2026 Honda Pilot: Advanced Screening, Minor Updates
Key Points
- With the 2027 Kia Telluride likely dominating headlines at the 2025 L.A. Auto Show, the 2026 Honda Pilot’s updates seem more minor than they are.
- The updates are still pretty minor, however, with the biggest changes being new front styling and a larger standard 12.3-inch touchscreen display.
Debuting at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show, Honda’s flagship three-row Pilot SUV enters the 2026 model year with some very modest updates. As the three-row SUV class heats up – the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride are both freshly redesigned, not just refreshed — it’s possible the new Pilot might struggle to compete with the headline-grabbing South Korean offerings. But the Pilot remains a competent three-row SUV that is at least trying to keep pace with the competition.
Related: More 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show News
More Screen
- Takeaway: Both the digital instrument panel and touchscreen are larger on every new trim of the Pilot, and their user interfaces are very familiar and intuitive.
The biggest news for the 2026 Pilot is the addition of a standard 10.2-inch digital instrument panel, which replaces a 7-inch display in lower trims, and a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen display that’s bigger than either the 7- or 9-inch displays in previous models. Both displays look great and are easy to use, though the touchscreen still looks fairly tacked on instead of integrated into the dashboard.
The rest of the interior remains relatively unchanged, which means it’s still roomy and comfortable for adults in the first two rows, and everything in the TrailSport trim on the show floor felt exceptionally well put together. The updates may not excite, but they do elevate the Pilot’s interior to passably competitive.
New Face
- Takeaway: Styling is subjective, but the new front styling on the Pilot makes it look a bit better to us.
The larger grille design and more rugged scuff plates on the new Pilot give it a more rugged appearance that should help steer some shoppers away from Honda’s beefier Passport. The TrailSport-exclusive rear styling and orange-outlined “Pilot” badging are appealing, as well, especially against the black trim and new (and TrailSport-exclusive) Ash Green Metallic paint.
What About Everything Else?
- Takeaway: Little else has changed for 2026 beyond some steering enhancements and upgrades to quietness.
Honda hasn’t made any changes to the Pilot’s powertrain, leaving shoppers with just one engine choice (3.5-liter V-6) and one transmission (10-speed automatic). Those two are adequate for their application in the Pilot, but as more competitors move to either turbocharged four-cylinders with higher torque figures or more powerful and more efficient hybrids, the lack of change here is a bit disappointing. Honda does say that the Pilot’s steering feel is improved and its cabin is quieter, but we can’t confirm those until we get behind the wheel.
As things stand, it seems like the Pilot, despite its upgrades, may struggle to retain its midfield standing in a crowded and increasingly competitive segment.
Read More About the Honda Pilot:
- 2026 Honda Pilot Gets Freshened Styling and Upgraded Tech Features
- Which SUVs Can Tow at Least 5,000 Pounds?
- What’s New for the 2025 Honda Pilot?
- 2025 Honda Pilot Advances to IIHS Top Safety Pick+
- What’s the Best 3-Row SUV for 2024?
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