Is the 2025 Honda Pilot worth $40,200?

Americans have proven their love for large vehicles time and time again, but that love affair has resulted in a hotly-contested field. It’s here where the Honda Pilot does battle, with spacious seating for the whole family and a sweet suite of safety tech to boot. While price differences remain relatively insignificant across the midsize SUV segment, spec sheets are a different ball game.

These days, crossovers tend to rule the roost and have nearly pushed sedans out of the market. For those who need more space, a midsize SUV is usually the next step up. A higher ride height, three-row seating, and expansive cargo space are just a few features midsize SUVs have to offer families.

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Redesigned for the 2023 model year, the Honda Pilot has remained mostly unchanged. In 2024, the SUV arrived with the exact same trim line as the previous year. For 2025, Honda cut the LX trim from the Pilot’s lineup, making the Sport trim the new base model. Notably, the LX trim started at under $39,000, and cutting it increases the base Pilot’s price to over $40,000.

The fact the SUV hasn’t seen any changes since its redesign two years ago is a tad bit concerning. Given that the midsize SUV segment is one of the hottest in the industry, it’s easy for a model to fall behind the curve.

The Honda Pilot is practical if lacking in modern amenities

In its fourth generation, the Honda Pilot features a rugged design paired with a rather controversial set of amenities for the price. Starting at $40,200, the 2025 Honda Pilot offers the basics of any midsize SUV, with seating for up to eight passengers and plenty of cargo space. The Honda Pilot also comes in six trim levels for the 2025 model year.

The base Sport trim is just that – basic. It comes equipped with cloth seats, a seven-inch touchscreen display, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, just to name a few amenities. Higher trim levels have more to offer, including wireless smartphone charging, a nine-inch touchscreen display, and leather-trimmed seats, but they’ll cost you a pretty penny.

The 2025 Honda Pilot comes powered by a spunky 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive comes standard, but you can upgrade to all-wheel drive for a price. That combination delivers 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. FWD models are rated for an EPA-estimated 19 city mpg, 27 highway mpg, and 22 combined mpg. AWD models see fuel economy drop by two miles per gallon on the highway.

The Honda Pilot is up against steep competition for the 2025 model year. The Toyota Highlander, starting at $39,520, features a 265-horsepower engine and earns up to 25 combined mpg. The Ford Explorer, available from $39,755, comes powered by a 300-horsepower engine and is rated for an EPA-estimated 24 combined mpg.

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There’s also the 2025 Kia Telluride, starting at $36,390, which comes with a 291-horsepower engine and earns up to 22 combined mpg. The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander steps onto the field, too, starting at $43,630 with a 265-horsepower engine that’s rated for 24 combined mpg.

When compared to that lineup, the 2025 Honda Pilot certainly has its work cut out for it. There are plenty of other midsize SUVs that carry the basics or better in their base models. Worse for the Pilot (but better for consumers), many of them start at a lower price.

Which of the Pilot’s rivals is the most competitive?

In a segment where quite a few automakers have multiple entries, pinpointing a single model as the most competitive is a tough task. When it comes to size, space, and capability, the Toyota Highlander seems to be a fair comparison. Typical, as consumers tend to compare Honda and Toyota when looking into one or the other.

In price alone, the base Toyota Highlander, starting at $39,520, is the more affordable option, albeit not by much, as the entry-level Honda Pilot starts at $40,200. Both models feature seating for up to eight passengers and come with their respective manufacturers’ suite of safety systems.

Performance is similar between the two SUVs, with the Pilot’s 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. While the Highlander comes powered by a smaller 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, it rolls out with a rather impressive 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Power comes channeled through a 10-speed automatic transmission in the Pilot and an eight-speed automatic transmission in the Highlander.

Thanks to its smaller engine, the Toyota Highlander has an edge when it comes to fuel economy, earning up to 22 city mpg and 29 highway mpg. The Honda Pilot’s efficiency is reflective of its larger V6 engine, rated for 19 city mpg and 27 highway mpg.

In terms of capability, the 2025 Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander both come with standard two-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is an available upgrade. In the Pilot, upgrading to AWD will cost you $2,100, while the Highlander’s AWD option adds $1,600 to the SUV’s price. Both SUVs are capable of towing up to 5,000 lbs when properly equipped.

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The Highlander tops the Pilot in tech, but Honda holds its own

By way of tech, the Toyota Highlander holds a clear advantage in base form. While both models come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, only the Highlander’s is wireless. The Highlander also comes with an eight-inch touchscreen display, an inch larger than the Pilot’s seven-inch touchscreen.

Inside, the 2025 Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander both offer three-row seating with room for up to eight passengers. With all three rows upright, the Pilot offers more cargo space, up to 18.6 cu ft, versus the Highlander’s 16 cu ft. Folding the third and second row down takes the Pilot’s cargo space up to 87 cu ft, putting it ahead of the Highlander’s 84.3 cu ft.

The Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander are certainly comparable, but their respective manufacturer’s rivalry might be a little overdone. As such, I think a quick comparison between the Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer is in order.

Domestic competition steps in

Starting at $39,755, the 2025 Ford Explorer is a family hauler with a rugged style on par with the Honda Pilot. While it undercuts the Pilot by a few hundred dollars, the Explorer doesn’t cut corners when it comes to amenities.

The base Ford Explorer rolls out with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that delivers 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and intelligent four-wheel drive is available for an additional $2,000. When properly equipped, the Ford Explorer can match the Pilot with a maximum 5,000-lb towing capacity.

By performance alone, the Ford Explorer tops the Honda Pilot. The story is the same when it comes to efficiency. The Explorer’s 20 city mpg and 29 highway mpg comes out to 24 combined mpg, putting it ahead of the Pilot’s 22 combined mpg.

The base Honda Pilot is rather lackluster in the infotainment area, equipped with a seven-inch touchscreen display and wired smartphone compatibility software. The Ford Explorer outdoes it with a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen display and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The Pilot takes home a win when it comes to seating, though, with space for up to eight passengers. The Ford Explorer only seats up to seven passengers.

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Final thoughts

The 2025 Honda Pilot isn’t the worst offering in its highly competitive segment, but it’s far from the best. Given its rather lackluster infotainment offerings and an engine that doesn’t quite go the distance in efficiency, there are better SUVs to choose from. While the V6 engine is far from weak, competitors offer more powerful and more efficient options.

Starting at $40,200, the Pilot doesn’t quite manage to justify its price, especially since it arrives virtually unchanged since its redesign for the 2023 model year. Frankly, there are better, more well-equipped base model competitors to choose from. While Honda’s reputation for reliability is certainly a factor to take into account, keep in mind that the Toyota Highlander is in the running here as well.

Regardless, if you can afford the slightly higher price, which can be considered insignificant depending on your budget, the Honda Pilot can be a solid offering. While it lacks the tech and frills of many competitors, it remains a practical family SUV for day-to-day driving.

I personally wouldn’t choose the base 2025 Honda Pilot Sport, though. Instead, I’d opt for the EX-L trim, available from $43,500, which adds a bunch of amenities, including a larger touchscreen and power tailgate, to Honda’s trusty SUV.

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