Used 2017 Honda Pilot Consumer Reviews
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Honda Pilot Nightmare
Nicole M., 09/15/2018
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
177 of 183 people found this review helpful
We purchased a 2017 Honda Pilot in December 2016 with the hope of buying a nice, reliable vehicle based on Honda's reputation. This SUV has been a nightmare. We started having service issues at approximately 10,000 miles which included the back up camera not working, the navigation system failing, a rear window leak that required multiple visits to the dealership, traction control issues, and the most significant issue was the "Emissions System Problem". The emission issue resulted in numerous visits for repairs (sometimes reported as an oil change) when we brought the vehicle in and they would perform the regular maintenance in conjunction with the warranty work. After several visits associated with the emission issue, they replaced the catalytic converter and two gaskets, which did not resolve the issue. If the vehicle had not been under warranty this would have cost us approximately $800 to repair. About a week later the light was back on and they determined not all of the cylinders were properly functioning (keep in mind this has been a long running issue). At that time they replaced the injector set as well as some cylinders, which if not under warranty this would have totaled just over $2,000. As a working mom with three kids to drive to/from school and activities dealing with these issues has been a significant burden on our family. Our vehicle currently has about 30,000 miles and is still under warranty, but we are beyond concerned about the warranty expiring. We consulted legal counsel under the lemon law and also met with the General Manager Ken Snyder as CDA Honda is a local company and our preference is to get the reliable vehicle we thought we were purchasing. In our conversation he spoke highly of what Honda does to take care of their customers and really supports the local dealerships. Ken asked if "swapping out" the vehicle would work for us (that was my request under the lemon law); however, what he really meant was trade it in as we found out in the process when his staff sprang to life with the excitement of selling a new car. After all of the transportation hardships we have dealt with for the past year and a half, the thought of paying more money (for a vehicle that might function better) just seemed completely unreasonable. We received a letter from CDA Honda approximately a month ago indicating Honda was reviewing our case and have had zero follow up from Ken Snyder or anyone else at CDA Honda. When I inquired on the status I was informed it was with Honda and out of their control. The finger pointing began and it is particularly frustrating as a consumer when we are struck with a product that is not reliable. During the purchasing process we could have saved money by going to a larger dealership or purchasing one from Boise/Seattle, but we always want to support local businesses and keep money in our local economy (cash purchase). While everyone in the service department has been friendly, there has been no effort to proactively resolve this issue and we feel that it would be absolutely unconscionable to sell this vehicle (as a private party). Historically we have purchased new vehicles and have drove them for years. We currently have a Toyota with 130,000 miles that we use for family trips since our Honda Pilot with 30,000 hasn't been reliable and we are uncomfortable driving it too far from home.
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An all-star utility player
Simon, 01/30/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
94 of 99 people found this review helpful
We looked at the Tahoe, Armada and Highlander and the pilot won us over on its winning combination of performance, economy, advanced AWD system and value. We travel to Vermont often on narrow, private roads that are not always plowed well. Honda's i-VTM is really the Acura SH-AWD with torque vectoring. On dry roads it helps some, but it is also a winner in the deep snow, shifting power left to right as well as front to back as needed. Really great system. The cargo space in this rig is HUGE, especially with part or all of the 3rd row down. The cargo area is equivalent is size to the Tahoe and more usable as the load floor is lower. The acceleration is decent and I like the intake noise as the VTEC kicks in at higher revs. Without flogging it, I've seen high 20s for MPG on the highway. Overall, over the first 1500 miles, we've gotten 23 MPG combined. The 9 speed feels a bit weird around 4th or 5th gear but it isn't a big deal. The push button shifter took some getting use to, but after a day we were used to it and it wasn't a big deal. I really liked the looks of the Tahoe, but for the money (and even not considering the money), the Pilot is an unbeatable combo of utility, economy and performance.
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2017 Honda Pilot for sale near you
Showing 3 of 56 listings
- Touring 4dr SUV w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment SystemMSRP: $16,99917 mi away
- EX-L 4dr SUV w/Rear Entertainment SystemMSRP: $18,79723 mi away
- Touring 4dr SUV w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment SystemMSRP: $18,83321 mi away
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Totally in love with our new Pilot!
Kendra, 02/27/2018
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
19 of 19 people found this review helpful
Proud new owners of a 2017 Honda Pilot Touring. We got a GREAT deal on this vehicle because they had a bunch of 2018s on the lot and wanted to clear out the few 2017s that were left. Brand new for thousands less? Yes please! We traded in a 2012 Ford Explorer Limited. I liked my Explorer ... I LOVE my Honda. The 9 speed transmission doesn't bother me like it bothers some other reviewers; and I actually really like the side view camera. I originally had my heart set on a Toyota Highlander, but when we actually drove one I was very underwhelmed by it. Driving the Highlander I thought "meh. It's nice, but I don't HAVE to have it." It felt small inside, the third row was tiny, and it just didn't wow me like I thought it would. On a whim we decided to stop at the local Honda dealership on our way home just to take a look at the Pilots and maybe test drive one. I ended up falling in love with it as soon as I sat inside and we bought it that afternoon. It handles exceptionally well in snow and ice, even on our steep and often cumbersome driveway. I love the adaptive cruise, and I don't find the forward collision warning system overly sensitive as some other reviews have suggested. The Pilot is much roomier inside than both my Explorer and the Highlander we drove. I thought I wanted the Elite to get the middle row captain's chairs but then our salesman showed me the one-touch sliding seats and that sealed the deal. Our biggest issue was third row accessibility and the one-touch seat makes that so easy without sacrificing a seat. It even works with a car seat in place. Driving it is a dream; it feels very solid and sturdy. It corners very well and feels more like a car to me than a three row SUV. I love that it sits up a bit higher; this makes visibility better and also makes it handle better in the snow than my Explorer did. I was a loyal Honda and Acura owner for years before buying a Ford, and now that I am back in a Honda I wonder why I ever left. We are very happy with our choice and plan to keep this vehicle for many years!
Nice Ride!
Beth Kuzmich, 08/18/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
33 of 35 people found this review helpful
I LOVE my new Pilot! It is comfortable, quiet, and a nice ride. There is plenty of interior room, and head/leg room, even in the 2nd and 3rd rows. Good storage between two front seats. With the 60/40 3rd row split you can put different size cargo in and only give up minimal seating. The rear 'trunk' space is very limited, so I would suggest installing roof rack bars and investing in a sturdy storage container. The climate control and entertainment options keep all rows of travelers happy too. Plenty of cupholders too. One of the issues I have experienced is a seriously over-sensitive front impact safety sense. It 'screams' BRAKE at you and shakes the steering wheel even when there is no chance for front impact (this is especially true when vehicle is taking a corner to the right and there is a car coming around the same curve on the opposite side). Can be very unnerving.
