Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
The Honda Pilot is a mid-size three-row crossover with three-row seating manufactured by Honda since 2002. The Pilot is the largest SUV produced by Honda. Pilots are currently manufactured in Lincoln, Alabama. The Pilot shares its platform with the Acura MDX, as well as the North American market Odyssey minivan. The Pilot’s unibody construction and independent suspension are designed to provide handling similar to that of a car, and it has integrated perimeter frame rails to permit towing and light off-road use. I was excited to be able to get some seat time with it.
The Honda Pilot is sporty/family SUV wrapped all into one ride. The Pilot that we reviewed came in a Radiant Red Metallic II hue. The Pilot Black Edition comes with a more aggressive look that includes a gloss black grille bar and upper side mirror housings, Black Edition badges on the grille and tailgate, door garnishes and rear bumper garnish, blackout treatments for the front fascia ducts, window trim and sitting on gloss black 20-inch alloy wheels. This Black Edition Pilot is an attention grabber as soon as it turns onto the block.
The interior of the Pilot did not disappoint me at all. The Black Edition is the only Pilot trim with red-accented perforated leather seating, red contrast stitching on the steering wheel, seats and door panels, and red accent lighting illuminating the dash, doors and center console. The Black Edition logo is embossed on the front seats and floor mats. There is ample interior space due to the extra length of the wheelbase.
When discussing the interior, I have to talk about the infotainment system. Honda pushes innovation and equips the Pilot with a touchscreen On-Demand Multi-Use display and a bundle of USB ports scattered throughout the vehicle. You can select between navigation, smartphone, SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, HD radio and the 16 speaker Honda ELS studio premium sound system was crystal clear.
We had a chance to put the Pilot’s cargo area to use during our annual Holiday Food and Toy giveaway event. Thanks to the generosity and philanthropic nature of the good people at Honda, we were provided a 2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition to assist in delivering toys and supplies to the toy drive location, as well as deliver groceries to the neighboring senior living buildings for those that could not make it out to the event. The Pilot features 18.6 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, 48.5 cubic feet with the third row folded and 87.0 cubic feet behind the front seats. For a family hauler turned into a delivery truck, it served us well.
Now let’s get to the actual drive. The Pilot is powered by a 3.5-liter non-turbocharged V6 making 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Honda’s Intelligent Variable Torque Management™ (iVTM-4®) all-wheel-drive system is standard. The Pilot moves pretty quick for an SUV. It can handle sharp curves and twisty roads with control. Ultimately, the Pilot is a pleasure to drive. Steering is calm and steady. You do not feel like you are fighting with the steering wheel to keep position. The Pilot has EPA fuel-economy ratings that rank on par with other crossovers in its’ class. The Pilot delivers 19 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg combined.
Safety is important to Honda as the Pilot is equipped with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, standard automated emergency braking, standard adaptive cruise control, drivers and passenger side airbags, vehicle stability assist, anti-lock brakes and a tire monitoring pressure system. The 2025 Honda Pilot SUV has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest accolade, the 2024 TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) rating.
Honda’s new-car warranty falls in line with what other brands are offering. Some brands offer complimentary scheduled maintenance but that has not become the norm yet so Honda will get a pass for now. The Pilot comes with a 3-Year/36,000-Mile Limited Warranty, plus a 5-Year/60,000-Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty.
The Honda Pilot sits in a competitive class amongst the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, the Nissan Pathfinder, Mazda CX-90, Ford Explorer and the Toyota Grand Highlander. The model that we tested was the Black Edition that is positioned above the Trailsport and Elite in the Pilot lineup.
As US imposed tariffs are now the hot topic in the industry, it is good to know that every fourth-generation Pilot is built in America, exclusively at the Honda Alabama Auto Plant in Lincoln, Alabama, continuing the 40-year legacy of Honda’s commitment to build products close to the customer. Since 2006, Honda has produced more than 2 million Pilots in the U.S. You can save yourself some extra money with the Pilot. The 2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition that we tested came in at $55,675.00. Please enjoy the photo gallery.
