Which Version of the Honda Pilot Should You Buy?Michael Simari - Car and DriverIf you're wondering which version of the Honda Pilot to buy, we have a recommendation for which trim level to choose.The EX-L trim is the best value, since it nicely balances price with feature content.The EX-L comes standard with front-wheel drive, but opting for all-wheel drive ups the maximum towing capacity from 3500 pounds to 5000.See Our Comprehensive Honda Pilot Make-Model PageShop New Cars | Shop Used CarsAdvertisementAdvertisementThe aging Honda Pilot may lack the luster of its newer competitors, but the Japanese automaker's mid-size three-row crossover SUV still has plenty of perks. With its far-from-state-of-the-art tech and old-school V-6, the Pilot is an appealing option among Luddites who want a reasonably comfortable and easy-to-operate people mover with a relatively simple powertrain that forgoes any newfangled high-voltage electric bits.Parsing through the model's seven available trims, however, may leave Pilot shoppers feeling a bit crosseyed. Some will decide they want all the bells and whistles, no matter the price, while others will find that their budget limits their reach to only the least expensive iteration of the model.We wager that most Pilot buyers likely land somewhere between those two ends of the spectrum: they're willing to forgo unnecessary frivolities but are willing to spend a few extra greenbacks to nab a trim that offers the most bang for their buck. For these shoppers, we think there's one Pilot trim level that clearly stands above the rest.Which Pilot Trim Level Is the Best?Our research reveals that the Pilot EX-L offers the best balance of feature content for the price. At $46,190, the front-drive Pilot EX-L costs $2300 more than the entry-level Pilot Sport. This difference nets buyers niceties such as leather-trimmed seats, a memory system for the power driver's seat, a second-row middle seat that stows away (unlike the fixed one in the Sport), a wireless phone charger, and parking sensors. The EX-L also swaps the Sport's 20-inch wheels and tires for a set of 18s, which, depending on your priorities, is either a net gain or a net loss. We're in the former camp, as the minuscule aesthetic hit the Pilot takes is more than offset by the thicker sidewalls of the 18-inch rubber, which help the tires better absorb pits and pockmarks in the road.What Options Should You Consider?HondaFor better or worse, Honda offers few options within its trim lines. This leaves Pilot EX-L with only two additional financial decisions to make: color and drivetrain. Of the seven colors available, four are no-cost options, while the other three add $455 to the bottom line.AdvertisementAdvertisementMeanwhile, opting for all-wheel drive adds $2100 to the bill. Adding all-wheel drive also improves the Pilot's maximum towing capacity. Whereas Honda rates front-drive Pilots to tow a maximum of 3500 pounds, the automaker gives the nod for all-wheel-drive models to tow up to 5000 pounds.What Do I Miss Out On in the Higher Trim Levels?Moving up the trim ladder does bring some additional niceties to the Pilot, though just how valuable they are depends on your personal preferences. Opt for the more off-road-oriented and all-wheel-drive-only $52,090 Pilot TrailSport, and Honda throws in the likes of all-terrain tires, bespoke suspension tuning, additional underbody protection, an integrated trailer hitch, a panoramic sunroof, and a surround-view camera system. However, the Trailsport does lose the stowable middle second-row seat of the EX-L.The higher-spec Touring, Touring Blackout, Elite, and Black Edition all include the feature, though. These trims also come standard with all-wheel drive. The $52,790 Touring builds upon the more tarmac-oriented EX-L but includes the TrailSport's big sunroof and surround-view camera system. To this, it adds a Bose sound system, a hands-free power-operated liftgate, and 20-inch wheels and tires. If you like the Touring's features but not its chrome trim, then the $53,990 Touring Blackout is for you. As its name implies, it's effectively a Touring with black exterior finishes and wheels.Michael Simari - Car and DriverGoing the $55,190 Pilot Elite route, meanwhile, brings a head-up display, rain-sensing wipers, perforated leather seat trim, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated outboard second-row seats to the table. Like the lesser Touring Blackout, the flagship $56,690 is little more than a Pilot Elite kitted with blacked-out exterior bits.AdvertisementAdvertisementYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