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Less than 1000 miles
Mike Martin, 08/12/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
66 of 72 people found this review helpful
This is the first new car that I have purchased that I am thinking of trading after less than 1000 miles driven. I bought the Pilot AWD Touring package because Honda forces you into that package to get some of the options. I knew when I bought this SUV that I would hate the push button transmission and I do. It has too many gears and at times, especially at lower speeds, it seems to get confused as to what gear it should be in. I can really feel it when I turn down into my subdivision and kind of coast. It seems to hunt for the right gear when you don't need to put your foot on the gas. The default setting for Honda's gas rating is to turn the engine off at stops. What a pain this is and I wonder what this will do in the long term to the starter and battery. You can defeat this, but you have to remember to push another button every time you push the drive button. Would be a great SUV if I could get over the transmission. Buyer's remorse, wish I had gone with the Highlander or bought the EX-L without all the options that I thought that I wanted. You don't really need all those options.
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Sluggish transmission
Charlie, 02/20/2019
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
I owned this vehicle for over a year and a half and 18,000 miles. The transmission is definitly the weakest link. First of all it seems like it does’nt know when to shift and at low speeds, especially around 26 mph it will shift very rough and sometimes even bang and shutter. Of course the dealer could never make it do that even having my car for over a week. Upon picking it up afterwards it acted up on the way home. The next day I traded it off for a different brand. We really liked the Pilot and all the features but, I just could’nt stand the hesitant and rough shifting. Apparently everything on this car is made by Honda except the transmission.
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It's a Honda
Piloteer1, 12/02/2017
updated 09/23/2024
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
Great value when selecting trim levels. Almost all or nothing. I can only imagine what you get with Touring and Elite trims. Wife wanted more bells and whistles from what we had in a 2012 Pilot LX. EX interior was rough like denim and looked like it would be too hard to remove stains. EX-L adds luxury with leather, sunroof, power front row seating, and a host of other little overlooked conveniences. I read complaints on the infotainment limits, but we love it and haven't seen what all the fuss is about. We have to master the steering wheel buttons to keep our eyes on driving. The Android Auto app integration is amazing. I'm sketchy on the privacy tradeoff though. But beats 1-2k for built in his. The touchscreen is responsive to our liking. Went with 2wd because I didn't like the 12' and due to sluggish acceleration and roughness. The ride quality is great. Nix the nitrogen option if you can, mixed opinion if it does anything. Eco mode is noticeable because it throttles ac, acceleration and such. Very nimble from takeoff without eco mode. I'd use on highway more. Shifting is almost unnoticeable with 6 speed transmission. Still contemplating extended warranty since there is a lot of electronics involved. Lane assist is useful, again maybe more in a highway scenario. Looked at Toyota Highlander and 4runner, both couldn't beat the Pilot's 3rd row capacity without pushing 2nd all the way foward. Didn't see the need for Honda-sensing, I'd like a to retain some decision making while driving. I've had 5 Hondas before this, and the 2017 exl is a winner in my mind. Only reason for some 4 stars is I just bought and don't know. **** Update 6/5/18: After 6 months we have no complaints. Responsive and smooth on the highway. Time for first oil change and tire rotation. No recalls or items to have fixed, yet. Hopefully didn't jinx myself but it's been that good. The Android Auto is a great feature unless of course you lose wireless phone signal out in the middle of nowhere. Still haven't learned all the steering wheel buttons and touchscreen takes getting used to. Remote start is great on cold mornings and push start takes getting used to (accessory mode with foot off brake). **** Update 12/06/20: Still going strong. Recent issue while still under powertrain warranty, some type of surging or what is called "judder". Issue is where transmission fluid needed replacement for premature wear and the computer needed an update to prevent future wear of fluid and run properly. No more judder. No cost. First set of new tires at a little over 30k. Doing my own oil changes are a pain, left up to dealer for around same price and less frustration. **** Update 9/20/2024: It's been great. About 115k. At 105k replaced the recommended timing belt. Prior to about 80k Judder returned after first firmware update and 3x drain/fill. After replacing original battery after 7 years, judder seems to have returned. Since it's out of warranty, not sure what the remedy will be aside from draining and refill of transmission again. Maybe a trans cooler added will help along with increasing longevity. Forums seem to indicate the torque converter will eventually go out. Fingers crossed. Hood latch was done so hood wouldn't fly off while driving highway speeds, noticed on a recent trip still buffeted. Dealer wanted more to diagnose after slight adjustment. It's been a great reliable vehicle with very minimal issues, aside from normal maintenance. I'm just hoping the transmission holds up over time.
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Prepare for many trips to the dealership service
Ali, 12/02/2017
updated 06/08/2018
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
28 of 30 people found this review helpful
2017 Pilot ,Elite , tailgate water leak, losing radio sound with freezing screen,blank navigation screen ,auto high beam feature multifunction......etc .I am so close to file it as a lemon . Worst experience with very expensive car and many dealers service is no better. It was a bad choice.
Overall good vehicle, but some annoying items
DD, 02/14/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
57 of 64 people found this review helpful
Overall, I am happy with the Honda Pilot, and would recommend. However, because of some of the items noted below, I am not able to give a rating higher than 3 stars. I really wanted to purchase the EX-L trim with V6. But ending up purchasing the Touring trim. With respect to the EX-L trim. Why is Honda forcing the consumer to select between one of: Honda Sense, navigation, or rear entertainment? These three options can not be combined on the EX-L. A Honda salesman tried to convince me that built-in navigation is no longer necessary with addition of Andriod Auto and Apple CarPlay. If you have ever traveled to rural areas without cellphone data coverage, you'll understand the need for built-in navigation. The 'Honda Lane Watch'. If this is such a great feature, why doesn't the Elite have two cameras (both driver and passenger sides)? Instead, the Elite adds real 'Blind Spot' detection feature. I would much rather have the blind spot detection with large illuminated icon on the side mirrors, instead of the 'Honda Lane Watch'. If the majority of your turns are in the right lane, you will quickly understand the annoyance (don't need to see grass or sidewalk). An illuminated icon on the side mirror is quick for the driver to process. Whereas, the "Honda Lane Watch" requires the driver to remove their eyes from the road, and look at the in dash monitor to determine if there is a car in the lane. The main point of safety features is to help the driver focus on the road. Which "Honda Lane Watch" doesn't, because you have to watch live video feed and make decision. The Touring and Elite has 'Engine Stop' feature. The Honda Pilot isn't a hybrid like Toyota Prius, so not sure why Honda engineers felt this feature was necessary. Really annoying in stop-and-go city traffic. When you come to a complete stop, the engine shuts down. There is capability to disable 'Engine Stop', but must be disabled each time you start the car. In 2017, a lot of manufactures offer the motion activated rear lift gate. This should be included at the Touring and Elite trims. If you don't care about connectivity (Andriod Auto or Apple CarPlay), go with model year 2016. It is the exact same as 2017, without connectivity. I can confirm what has been said in other reviews: the active safety features are overly sensitive, and shifting is rough at low speeds.
