2018 Honda Pilot Review

Name: 2018 Honda Pilot
Brand: Honda

Price Range: $13,292 - $28,990

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Appraise My 2018 Honda Pilot

Honda Pilot model years

Honda Pilot for Sale

Edmunds' Expert Review

by Peter Gareffa

Pros

A versatile, roomy interior with spacious rear seats
Ride is smooth and compliant in most conditions
Better fuel economy than rivals
Multiple clever storage compartments

Cons

Nine-speed automatic transmission lacks refinement
Collision warning and adaptive cruise control are overly sensitive
Third-row access is narrow
Touchscreen interface isn't very intuitive

What's new

The 2018 Honda Pilot is unchanged
Part of the third Pilot generation introduced for 2016

The 2018 Honda Pilot SUV has a lot to offer shoppers in the market for a family hauler. It has almost as much interior room as a minivan but provides a lot more capability. Available in front-wheel or all-wheel-drive configurations, the Pilot comes standard with a strong V6 engine that helps it tow up to 5,000 pounds and is built tough enough for some light off-roading. At the same time, its comfortable and feature-packed cabin provides a near-luxury experience for as many as eight passengers. And, unlike some competitors, there's enough room behind the third-row seat for their luggage and other belongings.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

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2018 Honda Pilot
EX-L 4dr SUV w/Rear Entertainment System
$19,991
- 93,853 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use
- 8 Seats, 19 City / 27 Hwy MPG
- AutoNation Honda Dulles (3 mi away)
- Free home delivery*
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Leather Seats
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Keyless Entry/Start
Close
Located in Sterling, VA
The following items have been reconditioned on this vehicle: new brakes and new pair of tires! MoonroofLeather Seats3rd Row SeatKeyless StartRe...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
22 Combined MPG (19 City/27 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 5FNYF5H88JB008553
Stock: JB008553
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 03-30-2026
New Listing
2018 Honda Pilot
Touring 4dr SUV w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System
$14,647
good price
$556 below market
- 152,801 miles
- 1 accident, 1 owner, personal use only
- 8 Seats, 19 City / 26 Hwy MPG
- Driveway (24 mi away)
- Home delivery*
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
Close
Located in Springfield, VA
CarFax 1-Owner,3rd Row Seat,Apple CarPlay,Back-Up Camera,Bluetooth,Brake Assist,Entertainment System,Heated Seats,Keyless Start,Lane Keeping Assist,Le...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
22 Combined MPG (19 City/26 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 5FNYF6H9XJB058160
Stock: JB058160T
Certified Pre-Owned: No

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Although the Pilot remains a top choice in this class, there are a few minor issues that potential buyers should consider. Some of the active safety features, such as adaptive cruise control, are set up to err on the side of caution, making them seem oversensitive. We're not particularly fond of the way the optional nine-speed transmission shifts either. But despite these quibbles, we highly recommend a test drive in a Honda Pilot if you're looking for a roomy, comfortable, reliable three-row family vehicle.

Notably, we picked the 2018 Honda Pilot as one of Edmunds' Best Midsize SUVs for 2018 and Best Family SUVs for 2018.

What's it like to live with?

With a spacious cabin, exceptional comfort and a tremendously roomy cabin, the Honda Pilot is the quintessential three-row crossover. As soon as we got behind the wheel of this newest model, our editors universally agreed: The Pilot was the best of the bunch. We immediately reached out to Honda and secured a fully loaded Elite model for our long-term test fleet. Over the course of a year and 25,000 miles, we drove our Black Forest green tester to Las Vegas, Sacramento and Oregon. Usually, it performed the commuting duties typical of a family-friendly SUV. To read about our experiences, read our long-term Pilot test. Note that while we tested a 2016 Pilot, all of our observations still apply to the 2018 model.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

8.0 / 10

With a strong V6 engine and a roomy, comfortable interior with seating for up to eight, the 2018 Honda Pilot is a leading pick for car shoppers looking at three-row midsize crossover SUVs.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions, although trim levels share many aspects. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2016 Honda Pilot Touring w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L V6 | 9-speed automatic | FWD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the Honda Pilot received some minor revisions, such as the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility in 2017. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's 2018 Honda Pilot, however.

