I’ve owned three Honda Pilots. When you have brand loyalty, you end up buying the same car over and over.

My second Pilot, a 2016, had very little technology that worked with my phone. It had a CarPlay like interface, but not Carplay, but it never worked well. The most annoying problem was that every time I plugged in my charging cord, the music app would take over and play the same song from my library. I never figured out how to stop it. When you get into your car, you just want to go. You don’t want to spend 45 minutes watching YouTube videos trying to fix a problem that’s hard to even describe.

I assumed a new Honda would fix all of this, since the technology would have matured. So I started shopping. My wife asked me to look at competitors like the Kia Telluride, Toyota Highlander, VW Atlas, and maybe the Hyundai Palisade. I kept hearing that their interfaces and technology were light-years ahead of Honda’s. It didn’t matter to me. I wanted the consistency of another Pilot.

I don’t think I made a bad decision. Honda makes solid, reliable cars. Across three Pilots, I’ve never had one break down. I kept up with regular maintenance (tires, filters, fluids), but I can’t remember ever taking one in because something was broken. I had one or two recalls, and both were handled during routine service. The most notable was on the 2016: the hood latch could apparently open at high speed. The hood always felt oddly loose, even after the recall fix, but it never opened on the road.

The real problem with the 2025 Honda Pilot Elite is everything runs through the center console: CarPlay, infotainment, maps, and the rest of the controls.

For some reason, Honda’s engineers seem to think you want to click ten times to switch your Wi-Fi from the CarPlay default to, say, Starlink:

1. Tap the main screen to open Settings.
2. Move to the next screen.
3. Select “Connections” (easily confused with another menu of the same name, but I digress).
4. Select Wi-Fi.
5. Confirm that you want to change it.
6. Tap “Yes.”
7. Answer “No” when asked if you want to switch to your iPhone.
8. Choose a network.
9. Select Starlink.
10. Go back.

This is one of the most ridiculous parts of the platform. It feels like the engineers never drove a car or used a real interface. Their idea of UX has nothing to do with reality. Who wants to do that every time they get in the car? Why not put a “Change Wi-Fi” button in the top-right corner, with an option to set any network as the default? Two or three taps, max. And many other functions work the same way.

My wife and I share the car often. She uses Driver 2 settings, and I use Driver 1. Somehow the car now defaults to Driver 2, and no matter what I try, I can’t get it to default to mine.

Another issue: whenever I plug in my phone, the car immediately takes over, no matter what I’m doing. If I’m on a call, recording a video, or listening to something, it hijacks the audio. That ruins the video, degrades the call or Zoom quality, and interrupts whatever I was doing. Then it runs through its whole routine: connecting to the Honda app and showing me the car’s status. And sometimes the sound ends up muted, so I can’t hear anything at all. The fix is simple. Ask whether I want to connect now or wait. One button.

Overall, the interface wasn’t designed for ease of use, simplicity, or the critical functions you need to change on a trip, whether you pull over or do it on the move. Someone at Honda needs to ride along with real owners who use every feature: people who drive across the country, make changes on the road, share the car with other drivers, and need to find something on the console quickly. Then they need to optimize for that. And it needs to happen before the next model comes out.

Overall, my decision was made on the fact that Honda has a great reputation and it's been ultra reliable for me over the last 20 years of owning multiple Hondas. Now, if I was making the decision today, I would definitely put tech at the top of the list of things I need. It's just too important.