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Pilot Flies High
James Nowell, 06/07/2017
updated 06/17/2020
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
30 of 33 people found this review helpful
The Honda Pilot is a very well built, high quality automobile. It drives good, rides good, and is very quiet on the road. It is filled with technology----almost to a fault. It will take my wife and me some time to learn all of its features. It is very smooth and is getting very good gas mileage. I can't imagine that any SUV being made could have more features than does the Pilot. It is also very roomy. It also has all wheel drive and stability control, so is very sure footed in rain or snow. We took a 3,000 trip to the northeast, and the Pilot performed flawlessly. It is very comfortable and will carry practically anything a traveler would want to take. The nine speed transmission is very smooth and keeps the engine in an appropriate power/performance range. The more I drive the car, the more I like and appreciate it. After driving this Pilot for one year and 24,000 miles I still appreciate it so much. It is solid as a rock. We have had our Pilot for 2 years and 45,000 miles and have taken several extended trips in it, and it has performed consistently and dependably. It is such a great vehicle on trips because it has plenty of room, is comfortable, gets very good gas mileage and has a long range, and performs as well whether going through a city or out on the highways. We only have the one car, and it meets all our needs.
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Attention to detail makes owning a pleasure
4Hawkeyes, 04/01/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
20 of 22 people found this review helpful
I've owned/driven Hondas for the last 25 years and have always been satisfied with fit, finish, reliability, and safety and I have come to take these things for granted from Honda. The point is, up to now, I was just satisfied but the 2017 Pilot has blown me away with seemingly all the things I didn't even know I needed. I've never owned a vehicle with remote start but now I use it almost daily. I love the auto door unlock/lock feature. In the past when leaving my vehicle my hands were full and I used to have to fumble for the door lock FOB and juggle packages. Now I just walk away and the vehicle takes care of itself. When I return I don't need to unlock the doors I just grab the door handle and the doors unlock. Don't buy navigation just use Android Auto it integrates well with all of the other Audio options. I know these are just minor things but the cumulative effect of all the minor design improvements are going to WOW you and make you appreciate your decision to buy this car. It's fun to drive, looks good, and gets good mileage. I don't think you will regret it.
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Excellent, but not exciting.
Returning Honda Owner, 03/03/2017
updated 09/05/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
25 of 29 people found this review helpful
What Honda does well is create vehicles that are solid and dependable, but not necessarily fun to drive, with certain exceptions. I have a 2017 Pilot EX-L and it has a very nice interior that has many features and comforts which add to a smooth driving experience. It is very spacious, both for passengers and cargo and has a lot of safety measures and technology that are on par with anything in its class. On the highway, this car is as smooth as can be. My only two complaints are the following: It isn't terribly interesting to drive. I just lost a 2006 Jeep Commander that drove like a car and hugged the road. The Pilot feels "safe" and almost boring to drive. I felt that the Toyota Highlander handled better, but I went with the Pilot because of other things that beat out Toyota. It handles more like a van than an SUV and I feel that the driving "experience" is less than exciting. It's fine and it drives nicely, but I want a little more engagement. The second complaint is that the touchscreen is not terribly intuitive, which is not only annoying, but is distracting to use while driving. Yes, some of the controls are also on the steering wheel, which helps, but even for the passenger, the screen isn't the easiest (although I hear it is an improvement over the last model). There is no volume button or dial and therefore you have to locate the touch volume and tap it repeatedly to change the volume. There is no need for that, as a dial is far easier to use while driving. Technology should make things simpler, not more difficult. I have a 2010 Audi A4 with outdated technology, but it is much easier to use. Those two things aside, the car is very comfortable and grows on me the more I drive it. The traction in snow is excellent, as is braking and it is a very well made vehicle. If Honda could add a little more excitement to the car, it would really increase the overall enjoyment. The Pilot isn't fun by any means, but it is a solid vehicle with a great reputation and it will serve you well. No regrets, thus far.
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More mechanical issues than you need
Larry, 09/11/2020
2017 Honda Pilot EX 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I had to replace the transmission at 30k miles (covered by warranty but took a week) and the fuel injection at 50k which had to pay out of pocket. The second issue is specially worrisome because Honda knows about it, the honda shops know about it and its a common issue that pops up in Pilot forums. This is not a problem that happens with other car brands. For some reason Honda specifically excludes the injection system from their powertrain warranty. Car driving and interior is OK similar to many competitors, fits 8 ppl (competitors fit 7) which is why we bought it. If i had known about mechanical issues and poor addressing by Honda corp. i would not have bought it and i don’t recommend you do.
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Would do it all over again
Anthony Lo, 02/26/2018
updated 08/29/2023
2017 Honda Pilot EX 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Very happy with our Pilot after nearly seven years of ownership. Still the family hauler carrying lots of people and cargo. Fuel economy has actually improved over the years. Accelerates great and has a balanced ride. Handling is excellent for the vehicle’s size and dimensions. Still yearning for that standard roof rack or at least roof rails (bad decision, Honda). After extensive research over a long study period, we decided to purchase a 2017 Pilot to fill our need for a 7-8 passenger vehicle. Considered many, many makes and models include the Mazda CX-9, Toyota Sienna AWD, Toyota Highlander, Audi Q7, VW Atlas, Nissan Pathfinder. Key criteria for purchasing was sufficient third seat room, dimensions that could fit in our garage, reliability, resale value and safety. Boiled down to two vehicles: the Pilot and the Sienna AWD. Despite the convenience of the sliding doors and positive reviews, we just couldn't pull the trigger on the minivan. A bit too long for our garage anyway. Overall we are pleased with our Pilot EX AWD model. We opted for the fabric interior since (from our experience) leather ends up cracking and looking pretty frumpy over time even with conditioning/treatment. Quick rundown based on our early experience. Positives: Good interior room, plenty of third row passenger space, excellent ride quality, back up camera that functions well, nice large center console display, LED DRLs that look great, decent handling. Negatives: snow traction was originally just average (especially compared to our Subarus), touchscreen display is slow to react, some interior material choices (ex. hard plastic for second row doors instead of soft touch like first row), no standard roof rails, no standard LED low/high beams, fuel economy average, narrow opening for third row access. Also the lack of heated windshield nozzles makes winter driving a challenge if ever parked outside. As I said overall we're pretty pleased with the Pilot for the interior room and drivability. The only other vehicles we would have considered were the Subaru Ascent and Toyota Highlander but neither would have provided the same balance of size, reliability, performance, low cost of ownership and safety. The Pilot has been a very reliable partner in all conditions.
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Love my 2017 Pilot Touring
Virginia Rathje, 03/12/2017
updated 03/14/2018
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
I bought the Touring model because the Elite model did not have the right side camera, only blind spot indicator in both mirrors. I would say the blind spot indicator in the left hand side would be handy, but prefer the camera on the right. There are so many things I love about this Pilot that I can't pick out one favorite. Engine Idle stop at a light is awesome. Push button shift is fabulous. Navigation takes some time to figure out the ins and outs, but it is great. Love the Adapative Cruise Control and Lane departure warning. The gas mileage on the open road is wonderful - 30 mpg, around town 23. Certainly can’t complain.
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Poor details, and improper exwork inspection
S. C., 12/14/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
17 of 20 people found this review helpful
I got this vehicle in October 2017. There have been the following issues: (1) the alignment was poor that the car would drift to the right and required an alignment service the 3 day after I bought it (need to turn off the lane control to find this out), (2) replacement of an exterior trim due to factory installation, (3) excessive rattling noise due to loose components in the spare tire/tool compartment, (4) bad plastic fitting underneath the steering wheel that poses a finger cutting hazard. Worse yet, the first 3 can be fixed. The 4th was declined by the dealer because it is a common issue. The dealer could find this in other brand new Pilots, and called this a "design" by Honda. I wish I could post the photos of these poorly fit plastics.
