- Agreeable on-road driving manners
- Spacious interior
- Plenty of standard driver assist features
- Where's the hybrid?
- Even upgrade touchscreen seems small
- More lively competitors
2025 Honda Pilot – Overview
If your top priorities for a mid-size, three-row family SUV are a spacious cabin, a comfortable ride, and practical family-friendly features, the 2025 Honda Pilot delivers on all fronts—and then some. Powered by a refined 285-horsepower V-6 engine paired with a smooth 10-speed automatic transmission, the Pilot offers dependable performance. Buyers can choose between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive to suit their needs.
For those who enjoy outdoor adventures like camping, overlanding, or light off-roading, the rugged TrailSport trim stands out. It adds an extra inch of ground clearance, skid plates, and all-terrain tires, enhancing the Pilot’s off-road capability.
Inside, Honda equips every model—except the base Sport—with a user-friendly 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system loaded with all the modern connectivity features you’d expect. While the Pilot’s styling is a bit conservative compared to flashier rivals such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and Hyundai Palisade, it compensates with a generous cargo area and a clean, straightforward interior that’s easy to live with day-to-day.
Despite its strengths, the Pilot faces stiff competition in the highly competitive mid-size SUV segment, going up against heavy hitters like the Kia Telluride, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Mazda CX-90. Compared to these standout family haulers, the Pilot’s advantages feel modest, positioning it firmly in the mid-pack among roughly 30 contenders in this class.
When Is the 2025 Honda Pilot Coming Out?
The current, fourth-generation Pilot launched late in 2022 for the 2023 model year, so the 2025 model sees no significant delays or redesigns—it’s widely available at dealerships now .
What’s New for 2025 Honda Pilot?
At the top of the 2025 Pilot lineup, the all-new Black Edition trim makes a striking statement with gloss black 20-inch wheels, exclusive Black Edition badges, and a suite of blacked-out exterior accents that give it a sleek, aggressive look. Inside, the Black Edition cabin adopts a sophisticated tuxedo theme featuring embossed leather front seats and custom door mats stamped with the Black Edition logo. Red accents add a sporty touch throughout, with crimson stitching on the steering wheel, seats, and door panels. This premium trim comes standard with all-wheel drive for confident handling in various conditions.
Meanwhile, Honda has discontinued the base LX trim, shifting the Sport model into the role of the new entry-level Pilot for 2025.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The 2025 Honda Pilot starts at $41,650 and climbs to $56,030, depending on the trim level and available options.
| Trim | Starting MSRP (est.) |
|---|---|
| Sport |
$41,650
|
| EX-L |
$44,950
|
| Touring |
$48,950
|
| TrailSport |
$50,850
|
| Elite |
$54,530
|
| Black Edition |
$56,030
|
Our top recommendation is the Pilot EX-L, which strikes a great balance between affordability and features. This trim upgrades the cabin with leather seats, a larger 9.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a convenient power tailgate.
When it comes to drivetrain choice, opting for all-wheel drive depends on your personal needs. However, we believe the added towing capacity and enhanced traction make the AWD option well worth the extra cost.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The 2025 Honda Pilot is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine delivering 285 horsepower, paired with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission. While front-wheel drive is standard, all-wheel drive is available as an option for those seeking enhanced traction and capability.
Though the Pilot’s V-6 doesn’t make it a speed demon, the engine offers linear throttle response, and the transmission shifts seamlessly for a refined driving experience. On the road, the Pilot inspires confidence with precise steering and dependable braking.
The rugged TrailSport trim takes the Pilot off the beaten path with specialized features designed for mild-to-moderate off-roading. During real-world testing on moderately challenging trails near Breckenridge, Colorado, and Sedona, Arizona, the TrailSport impressed with its capability. It comes equipped with a suspension lift that adds 1 inch of ground clearance, steel skid plates, all-terrain tires, hill-descent control, and a tuned all-wheel-drive system featuring a dedicated Trail driving mode.
However, the Pilot TrailSport isn’t built to compete with hardcore off-roaders like the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, or Toyota 4Runner. Instead, it’s aimed at adventurous drivers looking for enhanced capability without sacrificing everyday usability.