Scorecard

Overall	8.0 / 10
Driving	7.0
Comfort	8.5
Interior	8.0
Utility	9.0
Technology	8.0

Driving

7.0

With ample power and respectable handling, the Pilot is among the athletes in the three-row SUV segment. It's a winner on mountain roads, easily gets up to speed, and can manage light towing and slippery surfaces with the optional all-wheel drive.

Acceleration

8.5

The Pilot has plenty of power, but you have to dig deep into the pedal to make it move quickly. At full throttle it shifts decisively, and you can also manually control shifts with the nine-speed transmission. It hit 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, which is a solid number for a vehicle of its size.

Braking

6.5

In daily use, the Pilot's brakes provide solid braking power and an easy-to-modulate pedal. In our testing, simulated-emergency stopping distances from 60 mph ranged from 117 to 120 feet, which is shorter than average.

Steering

7.5

Though there's relatively good precision from the Pilot's steering wheel, there's little road feel. On winding mountain roads, it's steady and predictable. What partially hurts the score in this category is its lane keeping feature, which can be very intrusive in long, sweeping corners.

Handling

8.0

No three-row SUV is light on its feet, but the Pilot feels more nimble than most. It swaps lanes confidently, and its stability control remains at bay during moderately aggressive driving. Overall, handling is above average for the segment.

Drivability

6.5

Some low-speed indecision and rough shifts from the nine-speed transmission are very noticeable to the point of intrusion. But the problem is largely at low speed and low load. Nail the gas and the Pilot moves out — sometimes spinning its tires from a standing start.

Off-road

8.0

Two-wheel-drive Pilots can handle little more than dirt-road duty. All-wheel-drive models, however, offer active center and rear differentials that redistribute power to the wheels that need it most, making the Pilot surprisingly capable on snow, sand and mud.

Comfort

8.5

The Pilot is a very comfortable given its above-average ride quality and seat comfort, plus ample space in first and second rows. Ease of use is very high, too, which makes the Pilot a convenient and easy vehicle to live with.

Seat comfort

8.5

The wide seats with compliant but supportive backs and bottoms provide hours of comfort. The adjustable inner armrests are a bonus, as is power operation and lumbar support. The Touring model we tested came with heated seats up front and a second row that slides and reclines.

Ride comfort

9.0

Body motions are well-controlled but not at the sacrifice of ride comfort. Big bumps affecting all four wheels can surprise the Pilot, but smaller obstacles don't seem to disturb the ride as much. It's a segment leader in this category.

Noise & vibration

8.0

Levels of tire and wind noise are low, especially for a Honda product. The door sealing is very good, and during our tests, we didn't observe any unusual rattles or squeaks. Passengers remain compartmentalized from the outside elements, even over significant surface changes.

Interior

8.0

The Pilot exhibits typical Honda efficiency and build quality. Use of space is very good with lots of storage. Practical features such as the easy-entry third row and flat load floor with the second and third rows lowered make a difference when hauling cargo and people.

Ease of use

6.5

The infotainment controls are improved over an older, multifunction knob design, and there's an attractive high-resolution touchscreen. The lack of physical knobs for some features is disappointing. Also, the push-button shifter for the nine-speed automatic transmission takes some getting used to.

Getting in/getting out

7.5

The large doors and modest seat heights make the Pilot an easy vehicle to enter and exit. Third-row access is enhanced with a single-button release for the tilt-and-slide second row, but the pass-through space into the rear is small.

Driving position

The Pilot's highly adjustable front seats and tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel make it easy to find a good driving position. The driver's seat is mounted a bit high for shorter drivers, but otherwise it's a comfortable setup for most.

Roominess

9.0

Both the first and second rows are very roomy with good elbow room, leg- and headroom for all but the biggest occupants. Third-row seating is close-coupled with a low seat bottom and a high floor. But there's still enough room for adults on short trips, which some competitors can't manage.

Visibility

8.0

For such a large vehicle, there's average front- and rear-quarter visibility. The upright seating gives a better view than you'll get in the Honda Odyssey minivan. The multiview backup camera is handy, while optional front and rear parking sensors reveal hidden obstacles.