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Pilot vs mdx
Lee Liebenstein, 05/05/2017
updated 11/09/2022
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
I have been a loyal Acura owner for years. But after drving the MDX, I liked the features and looks on the Pilot better. Could not Justify the 9700 difference in price. If the the price was the same id still by the Pilot. Been perfect at 27000 miles
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Honda HAS to fix the cabin fume issue!
Sandi, 03/09/2018
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
12 of 14 people found this review helpful
Great motor, looks nice, drives well...but there are issues. 1. It’s all over the road in even the slightest wind 2. Headlights are bright but I am constantly getting brights flashed at me because people assume my brights are on when they’re not 3. Third row heating/cooling is very poor 4. In very cold weather the touchscreen doesn’t work 5. The outside temperature gauge only works when the car is moving 6. The inside of the vehicle often smells overwhelmingly like gasoline...combined with burning oil. It’s awful. Honda said they remedied this in 2016. Nope. A friend got in it yesterday and almost had an asthma attack. Called the dealer and they said they’ve never heard of it before. Ya, ok. I read all about the gas tank recall in 2016. It was clearly not the only issue. Ugh. I want to like this SUV, but at $50,000? I’ll continue documenting times the cabin fills with fumes. Hoping when I take it in they’ll be honest and know how to fix it.
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Traded it after 6+yrs and 63K miles.
Mike, 12/15/2017
updated 01/22/2025
2017 Honda Pilot EX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
The Pilot was great but didn't have the latest safety features that I needed (not available in '17). Cost of maintenance over these 6.5 years were about $2500 total. It was a great car and I hated to move on. I did not like the new Pilot after several test drives. I bought a Hyundai Sante Fe Hybrid.
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Update -> Joy to own
Guy Slade, 09/14/2017
updated 03/21/2019
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
This Pilot is a joy to drive...quiet, comfortable, and will get up and go when asked. The active safety features such as lane assist and active cruise control take some getting use to and can be a little intrusive but works relatively well. I spent some time negotiating an out of the door all inclusive price via email so I did not have to deal with the usual sales process and it worked out well. No regrets so far. Update March 2018 Owned the Pilot for over 6 months now. Absolutely zero regrets. It's my wife's car and I look for excuses to take it out when ever I can. Continues to be smooth and quiet. I have got used to much of the electronics and controls. I am really digging the adaptive cruise control, the auto headlights and wipers. It all 'just works'. It was for us an expensive car but neither my wife or I regret it. Had one oil change so car and other than that it has not yet gone to the shop. Update September 2018 Almost a year in. Had two oil changes and on the second I had to get the rear diff oil changed ..... which was unexpected and at about 12K on the clock seemed like low milage. However, I've never owned AWD and perhaps the first diff change needs to be done at this time. Other than that we are still loving the vehicle. Still quiet and silky smooth. All the bells and whistles are still working. I've turned the lane departure warning off as it gets too annoying driving around town most of the time...... you end up spending a lot of time fighting a juddery steering wheel.... so off it went. I am about to update the maps of the onboard nav system. I appreciate the fact this is free. Still no regrets buying it.... lovely car to drive Update March 2019 A year and a half in and I still have nothing negative to say about the Honda Pilot. Nothing has gone wrong in it and it is still a joy to drive. I now have approximately 22K miles on the clock of normal condition driving. Word of warning.. if you have a toll road easy pass transponder sticker do not place it directly below the rear view mirror. It will most likely interfere with the auto light beam function as light will reflect off the sticker into the camera. I ended up placing the sticker off to the left of the rear view mirror and all was fine.
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Great SUV
Nalini, 09/07/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
So far I have 1100 miles on it. I am really enjoying the smooth ride. I traded in my 2016 Toyota Highlander for the pilot. I do miss my Highlander but the pilot has so much more options. I don't need the DVD player that you automatically get with this version but it will add value later. The car appleplay is okay. I don't like having to plug in my phone each time to use it. It could be improved. This vehicle has a auto engine idle. The navigation is neat. It shows you exactly where you are as if you are looking from the sky. It even has pictures of exit signs. The sensing is not as sensitive as people have stated. Its doing what is it suppose to do. Lots of interior storage. Leg room is good. The car seems so much bigger from the inside. Overall I am very happy with the purchase
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Solid family car for when a minivan won't do
Chris Glazner, 03/15/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
With my growing family and constant trips to a mountain cabin, we needed more space that we had in our old Forester, but couldn't give up solid AWD and high clearance to make it. The Pilot does this well--good power, clearance, and traction, with a ton of room. It's a larger vehicle, though, so if you put things on your roof, you'll need to be tall or carry a step stool, since there are not good external steps. I'm not a fan of the roof rails for attachments, as it means I can't reuse my older Thule setup. Finally, I'm not crazy with the entertainment system--it can be easy to get lost in different contexts. For example, switching from listening to the radio to Spotify is a multistep process that can take some getting used to.
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WHERE DID ALL THE STORAGE GO? *updatedMay2019
Adriana_Honda, 05/14/2017
updated 05/16/2019
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV w/Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
17 of 21 people found this review helpful
UPDATE MAY 2019: So disappointed that we had to replace the transmission on a less than 2 year old car with only 24K miles on it. It had an unrepairable error for no reason. Unbelievable! Especially since we have bought so many Honda’s based on their reliability. There have been other issues related to electronics not working in the car as well before & after we replaced the transmission. Needless to say I will not be buying another Pilot next time we need a new car. ORIGINAL POST: From someone who owned and loved a 2007 Pilot for 10+ years I am super dissapointed in the interior design of my new 2017 Pilot. The storage in the dash/console is TERRIBLE! Basically just one giant deep bucket to throw everything into and never to be seen again. I would say this vehicle is a family car, but obviously a male with probably no kids designed the dashboard/storage. The 2 previous models of the Pilot were much better. A few other complaints... the parking brake foot pedal gets in the way when trying to get a comfortable position on long drives. I never had that issue with my 2007 Pilot. Also, there is really no bumper on this new version, which means you can't reach up on top of the car from standing on the rear bumper if you ever use a roof rack. Not to mention saving the cost of repairs if you ever back into something, you will be smashing your back door along with the non-bumper. Some feedback on the radio, I would have loved to still have had some buttons for controls along with the touch screen. The touch screen is not very user friendly, and I consider myself a tech-savvy person. I was so excited to buy my new Pilot after reading so many great reviews, and it wasn't until I started driving it I feel there are so many let downs on this new design. I'm keeping my fingers crossed they will listen to their customers and make the design better in the future.
