also slightly boring lineup), there's a new Pilot TrailSport that dials in some real off-road upgrades.

The Pilot also was in need of a technology infusion and that's one area in which Honda still needs to do a little work. But these changes definitely put the Pilot on more equal footing with the top of this segment.

The Pilot's engine is again a 3.5-liter V6. Honda says that it's all-new, with a brand-new aluminum block among other changes. It produces 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. That's just a slight 5-hp increase over last year's model, though the new Pilot also features a 10-speed automatic transmission that gains a gear over the outgoing nine-speed box.

The new V6 and transmission combo could produce slightly better acceleration, but we won't know for sure until we get a new Pilot in for our full evaluation. The last-generation Pilot we tested went from 0 to 60 mph in 7 seconds, which was already a quicker-than-average time for a midsize three-row SUV. Front-wheel drive is standard on most trim levels, with all-wheel drive optional (though it is standard on TrailSport and Elite models).

The Pilot gets an off-road-oriented model with the introduction of the TrailSport trim level. This is the second TrailSport that Honda will offer — it debuted on the Passport first but on that vehicle it served as more of a glorified appearance package that didn't add any real capability.

That's not the case with the Pilot, where the TrailSport gets some mechanical upgrades that should make it easier to, well, pilot when the paved roads end. It starts with a 1-inch suspension lift that creates more ground clearance — 8.3 inches, compared to the standard 7.3 inches — as well as more wheel travel to better help keep the wheels in contact with the ground. This boost is welcome, though it's still a bit short compared to the approximately 8.7 inches of clearance offered by the Ford Explorer Timberline and Subaru Ascent, two three-row rivals with similar off-roading credentials.

Underneath the Pilot are three skid plates to protect the engine, fuel tank, and the rear of the vehicle. Those plates are strong enough to handle the full weight of the Pilot crashing down on a rock, Honda says. The TrailSport's AWD system also gets its own tuning setup, where it allows a wheel that is in the air or has lost traction to still get some torque so that it will instantly hook up once it regains traction.

There are distinctive 18-inch wheels at each corner with the TrailSport logo molded into the wheel itself and those come wrapped in all-terrain tires, the first time that Honda has done that. Finally, there's also a new TrailWatch camera system that shows a front or side view at speeds under 15 mph, so you can see obstacles that fall under the hood line where you can't see them. This feature gives the driver an added layer of confidence off-road. TrailSport badges adorn the outside and the front seat, and the TrailSport is offered in a striking Diffused Sky Blue paint that's exclusive to the trim.

Even with its updated internals, the new V6 seems a lot like the older version. This Pilot's bigger overall footprint erases any gains from the 5 additional horsepower (now 285 hp total). And with an unchanged 262 lb-ft of torque, there isn't any more grunt on offer to help move things along. Honda's new 10-speed transmission shifts smoothly but always feels like it's working. Around town, we wish that it would settle into gear faster and stay put. This updated powertrain feels adequate with its power delivery but isn't the Pilot's strong suit by any means.

There are now up to seven (yes, really) drive modes to choose from, including new Sport, Trail and Tow modes. Honda's improved all-wheel-drive system in the Pilot can now send up to 70% of the engine's torque to the rear axle and shift power to each wheel independently as needed.

We had the opportunity to put all of this to use while driving a TrailSport over varied off-road terrain. With an occasional wheel lift, the SUV would take a second to settle in and send power to the correct corner, ultimately soldiering on with little issue. The only unsettling moments were the several times we knocked the center skid plate over rocks, though Honda engineers reassured us that they built them strong for a reason.

We came away impressed by how relaxing the Pilot is to drive on the highway for long stretches of time. Honda installed new seats in this generation and they are a huge improvement, with support all the way up your back. Optional heated and ventilated seats in the front row and a heated second row help keep things a little more comfortable as well.

Even better is the Pilot's stellar ride quality. We drove the Elite on 20-inch wheels and the TrailSport with all-terrain tires, and neither was problematic at any point. The Pilot's suspension isolates big bumps in the road extremely well, yet the SUV feels connected as you're driving along. We never knocked the old Pilot for its ride quality, but this new one is even better.

We had a chance to check out both TrailSport and Elite models of the Pilot. Both offer pleasing cabin materials and a new interior look that bears some vague resemblance to the new Honda Civic's, a look that has percolated around the rest of Honda's smaller vehicles. As with the Civic, the multimedia screen is mounted on top of the dashboard rather than being more integrated into it like before. The Pilot isn't the most luxurious member of this class — that distinction still belongs to the Telluride and the Palisade — but it won't be a letdown.

The Pilot's extra length gets put to good use for second- and third-row passengers. This was a shortcoming of the previous Pilot — it had a small third row that didn't fit adults comfortably and couldn't match up with larger competitors. Honda says that second-row legroom has grown by 2.4 inches and third row only by 0.6 inch, but all of those gains help out the third row the most since the second row has the ability to slide back and forth. I am just under 6 feet tall and after I set up the driver's seat and moved up the second row to a position where it was still comfortable and had a few inches of space between my knees and the seatback, there was enough room in the third row for me to fit. The third row's seat cushion is a bit low so your thighs lift up off the cushion so it won't be great for long trips, but for anything two hours and under, the third row can now fit two adults without you feeling guilty for putting anyone back there.