Quality

8.5

The quality of materials and assembly is high for a three-row SUV in this segment but not substantially better than what you'll find in competitors. Soft-touch plastics on the dash combined with high-gloss trim and matte-finish secondary controls look and feel good.

Utility

9.0

The Pilot is an extremely utilitarian vehicle even though it can't tow as much as large truck-based SUVs, such as the Chevy Suburban. Its large, well-thought-out interior proves extremely useful when you stuff it full of passengers and their gear.

Small-item storage

Everywhere inside the cabin you'll find numerous storage compartments for small items. Up front, a cavernous center console sits between the front seats, and big cupholders are everywhere. Bring all your small items — the Pilot has space for them.

Cargo space

It might not measure up against a few cavernous minivans, but the Pilot is still near the top of the three-row SUV segment in terms of total cargo space. The fold-flat second and third row are extremely useful for big items, and there is generous storage under the rear load floor for extra luggage.

Towing

6.0

At 3,500 pounds, the 2WD Pilot we tested has a towing capacity lower than that of most V6-powered three-row SUVs. All-wheel drive does bump the Pilot's towing capacity up to 5,000 pounds, which is more in line with the capabilities of its competitors.

Technology

8.0

Though some controls in the Pilot are reasonably intelligent and intuitive, the active safety features err on the side of caution and can be intrusive. Also, the lack of a volume knob is a frustrating omission that you have to deal with on a daily basis.

Which Pilot does Edmunds recommend?

The 2018 Honda Pilot is available in five well-equipped trim levels designed to suit a wide variety of buyers. We recommend the EX-L model for its combination of practicality, comfort and features. Standard equipment on this trim includes a leather-trimmed interior, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a sunroof, a power tailgate, heated front seats and one-touch sliding second-row seats. It also has the standard six-speed automatic transmission, which we much prefer to the finicky nine-speed gearbox that comes on higher trim levels.

Compare 2018 Honda Pilot trim levels

2018 Honda Pilot models

The 2018 Honda Pilot is a three-row crossover SUV that provides a good alternative to a minivan. It is offered in LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and the Elite trim levels. All seat eight people, with the exception of the Elite, which has second-row captain's chairs that reduce capacity to seven.

For basic family transportation, the base LX Pilot makes a lot of sense. It might be the entry-level trim, but it definitely isn't bare-bones. Standard features include a 3.5-liter V6 engine (280 horsepower, 262 pound-feet of torque), a six-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a 60/40-split folding third-row seat. Technology features include a 5-inch central display screen, a seven-speaker sound system, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB port.

If you're looking for a few more tech and safety features, then you should probably step up to the EX. It adds automatic headlights, foglights, LED running lights, heated mirrors, remote engine start, the Honda LaneWatch blind-spot camera, dynamic guidelines for the rearview camera, three-zone automatic climate control and a power-adjustable driver seat.

Also included with the EX is an Intelligent Traction Management system (adds a Snow mode for the front-wheel-drive version and Snow/Sand/Mud modes with AWD), an 8-inch touchscreen interface, HondaLink smartphone-enabled features, and an upgraded seven-speaker sound system with two additional higher-powered USB ports, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and Pandora internet radio control.

Although much of its equipment is the same as in the EX, the EX-L gets several creature comforts that make it worth a closer look. It adds a sunroof, a power tailgate, a noise-reducing windshield, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, one-touch sliding second-row seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated front seats and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. It also keeps the six-speed transmission, which is a big part of why we recommend this trim level.

For some added safety, the EX and EX-L trim levels both offer the optional Honda Sensing package. It adds adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and mitigation (with automatic braking), road departure intervention, and lane departure warning and intervention. The EX-L can also be equipped with a navigation system or a rear entertainment system that includes a Blu-ray player with a single overhead screen, HDMI and RCA ports, two additional USB ports for the second row, second-row sunshades and a 115-volt power outlet. Note that these EX-L options cannot be combined with each other.