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First and last Honda
Channing, 01/20/2018
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
25 of 32 people found this review helpful
It is apparent that Honda is living in the shadow of their reputation from the 90's and 2000's. We just purchased a fully loaded EX-L because of the bad reviews of the touring and elite having the 9 speed transmission. The suv had only 8 thousand miles, and was purchased from a very reputable dealer. After driving it for a few days, my wife noticed moisture in the front passenger floorboard. When I checked out the vehicle, the entire floorboard (All 4 doors)was completely saturated with water. The next thing we noticed was that the front passenger seatbelt was covered with mold. We took the vehicle to the Honda dealer to get it fixed. I called the service department after 24 hours to see what was going on. The service advisor said it was ready to go. I said wait, what was the issue? He said someone must have hit the button on the remote and made the windows go down in the rain. I told him that was impossible, because we would have seen water on the seats, door panels, and everywhere else. So they kept the car for a few more days and said they found some seepage on the top rail molding and put some filler in it. He said it was finished and ready to go. I said what about the mold on the seatbelt? He said they cleaned it off, and they would not replace it. I said I was in the mold remediation business for many years, and you cannot just clean mold from porous surfaces. So he said he would talk to his boss. I got a call later from the advisor saying he has never lied to his customers and he wasn't going to start. He said they found a significant amount of water inside the seatbelt retractor.and they were getting an engineer to take the vehicle to a rain machine to do tests, and he didn't know when we would get it back. So a few more days later they found some bad welds or seams under the vehicle, and said they repaired it and ordered new carpet. I ask what about the moldy seatbelt. They refused to replace the seatbelt, so I let him know that we were not going to take the vehicle back. We have a baby, and she would not be riding in a vehicle that we paid $35k for, and has mold and bad welds. We decided to try out a touring pilot since there were no others to choose from. As soon as we checked the carpet on the 2017 touring, it was soaked on the passenger side. That was the end of Honda for us. We traded for a 2017 Toyota Highlander and are very happy we are through with Hondas.
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I want to be in CONTROL - not it!!!!!
Chris, 06/13/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
36 of 47 people found this review helpful
I know I should love this car and I know old ladies shouldn't swear. But, I freaking hate this car and wish I had bought an older model, which is sad because I haven't bought a new car in 13 years! 1)Auto Stop - if you are stopped for a tiny amount of time, the engine will shut off and restart when you move the steering wheel or take your foot off the brake. IT IS UNNERVING!! When I bought the car, the dealer said you can turn that irritation off but he meant you have to turn it off every time you start the car. 2)The freaking BEEPING - you can turn the incessant beeping off and risk backing into a brick wall if you're not used to the camera, or you can leave it on and have it annoy the living @!#%& out of you - when you're backing out of an underground spot with nothing for 2-3' in any direction, when you're rounding a tight turn on your daily trip home (??????), or when it thinks you're too close to a car in front of you - I'm not yet dead, I'm not blind, if I'm that close to a car in front of me it's because I WANT TO BE!! 3)The incredibly stupid feature that unlocks all the windows - my boyfriend says it's unlocking the doors, then holding the unlock button down. However, it happened to me when I LOCKED the car and not sure what got pressed as the key jostled in my purse. In any case, who EVER wants all their windows opened unless they're IN THE CAR? I live in Seattle - rain, rain and more rain, twice now in my car completely accidentally. In summary of the features, TOO $%^&& MUCH! When I want a driverless car, I'll get one, til then LET ME DRIVE THE CAR!!!!! And finally, I don't know if it's suspension or what, but going over speed bumps or into a big profile driveway (dozens of times a day for most people), is detrimental to your spine.
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Love my AWD Pilot in the snow!
Cathryn Couzens, 01/19/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
15 of 19 people found this review helpful
I really like the design of the 2017 Honda pilot. It's attractive on the outside, comfortable on the inside. A few concerns though. The rear seats could be a little more comfortable but at least they are not used every day. It also seems like the heat takes a while to really kick in which was not what I was expecting for a brand-new vehicle but perhaps because it's a large space it takes a while. Also the Bluetooth has not consistently worked. Overall a five star car though, great in snow and ice and very good gas mileage for this type of vehicle.
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Huge design mistakes
Romain, 03/23/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
42 of 57 people found this review helpful
We took a 2017 Pilot XLE for a test drive today as part of a segment comparison with the Highlander and the CX-9. We purposefully stayed away from the higher trims for the Pilot since their 9-speed transmission is getting such bad reviews. Well, I came out unimpressed. The interior is definitely the least refined of the three (probably because of the lower trim level, but that's all we had to compare). The same can be said for the exterior, which is pretty bland compared to the Highlander and CX-9. Some would even feel stronger about it, but that's a matter of taste. At least we can say its uninspired, the CR-V has way more character. To be fair, there was nothing wrong when driving it or with the entertainment system. I tried plugging my Android phone to test Android Auto, and while it did work, it wasn't the screen mirroring from my phone onto the head unit like I expected, merely some old-looking Android apps that were somehow synchronized with my phone, for example Google Maps. Not as good as I thought. I wish I brought a lightning cable for my wife's iphone to test Apple CarPlay. But most of all, there are several design mistakes that make me flat out pass on this car. First, the camera-based LaneWatch feature, that manages to be even more dangerous than just turning your head. Another reviewer already mentionned how pointless this system is, and unfortunately the proper BSI system is only available on the higher trims, so you're stuck with it. Also, the 2nd-row folding seats, while providing a one-touch sliding feature, won't slide without folding first! This means no child seats on the second row if you also need access to the third row. I double and triple checked since this was so huge. I can't believe they call it a family car, unless they're targeting families with grown children only. This might be different with the captain's chairs, as I only tried with the 2nd row bench. Anyway, at least it makes my decision between the Highlander and the Pilot easier.
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My Honda Pilot Experience
Tad Deuel, 09/04/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX 4dr SUV AWD w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I was in the market for a mid-sized SUV and shopped online for either a Toyota Highlander or a Honda Pilot. I had purchased my Honda CR-V EX from Carbone Honda of Bennington, VT the last time I shopped for a vehicle and after a lot of online comparisons from multiple dealerships, I decided to try Carbone Honda in Bennington once again because I knew they were also a Toyota dealership so I could make side-by-side comparisons of the two vehicles. My salesperson, Rob Albreada was superb in describing the pros and cons of both vehicles. Because the Pilot's interior was slightly larger than the Highlander (Rob actually measured both interiors with the rear seats folded down), I knew the reliability of Honda products, and the overall look and feel of the vehicle, I decided to purchase the Pilot. I have had two lengthy trips in the Pilot since buying it and have been extremely happy to have made the choice I did. The Pilot boasts of 18-26 with an average of 21 mpg but on each trip with the ECO Boost engaged I actually got 28.9 mpg. The Honda Lane Watch (passenger side camera) when passing vehicles makes it much safer to know it's ok to pull back into the main traffic lane. The same goes for backing up in reverse with the rear camera. Overall, this was the right choice for me.
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Great so far
Moon, 10/23/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
All models should have the blind spot monitoring system, not just a camera in the right side mirror. Everything is great so far. Maintaining 21 mpg around town. Ride is great. The 9 speed transmission does hunt at lower speeds but I use my cruise control and that stops some of the hunting. A lot of gadgets to distract you, so be disciplined while driving and use the voice command. Well build and very functional vehicle.