Most other three-row SUVs make you choose between a seven-passenger setup with captain's chairs or an eight-passenger configuration with a bench seat, no ifs, ands or buts. But in the Pilot you can have both, thanks to a removable middle seat for the second row that's available on Touring and Elite models. That way, if you happen to pick up another passenger and need a place to put them ... there's a spot for that butt. The seat stores in a bin under the rear cargo area when not needed and weighs 20-25 pounds, so it can be moved and installed fairly easily.

This is the area where the Pilot feels like it could have done more. The TrailWatch camera is a cool tech addition, but the Pilot's largest multimedia screen only measures 9 inches and that puts it behind many of the other vehicles in this segment that offer screens of 12 inches or more. On top of that, the navigation lags and the maps feel pixelated and low-resolution. They look much better when connecting a smartphone and using Google or Apple Maps. A 7-inch touchscreen comes standard on the base trim level, and that's disappointing compared to the standard 12.3-inch screen now found in the Telluride.

As a partial saving grace, the larger screen at least comes standard on the EX-L trim level and above, and with the bigger screen comes wireless connectivity for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with a wireless charging pad. Even so, it still feels like the Pilot could use some improvement in this area, especially considering the new Accord's available 12.3-inch display with built-in Google integration

The Pilot's advanced safety features also get an upgrade for 2023. There's a standard Traffic Jam Assist system that allows the adaptive cruise control to work down to a stop while still centering the Pilot in its lane. The forward-facing camera and radar have also been upgraded, with a wider field of view to better detect potential hazards.

The passenger compartment isn't the only place to experience growth in the redesign. Storage space behind the third row has also expanded to 22.4 cubic feet — good enough to take the Pilot to the top of the class. Drop down the second and third rows to open up a massive 113.7 cubic feet of cargo room.

All Pilots come with a pretty sizable storage compartment under the cargo area that is accessed via a removable cover, but Touring and Elite models with the available stowable center seat get an even larger storage bin that can be used with the seat installed or stored somewhere at home. It can fit even a backpack, or anything else you'd like to keep away from prying eyes in the SUV's cabin.

The 2023 Honda Pilot is a three-row SUV that seats up to eight passengers. It's available in six trim levels: LX, Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring and Elite. All are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine (285 horsepower, 262 lb-ft) mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional — except on the TrailSport and Elite trims, which get all-wheel drive as standard. Highlighted features include:

LX
This trim level, which will be available later in the model year, starts off the Pilot lineup with:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Keyless entry for driver door
• Push-button ignition
• Manually adjustable front seats
• 7-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
• Seven-speaker sound system
• Remote engine start
• Dual-zone climate control

All Pilots come with a suite of advanced safety features known as Honda Sensing. This includes:

• Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time)
• Lane keeping assistance (steers the Pilot back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
• Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Honda and the car in front)

Sport
Adds to the LX with:

• 20-inch wheels
• LED foglights
• Keyless ignition and entry
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Second-row bench seat for eight-passenger seating
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Heated front seats       
• Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)

EX-L
A step up from the Sport with features such as:

• 18-inch wheels
• Programmable power liftgate
• Leather-trimmed upholstery
• Optional second-row captain's chairs (seven-passenger capacity)
• Acoustic laminated windshield
• Heated outside mirrors
• Tri-zone climate control
• Second-row climate controls
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Second-row retractable sunshades
• Two-position memory for driver's seat and side mirrors
• Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Additional 12-Volt power outlet
• Nine-speaker audio system
• Wireless phone charger
• 9-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible when parking)

TrailSport
Equips the Pilot for added adventure with:

• Standard all-wheel drive
• 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires
• Full-size spare tire
• Increased ground clearance
• Synthetic leather upholstery with orange stitching
• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Pilot and its surroundings for tight parking and off-road situations)
• Off-road stability management
• Underbody skid plates
• Class III trailer hitch
• Panoramic sunroof
• Off-road recovery hooks
• Heated windshield
• Household-style power outlet
• Heated steering wheel
• Second-row captain's chairs

Touring
Builds on the EX-L, adding luxury features such as:

• Hands-free power tailgate
• Keyless entry for all doors
• Sound-reducing front windows and windshield
• Panoramic sunroof
• Second-row bench seat with removable/stowable middle seat
• Navigation system
• 12-speaker Bose audio system
• Wi-Fi hotspot

Elite
Maxes out the features with:

• Standard all-wheel drive
• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Pilot and its surroundings for tight parking and off-road situations)
• Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
• Digital instrument panel
• Heated windshield
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated outboard second-row seats
• Household-style power outlet
• Ventilated front seats