For those who aren’t sports car enthusiasts, I’ll lay out why so many of them like Porsches: they’re simply very good at their job. The job, of course, is being a sports car. But when something becomes the default choice for something, like a Porsche 911, the prices rise, the haters show up, and the whole thing becomes the “boring” or the “obvious” choice.
So, there you go. The Honda Pilot is really just a Porsche 911. It’s maybe the best at its job, everyone has one, and it’s the default choice.
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Powertrain And Driving Experience: 5/10
Chase Bierenkoven
On the level, this is really the only spot to nitpick the Honda. It is tremendously boring to drive. I absolutely loathe the way this thing drives. It is so incredibly uninspired I considered trying to season it with some salt and garlic powder to get rid of the bland taste it left. The transmission is ponderously slow, too, and the fuel economy is abysmal. I managed just 20 mpg combined.
However, it’s also good at going down the road. The Pilot’s ride is incredibly well composed, and the interior is quiet enough that you might just forget you’re driving a gas-powered car while sitting at a light. The big V6 doesn’t make much power, at just 285 horsepower, but it gets the job done.
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Interior And Technology: 9/10
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
The Pilot’s interior is probably the SUV’s best aspect. Upper trims, like this Elite one, offer leather upholstery. Other luxuries in top trims include heated front and rear seats, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, and a panoramic sunroof. It’s not as plush as some rivals, though.
The rear two rows are plenty spacious, and there’s lots of storage for small items. Honda also has a clever stowable middle seat, which means that all Pilots have second-row captain’s chairs, if you want them. In the third row, there’s more than enough room for adults, and the seats fold flat. They’ve even got USB-C ports.
Speaking of tech, that’s new for 2026. A larger 12.3-inch central infotainment touchscreen comes standard and is wonderfully easy to use. There’s lots of buttons, which I like, and it features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I do wish the newly standard 10-inch digital dash were a little more modular, though.
Exterior Design: 6/10
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
2026 brings the Pilot some new looks. The front bumper now has a bigger grille, with this updated rectangular two-tone element at the lower end of the bumper. All told, it’s pretty uninspiring. The shape is basic, the front end is bland, and there are like two cool colors, of which this is neither. It’s a perfectly inoffensive look for a perfectly inoffensive SUV.
Cargo, Towing And Hauling: 8/10
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
The Pilot isn’t the towing monster something like the Dodge Durango is, but its 5,000-pound capacity is right in step with other rivals, like the Telluride and Grand Highlander. Front-drive models, though, can only pull 3,500 pounds.
Meanwhile, space is one of the Pilot’s biggest advantages. It easily swallows up to a massive 87 cubic feet of cargo with all the seats folded, and a minimum of 19 cubic feet with the third row intact. It’s more than enough room for even large families.
Pricing And Value: 5/10
Chase Bierenkoven
The 2026 Honda Pilot starts at $43,990 and goes up to $56,790. Its MSRP is a good bit higher than rivals from Kia and Hyundai, both of which can be had near $40k, and more than that, the Telluride and the Palisade both offer more luxury at the top end. Still, it’s cheaper than the $44,000 Grand Highlander, though that manages to at least get better fuel economy. While the Pilot isn’t a particularly excellent value, its old-school V6 might give some long-term buyers peace of mind.
Verdict: 6/10
Chase Bierenkoven
I don’t love the Pilot. It didn’t wow me, thanks mostly to its weak powertrain, high prices, and underwhelming driving experience. But it is a damn good box on wheels. Like the 911, it is very good at its job, and it’s no wonder these are so popular. They might not be worth the price premium, but given the acres of space and simple, practical interior, I can very much see why buyers seem to love them so much.
About the author
Chase Bierenkoven
Senior Editor, Autoblog