2026 Honda Pilot Review

The family-sized crossover segment seems to be shifting, with underdogs now offering stronger products than some legacy automakers.

Competition from brands like Hyundai and Kia is stronger than ever, and it’s putting pressure on the likes of Honda to step up its game in spite of the 17-year headstart it had with the Pilot, which launched in 2003. Honda had plenty of time to perfect the three-row formula, but both the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride are so well executed that they overshadow the Pilot in some significant areas.

Enter the 2026 Honda Pilot, which has been refreshed in an attempt to regain some lost ground. And while it’s just fine as a family-friendly three-row crossover, it’s not quite a segment leader.

Styling: 8/10

The Pilot has been subtly refreshed with a more rugged and squared-off look than before. It’s a handsome and approachable crossover that doesn’t take many risks in the styling department, but it has a cohesive design both inside and out. Where designs from Hyundai and Kia are pushing boundaries, the Pilot is comfortably familiar.

Power: 7.5/10

The Pilot is powered by a rather old-school naturally-aspirated 3.6L V6 with 285 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive (AWD) are standard. The system can send as much as 70 per cent of the available torque to the rear axle and then 100 per cent of that to either wheel if needed, which helps make the Pilot more controllable on- and off-road.

While many of its competitors have switched to lower-displacement turbocharged engines or hybrid powertrains, the Pilot soldiers on with its more traditional setup. (For what it’s worth, both the Palisade and the upcoming redesigned Telluride are also offered with similar setups in addition to hybrid power.) The V6 offers decent off-the-line acceleration, but you really need to wind out the engine to get decent passing or merging power. It’s a smooth and competent powertrain, but far from the best out there.

Driving Feel: 8/10

Honda says it has improved the Pilot’s driving dynamics, but it really comes down to slightly better steering. The steering used to be so light that it took work to keep the Pilot centred in its lane on the highway, but this refreshed version has a better on-centre feel that fixes that issue. The steering still feels too light and numb, however, and doesn’t communicate with the driver at all.

The Pilot feels large to drive and doesn’t do much to compensate for its size. The suspension is also geared more towards comfort, so there’s a bit of body roll through corners, although the Pilot handles and drives totally fine.

Practicality: 9/10

Where it shines is in practicality and family-friendliness, which is what counts most. The cabin is thoughtfully designed with lots of cupholders, cubbies, shelves, pockets, and storage for small items to help families organize all the items they travel with every day.

The version of the Pilot tested here can seat eight people, though it’s a tight squeeze in the third row. The middle section of the second row can be removed to make two captain’s chairs, or folded flat to use as a divider with cupholders and storage.

There’s 635 L of space behind the third row, which expands to 1,702 L with it folded flat, and a large 3,175 L with all rear seats stowed. The trunk also has a sizable underfloor storage compartment.

Features: 8/10

Standard feature highlights for the Pilot include a height-programmable tailgate, roof rails, keyless entry with walk-away automatic locking, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, interior ambient lighting, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, USB-C charging ports in the first- and second rows, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, and more.

The EX-L trim and up include a mirror in the sunglass holder to see kids in the back, sunshades, USB-C charging for the third row, wireless phone charging, and heated second-row seats. The top Black Edition trim tested here adds a head-up display, front and rear camera washers, a 115-volt household power outlet in the second row, ventilated front seats, surround-view cameras, and more.

Safety: 9/10!

Honda’s safety systems used to be overly sensitive, but fewer false alarms were experienced during this week-long test than in previous Hondas. All Pilots come standard with adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, driver attention monitor, lane departure warning and keeping assist, rear-seat reminder, post-collision braking system, and traffic sign recognition. EX-L and higher trims add front and rear parking sensors and low-speed braking control.

Comfort: 9/10

The seats are comfortable and supportive, and the suspension is soft enough to soak up most road imperfections. The cabin is also very quiet, with little outside noise making its way inside. The third row is pretty cramped, but the front- and second rows have plenty of head- and legroom. It’s pretty easy to move the second row to get into the third row, but kids might need a bit of assistance to do so.

User Friendliness: 8/10

The Pilot has a straightforward interface with many physical knobs and buttons for the climate control. The push-button gear selector isn’t the best, but it’s easy enough to get used to. The touchscreen is now larger and operates on Google software. It’s decently user-friendly, with a customizable row of shortcuts and a simplified menu structure. Being able to see Google Maps navigation instructions from a synced smartphone in the driver’s information screen also reduces the amount of tapping needed to find what you’re looking for.

Fuel Economy: 7/10

The Honda Pilot isn’t available as a hybrid like some of its competitors (the Toyota Highlander and Hyundai Palisade, for example) and its fuel economy is a significant drawback as a result. With its fuel economy officially rated at 12.7 L/100 km in the city, 9.4 on the highway, and 11.2 combined, it lags behind the Highlander Hybrid’s 6.7 L/100 km and the Palisade Hybrid’s 8.1 L/100 km combined ratings. Compared to conventionally powered crossovers, however, the Pilot’s rating isn’t that far off from the Palisade’s 11.9 L/100 km but still lags behind the Highlander’s 9.9 L/100 km. Over about 525 km of testing that saw more time spent on the highway, the indicated average was 12.3 L/100 km.

Value: 7/10

The 2026 Honda Pilot is one of the more expensive three-rows in its segment, with the Black Edition starting at $66,400 plus a $2,000 destination fee. The top trims of the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, and Toyota Highlander are all less expensive by a few thousand dollars while still offering equal if not better features. The Pilot EX-L is a better value and is a sweet spot in the lineup starting at $58,150.

The Verdict

The 2026 Honda Pilot is a very good vehicle, but with its competition relentlessly raising the bar, it needs to be excellent. Even after a refresh, the Pilot just isn’t as compelling as many of its competitors that offer more innovation, efficiency, style, or value.

If you need a practical family crossover that’s easy to live with, the Honda Pilot will check a lot of boxes, but it would also be wise to test drive other options to see what you might be missing out on.