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Honda's poor customer service
Scott Edmond, 12/06/2021
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We purchased a 2017 Honda Pilot Touring new and haven't had many issues. Late last year service engine lights came on and the engine ran 'funny' so we took to the dealership in December 2020 where they diagnosed the problem as faulty fuel injectors with a price to repair of $1400. The warranty didn't apply since we were over 60k miles at the time. A local repair shop that we've used before priced the repair at $600 so we went there (Jan 2021). After a while, the check engine lights returned and the engine began to run 'funny' again, shutting off at a stoplight and refusing to turn on for several minutes. We took the car back to the local shop where they said the problem was again the injectors but that Honda had extended the warranty to cover them since it was a known issue for our car. They suggested we take the car back to the dealership. At the dealership, the tech confirmed the problem is the injectors but since we repaired it elsewhere and they used after-market parts, the warranty doesn't apply. We were quoted $1,092 for the repair. A repair that is a known issue among Honda Pilots of that year, that should have cost us nothing to repair under the warranty, has cost us $600 and will cost us another $1092 to repair. I emailed Honda customer service explaining the issue and waited 12 days without a reply, so I called and the customer service rep explained that because we replaced the original injectors with after-market parts they won't cover a replacement. She even tried to pass the buck back to the local dealership (they have been super nice and spoke to their contact with no success). I'll never buy another Honda and hope this story discourages others from this brand.
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faulty transmission
hondafool, 05/23/2022
2017 Honda Pilot LX 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I had previously thought very highly of honda that it sold good quality, reliable cars. My opinion has since changed with the 2017 honda pilot as this has been my worst car experience. At 5 years, the transmission failed, and I was stuck with a defective part that should never have failed this soon. This defect is well known and discussed on honda forums and with so many existing issues, it seems like an unfair business practice to require the consumer to be responsible for footing the bill for a product defect. The timeline for my situation occurred just after the 65,000-mile warranty. My transmission began failing at 66,480 miles so I brought it to the dealer on December 1, 2021. The dealer performed a service and mentioned this would be the first step to repair the problem with the transmission. A few months later, at 71,033 miles, the transmission system warning light came on, and I brought it back to the dealer March 23, 2022 at which time I was told that the transmission would need to be replaced at a cost of $9,000. The dealership told me they would do me a favor and ‘share the cost’ with me so my portion would only be $5,300. I tried to negotiate further claiming a defective part, but the dealership wouldn’t budge and in fact told me that if I didn’t take the offer, they would rescind the offer. I needed a car so I agreed to pay it. I had to uber around for a couple days at the cost of $63 then I had to rent a car for $1,636. I also did quite a bit of research on what the problem was with this transmission, what internal parts actually failed, and how long this repair should take. The notion that I had marginally exceeded the warranty so the defect isn’t covered seems harsh, poor customer care, or just an excuse to avoid responsibility for manufacturing and selling a faulty part. This event is likely related to an internal failure (the clutch failing prematurely) something that should not have occurred this soon. The vehicle has been well maintained and the transmission fluid was serviced at 40,270 miles in June 2020. I was also told that if I had serviced my car 100% at honda then I would have received a better deal? This doesn’t make sense as the only service I had outside of the dealership was oil and tires – unrelated to a faulty transmission.
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Caution: Adaptive Cruise Control/Collision Avoid
Preston L Jackson, 09/04/2017
updated 03/11/2019
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
11 of 14 people found this review helpful
According to the dealer 2017 was the first year Honda offered Adaptive Cruise Control an any of it's vehicles. We bought the car in March 2017. On our first trip to Oregon from Utah, my wife and I, found the system to be dangerous. We set the system to begin braking at level 4 of 4 which is the longest distance detection setting. The system would allowed the car on the freeway and at freeway speeds to approach another vehicle in the same lane at high speed then when within an unsafe distance (less than setting 4 should allow) the vehicle would slam on the brakes, reduce speed from 75-80 mph to under 60 and then hesitate accelerating while the vehicle in front would pull away. The hesitation caused vehicles behind to brake or change lanes quickly to avoid collision. After the first encounter I tested the system several more times. The situation did not occur every time, but enough to let me know not to trust the system. In Adaptive Cruise our Pilot would also detect vehicles in the lane to the left of us and would not accelerate to highway speed. Adaptive Cruise on our Pilot would also read across lanes when in a left turn on the freeway and apply the brakes at freeway speeds to less than 60 mph causing vehicles following in the same lane to apply brakes. The system is way too sensitive! The condition seems to worsen when the vehicle is in ADC and Collision Avoidance. We stopped using the ADC and Collision Avoidance systems for the rest of the trip. The regular cruise control seems to work well, but in regular cruise if you brake before changing lanes the system turns off and you then change lanes (so far so good), but when you push resume the vehicle only accelerates at 10 mph which takes forever to get out of the way of approaching vehicles. Be prepared to accelerate and get out of the way using the gas pedal. We used the Collision Avoidance system for the first 1,500 miles then turned it off because the brake warning light would come on approximately every 50 miles for no reason at all. I took it to the dealer and they looked at it for a couple of days then called and said all systems checked out ok. I took it home then got a call from the dealer saying they would like to look further into my concerns. They kept it for about a week. The dealer called and said it appeared all was working as designed. I personally believed the car to be to dangerous to drive unless you don't use ADC or Collision Avoidance systems, which I paid for or you are prepared for the deficiencies. I wouldn't let my wife drive the car and I couldn't in all moral conscious sell it to someone else knowing it was dangerous so I turned it back to the dealership in August 2017 after 5 months with 4,560 miles on it. I had to take a $9,791 loss, but the company is now responsible for the vehicle.
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Love it and hate it.
Rob Tuvell, 10/03/2018
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2017 Honda Pilot EX-L AWD back in December 2017 and it is a great driving SUV with nice design. However, I quickly found that Cabin of the car is too noisy. The noise level does not change but it is steady once you are reach speed levels 45+mph. There are many complaints about this problem and it is a shame that Honda is not making any effort to reach out and remedy the issue. We made multiple trips to local car dealer and how they approached it , it was well known problem by the staff but there do not have any proper solution. But let me explain actual problem. The noise sounds like a window is cracked open or as if window is not properly seated. When you drive it at 45+ mph you can hear it right above your head which makes the drive very unpleasant. This issue is still present to date and it seems that newer 2018 has same issue. Before you commit to purchase, and this one is easy to overlook, pay attention to this detail and see if your car has same issue. It will same a lot of time and frustration.