0–60-MPH Times
We’ve tested two trims of the latest Honda Pilot so far. The Elite trim reached 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, while the TrailSport was slightly quicker, completing the sprint in 6.9 seconds. These figures are in line with typical performance expectations for mid-size SUVs in this segment.
Towing and Payload Capacity
The 2025 Honda Pilot can tow up to 5,000 pounds when equipped with all-wheel drive. Front-wheel-drive models are rated for a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. These figures are comparable to key rivals like the Kia Telluride and Toyota Grand Highlander but fall well short of the Dodge Durango’s impressive 8,700-pound towing capacity.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates the 2025 Honda Pilot achieves up to 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. In our real-world testing, a 2023 Pilot TrailSport — equipped with beefier all-terrain tires and additional off-road protection — returned a respectable 22 mpg on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route. This is slightly below competitors like the Kia Telluride, which managed 24 mpg in similar conditions. Meanwhile, the Pilot Elite, fitted with less aggressive tires, delivered an impressive 27 mpg on the same test.
For the latest official fuel economy ratings, you can always check the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Designed with families in mind, the 2025 Honda Pilot’s cabin offers flexible seating for up to eight passengers across three rows. Most trims come with a standard second-row bench, but the EX-L trim offers optional captain’s chairs, which become standard on the TrailSport model. The Touring and Elite trims feature a clever second-row seat design where the middle seat section can be easily removed and stored beneath the cargo floor when not needed, enhancing versatility.
Honda proudly highlights that eight of the Pilot’s cupholders can accommodate large 32-ounce water bottles—perfect for long trips and active families. Cargo space is generous, too: with all three rows in use, we managed to fit six carry-on-sized boxes behind the third row—two more than what the Kia Telluride can hold.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The base Sport trim of the 2025 Honda Pilot comes equipped with a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen paired with a matching 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster. Honda’s latest infotainment system is intuitive and user-friendly, supporting both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Stepping up from the base, all other trims feature a larger 9.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for added convenience. The Elite and Black Edition trims also upgrade the digital gauge cluster to a 10.2-inch display, enhancing the driver’s interface.
Audio quality is well catered for, with a standard 7-speaker stereo system across the lineup. Touring and Elite models take it further, boasting a premium 12-speaker Bose sound system for an immersive listening experience.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
All 2025 Honda Pilot models come standard with the Honda Sensing suite, a comprehensive package of driver-assistance technologies designed to enhance safety and confidence on the road. This includes automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlamps, and more.
For detailed crash test ratings, you can visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.
Key safety features include:
-
Automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
-
Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
-
Adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Honda’s warranty coverage for the 2025 Pilot is fairly standard for the mid-size SUV segment, though some competitors like Hyundai offer longer coverage periods. Every Pilot comes with a complimentary maintenance plan that includes regular oil changes and basic services for one year or 12,000 miles.
Warranty details include:
-
Limited warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles
-
Powertrain warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles
-
Complimentary scheduled maintenance: 1 year or 12,000 miles
2025 Honda Pilot Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | 3.5L V6, 285 hp, 262 lb-ft torque |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | FWD (standard), AWD (available) |
| Seating Capacity | 7–8 (with captain’s chairs) |
| Cargo Volume (max) | 87 cu ft |
| 0–60 mph | 6.9–7.8 seconds (trim-dependent) |
| Fuel Economy (combined) | 22 mpg |
| Infotainment Screen | 7″ (Sport); 9″ standard on others |
| Safety Ratings | 5-STAR NHTSA, IIHS Top Safety Pick+ |
| Warranty | 3y/36k mi limited; 5y/60k mi powertrain |
| Complimentary Maintenance | 2y/24k mi |
Final Verdict
The 2025 Honda Pilot excels as a solid, well-rounded family SUV. Its strengths lie in reliability, comfort, cargo versatility, and top-tier safety. However, its boxy styling, average third-row space, and unremarkable tech edge leave it trailing more modern rivals.
Choose the Touring AWD for balance, or opt for TrailSport/Black Edition for added flair and off-road flair. The Pilot remains a dependable choice in an increasingly competitive segment.
2025 Honda Pilot Videos
