2025 Honda Pilot Review, Pricing, and Specs (2024)

Overview

If a roomy cabin, a comfortable ride, and family-friendly features are at the top of your wish list for your next mid-size, three-row family SUV, the 2025 Honda Pilot delivers just that—and even a little more. A refined, 285-hp V-6 and 10-speed automatic transmission serve dutifully, and the Pilot can be had with either front or all-wheel drive. Those into camping, overlanding, and off-roading will find the rugged TrailSport trim the best option, as it comes with an extra inch of ground clearance, skid plates, and all-terrain tires. Honda equips all but the base Sport model with a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen infotainment system with all the expected connectivity features. In terms of style, the Honda does look a bit meh next to rivals such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and the Hyundai Palisade but what the Pilot gives up in looks it makes up for with a generous cargo area and a straightforward interior that's easy to live with. Still, as capable as the Pilot is, it competes in the largest and most competitive segment—mid-size crossovers and SUVs—against such superstar family haulers as the Kia Telluride, the Toyota Grand Highlander, and the Mazda CX-90. Against that group, the Pilot's positives look relatively modest and render it a mid-pack player in this 30-strong class.

What's New for 2025?

Sitting atop the lineup for 2025, the new Black Edition trim suits up with gloss black 20-inch wheels, Black Edition badges, and other blacked-out exterior trim elements. The cabin gets a tuxedoed look as well, including embossed leather front seats and door mats featuring the Black Edition logo. Honda sprinkled red accents throughout the interior, including crimson stitching on the steering wheel, seats, and door panels. This trim comes standard with all-wheel drive. The base LX trim has been discontinued, making the Sport model the new entry-level Pilot.

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 that comes with it 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. 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. But Honda hasn't created a rock-crawling super-machine that's intended to tackle Moab alongside Broncos, Wranglers, and 4Runners. It's aimed at mild-to-moderate off-roading.

0–60-MPH Times

We've tested two Pilot trims so far since the latest redesign. The Elite trim managed to hit 60 mph in 7.2 seconds but the TrailSport was quicker and finished the same test in 6.9 seconds—typical performance for vehicles in this class.

Towing and Payload Capacity

The maximum towing capacity of the 2024 Honda Pilot is 5000 pounds, but that's limited to all-wheel drive models. Front-wheel drive Pilots manage 3500 pounds of towing. This matches the towing capability of its closest competitors, such as the Telluride and Grand Highlander, but it's far behind the Dodge Durango's 8700-pound might.

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 2025 Pilot's cabin is designed with that use case in mind. Most trims can sit up to eight across three rows of seats; second-row captain's chairs are optional on the EX-L trim and are standard on the TrailSport. The Touring and Elite models come with a second-row seat design where the middle seat section 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. There's reasonable cargo space with all three rows of seats up; we fit six carry-on-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 base Sport. Honda's latest infotainment interface is easy to use and features both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All other models get a larger 9.0-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability; the Elite and Black Edition models also come with a 10.2-inch gauge cluster. Honda equips the Pilot with a standard 7-speaker stereo system, and Touring and Elite models come with a premium 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 blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
• 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

More Features and Specs