2020 Honda Pilot Review

　　

2020 Honda Pilot Review

byCameron RogersManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　You have more choices than ever for a three-row midsize SUV, yet the Honda Pilot, a mainstay of the class, remains one of the best choices available. You'll enjoy roomy seating for up to eight, a quiet interior and a comfortable ride quality. The plush accommodations don't come at the expense of performance either since the Pilot is surprisingly capable when driven on twisty roads. And while we're not totally enamored with the optional nine-speed automatic transmission, there's no doubt the standard V6 has plenty of power to move this large crossover.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 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) - $31,550 MSRPLX 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $33,550 MSRPEX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $34,430 MSRPEX 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $36,430 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $37,860 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A) (Most Popular) - $39,860 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $39,860 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $41,860 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $42,620 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV w/Rear Captain's Chairs (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $42,920 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $44,620 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV AWD w/Rear Captain's Chairs (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $44,920 MSRPElite 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $48,120 MSRPBlack Edition 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $49,620 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　Aside from a few driving aids that could stand for a little more operational refinement, the Pilot has no obvious faults. However, there are a few newcomers that you'll want to consider. In its top trim, the Kia Telluride has a few more features than the luxe Pilot Elite, and we've given it a slight edge over the Pilot in our rankings. You might also like the roomier Volkswagen Atlas or the redesigned Ford Explorer. Overall, though, the 2020 Honda Pilot is one of the best all-rounders on the market and deserves a spot on your shopping list.

　　Notably, we picked the 2020 Honda Pilot as one of zzdcar' Best 3-Row SUVs for 2020.

　　

What's it like to live with the Pilot?

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 3-Row SUVs. Note that while we tested a 2016 Pilot, most of our observations still apply to the 2020 model. The only exceptions deal with the infotainment and transmission improvements Honda made for 2019.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the Pilot drive? The Pilot is a surprisingly able performer. We tested a Pilot Elite with the nine-speed automatic and observed a 7.0-second 0-60 mph time, which is quicker than most rival midsize three-row SUVs. Slowing down is easy, too. The brakes have a relatively consistent feel and are easy to use in everyday driving. The Pilot's panic-stopping distance from 60 mph (129 feet in our testing) is average for a big three-row crossover SUV.

　　Twisty mountain roads don't pose a problem for the Pilot ― this large crossover feels lighter than most. There's little road feel from the steering, but it is precise. The Pilot's available AWD system is fine for slippery road surfaces, but this SUV lacks the ground clearance and specific off-road aids such as hill descent control to make it truly capable off-road.

　　

Comfort

9.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Pilot? The Honda Pilot does comfort better than many in the segment. Body motions are well-controlled, but not at the expense of overall ride comfort. Small, high-frequency bumps are dispatched without any issue. The front seats have supportive backs and bottoms, providing hours of comfort. The second-row seats are similarly cushy and can recline and slide.

　　There's very little tire or wind noise inside the cabin, and the V6 sounds pretty good if you wind it out. Tri-zone climate control works well to keep everyone comfortable.

　　

Interior

8.0/10

　　How’s the interior? The Pilot exhibits typical Honda efficiency with smart use of space and practical features. The first and second rows are roomy. The third row is OK, but it's not as spacious as what you'll find in a few other rival SUVs. Still, a single button press tilts and slides the second row forward, making it easy to get into the third row.

　　Most drivers will be able to find a suitable seating position, though tall drivers might want a little more steering wheel adjustment. The upright seating position gives the driver a more commanding view out than it does in the Honda Odyssey minivan.

　　

Technology

8.0/10

　　How’s the tech? Overall, the Pilot's touchscreen system is easy to use. The navigation system responds quickly, and the 10-speaker audio system sounds great. A Wi-Fi hotspot is included on Touring and Elite models, and users with the Honda CabinControl app can connect to the in-car Wi-Fi and control certain things such as rear cabin temperature and music playlists.

　　The adaptive cruise control only works above 20 mph, which is a bummer for drivers stuck in stop-and-go traffic. Overall, the Pilot's adaptive cruise control system isn't nearly as smooth as similar features in other cars. Otherwise, all the other systems such as lane keeping assist and blind-spot monitoring work well. Its lane keeping feature, however, can be very intrusive in long, constant-radius corners.

