2026 Honda Pilot First Drive Review: New and Improved, but Is It Enough?

• The 2026 Honda Pilot gets a refresh this year.
• Updates include a new infotainment system, additional standard features and minor design tweaks.
• Prices for the 2026 Pilot start at $43,690, a few thousand more than last year's model.

Fresh but familiar

When I drove the 2026 Honda Passport — essentially a two-row Pilot — last year, I was more impressed with it than I was with its three-row sibling. My affection wasn't isolated; Edmunds added a Passport to our One-Year Road Test fleet not too long after it went on sale. Thankfully, some of the things I like about the 2026 Passport have made their way to the 2026 Pilot. 

That starts with the in-car tech. One of my biggest criticisms about the pre-update Pilot was its middling multimedia system. Whereas last year's Pilot offered three different touchscreens, the new model uses a single display across all models. At 12.3 inches, it's both larger than before and more responsive to use. The digital instrument cluster has been enlarged to 10.2 inches and is also standard on all Pilot trims.

The updated infotainment interface is identical to the one in the Passport. It's Google-based and uses Google Maps for navigation. This tech works best if you're in the Google ecosystem and can sign in with your Google account. Thankfully, for users like me who generally prefer mirroring my smartphone, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all Pilot models. It makes the older interface found in the new 2026 Honda Prelude feel dated. 

The Pilot's exterior has been updated, but you'd be forgiven for not noticing. The grille is larger and more upright, and the scuff plates on both ends of the Pilot have been enlarged. Some models have a few trim tweaks, but the lack of changes to features like the headlights makes this fairly minor as exterior updates go. 

Inside the Pilot, Elite models like my test vehicle feature faux suede accents with quilted stitching on the seats, along with some interesting new trim on the center console and dash. The bigger changes are the ones you don't see. Acoustic glass and better sound dampening in the bodywork make the Pilot quieter than before. While it's not as quiet as a luxury car, road noise has definitely been reduced. 

The rest of the Pilot is basically the same as last year. Honda's 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 remains the sole powertrain option. With 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, it's on par with the standard engines in rivals like the Hyundai Palisade and Toyota Grand Highlander, but both of those, along with other three-row SUVs like the Mazda CX-90 and Ford Explorer, offer more powerful engines, often in the form of a fuel-efficient hybrid. While I like Honda's smooth V6 and 10-speed automatic, with an EPA-estimated combined fuel economy rating of 20-22 mpg, it's certainly thirstier than some rivals. Thankfully, Honda is hard at work on a new hybrid powertrain for vehicles like the Pilot.

No nonsense

As a whole, the updates improve on what was already a well-rounded SUV. Cargo capacity and passenger space are near the middle of the class, though the design itself is clever and well thought out. There are cupholders and USB ports everywhere, along with a wireless charging pad and a few other small bins. The third row remains one of the Pilot's strengths, with more room than the back row in most other three-row SUVs. 

The Pilot isn't sporty, and Honda didn't have the most fun trim — the TrailSport — available for me to drive. But the Pilot Elite is a comfortable and pleasant place to spend an afternoon. The V6 is smooth, and the suspension handles both bumps and curves well. It's not an SUV that's going to set your heart racing, but I also wasn't dying to get out after several hours behind the wheel. 

The Pilot's biggest issue is its price. While Honda has added more standard equipment and improved the range as a whole for 2026, a base price of $43,690 for a front-wheel-drive Pilot Sport is more than you'd pay for most other three-row SUVs in this class. My Pilot Elite test car is a top spec, but its as-tested price of $54,990 puts it above other fully loaded rivals. 

I enjoyed my time in the updated Pilot, especially seeing the Passport's improvements work their way over to Honda's twin. It's not as spacious for passengers as a Grand Highlander, and it's not as premium or as quick as a Palisade Hybrid. It's also not as sporty or as handsome as the Mazda CX-90. The Pilot is good, but I'm not sure the updates are enough to move the needle in this highly competitive class.