Near the top of the Pilot lineup is the Touring model, which has all of the EX-L's standard and optional equipment plus roof rails, 20-inch wheels, a nine-speed automatic transmission, automatic engine stop-start, additional noise-reducing acoustic glass for the windows, front and rear parking sensors, driver-seat memory settings, ambient interior lighting and a 10-speaker sound system. The Touring is appealing, sure, and much of the equipment is useful, but the nine-speed transmission isn't as easy to live with as the six-speed.

Swinging for the fences, the top-of-the-line Elite model adds LED headlights, automatic high-beam headlight control, a full blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert (which replaces LaneWatch), automatic windshield wipers, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs (which reduce maximum seating to seven people), a heated steering wheel and HD radio.

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$225/mo

$243/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

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Reliability

The 2018 Honda Pilot has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 5 recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5, ranks it #15 out of 32 among Midsize SUVs. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

3.5 out of 5 stars3.5/5Above Average

#15 out of 32 among Midsize SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$465/yr

vs. $485/yr
for Average Midsize SUV

Frequency

1.11x/yr

vs. 1.18x/yr
for Average Midsize SUV

Severity

15.3%

vs. 13.5%
for Average Midsize SUV

Recalls

5 recalls found

Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.

If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).

Recall Number:: 23V858000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: KGC, KGD
Number of vehicles affected:: 2490460
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Defect Consequence:: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Recall Number:: 23V751000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: XG1, GG0
Manufactured from:: 2018-04-09 to 2018-08-28
Number of vehicles affected:: 248999
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
Defect Consequence:: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Corrective Action:: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.

Recall Number:: 21V932000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: PBV
Number of vehicles affected:: 724826
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
Defect Consequence:: A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:: Dealers will either repair the hood latch striker, or replace the hood if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is PBV.

Recall Number:: 19V298000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: L4M, Z4L
Manufactured from:: 2018-06-29 to 2018-10-05
Number of vehicles affected:: 93946
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
Defect Consequence:: Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
Corrective Action:: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt free of charge. Vehicles receiving a replacement timing belt will also have the engine inspected and any damaged components will be replaced for free. The recall is expected to begin June 1, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4M. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is Z4L.

Recall Number:: 18V221000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: D0S, T0T
Manufactured from:: 2018-01-02 to 2018-01-18
Number of vehicles affected:: 5827
Defect Description:: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles and 2018 Acura MDX vehicles. The front driver and passenger powered seats in the Honda vehicles and the driver powered seats in the Acura vehicles may have been assembled with improperly manufactured rivets. In the event of a crash, the rivets can break causing the seats not to be secured to the floor. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Defect Consequence:: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the floor, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Corrective Action:: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver seat frame assembly in Acura MDX vehicles, and replace the driver and front passenger seat slide rail frames in Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 18, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall is D0S, and T0T.

Warranty

3 years / 36,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 5 years / unlimited miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles

Honda Pilot Reviews

Owner Reviews

3.7

79 reviews

5(46%)

4(13%)

3(21%)

2(10%)

1(10%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2018 Pilot Features & Specs

Trim:

MSRP (New) Excludes Destination Fee	$30,900
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$225/month
Seating	8 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	16.5 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Pilot models:

Honda LaneWatch: Displays a camera view of the passenger-side blind spot when you activate the Pilot's turn signal.
Honda Sensing Package: Includes items such as forward collision mitigation with auto braking and road departure intervention. Standard on the higher trim levels.
Front and Rear Parking Sensors: Available only on the Touring and Elite trim levels, these sensors can be very helpful when parking such a big vehicle.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover17.5%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Acceptable
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Marginal
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2018 Honda Pilot Review

Price & Payment

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

For sale near Ashburn, VA

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds' Expert Rating

Trim tested

Scorecard

Driving

Acceleration

Braking

Steering

Handling

Drivability

Off-road

Comfort

Seat comfort

Ride comfort

Noise & vibration

Interior

Ease of use

Getting in/getting out

Driving position

Roominess

Visibility

Quality

Utility

Small-item storage

Cargo space

Towing

Technology

Which Pilot does Edmunds recommend?

2018 Honda Pilot models

Cost to Drive

Reliability

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

Recalls

Warranty

Honda Pilot Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2018 Pilot Features & Specs

Safety

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