I picked it up in 2021 with 11k miles on it and it's been serving me well for my weekly Costco runs and occasional large item haul. The only thing that I don't like about it really is that it's not really fuel efficient. 18mpg max with my heavy foot (that's just the way I drive. can't help it). With gas prices soaring, I decided to trade (down) for a 2023 Civic Sport Touring and I immediately noticed the ride comfort of the Pilot compared to the Civic is night and day. The Pilot has a more premium, luxurious feel to it and cabin noise is almost non-existent due to better build quality. The Civic, although a 4 cylinder, had some pep to its step in sport mode, but fuel economy is dampened in that mode and I got it for much better fuel efficiency 30+mph. The technology was newer and pretty advanced compared to the Pilot (adaptive cruise control, keeping you in your lane, and showing the positioning of surrounding vehicles, which i thought was pretty cool). However, I noticed the build quality leaves a lot of be desired in the newer Civic and the wind noise was rather loud. Also the weatherstripping was loose which caused popping sounds whenever I drove over uneven roads which was pretty frequently for the day that I had it. With all that said, I was still doing to keep the Civic until... The next morning, the dealership did not follow through with their promises and were rude and condescending. So I took the Civic back and cancelled the contract (because dealer didn't fulfill their end). But I'm leaving this for anyone considering what I was considering. Trading a Black Edition Pilot for a Sport Touring Civic. Pilot is definitely more comfortable to drive and smoother on the roads, has great luxury feel, higher quality materials and build, and quiet cabin, but drinks gas. Civic is much lower to the ground and you can feel every imperfection in the road, has a lot more wind noise and interior vibrations you can hear, but has advanced technology, and build quality and materials leave a lot to desire. Just my 2 cents.

We currently own a 2010 Odyssey and want to upgrade to a newer Pilot. the Odyssey has been rife with VCM issues that we inherited from the previous owner.

Which Pilot years are the safest from these same issues?

Thanks.

My 2018 EX-L system does not sound good in my opinion. Especially the bass, it's so muddy, flat and sounds poor.

I don't feel the effects of the built-in subwoofer either and I definitely have it on.

Mids and highs are "acceptable"..!

Would you replace all speakers or just add a better subwoofer? How about a low profile underseat style?

Your thoughts and advice please.

We took our 2025 Elite in for the A1 maintence (oil change) to the dealership at 21K miles. The service rep wanted to perform 3 maintenance items: air induction service, A/C cabin filter replacement, and Engine air filter replacement. Total cost would be almost $900.

My husband was very angry and declined all 3 services, because we have the extended warranty and he thought this would be covered it’s not.

My husband is extremely frugal. He doesn’t use Reddit. We’re we wise to decline all 3 maintenance services? I’m the wife and don’t know much about vehicle maintenance. In the past we took our 2013 Pilot in for service at the dealership and did all the suggested maintenance.

We received a OTD of $53k for a 2026 Pilot Touring in MA. The original OTD was $53.7k. We have been communicating via email only so far.

Is this a good deal? Should we ask for more off after discussing financing? What is the move after they’ve already reduced the price once.

Thanks!

Having issues trying to use the Alexa app in our 2026 Pilot w. Google Built-In. I can use the to do this like play music, disarm the home alarm, set navigation, ect.

But, to try and do simple things like "Call Joe" or "Send a Text to Jane" Alexa states that the blutooth is not connected. However, when I look on my Android phone, I have a Bluetooth connection to Honda Link. In the device connections, it shows that my phone is connected in the car.

Any thoughts?

Took my 2022 Pilot to the dealer for oil change. They said my compliance bushings on the control arm need replaced on front passenger side. Never heard of this before. Quoted $1700. And other side starting to dry rot per the tech. Seems pretty necessary to fix but quote is high right?

Was driving and heard a scraping noise, pulled over to check what it was and saw this hanging. Google says it’s the exhaust heat shield cover? It doesn’t look like it’s something I can just close up, there are bolts, yes? I don’t know much about cars and just want to know is this going to be a big expensive repair or something I can do myself? How long will the repair take? I use my car for work so being without it will be a detriment. Thanks in advance for the responses!

Help please. I feel like I’m losing the hairs off off my eyebrows at this point.

I got a 2009 Honda Pilot last week. This is the timeline of events.

October 14: Battery light went off on the dashboard and roughly 30 mins later, the car would not accelerate and the lights started blinking inside like Christmas lights. I was able to drive it into a parking spot at a bakery (thank you Jesus!). Then car shut down.

A friend was able to help me jumpstart the car. It turned on for all of 30 seconds but would not let me switch gears.

Purchased a new battery from Autozone and replaced it in the bakery parking lot.

We brought it to autozone to return the old battery and to get the battery light turned off from the dashboard but the employee told us that it’s likely the alternator. He could not clear the battery signal from the dashboard.

The car also makes a growling sound while waiting for a light or parked. Almost like a humming that comes and goes. Car drives smoothly otherwise and once the battery was replaced there was no more problem accelerating.

