2026 Honda Pilot First Drive Review: Safety, Comfort, Looks Upgraded

First introduced in late 2002 as a 2003 model, the Honda Pilot is an attractive, roomy, and durable three-row SUV that has built up a loyal following among U.S. family buyers.

Sharing the same platform as the Honda Odyssey minivan and the more up-market Acura MDX, the Pilot is produced at the automaker’s Lincoln, Ala., assembly plant.

A fourth-generation Pilot was launched for the 2023 model year and was aimed at Toyota’s own three-row package, the Grand Highlander. Pilot gets a modest mid-cycle update for 2026. It’s offered in six different trims, from base Sport to more exclusive Black Edition, as well as the off-road-oriented TrailSport.

In short: Honda launched a fourth-generation Pilot for 2023, taking aim at the Toyota Grand Highlander. The three-row Pilot gets a classic mid-cycle update for the 2026 model year, with moderate exterior updates including a redesigned front fascia and, in keeping with current industry trends, a larger grille. It also gets a larger digital gauge cluster and touchscreen, along with a new infotainment interface with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto built in. In keeping with the focus on family buyers, there are some new safety features, as well.

2026 Honda Pilot Review

Nearly a quarter-century after it first rolled into U.S. Honda showrooms, the Pilot remains the brand’s biggest and most family-friendly SUV. The fourth-generation Pilot grew about 3 inches longer when it debuted in 2023, adding even more space for passengers and cargo.

All told, Pilot provides seating for up to eight. There’s plenty of room for luggage and other cargo, with as much as 111.8 cubic feet of space with the second and third rows folded down.

The combination has proved quite successful for Honda, meaning it could focus on making selective tweaks as it gives Pilot a mid-cycle refresh. There are some subtle exterior enhancements, including a larger grille, but the emphasis was on enhancing the on-road experience with the 2026 model.

What’s New

From a design standpoint, you’d need to look closely to differentiate the 2026 Honda Pilot from the prior year’s package. There’s a revised fascia wrapped around a larger grille, Honda following the current industry trend meant to give the SUV a bit more rugged appearance — enhanced by 20-inch wheels on the Touring, Elite, and Black Edition models.

On the functional side, all trims now have a power liftgate and roof rails. 

Inside, all versions feature larger digital gauge and infotainment displays — with an upgraded user interface. The Pilot now has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a switch to 5G cellular service means a faster connection to the cloud.

The most rugged Pilot TrailSport package now comes standard with rear seat heaters. And top trims, like Elite, get Ultrasuede accents with diamond-pattern stitching.

Powertrain

As a mid-cycle refresh, most of what you’ll find with the 2026 Honda Pilot carries over. The fourth-generation SUV offers just one engine package, a 3.5L V6 making 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque.

That engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and buyers will have the choice of front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive on the base Sport and EX-L packages. All other trims come exclusively in AWD.

The downside is a slight dip in fuel economy. FWD packages yield 19 mpg in the EPA city cycle, 27 highway, and 22 combined. With the exception of TrailSport, AWD mileage is rated 19/25/21. The off-road package dips to 18/23/20.

There had been some talk that Honda might upgrade its options on the powertrain front, either with a more gutsy ICE package or by going with a hybrid, as we’re seeing with the latest Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride packages. That will likely have to wait until the gen-five Pilot comes out later in the decade.

Driving Experience

The Pilot delivered a pleasant, comfortable ride during a day of driving from San Diego up into the Cuyamaca Mountains. Our route included some rough pavement and severe — and often off-camber — S-curves, as well as a rise of more than 3,000 feet by the time we reached our destination, the old mining town of Julian.

While the Pilot’s V6 is more than adequate, it’s not enthusiastic, taking a bit over 7 seconds — by my rough measurement — to hit 60 mph in all-wheel-drive configuration. The twin-turbo 400-horsepower EcoBoost in the Ford Explorer is quicker and more responsive, as is the 329-horsepower in the Palisade Hybrid — which also musters an impressive 34 mpg in the EPA combined cycle.

As you’d expect in a big SUV like this, there was a moderate amount of body roll on tighter corners. But the overall road feel was comfortable, especially on less aggressive portions of the route. The good news is that Honda engineers did a good job of retuning the power steering system.

The automaker also took steps to better insulate the cabin, though it’s still noisy enough when the throttle is tipped in that it could require raising voices to communicate from the first to third rows. To solve that problem, family buyers who’ll fill all the seats might consider the optional Cabin Talk, an in-car PA system.

Upgraded TrailSport Package

With the launch of the fourth-generation Pilot in 2023, Honda added the new TrailSport package, which got a variety of useful off-road features. These include trail torque logic for its all-wheel-drive system, as well as the TrailWatch Camera system, allowing a driver to see where they’re going with a variety of selectable camera angles.

The TrailSport is the only Pilot package with its suspension specifically tuned for off-roading, which includes a one-inch lift for better ground clearance and increased approach, departure, and breakover angles. It has unique stabilizer bars, while its spring rates and damper settings have also been tuned for off-roading. Skid plates offered only on TrailSport help reduce the risk of damage to the Pilot’s underbody and drivetrain.

Inside, the TrailSport gets distinctive orange stitching and proactive floor mats, while a sliding panoramic roof comes standard. For 2026, meanwhile, TrailSport models get standard heated rear seats.

A Good Family Hauler

Unfortunately, Honda didn’t have any examples of the Pilot TrailSport for us to drive this time. We’ll have to wait to get back into the off-road package at a later date. That said, our Elite trim was well-suited for the day’s drive and yielded a clear sense of what Honda offers with this three-row SUV.

Upgrades, such as the 12.3-inch touchscreen and 10.2-inch gauge cluster, are particularly welcome as a driver. And the new interface, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — with a new 5G cellular link — are a definite plus for the family. The seven-speaker “base” sound system should satisfy most buyers, but audiophiles can consider the upgrade to a 12-speaker Bose package.

While the third row may be a bit cramped, the first and second rows are truly spacious, and the seats are quite comfortable. Even with all three rows occupied, there’s 21.8 cubic feet of cargo space, jumping to a max of 111.8 cubic feet, if needed. Better yet, there are plenty of useful and easily accessible storage spaces throughout the cabin.

Meanwhile, family buyers will appreciate the broad array of smart safety systems built into the 2026 Honda Pilot, including forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assist and active cruise control. Pilot has also earned a five-star crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the 2025 model was designated a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

2026 Honda Pilot: Pricing & Availability

You should find the 2026 Honda Pilot rolling into U.S. dealer showrooms about now.

As for pricing, that covers a wide gamut with a FWD version of the 2026 Honda Pilot Sport starting at $42,195, while the AWD Black Edition jumps to $54,995. Add $1,495 for delivery fees.