　　

Storage

8.5/10

　　How’s the storage? The Pilot is a useful vehicle when you need to carry a lot of stuff. While cargo room is good — 16 cubic feet behind the third row and a maximum volume of 83.8 cubes with the second- and third-row seats folded — it trails segment leaders. Still, there's generous storage under the load floor, and the space is very usable.

　　Large door pockets and clever, configurable small-item storage within the center console are among the many places to store your stuff inside the cabin. Want to tow? The AWD Pilot's maximum towing capacity is 5,000 pounds, which matches that of most V6-powered, three-row SUVs. Front-wheel-drive Pilots are limited to 3,500 pounds.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA rates the all-wheel-drive Pilot at 22 mpg combined (19 city/26 highway), which is about midpack for three-row SUVs. On zzdcar 115-mile standardized drive loop, which is made up primarily of highway roads, the Pilot returned 25.2 mpg which indicates that the EPA estimates are realistic.

　　

Value

7.5/10

　　Is the Pilot a good value? We tested a fully loaded all-wheel-drive Elite, which is one of the pricier models in the class. However, it provides better comfort, quality feel and a nicer cabin than many competitors, so the price seems justified. Materials and assembly quality are high for a non-luxury vehicle, but are not substantially better than rivals. The soft-touch plastics on the dash combined with high-gloss trim and matte-finish secondary controls look and feel good.

　　Basic warranty coverage is for three years/36,000 miles with a powertrain warranty for five years/60,000 miles. These are mostly par for the course, as is the three-year/36,000-mile roadside assistance coverage.

　　

Wildcard

8.5/10

　　Among three-row SUVs, the Pilot comes across as one of the most well-rounded. Its appealing combination of power and relatively rewarding handling is rare. It's certainly not sporty, but there's a willingness to change direction here that's lacking in similar SUVs, with the exception of the Mazda CX-9. It's also comfortable and offers many conveniences.

　　

Which Pilot does zzdcar recommend?

Though all Pilot trims have strong merits, we suggest going with either the EX or the EX-L. The EX is a significant step up from the base LX and adds desirable tech features such as Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a touchscreen. The EX-L costs more, but a case can be made for it. You get leather upholstery plus some family-useful extras such as an auto-dimming mirror (helps reduce glare at night) and second-row USB ports to ensure your kiddos' electronics are topped off at all times.

　　

2020 Honda Pilot models

The Honda Pilot comes in six primary trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, Elite and Black Edition. All models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 (280 horsepower, 262 lb-ft of torque). A six-speed automatic transmission is standard for most trims, while a nine-speed transmission comes with Touring and above models. Front-wheel drive is standard on lower trims, with all-wheel drive standard on Elite and Black Edition models and optional on other trims.

　　Most models have seating for eight, though second-row captain's chairs — which reduce capacity to seven — are optional on the Touring and standard on Elite and Black Edition trims.

　　Standard features for the LX include automatic LED headlights, 60/40-split folding third-row seats, a rearview camera, a 5-inch central display screen, and a seven-speaker audio system with USB and auxiliary inputs. Standard advanced safety features include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, and automatic high-beam assist.

　　The EX gets you a lot more, including heated mirrors, keyless entry, tri-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, one-touch slide-and-fold second-row seats, an 8-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert.

　　Stepping up to the EX-L trim gets you a sunroof, a power liftgate, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, and second-row USB charging ports. There's also an EX-L subtrim that adds a navigation system and a rear entertainment system.

　　The Touring trim gets all of the above plus roof rails, sound-reducing front door glass, front and rear parking sensors, hands-free operation for the liftgate, heated rear seats, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a 10-speaker premium audio system.

　　The Elite trim comes standard with the second-row captain's chairs plus auto-dimming and power-folding side mirrors, a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and a wireless charging pad. The Black Edition is equipped identically, but with black exterior accents and red interior trim.

　　

2020 Pilot Highlights

Trim: LXEXEX-LTouringEliteBlack EditionLX

　　

Base MSRP	$31,550
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