The Honda Pilot is a tried-and-true favorite in the midsize SUV class. It’s peppy and easy to drive, has a comfortable and roomy cabin, comes well-equipped with many features and tech, gets decent gas mileage, and is available in an off-road-oriented trim. While it’s a top contender in this competitive group, the 2025 Pilot falls a bit short when compared to the newer Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride.
Base Price: $54,280
As Tested: $56,130
Horsepower: 285
Mileage: 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway/21 mpg combined
The Pilot was introduced way back in 2003 and was the first three-row mainstream crossover to have a car-like platform instead of the old school body-on-frame design. The Pilot got a makeover for 2023 and is now in its fourth generation. There were no major changes for 2024, and for 2025, Honda does away with the base LX trim and a new top-of-the-line Black Edition trim is added to the line-up.
The 2025 Honda Pilot comes in six trims: Sport, EX-L, Touring, TrailSport, Elite and Black Edition. Starting prices range from $39,900 to $54,280. Front-wheel drive is standard on the three lower trims. All-wheel drive is standard on the top three trims, and available on the lower trims.
There’s room for seven or eight passengers depending on whether you get captain’s chairs or bench seating in the second row.
There’s only one engine, a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is a 10-speed automatic.
Acceleration feels a bit pokey from a stop, but there’s plenty of oomph when you’re speeding up to merge or pass on the freeway even with passengers and cargo on board. The 10-speed shifts quickly and smoothly. Steering and brakes are responsive, but the steering does have a light feel. The ride is smooth with the suspension soaking up bumps and rough roads. The turning radius is relatively small for a midsize SUV which is nice when you’re squeezing the Pilot into a tight parking space. All in all, the Pilot is easy to drive and feels nimble for a three-row crossover.
Fuel economy is decent for the class. EPA ratings for AWD models are 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway with a combined rating of 21. I got 21 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving. Front-wheel drive models get 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway with a combined rating of 22.
When properly equipped, all-wheel drive models can tow up to 5,000 pounds and front-wheel drive models up to 3,500 pounds.
The cabin is practical with good build quality and a clean design. But it’s not as upscale as some rivals. There are some hard plastics which can make the interior feel a bit low-rent compared to the competition. At least materials are easy to clean which is good in a family hauler. Some of the cupholders are ginormous – Honda says they can accommodate 32-ounce water bottles. Seats in the first two rows are comfortable and supportive with good leg-and headroom for adults. As is usually the case, the third row is best suited for kids, although a couple adults can squeeze back there in a pinch.
Standard features include remote start, proximity keyless entry, push-button start, multi-angle rearview camera, rearview camera washer, tri-zone automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, driver’s seat with 10-way power adjustment, front passenger seat with four-way power adjustment, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, seven-inch digital gauge cluster with an analog speedometer, infotainment system with seven-inch touchscreen, seven-speaker audio system, wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, four USB ports, ambient lighting, 12-volt power outlet, and automatic high-beam headlights..
Available features include a surround-view camera system, head-up display, automatic-dimming rearview mirror, leather-trimmed seats, synthetic leather seats, perforated leather seats, driver’s seat two-position memory settings, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, heated steering wheel, 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, infotainment system with nine-inch touchscreen, navigation, nine-speaker245-watt audio system, 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, HD Radio, satellite radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two additional USB ports, wireless device charging, Wi-Fi hot spot, in-car PA system, 110-volt household-style power outlet, rear sunshades, universal garage door opener, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a panoramic moonroof.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition rear cross-traffic alert, driver-attention monitoring, and rear-seat alert.
Available driver assistance technologies include front and rear parking sensors.
The infotainment isn’t as lavish as some but it is user-friendly. Menus are sensibly laid out and the touchscreen is easy to see and reach. There are handy physical controls for common functions such as audio and climate – it’s always nice when you don’t have to go through a touchscreen for these adjustments.
Cargo space is about average for a midsize SUV. The Pilot has 18.6 cubic feet with all three rows of seating in place, 48.5 cubic feet with the second row folded, and 87 cubes with the second and third rows folded. A manual liftgate is standard. A Power liftgate and hands-free power liftgate are available.
The good:
Confident handling
Smooth ride
Spacious and comfortable interior
Well equipped with many standard and available features and tech
Standard wired and available wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Leisurely acceleration
Cabin not as upscale as some rivals
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $54,280. Radiant Red Metallic II paint is $455. The destination fee is $1,395 bringing the grand total to $56,130.
Bottom line:
The Honda Pilot has been a dependable family hauler since its introduction two decades ago. The 2025 Pilot remains a worthy choice with its pleasant handling, roomy and comfortable cabin, long list of standard features and tech, and decent fuel economy. But the midsize SUV category has several excellent contenders so you’ll want to shop around before choosing your vehicle.
