2017 Honda Pilot Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　

What’s new

　　Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility has been added to Pilots with the 8-inch touchscreen (EX and above). Otherwise, the Pilot carries over unchanged.

　　

Vehicle overview

　　With lots of space, a versatile interior and even a bit of off-road capability, the 2017 Honda Pilot is appealing for all sorts of reasons. Capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds and comfortably carrying eight passengers, the Pilot is utilitarian by almost all standards. Getting the kids in and out is relatively easy, and options such as a Blu-ray rear entertainment system turn road trips into a breeze. And for daily commutes, the quiet cabin and smooth ride make the Pilot extremely livable.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2017 Honda Pilot LX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$168/mo  for Pilot LX

　　Pilot LX

　　LX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $30,595 MSRPLX 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $32,395 MSRPEX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $33,030 MSRPEX 4dr SUV w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $34,030 MSRPEX 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $34,830 MSRPEX 4dr SUV AWD w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $35,830 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $36,455 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $37,455 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $37,455 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV w/Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $38,055 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A) (Most Popular) - $38,255 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $39,255 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Honda Sensing (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $39,255 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $39,855 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $41,670 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $43,470 MSRPElite 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $47,070 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　Despite all its virtues, the Pilot isn't perfect. Our top complaints include oversensitive safety systems such as the adaptive cruise control, the finicky (but optional) nine-speed automatic transmission, and a not-so-user-friendly infotainment interface. They're small issues, however, and they're not enough to dampen our enthusiasm for this big Honda SUV. If you're in the market for a three-row crossover, we definitely recommend checking out the 2017 Honda Pilot.

　　Notably, we picked the 2018 Honda Pilot as one of zzdcar' Best Family SUVs for this year.

　　

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 Best Family SUVs. Note that while we tested a 2016 Pilot, all of our observations still apply to the 2017 model.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

4.0 / 5

　　When it comes to three-row SUVs that offer modern amenities, plenty of room for large families and surprising efficiency, the 2017 Honda Pilot is at the top of the list. It hits all the high notes for versatility, comfort and efficiency, not to mention Honda's reputation for reliability.

　　

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 2WD Touring w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L V6; 9-speed automatic).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	4.0 / 5
Driving	3.0
Comfort	4.5
Interior	4.0
Utility	4.0

　　

Driving

3.0

　　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

4.5

　　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 of a vehicle of its size.

　　

Braking

3.0

　　In daily use, the Pilot's brakes 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

3.5

　　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

4.0

　　No three-row SUV is light on its feet, but the Pilot feels lighter 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

3.0

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

　　

Off-road

4.0

　　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, which makes the Pilot surprisingly capable in snow, sand and mud.

　　

Comfort

4.5

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

　　

Seat comfort

4.5

　　Wide seats with compliant but supportive backs and bottoms provide hours of comfort. 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

5.0

　　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 things as much. It's a segment leader in this category.

　　

Noise & vibration

4.0

　　Tire and wind noise is low, especially for a Honda product. 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

4.0

　　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

3.0

　　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

3.5

　　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

4.0

　　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

5.0

　　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

4.0

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

　　

Quality

3.5

　　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

4.0

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

　　

Small-item storage

5.0

　　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

5.0

　　It may 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

2.5

　　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

　　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 zzdcar recommend?

　　Our recommendation for the Pilot is the EX-L trim level. It's a good balance of feature availability and price, but more importantly, it has the standard six-speed automatic transmission, which we prefer to the optional nine-speed transmission. The EX-L comes with plenty of features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a sunroof, a power tailgate, heated front seats and one-touch sliding second-row seats. And, if you're so inclined, you can add the available Honda Sensing package that includes features such as adaptive cruise control and forward collision mitigation.

　　

2017 Honda Pilot models

　　The Pilot is a three-row crossover SUV that poses as a good alternative for 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 standard LX Pilot makes a lot of sense. It may be the base 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, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a 60/40-split folding third-row seat. Electronic features include a 5-inch central display screen, a seven-speaker sound system, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, 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, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat (with two-way power lumbar adjustment), the 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. Also included is the Intelligent Traction Management system that adds a Snow mode for the front-wheel-drive version and Snow/Sand/Mud modes with AWD.

　　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 leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, one-touch sliding second-row seats, a four-way 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 Honda Sensing package. It adds adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation with automatic braking, a road departure intervention system, a forward collision warning system, and lane departure warning and intervention systems. 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 had in combination with each other.

　　Almost right at 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, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (replaces LaneWatch), automatic windshield wipers, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs (reduces maximum seating to seven people), a heated steering wheel and HD radio.

　　

2017 Pilot Highlights

Trim: LXEXEX-LTouringEliteLX

　　

Base MSRP	$30,595
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$168/month
Seating	8 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	16.5 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles