2025 Honda Pilot Reviews, Pricing & Specs

In Canada, Honda sells the 2025 Pilot in Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, and Black Edition trim levels. The Sport is affordable but also does not have many appealing amenities, so we recommend an upgrade to the leather-lined EX-L model at a minimum. Prices range from $55,486 to $67,236, including the destination charge and dealer fees. For this review, we evaluated the U.S. version of the Pilot Black Edition. Note the Modern Steel paint colour shown is not available in Canada.

The Black Edition predictably features black wheels and blacked-out exterior trim with black badges. Inside, black leather seats await, with exclusive red perforation accents that give them a rosy tint. In addition, the cabin boasts red contrast stitching and red ambient lighting. Honda also embosses “Black Edition” on the front-seat head restraints and the floor mats.

Whether you like the Black Edition treatment is a decision only you can make, but know that some paint colours hide the black exterior trim. Fortunately, Honda offers this version of the Pilot with several paint colours that provide higher contrast against the black detailing.

Overall, the Pilot is an attractive SUV. Honda intentionally tried to make it look more rugged when the last redesign arrived in 2023, and the TrailSport trim level leverages that with added off-roading capability. However, the Black Edition’s custom look is more appropriate for the suburbs Pilots usually prowl.

Like most Hondas, the Pilot’s interior features thoughtful design and quality materials. However, the unimpressively sized digital driver display and infotainment system make the cabin appear dated, even if the technology is competitive. Unlike with some rivals, there isn’t a significant “wow factor” within the cabin unless you really get excited about practical storage solutions.

Honda pairs the Pilot’s 3.5-litre V6 engine with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The drivetrain generates 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, enough to ensure the Pilot can tow up to 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds). Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand driving modes are available.

In Canada, every Pilot comes with Honda’s Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) AWD system, offering hill descent control and up to 18.5 centimetres of ground clearance (21 centimetres for the TrailSport). The AWD system features torque vectoring, allowing up to 70 percent of engine output to flow to a single rear wheel (75 percent in the TrailSport).

Driving the Pilot is easy. The V6 supplies good acceleration, but the transmission sometimes feels slow to downshift and occasionally delivers unexpected power surges when using Normal mode. Sport mode helps resolve that.

Fuel economy isn’t impressive, especially in city-heavy driving, where we saw 15.9 litres per 100 kilometres. On our evaluation loop, the Pilot averaged 14.1 L/100 km, falling short of the official Natural Resources Canada rating of 11.2 L/100 km in combined driving. (NRCan estimates 11.0 L/100 km combined for lower trims and 11.8 for the TrailSport). Clearly, the time has come for a hybrid or plug-in hybrid version of this SUV.

We also think an adaptive-damping suspension system would benefit the Touring and Black Edition models. On undulating mountain roads, the test vehicle exhibited unwanted body motion, contributing to a soft ride quality. Ultimately, though, the handling proves predictable and secure in part due to the Black Edition’s 20-inch wheels and tires.

In typical driving situations, the compliant suspension is a benefit, particularly over speed bumps and humps, and the Pilot retains a traditional Honda connection with the road surface. Properly calibrated steering and braking systems add to the satisfying driving dynamics.

We didn’t take the Black Edition off-road, but previous experience in the TrailSport confirms the Pilot can tackle more challenging terrain than you might expect. However, if your plans involve overlanding, you may wish to choose a more capable rig designed for the rough stuff.

One area in which the Pilot excels is form and function. From its three rows of comfortable seats to the shelving carved into the dashboard and door panels, the Honda Pilot is thoughtfully outfitted for family duty.

Starting in the Black Edition’s front row, though, there is a potential deal-breaker. While the driver benefits from a 10-way power seat adjustment, the front passenger only gets a four-way adjustment. You cannot raise the right front seat, and you cannot tilt the cushion for added leg support. That’s unacceptable in an SUV designed for long family road trips. Aside from that omission, the front seats are comfortable and supportive and include heating (standard on all trims) and ventilation (standard on Touring and Black Edition). They’re wrapped in quality leather, too, and drivers will like the standard heated steering wheel when Old Man Winter makes his annual appearance.

The second-row seats are roomy but don’t offer as much leg support as we would like. The centre section is removable, allowing owners to create captain’s chairs with a pass-through to the third-row seat. There are smartphone holders in the seatback storage pockets, drink box and cup holders molded into the doors for easy access by younger children, and rear side window shades to keep the sun out of little ones’ eyes. Heated outboard second-row seats are included on every trim but the base Sport.

