2022 Honda Pilot awaits new base trim, so it starts at $40,285 for now

UPDATE: An anonymous tipster graced us with more info on the 2022 Pilot, and it seems our surmise about Passport envy had merit. The tipster told us a new Pilot Sport trim will replace the LX and EX and be “very similar” to the base Passport Sport. The Pilot Sport will come in either front- or all-wheel-drive, only be offered with a black cloth interior, and with a choice of white, black, silver, dark blue, or Sonic Grey Pearl exterior colors. We’re told a seventh TrailSport trim is on the way next year, too, slotting between Touring and Elite and only available with an AWD powertrain. A black interior will be the only option on the TrailSport (the Touring interior only comes in gray perforated leather, the Elite offers black or gray perforated leather), and white, silver, black, or Sonic Grey exterior colors. The new Sonic Grey hue will be a $395 premium option.

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Honda has begun the rollout of the 2022 seven-seater Pilot crossover, emphasis on “begun.” The base LX and EX trims available presently won’t make the leap into next year, and Honda hasn’t debuted the trim or trims that will substitute. It’s possible just one new entry-level model will replace the LX and EX, with Honda writing in a press release that this autumn will welcome a “well-equipped new entry trim level aimed at younger buyers and active lifestyles, offsetting the no longer available LX and EX entry trim levels.”

The part about catering to younger buyers with active lifestyles is interesting because the line two years ago was that Honda created the Passport for that demographic. The 2021 Passport starts at $34,015, $240 more than the 2021 Pilot LX. We’re wondering now if Pilot shoppers took a look at Passports on the other side of the showroom floor and said, “Do you have that with three rows?” 

What the trim reorganization means for the moment is the 2022 Pilot starts at $40,285 for the front-wheel drive EX-L model after the $1,225 destination charge. The other news that impacts wallets is that Pilot prices have gone up by $400 across the board for 2022 for the five extant trims — EX-L, Special Edition, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition.

On the feature side, the new base model will ditch the five-inch infotainment screen and the lack of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. Honda says it’s making the eight-inch touchscreen and smartphone integration standard across the range. The larger display and phone integration already come standard on the pricier models. There will also be a new Sonic Gray Pearl exterior color also available this fall, but we don’t know yet if that will be a no-cost option or one of the premium colors that runs $395.

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