2026 Honda Pilot

The 2023-present Honda Pilot is the fourth generation of the three-row crossover, built on a new platform with a longer wheelbase and a more upright, squared-off exterior that deliberately recalls the second generation. It is powered by a revised 3.5-liter J35Y8 V6 paired with a ten-speed automatic, with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive optional. A TrailSport trim adds a lift, steel skid plates, all-terrain tires, and a retuned all-wheel-drive system, the most off-road-oriented Pilot yet offered.

The new platform improved third-row space and introduced a removable middle seat in the second row that stows under the cargo floor, a genuinely useful packaging solution. Variable Cylinder Management was dropped from this engine, resolving the ownership issue that shadowed the two previous generations. Compared with the third generation, the interior is more conventional and the driving position more commanding.

For used buyers, the fourth-generation Pilot is recent enough that most examples remain under factory warranty. The removal of cylinder deactivation and the move to a ten-speed automatic address the two most-cited complaints about the previous car. The main decisions for a buyer are trim and whether the TrailSport hardware is worth the ride and fuel-economy trade-off. Third-row space is a clear improvement and is worth verifying in person against the outgoing generation.