The Honda Pilot gets a new look for 2023. But looks aren’t everything.
The three-row SUV offers a spacious interior and good handling. But comfort, cooling, and tunes seem to not measure up, especially compared to the Odyssey.
2023 Honda Pilot Elite AWD vs. 2023 Kia Telluride Prestige X-Line V-6 AWD: Battle of two very strong three-row SUVs.
This week: Honda Pilot
Price: $53,375 as tested. No options on test vehicle.
Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver likes the “refined power train, actually capable TrailSport model, just as family-friendly as the last version,” but not that the “city fuel economy could be better, entry-level infotainment display is dinky.”
Marketer’s pitch: “Conquer the unpaved road.”
Reality: Nice handling, but some comfort issues.
What’s new: The 2023 model brings the fourth generation of Honda’s three-row SUV. Honda touts its “tough and adventure-ready styling,” and new Pilot TrailSport trim, with a more off-roady suspension and higher ground clearance.
I was surprised to realize I hadn’t been in a Pilot since the 2016 model year; time flies. It had previously received a solid review, if not a full-fledged love fest.
Competition: In addition to the Telluride, there’s the Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-90, Volkswagen Atlas, and Toyota Highlander, plus many more.
Up to speed: With 285 horses chomping at the 3.5-liter V-6′s bit — five more than last year’s model — the Pilot has plenty of thrust available. The vehicle gets to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, a half-second slower than a 2019 model, according to Motor Trend.
Shifty: The Pilot has gone one better than the previous generation with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Honda continues offering its row-of-buttons PRND selector, but the new Accord features a joystick, so maybe the Pilot will also be so lucky soon.
Steering-wheel shift paddles are available and allow drivers pretty solid control over the gear selections, which is not always the case in large vehicles (I’m glaring at you, Toyota).
On the road: The Pilot remains a decent companion when the road becomes twisty, but it’s not the super-fun Acura MDX. Everyday handling is fine, and the Pilot goes where you aim it.
Rough highway surfaces like Route 30 in western Chester County are transmitted fairly clearly to the occupants, and you really want to stay out of Sport mode over the sharp seams.
Driver’s Seat: The cockpit of the Pilot will make a Honda owner happy, with speed and tachometer dials and changeable readouts to scroll through other info.
The seat itself is pleasant but not exactly the grandest of comfort. Lumbar stayed on a little too much for me, and there didn’t seem to be a lot of hold.
The charcoal-colored surfaces on the dashboard felt businesslike.
Friends and stuff: The Honda Pilot doesn’t look all that big for a three-row SUV, but looks can be deceiving. Middle-row occupants sit tall and enjoy great headroom, legroom, and foot room. The middle sitter will feel a little more snug thanks to the console up front, but even that location is not too bad.
Most surprising, Honda has somehow found space for people the third row as well. Knee room is kind of tight back there, but the heads and feet are accommodated nicely. And the seat has a bit of cushioning as well.
The middle row slides back and forth to maximize the space available. Even entry and exit to that third row is not too humiliating.
Cargo space is 22.4 cubic feet in the back, 60.1 behind the second row, and 112.4 with both rows folded. A bonus, spacious well underneath the storage bay can hide away many, many packages.
Towing capacity maxes out at 5,000 pounds.
Play some tunes: The 9-inch touchscreen is on the small side for today’s vehicles, but it functions well.
Surprisingly, the Pilot’s sound system only sounded about a B-plus to me, after scoring quite well in 2016 and coming from the manufacturer of the current kick-butt Odyssey stereo.
Keeping warm and cool: The HVAC seemed to be a down side. The vehicle heated up plenty for not-so-warm May days, and the cooling choice was either delayed or blasted a lot of air in your face.
Seat ventilators also failed their mission during days in the high 70s, making me wonder what really hot weather would be like.
Night shift: Most carmakers have gotten this down, so I don’t mention this much anymore, but the Pilot map lights were almost impossible to use while still keeping the vehicle on the road. So bright and — quite literally — in your face.
Fuel economy: I averaged just under 20 mpg in a close-to-home round of testing, with just a couple short highway trips added in to the mix.
Where it’s built: Lincoln, Ala.
How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Pilot’s reliability to be a 3 out of 5.
In the end: I’m not a big fan of SUVs, but the Pilot is quite a nice, roomy exception. Still, when the Odyssey does so many things better, and the Pilot’s cooling and seat comfort can be lacking, maybe give some thought to the minivan?
Next week: How does the Kia Telluride compare?