Have you been wanting to purchase a Honda SUV, but waiting for the right time to buy it? That time may just be the 2026 model year, which brings an updated CR-V and an all-new Passport. The 2026 Honda Pilot also receives several significant upgrades to its styling, interior, and infotainment and safety features.
Now in its fourth model year, the fourth-generation Pilot is due for a refresh. All trim levels (Sport, EX-L, Touring, TrailSport, Elite, and Black Edition) receive a larger grille and redesigned front and rear scuff plates with grade-specific colors. The Pilot Touring, Elite, and Black Edition trims ride on restyled 20-inch wheels. Roof rails and a power liftgate are standard equipment across the range. Three options join the palette of available colors, which now includes the TrailSport-specific Ash Green Metallic.
Thanks to a variety of improvements, the Pilot’s cockpit is quieter and more luxurious. Semi-tempered door glass, door insulators, a new hood insulator, and other sound-absorbing measures reduce engine, road, and wind noise by 2-3 decibels in certain frequencies. Pilot TrailSport and Touring models are available with the choice of brown leather upholstery; diamond-quilted Ultrasuede seat accents help the Elite look even more upscale.
Every Pilot trim level comes with a new 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster (a 43-percent increase) and a new 12.3-inch touchscreen (a 37-percent expansion) with updated software for better performance. That larger infotainment display provides access to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Google built-in, and a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot. The Honda Sensing assortment of safety and driver assistance features (which includes technologies such as the Collision Mitigation Braking System with Pedestrian Detection, Road Departure Mitigation with Lane Departure Warning, and Adaptive Cruise Control) is joined by a new addition: Post-Collision Braking, which was designed to prevent the Pilot from hitting other vehicles after an accident.
Expect to see the new and improved 2026 Honda Pilot on dealership lots starting in December—and our review sometime in 2026.