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Elite - 2017 AWD
Elitist, 05/31/2017
updated 01/27/2025
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I found the Pilot brochure confusing. The included options list implies that the Elite has everything the other models have plus more stuff. Not quite true. It does not tell you what is left out, so it's not completely clear what you are getting. Lane Watch is included in lesser models and I expected it should also be on the Elite. It isn't. Some reviews dislike Lane Watch because it takes your eyes away from the road. It does have BSW, but there are times I wish I had that side camera as well. The Owner's Guide is inadequate. Photos are too small. Honda should include a full size Owner's Manual. Sure, you can go to their website and download the 679 pages and print it yourself but for a $50,000 Elite, you'd think they would give you one. Honda did finally send me a free Owner's Manual after I requested it. The Guide shows some options that the Elite should have but doesn't. Like Folding Mirrors. This option would help to protect your mirrors from damage by folding them inwards. Even though the Guide covers it, I did not see it listed as a feature on any of the models. I have yet to use the shifting paddles. I have not found any information yet on how to use them. I'll keep looking. Though not stylish, the Elite is very comfortable and has a lot of cargo space. I frankly see no reason for these shift paddles. Why would you want shifting paddles in a large automatic SUV? It's not a raising sports car. I would have preferred their std. automatic transmission instead of their nine gear transmission. I bought Auto Butler, but for the almost $900 cost, it's not worth it. You can get your car detailed for half of that at most detailing shops. After owning my Honda Pilot Elite for a year, I have come to appreciate it much more. It also helped to have received a FREE Owner's Manual from Honda. Also, I can now appreciate not having Lane Watch for changing lanes. The Elite has a much better system BSI, the blind spot information system that warns you with a warning beep and light when you are starting to change lanes and there is a car in either blinds spot, left or right. As soon as you put your signal on or begin to move into the lane it lights a warning and sounds a beep. No need to take your eyes off the road. The Pilot Elite is classy and comfortable. It has a peppy engine at 280 hp. I have to admit that I have not tried the shifting paddles. Not sure I care about them. It does fine on Drive and shifts smoothly. (I'm a former sports car driver and in my mind, it's heresy to replace the shift knob with paddles.) I like being able to open windows and moonroof remotely on a hot day and even start the engine that way. I love the ability to cool or heat the front leather seats. Also nice for my passengers in the middle captain's chairs to be able to heat their seats in winter. I added the option of rubber mats with tall sides and the folding cargo tray and recommend those. The Elite comes loaded so there is very little you'd want to add. I actually paid about $4,000 under MSRP but financing some of the cost plus various options raised my total outlay to $52,000, but even then, it is well worth that compared to the competition. I'm still very happy with this SUV. Our Honda Dealer has not been able to fix a noise/vibration on my Pilot when the engine RPM is around 2,000. They have tried several times, starting when the car was still under warranty and afterwards. Other Patriot owners have also reported the same vibration/noise.
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Poor Quality
DAVE, 06/04/2017
2017 Honda Pilot LX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
23 of 33 people found this review helpful
This is our 4th New SUV in 13 years. This is the first one I have ever had to take to the dealer with a problem before 70,000 mile. This car developed a clunk in the front drive train or suspension at about 3000 miles. Of course the service department can find nothing wrong with it. Honda is behind it's competitors when it comes to interior design. Less leg room in the front driving compartment, controls are dated, other companies have lessen to their focus groups. I think Honda miss the boat here. Blind spot camara is useless, who looks at their center screen when changing lanes. Really missed the boat here when comparing them to there competitors. To many bad interior design features to mention.
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What I expected and a little more
Mike Mirage, 05/27/2017
updated 11/30/2018
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
9 of 12 people found this review helpful
Good comfort and expected performance since I was a 2005 Pilot owner. New features such as back up camera and passenger side camera for lane change and blind spot are great. Too bad it didn't include driver's side as well. Side mirrors fold back on this model is something that I wish was electronically adjustable. Plenty of room and great console. Plenty of compartments on the doors and back area's. Love the hatchback open ability from the key ring. Easy to open and close without having to do it manually. Touch unlock on the doors and key less start a big plus. Getting used to the higher ride for distance estimating in front takes a little getting used to. You can't really see the front of the car to judge how close you are. Bluetooth match up fine for our two Android phones however the interface for playing music from our phones doesn't have the flexibility for easily selecting songs, albums or playlists that the phone does. Using google maps from the phone interface works fine. I feel that the interiors quality has gone down some compared to my 2005 Pilot. Seems to me they are using more plastic or at least lower quality of the trim. Rear hatch collects water, gets dirty and scrapes easily. Should have included a rubber step there to prevent scratches and channel the excess water. Most of my opinions are based on having a 2005 Pilot for 12 years before buying this one. Still enjoy the ride, engine power and quality of everything else.
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CHA CHUNK!!
Dale M, 06/06/2018
updated 12/20/2022
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
Let me start by saying I sold Honda’s for about three years,when the time to retire and trade my wife’s Toyota Highlander I decided to get a pilot Touring. Love the car but it has a issue with a noise everytime we drive over a crack in the road or even a manhole cove the cars rear end makes a noise like CHA CHUNK and it’s not just mine it’s even the new 2018’s? I’ve talked to Honda and they said “all cars make noise” which seems to be the new montra now because my dealer said the same thing. I told Honda that’s funny because the Highlander doesn’t and my old 2000 Accord doesn’t either....you have a problem that needs fixing!!! When test driving pilot just listen and you will hear it going over bumps. Just FYI because I even missed it on after all the test drives I went on.
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Worry about all the electronics...
aandie67, 01/04/2018
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
I really love my 2017 Pilot ex-l. Lots of room and fits my teenage boys, 130 lbs dog, and all of our stuff perfectly. Great mix of options - even at base level - I was a bit disappointed that it does not have heated side mirrors, even though my 2008 Odyssey ex-l had it. I have about 8K miles on it... and recently have experienced the audio screen going black - only audio - the screen works otherwise. Honda has no service updates, and has no records of this being an issue on 2017 models - though there is plenty of problems documented on the piloteers board - for earlier models. I am hoping it is just a loose fuse and it not an indication of bigger problems.
Bluetooth disaster
Levi, 01/10/2017
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
26 of 38 people found this review helpful
Everytime i place a call with either my Iphone 7plus / Iphone 6 Plus / Samsung Galaxy Note 5 / Google Pixel the phone connects to bluetooth and immediately switches to private mode unless you force it manually back to bluetooth. on some of the phones it never even connects. I went to 2 separate dealers and no help. They tried telling me it's a issue with my phone / phones and or my carrier. This issue is on all EX-L and above models. None of these phones have a issue with my 2016 Honda Civic touring or any other car. This issue is known to 2016 Pilots and the new pickup truck which is based on a pilot chasis. I called Honda link and no help other then telling me that i should call once every 6 months to see if there is a update.
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2017 elite pilot
Elizabeth, 04/23/2017
updated 11/21/2018
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
Acceleration takes some time getting used to, as it feels different with the 9 speed transmission. Safety features are great, but sensitivity of lane keep assist and auto braking can be overly sensitive. It sometimes goes off when no other cars are in sight. I've had to have both systems reset multiple times. I have also had 3 major water leaks as a result of factory deficiencies which resulted in the pilot being in for repairs for 4+ days each time, and it took multiple trips to diagnose the issue. The interior rugs had to be changed due to the potential for mold related to the leaks. The windshield continues to fog up on the inside which freezes and turns to tiny ice particles when it gets cold outside. Honda insists this is due to the vehicle being very tight and is considered “normal” for the vehicle. I have noticed other pilots in the dealership lot do have the same issue. Comfort and convenience remain great . Overall I love this vehicle but Honda needs to work on these issues.
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Nicest ride I've ever owned......
