Honda Pilot 2025: Spacious, Versatile, and Family-Oriented SUV
Honda Pilot 2025: If a roomy cabin, a comfortable ride, and family-friendly features are at the top of your wish list for your next mid-size, three-row family SUV, the 2025 Honda Pilot delivers just that—and even a little more.
The 285-hp V-6 engine with a 10-speed automatic comes with front- or all-wheel drive. Those interested in camping, overlanding, and off-roading will find the rugged TrailSport trim the best option, as it comes with an extra inch of ground clearance, skid plates, and all-terrain tires.
Honda equips all but the base Sport model with a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen system featuring all the expected connectivity options.
In terms of style, the Honda may appear somewhat lackluster next to rivals such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and the Hyundai Palisade, but what the Pilot lacks in aesthetics, it compensates for with a generous cargo area and a straightforward interior that’s easy to live with. Despite its capabilities, the Pilot competes in the crowded and highly competitive segment of mid-size crossovers and SUVs, against such superstar family haulers as the Kia Telluride, the Toyota Grand Highlander, and the Mazda CX-90. In this context, the Pilot’s strengths appear relatively modest, making it a mid-pack player in this 30-strong class.
Honda Pilot 2025: What’s New for 2025?
The new Black Edition trim sits at the top of the lineup for 2025, featuring gloss black 20-inch wheels, Black Edition badges, and other blacked-out exterior trim elements. The cabin receives a tuxedo-like appearance, including embossed leather front seats and door mats featuring the Black Edition logo. Red accents are sprinkled throughout the interior, including crimson stitching on the steering wheel, seats, and door panels. This trim comes standard with all-wheel drive. The base LX trim has been discontinued, making the Sport model the new entry-level Pilot.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The price of the 2025 Honda Pilot starts at $41,295 and goes up to $55,675 depending on the trim and options. We recommend the Pilot EX-L due to its balance of price and features. The EX-L trim adds leather seats, the bigger 9.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a power tailgate. Whether or not you need all-wheel drive is a matter of personal preference. For us, the increased towing capacity that comes with it is worth the money.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Pilot is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 285 horsepower and is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Although the SUV is primarily a front-wheel-drive model, all-wheel drive is available as an option. The V-6 isn’t fast, but the throttle response is smooth, and the 10-speed shifts seamlessly. On the road, the Pilot feels refined and offers confidence-inspiring steering and braking. The rugged TrailSport model proved itself capable on moderately difficult terrain encountered on real-world off-road trails near Breckenridge, Colorado, and Sedona, Arizona. The Pilot TrailSport features a special suspension with a 1.0-inch lift, steel skid plates, all-terrain tires, a hill-descent control system, and a specially tuned all-wheel drive system with a Trail driving mode. Honda hasn’t designed it for extreme rock crawling; it’s for mild-to-moderate off-roading.
Honda Pilot 2025: 0–60 MPH Times
We’ve tested two Pilot trims since the latest redesign. The Elite trim managed to hit 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, while the TrailSport was quicker, finishing the same test in 6.9 seconds—typical performance for vehicles in this class.
Towing and Payload Capacity
The maximum towing capacity of the 2025 Honda Pilot is 5000 pounds, but that’s limited to all-wheel drive models. Front-wheel drive Pilots manage 3500 pounds of towing. This matches the towing capability of its closest competitors, such as the Telluride and Grand Highlander, but it’s far behind the Dodge Durango’s 8700-pound might.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates that the Pilot is good for up to 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. We’ve tested a 2023 Pilot TrailSport, which features beefier all-terrain tires and added off-road armor, on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route, and it returned 22 mpg. That’s just shy of other V-6-powered three-row SUVs such as the Kia Telluride, which returned 24 mpg. The Pilot Elite we tested, which rolls on less aggressive tires, delivered 27 mpg in the same test. For more information about the Pilot’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Honda Pilot 2025: Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Designed with families in mind, the 2025 Honda Pilot’s cabin caters to a family-friendly experience. Most trims accommodate up to eight passengers across three rows of seats. Second-row captain’s chairs are optional on the EX-L trim and come standard on the TrailSport. The Touring and Elite models have removable middle second-row seats that store under the cargo floor. Honda proudly states that eight of the Pilot’s cupholders can hold large 32-ounce water bottles. With all seats up, the Pilot fits six carry-on boxes—two more than the Kia Telluride.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The base Sport model comes equipped with a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and a matching 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster. Honda’s latest infotainment interface is user-friendly and includes both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims feature a larger 9.0-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, while the Elite and Black Edition models boast a 10.2-inch gauge cluster. All Pilot models feature a 7-speaker stereo, while Touring and Elite trims get a premium 12-speaker Bose system.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Honda equips all Pilot models with a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features known as Honda Sensing. This includes automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlamps, and more. For detailed information about the Pilot’s crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
- Standard adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Honda’s warranty is average for its class, with competitors like Hyundai offering longer coverage. However, all Pilot models include a complimentary maintenance plan covering regular oil changes and basic services for two years or 24,000 miles.
- Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for two years or 24,000 miles
