2026 Honda Pilot First Look: More Features and a Bigger Touchscreen

• Honda’s family-friendly Pilot SUV is refreshed and gets updated tech for 2026, including a much larger infotainment touchscreen.
• Built in Lincoln, Alabama, the Pilot is available in six trim levels and adds three new colors to its lineup.
• No word on pricing yet, but we expect the 2026 Pilot to start at around $42,000.

Cabin quality is pleasant and durable inside the Pilot, with surfaces made for withstanding juice box mishaps and scuffs made by dirty soccer cleats. If you like brown leather, you're in luck because that's now an option for the TrailSport trim along with newly standard heated second-row seats. Honda opted to make power tailgates and roof rails standard, a nice touch that upscales the whole lineup. 

While the third-row seating is still cramped for anyone bigger than a second-grader, everyone in the cabin will appreciate updated sound-absorbing materials like semi-tempered door glass and insulation. Honda says the difference amounts to a 2-3 decibel reduction in key frequencies, and although that's barely perceptible to most ears, it's still appreciated. We noted the interior in the 2025 Pilot isn't as quiet as cabins in competitors like the Kia Telluride, so this sounds like a step in the right direction. 

The Pilot retains its 285-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 for 2026, as expected. In our road tests, we found it's not as peppy as it looks on paper, but the Pilot delivers a predictable, comfortable ride. Its emergency stopping distance has been lengthier than its peers in the past, and that may be improved with a new post-collision braking system. All-wheel drive continues to be standard on top trims starting with the TrailSport version, and it's available on the starting two trims as well. A retuned electric power steering system is new for 2026, and we look forward to testing that out soon. 

According to the EPA, the Pilot's fuel economy ranges from 20 mpg combined for the all-wheel-drive TrailSport to 22 mpg combined for any one of the front-wheel-drive versions. It did a little better during our road tests, still trailing competitors like the Toyota Highlander. Honda said its in-progress V6 hybrid system would be ready "before 2030," but we were hoping it would show up on the brand’s 2026 Pilot and Passport models. When that day arrives, we expect it to level up the Pilot's efficiency factor. 

Arriving in dealerships starting in December, the 2026 Honda Pilot will be available in six trims: Sport, EX-L, Touring, TrailSport, Elite and Black Edition. Pricing has not yet been announced, but we expect it to start in the $42,000 range.