As long as the people in the second row are willing to slide up a bit, the Pilot’s third row is habitable for adults. We wouldn’t say it is comfortable, but a grown-up can ride back there for a little while before needing a break. Naturally, younger kids will fit just fine.

Using the remote engine starting system, you can heat or cool the interior before leaving home. The Pilot has an effective triple-zone automatic climate control system. A panoramic sunroof is included on the top three trims. Plus, a 32-ounce Hydro Flask fits in the cupholders on the centre console, which is kind of a big deal.

Open the hands-free power tailgate, and you’ll find 635 litres of cargo space behind the third-row seat (618 litres on the TrailSport trim). Under the load floor, there is a large storage well that accommodates the second-row seat middle section or plenty of sports equipment, grocery bags, and the like. Fold the third-row seat down to access between 1,685 and 1,702 litres of cargo room depending on the trim, or fold both rear rows to create a maximum of 3,219 litres.

After getting into a Honda Pilot and looking around, you might guess that it’s an older design. Compared to many rivals, the display screens are smaller, plainer in appearance, and presented as distinctly separate from one another. Don’t let appearances fool you. The digital driver display and the infotainment system provide the features people commonly want, even if neither goes above and beyond. Our Pilot Black Edition had the larger 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Highlights include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, text-messaging support, and wireless smartphone charging. In addition, the test vehicle had a navigation system, HondaLink subscription services, Wi-Fi access, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system.

We had some trouble with the wireless CarPlay function. After pairing an iPhone 16 and using it, we wanted to switch back to SiriusXM satellite radio. However, after a few seconds, CarPlay would resume. Ultimately, we unpaired the device and stuck with the native Honda system.

Unfortunately, Honda’s voice recognition system frequently provides hit-and-miss performance, requiring multiple attempts or rephrased requests to obtain the desired result. For example, it mistook a request for directions to Chipotle as “Closet Shop.”

We thought the Black Edition’s 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint audio system was adequate but no better in a segment where some impressive sound is available in rivals. Also, the wireless phone charging pad ought to be recessed because your device can easily move and quit charging.

Parents may find the Pilot’s CabinTalk feature helpful. It allows the driver to communicate with passengers over the stereo speakers. That keeps the yelling to a minimum. The test vehicle also had a small four-inch head-up display, another example of how the Pilot meets bare minimum technology expectations in the segment.

Honda equips every version of the 2025 Pilot with a comprehensive menu of standard Honda Sensing safety features. They include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist (branded Road Departure Mitigation), lane-centring assist (Lane Keeping Assist), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. In addition, our Black Edition test vehicle had parking sensors and a multi-view camera system. When using the adaptive cruise control in thick traffic on the highway, the Pilot nearly accelerated into the back of a bright white full-size SUV that had moved into the gap ahead, forcing us to brake hard. Later, in free-flowing traffic, it allowed the Pilot’s speed to drop by nearly 10 km/h as the highway began to climb a mountain grade.

In another situation, as traffic came to a rapid stop that the adaptive cruise could not handle, we responded to a forward collision warning only to find the Pilot’s brake pedal feeling closer to the floor than normal, as though an invisible foot was already pressing it down. It also felt like a brick underfoot, very different from how it usually did. That was odd, unnatural, and distracting in a situation requiring driver focus.

Furthermore, the lane-centring assist system ruins the Pilot’s excellent steering feel, introducing an unpleasant artificiality. Lastly, the road sign recognition system regularly conveys inaccurate data. With 90 km/h showing on the display, we passed a large 100 km/h speed limit sign. It didn’t change.

Returning to the Pilot’s family-friendliness, the SUV earns high marks in crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) calls it a Top Safety Pick+, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says it earns an overall rating of five stars.

The 2025 Honda Pilot is a mid-pack player in many respects, meeting expectations but rarely exceeding them. Regarding value, the price is competitive but isn’t a deal, and the warranty coverage is average at 3 years/60,000 kilometres for the new vehicle warranty and 5 years/100,000 kilometres for the powertrain.

Some rivals have more style and better combine contemporary design and technology with elements of luxury, such as the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride. And both these models feature compelling technology.

In addition, there are more fuel-efficient alternatives offering hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, such as the Toyota Grand Highlander and Mazda CX-90, respectively. The Volkswagen Atlas has more interior room, and there is a performance-tuned ST version of the Ford Explorer ready to hit the track instead of the trail.

With so many competitors offering something “extra,” the Pilot’s simplicity — as appealing as it might be — also suggests the Honda lacks anything but the TrailSport to set itself apart. Day-to-day reality is something else, though, and that’s where the Pilot shines brightest, by not shining brightly at all.

Note: Images and video show a US model.