More Than Meets The Eye: The 2026 Honda Pilot

If the 2026 Honda Pilot were a human, you'd be trying to put your finger on what's different. New haircut? Working out? Contacts?

This is what's known in the automotive industry as a mid-cyle refresh. Usually about the three-year point after an all-new generation of a vehicle is introduced. In the case of the Pilot, that was 2023.

The biggest difference, if you were to park a '26 and a '25, '24 or '23 Pilot side-by-side, is a redesigned front fascia with a larger grille.

The new wheel designs are a bit less fussy than before, too.

As for what's under the hood...

...the 2026 Pilot is still powered by Honda's venerable 3.5-liter V6, with 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is a 10-speed automatic, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is available on all trims (it's standard on TrailSport, Touring, Elite and Black Edition models).

Honda doesn't give a 0-60 mph figure, but Car and Driver says it recorded 7.1 seconds. Motor Trend says 6.9 and Edmunds says it took them 7.8. That is maybe the widest variance I've seen between major automotive media outlets for a 0-60 time. Your speed may vary.

As for your mileage, the EPA fuel economy estimate for the 2026 Pilot with AWD is 19 mpg city/25 highway. The more off-road focused TrailSport is estimated at 18 city/23 highway, and the EPA says front-wheel drive (FWD) models get 20 city/27 highway.

Beyond that, though, Honda has improved steering feel and precision in the new Pilot, and I did notice the difference. The old one felt a bit numb, and while this isn't a revelation, it absolutely is an improvement.

For 2026, all Pilot trims get a power liftgate as standard equipment (it was optional on lower trim levels before). There's 18.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the split-folding third row. Behind the second row, it's 48.5 and with both rows folded, the Pilot can swallow a whopping 87.0 cubic feet of your stuff.

Third-row passengers get 32.5 inches of legroom, but folks in the second row can stretch out and enjoy 40.8 inches.

The front row of the cabin is where the bulk of the changes this year can be seen.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen is 37% larger than before. The digital instrument cluster is now 10.2 inches (a 43% increase). Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now wireless, and there's a standard 5G wi-fi hotspot. Honda also says the cabin is quieter by 2 to 3 db at selected frequencies. That's something I'd have to drive the old and the new back-to-back to confirm and to tell you whether it's actually noticeable in typical driving.

Pilots start at $42,195 for the Sport trim, but the base price of the 2026 Honda Pilot Elite is $53,495---$54,990 including destination. That buys a remarkable list of standard equipment (see the window sticker at the end of the review).

Our test vehicle had only one extra-cost option---the Sonic Gray Pearl paint ($455), putting the bottom line on the window sticker at $55,445 (NOTE: Honda sent us a window sticker for a Pilot Elite with Platinum White Pearl paint, but it is otherwise accurate).

That's an attractive, competitive price for a full-sized, full-featured, three-row SUV. The Pilot is one of my favorite vehicles in that class and the changes for 2026 only reinforce that.

2026 Honda Pilot Elite at a glance:

Price: $53,495 base/$55,445 as tested

Engine: 3.5-liter V6

Horsepower: 285

Torque: 262 lb-ft

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Curb Weight: 4,678 lbs

0-60 Acceleration: 6.9 sec (MT)/7.1 sec (C/D)/7.8 sec (Edmunds)

EPA Fuel Economy Estimate: 19 mpg city/25 highway

Fuel tank capacity: 18.5 gallons

EPA Range Estimate: N/A

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