2025 Honda Pilot: A Spacious Family SUV with Mixed Comforts

Two years have passed since Honda unveiled the latest generation of its Pilot SUV, a vehicle that debuted with a refreshed, muscular design aimed at capturing attention in the competitive mid-size SUV market. Despite its strong initial impression, the Pilot has since receded somewhat from the spotlight, leading some to wonder if it’s truly memorable. After spending a week and covering 600 miles in the 2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition, it’s clear that this SUV excels in certain areas—particularly in accommodating large families—but also falls short in others, such as long-distance comfort and fuel efficiency. This review takes a closer look at the Pilot’s strengths and weaknesses to determine where it stands in a crowded segment.

Aesthetics and Interior Space: A Blend of Style and Functionality

The 2025 Honda Pilot is one of the more visually appealing options in the mid-size SUV segment, thanks to its balanced design that merges ruggedness with sophistication. The Black Edition trim further enhances its visual appeal with blacked-out exterior accents and striking Radiant Red Metallic paint, making the Pilot a head-turner on the road. Inside, the Black Edition continues to impress with a stylish red-on-black color scheme, featuring red stitching and ambient red lighting.

While the overall design is functional, it’s starting to show its age just two years after its introduction, particularly with the 9.0-inch touchscreen, which feels small compared to competitors. However, the user-friendly infotainment system, coupled with excellent smartphone integration, ensures that the tech-savvy won’t feel too shortchanged. The Pilot’s standout feature is its spacious interior, particularly the third row, which can comfortably accommodate adults—something rare in this vehicle class. The flexibility of the interior design, which allows for multiple seating configurations and easy-to-use seat-folding mechanisms, adds to its appeal as a family vehicle. Whether you need to transport passengers or cargo, the Pilot adapts with ease.

Performance and Driving Experience: Adequate but Unremarkable

Under the hood, the 2025 Pilot is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine producing 285 horsepower, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. While the engine provides sufficient power for daily driving and highway merging, it lacks the excitement or refinement found in some of its competitors. The Pilot’s performance is best described as adequate—reliable and capable, but not particularly thrilling. The Pilot’s ride quality is another area where it excels.

The suspension system does an excellent job of smoothing out rough roads, ensuring a comfortable ride for passengers. Honda’s driver assistance features, included in the Honda Sensing suite, contribute to a stress-free driving experience, with systems like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist working seamlessly in the background. However, the Pilot’s fuel efficiency is a drawback. The all-wheel-drive model is rated at 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, with a combined rating of 21 mpg. During my week of driving, I averaged 22 mpg, but in city driving, the fuel economy often dipped into the high teens. Given that other SUVs in this class offer better fuel efficiency with more powerful engines, this is a notable disadvantage.

Comfort and Practicality: Roomy but Could Be Softer

Comfort is crucial in a family SUV, and the Pilot delivers in most areas, particularly in its spaciousness. The first and second rows offer plenty of room, and the third row is surprisingly accommodating for adults. The ease of accessing the third row and the variety of seating configurations make the Pilot a practical choice for families who need flexibility.

However, the comfort of the front seats, particularly in the Black Edition, leaves something to be desired. The seats are firm—too firm, in fact, for long-distance driving. After an hour behind the wheel, I found the seat bottom to be uncomfortably stiff, a surprising flaw in an otherwise well-thought-out interior. This could be a dealbreaker for those who frequently embark on long road trips.

Interior Technology and Cargo Space: A Well-Equipped Workhorse

The Pilot’s interior technology is a mixed bag. The infotainment system is intuitive and easy to use, but the 9.0-inch touchscreen feels outdated in a market where larger screens are becoming the norm. However, Honda makes up for this with practical features like the CabinTalk in-car PA system, which is a blessing for families with noisy kids or elderly passengers.

Cargo space is another area where the Pilot shines. With all seats in use, the Pilot offers 22.4 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold down the third row, and that expands to 60.1 cubic feet. Remove the second-row center seat and fold the seats forward, and you have a cavernous 112.1 cubic feet of space—enough to haul bulky items with ease. The various configurations are simple to operate, making the Pilot a versatile option for families who need to transport both people and cargo.