Better late than never. This was our original take on the Honda Pilot when it arrived for the 2003 model year, dragging the Japanese automaker firmly into the mid-size SUV market. Previously, Honda did the unthinkable and outsourced its presence in this family-friendly segment by rebadging the Isuzu Rodeo as the Honda Passport.
The 2022 Honda Pilot is bigger, roomier, and also significantly pricier than the original. We’ve praised the current-generation Pilot for its refined driving manners, punchy V-6 engine, and minivan-like cargo capacity and practicality. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, given the Pilot shares its platform and powertrain with the Honda Odyssey minivan.
While the Pilot fails to excite us in the same way Honda’s Civic Type R does, nor does it have the nostalgic glow of the brand’s S2000 sports car, the three-row SUV is hugely important to Honda’s current success in the American marketplace.