Mike, 01/27/2018
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
This is a great vehicle. I don't see what the fuss is about the radio not having "buttons", just use the steering wheel controls. I bought a close out 2017 EXL as Edmunds recommended. I passed on the sensing but went for the AWD. No need to Nav or RES. I was able to get 0.9% financing along with $1,500 below invoice using Costco pricing and haggling with 2 different dealers. I looked at the Highlander and Acadia. No contest. Highlander is way to small and the GMC/Chevy don't hold their value. Traded in our 2013 Toyota Sienna, which I thought was a pretty good vehcile, until I drove the Pilot. After the test drive, I was hooked and had to have one. Besides the ride and fit and finish, I really enjoy the apple car play and the how you can customize a lot of the settings in the radio. That said, I have 2 gripes. 1. no 3rd row floormat AND you can't buy one from Honda unless you buy all the floormats? So, I bought one from Lloyds mats ($34). It is just really odd that this isn't included in the EXL. 2. No 12V acc plug in the 2nd row. My 2005 has one, why not my 2017? So, I bought a 6ft plug to put in the front and stretch back to the second row. Again, really odd. You get one with the RES but not in the base EXL. Other than that, you will love this car.
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Very nice and smooth!
John Douglas, 08/21/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Very roomy inside, third row seating was the best we found when compared to other SUV's in the same class (except maybe the VW Atlas, that was very good too). Even the EX trim model came with a lot of nice features. Gives a super smooth ride! Opted not to step up to a higher trim and get the sunroof because it was noisy anyway. We wanted an AWD but found that is hard to get in So Cal because manufacturers do not think divers in So Cal need that, so not many are sent there.\, had to settle for a 2WD.
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1st Honda - Awesome Hinda
Charlie, 12/27/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Really pleased. Very spacious. Very comfortable. Really happy with the purchase.
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love my Honda Pilot
Maria, 01/13/2018
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
roomy and 3rd row fits 2 teenage sons with long legs
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#10
Bob R., 10/01/2019
2017 Honda Pilot Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
If you are going to purchase a Pilot, you will not be disappointed. Some of the changes Honda has made to the Pilot over the years are both good and not so good. However, nothing has made me not want to stay with the Pilot as I am now in my 10th one. 1. Resale value. I travel for a living and trade about every 18-24 months due to mileage as leasing is not an option. I loved the old body style and was not happy with the new look...reminds me of a CR-V on steroids. None the less, I compared the Pilot to other SUV's and nothing came close, and I got used to the new body style. My current Pilot is a Touring Model...and Honda needs to make some adjustments to the Tour. 2. I do not care for the push button gear selection, nor the engine shut off when stopped. I prefer the stick shifter like is on the EXL and below. 3. BRING BACK THE BLIND SPOT CAMERAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Should be standard on every vehicle made regardless of the make. Now the good. A-Z. GAS MILAGE... I currently average 28+ on the highway and 20 in town...can't beat it. The Ride...outstanding...quiet, smooth... Room....can't beat it....comfortable, easy on the back from long trips....VALUE, VALUE, VALUE...can't be beat again. Prior to my latest Pilot I researched residual values on other like SUV's in the Pilots class....using 50,000 plus mileage and like, kind and quality, the Pilot was $4,500.00 ABOVE the completion in value..enough said. Overall, the Pilot can't be beat...best value on the market for what you get...and what you get is safety, comfort, economic and fantastic resale/trade value. I'm a Honda buyer for life...just make a few changes will ya? :-)
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Avoid the ZF 9-speed models
Pilot owner from NKY, 09/10/2019
updated 09/28/2021
2017 Honda Pilot Elite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Pros: - Large mid-size - Rear entertainment - MPG - Okay appearance - 2nd row captain seats - 3rd row legroom - Good amount of technology and safety features Cons: - Loud acceleration from stop - ZF 9-speed transmission - 2K RPM acceleration hang - Hard shifting - Poor downshifting (foot on gas completely to floor still doesn't downshift to lowest gear possible; have to use paddle shifter) - Slowest reverse ever - Expensive transmission service - Loud direct injectors (DI failed once already and replaced at around 60k) - Boat on wheels - stop-start system (wish this can be completely disabled) - Garmin Navigation (use it if you want to get lost) - soft brake pedal even after replacing the pads and rotors, and flushing/bleeding brakes.
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You excited when you buy later not impressed
Mark, 01/19/2019
updated 01/24/2020
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
My review is strictly based on vehicle performance and personal experience. Vehicle appears to be solid and sporty but other glitches make this vehicle not appealing. This is my third Honda vehicle and it maybe the last. Noisy inside while driving and on driver side the rubber seal is not manufactured or installed properly by OEM making whistling air leak. Acceleration is good but transmission gear changes are erratic while accelerating that can be felt. The media panel is not friendly, pairing with other devices is confusing. When you start engine media starts connecting to iPhone with bluetooth but it will not connect sending error message that the phone is not paired but it is in fact paired. The other "issue are noisy valves" at idle which can be annoying, my other new vehicles never experienced that issue. I reported this to dealer but they told me is normal engine sound. I searched through internet and other customers reported similar issue. Will trade vehicle later for something else.
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Won on technical merits forgot to consider styling
Phil Larson, 06/09/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
8 of 11 people found this review helpful
Needs USB ports in back seat area. Needs volume control. LKAS needs to be better. ACC is a really great feature but should be smoother. I think I would like to be seen more in a Jeep Rubicon, or even a Jeep Grand Cherokee but the Pilot beat it, the highlander, and the Explorer in all the measurable categories.
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9-speed models are not safe
BruceW, 11/16/2017
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
13 of 19 people found this review helpful
Pilot can be bought with the navigation system only in the top trim models and these also have the 9-speed transmission. I took a test drive on the freeway and when accelerating onto the freeway to merge safely with traffic I floored the accelerator pedal and then waited a full 4 seconds before the transmission downshifted and the car computer fed more fuel to the engine and the car started to accelerate. When I simulated a passing situation by moving into the left lane and flooring the accelerator pedal the same thing happened. No response at all for 4 seconds and then finally the car started to accelerate. The published 0-60 MPH times with the Pilot are not at all accurate with the 9-speed transmission. Add 4 seconds to the time and you will appreciate why I do not consider the Pilot safe to drive on the highway. The other con for me was the feel of the electronic steering where there was no feedback and it was further complicated by the odd profile of the steering wheel that is rectangular rather than round. The storage space is exceptional with the Pilot and the navigation system that uses Garmin technology like that found in the Garmin 760 is outstanding and the best of any SUV at this time. I would only buy one of the two trim levels that have the 6-speed transmission and based on that I decided to instead buy a 2018 Chevy Traverse.
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Nice utilitarian ride, great cargo space
Honda Driver, 01/13/2018
2017 Honda Pilot EX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
We've had our Pilot for about 2 months and have enjoyed it. Seats are comfortable for long rides and the interior is very spacious. With the 3rd row down we have plenty of space for our 2 dogs. The technology package is nice, although on curvy roads the collision avoidance system warns "Brake" when a car is in the curve with you. Steering assist and adaptive cruise control are very handy. AWD is nice, we've driven up a steep snowy driveway and along snow and ice covered roads and its always felt very stable.
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