2023 Honda Pilot | Trail Sport - 3 Row SUV

Overview

Three-row midsize SUVs are excellent choices for growing families, and the Honda Pilot was the go-to choice until the Kia Telluride arrived in 2020. The redesigned 2023 Honda Pilot looks to recapture the top spot with a host of changes and upgrades. The new Pilot is 3.4 inches longer than its predecessor, resulting in more legroom for second and third-row passengers. It also increases cargo capacity to class-leading dimensions.

On the outside, the new Pilot has a more upright, utilitarian shape, giving it a strong presence that suits the updated TrailSport off-road model. The previous TrailSport was more of an appearance package, but the new model has legitimate off-road capabilities. Inside, a new removable second-row center seat provides unparalleled versatility, too.

Given the numerous enhancements and improvements, the 2023 Honda Pilot has the right stuff to better challenge the Telluride and related Hyundai Palisade.

What's New for 2023

The Honda Pilot has been completely redesigned for 2023.

 

Approximate MSRP might be changed based on location

Model	Engine Type	MSRP
Pilot Sport	3.5L V6 Engine (AWD)	$40,495.00*
Pilot EX-L	3.5L V6 Engine (AWD)	$43,295.00*
Pilot Touring	3.5L V6 Engine (AWD)	$47,795.00*
Pilot TrailSport	3.5L V6 Engine (AWD)	$49,695.00*
Pilot Elite	3.5L V6 Engine (AWD)	$53,375.00*

 

 

Trims and Pricing

The 2023 Honda Pilot is available in five trim levels: Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, and Elite. We recommend the EX-L as it likely hits the sweet spot between value and features for most buyers.

Sport

The base Sport trim is expected to start near $40,000. Standard feature highlights announced so far include 20-inch wheels, a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 7-inch partial digital instrument panel, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

EX-L

Stepping up to the EX-L adds 18-inch wheels, chrome exterior trim, leather upholstery, a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless versions of CarPlay and Android Auto, and a wireless charging pad.

TrailSport

The new off-road-capable Trail Sport model is the choice for outward-bound owners and comes with a special off-road suspension and all-wheel-drive tuning, all-terrain tires, recovery hooks, a raised ride height, underbody skid plates, a full-size spare tire, trail-specific cameras, a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, and all-weather floor mats.

Touring

The Touring trim enters luxury territory with 20-inch wheels and a premium 12-speaker Bose audio system. We expect more features to be announced later.

Elite

The top-of-the-line Elite adds a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel, a head-up display, a multi-view camera system, a heated steering wheel, and ventilated front seats.

Engine and Performance

Powering the 2023 Honda Pilot is a new 3.5-liter V6 that produces 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It's paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels. All-wheel drive is available as an option and is standard on the TrailSport and Elite trims. Properly equipped, the Pilot can tow up to 5,000 pounds.

 

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy estimates have not yet been released by the Environmental Protection Agency, but we expect the 2023 Honda Pilot to return similar or slightly better figures than the 2022 Pilot, which was rated at 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg for highway driving. All-wheel-drive models earn 19/25 mpg city/highway.