While some three-row SUVs have made leaps and bounds forward in recent years with new platforms, hybrid powertrains, and flashy designs, Honda has been content to keep the Pilot in its lane as a solid, dependable, and frankly unexciting choice in this segment. This strategy is working just fine, but the company still saw fit to spruce things up for 2026. There are no significant mechanical changes to the current-gen model (which debuted for the 2023 model year), but the upgrades include retuned steering, more standard features, and visual tweaks to the exterior and interior. The first changes you'll notice are to the front end, which now has a larger grille and a more prominent skid plate. Honda appears to be chasing the appealingly boxy and rugged look of the two-row Passport, which was redesigned for 2026, but the Pilot still looks more minivan than mud-crawler. There are new wheels ...
While some three-row SUVs have made leaps and bounds forward in recent years with new platforms, hybrid powertrains, and flashy designs, Honda has been content to keep the Pilot in its lane as a solid, dependable, and frankly unexciting choice in this segment. This strategy is working just fine, but the company still saw fit to spruce things up for 2026. There are no significant mechanical changes to the current-gen model (which debuted for the 2023 model year), but the upgrades include retuned steering, more standard features, and visual tweaks to the exterior and interior.
The first changes you’ll notice are to the front end, which now has a larger grille and a more prominent skid plate. Honda appears to be chasing the appealingly boxy and rugged look of the two-row Passport, which was redesigned for 2026, but the Pilot still looks more minivan than mud-crawler. There are new wheels for certain trim levels and newly available colors as well.
For the Pilot’s interior, Honda has added some fancier materials such as contrasting stitching and diamond-patterned faux-suede upholstery for the seats. It’s still not on the same level as the most luxurious versions of the Hyundai Palisade or Mazda CX-90, but the Pilot is more focused on practicality anyway, with plenty of space in all three rows, lots of storage compartments, and rear seats that flip and slide easily at the push of a button to either provide access to the third row or fold flat to expand the cargo area.
Underneath the skin, the Pilot is quiet at speed, indicating that the extra sound-deadening and now-standard laminated glass are working. The new steering tuning didn’t result in any meaningful change to the Pilot’s handling demeanor, but it’s accurate and precise enough by the standards of this segment. The Pilot could have used an underhood upgrade, but the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 continues with no changes. Its 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque have their work cut out for them moving this large family hauler around.
The engine sounds good, and the 10-speed automatic downshifts promptly when asked, but you’ll have to rev out the V-6 to get meaningful grunt for passing or merging. Honda says it is working on a new hybrid setup for its larger vehicles; electrification can’t come soon enough, given that the Pilot’s 20-to-22-mpg EPA combined rating trails behind some competitors.
Honda added more features to the base Sport trim for 2026, including a larger, 12.3-inch touchscreen and a power liftgate. But the Sport incurred a considerable price hike, and the TrailSport and Touring models also get sticker bumps commensurate with their standard all-wheel drive and extra bits of equipment. The Elite, which also has all-wheel drive as standard (lesser trims are front-wheel drive, with AWD a $2100 option), is well into the mid-$50,000 range now.
Given the rate at which the three-row SUV segment is progressing, the Honda Pilot’s latest upgrades are simply the bare minimum needed for this model to retain its current midpack status. If Honda wants to become a class leader, it’s going to need to pull out all the stops for the next-generation Pilot.
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