I didn’t feel safe driving the car because I didn’t want to be left stranded in the middle of the expressway somewhere.

Did some research and some mechanics suggested that it could be an alternator problem.

Car was not driven until 10/18

On 10/18 used a multimeter and the battery was 12.4v while off and 13.78 when car was turned on. We noticed that at times the belt would spin faster and then slow down back to “normal”.

Then we drove the car and noticed that the dashboard battery light was off. Drove it for a bit and car was fine.

10/19 on my way to work the battery light comes on again on the dashboard (2 mins into my drive). The car starts doing that weird thing where I accelerate and it won’t go as fast as I’m pushing the gas. I decided to hit a U-turn and go back home to park it instead of being left stranded somewhere.

10/19 the alternator I had ordered came in

10/20 the alternator is replaced. No oil found on old alternator and no oil on the belt.

we noticed that the car’s rpm wasn’t increasing slighting while idle (it would do this before)

NOW TODAY ON OCT 21
I drive to work perfectly fine and back home.
While in the parking lot at the grocery store I noticed the car revving while idle happening again (only when AC is on).
Now OCT 21 evening:
Engine light goes off 🥲🥲🥲🥲
we go to oreilly to get the code read for the check engine light and the code 61-23 and 61-22 are showing up which is “Modulator-Control Unit Power Source Low Voltage”.

I don’t even know what to do anymore after replacing the battery and alternator. I’m giving birth in a few weeks and this car is about to send me into labor.

I will also be adding the work history that I received from the previous owner. ( oldest to newest )

Please, any help, advice, or suggestions would be appreciated! 🙏🏼

Will be trading in my Ford Expedition - It books at 19k trade-in, so I feel like these are competitive offers. I have excellent credit, could pay cash, but happy to just swap payments for the liquidity. Open to hear any and all opinions. Thanks!

1. 2025 Honda Pilot TrailSport AWD (Used - Black)Mileage: 21,980 miles

Pricing & Financing Breakdown NADA Value: $45,200.00 Sale Price: $43,651.00
Trade Value: -$25,500.00
Factory Cash: $0.00
Your Price: $18,151.00
Tax: $0.00
Dealer Doc Fee: +$499.00
Trade Payoff: +$6,731.95
Fees: +$527.33
Total Amount Financed: $25,909.28
Estimated Monthly PaymentTerm: 60 payments @ $0.00 down Estimated Payment Range: $515 - $565 / month

1. 2025 Honda Pilot Elite AWD (Used - Black)Mileage: 17,779 miles
   

Pricing & Financing Breakdown NADA Value: $49,150.00
Sale Price: $47,700.00
Trade Value: -$25,500.00
Factory Cash: $0.00
Your Price: $22,200.00
Tax: $0.00
Dealer Doc Fee: +$499.00
Trade Payoff: +$6,731.95 Fees: +$527.33
Total Amount Financed: $29,958.28
Estimated Monthly PaymentTerm: 60 payments @ $0.00 down
Estimated Payment Range: $610 - $660 / month

1. 2026 Honda Pilot TrailSport AWD (New - New Smoke Blue Pearl)Mileage: 0 miles
   

Pricing & Financing Breakdown MSRP: $52,190.00
Sale Price: $50,863.00
Trade Value: -$25,500.00
Factory Cash: $0.00
Your Price: $25,363.00
Tax: $0.00
Dealer Doc Fee: +$499.00
Trade Payoff: +$6,731.95
Fees: +$28.33
Total Amount Financed: $32,622.28
Estimated Monthly PaymentTerm: 60 payments @ $0.00 down
Estimated Payment Range: $664 - $714 / month

I purchased a set of winter rims/tires for my Pilot from PMC tire and so far the Pilot is not reading them. They are Max sensors and I’m awaiting confirmation from PMC that they were programmed before installation.

Any tricks to get them to read without getting a relearn tool? Hoping to avoid that, but PMC does have a tool rental available so that might be what I have to do

I used to have a 2003 Pilot (rip my favorite car ever) and it cost me about $100 to fill up in Tennessee in 2021, which is burned into my memory as I was a broke college student, so I'm curious how much it would cost with current gas prices.

I just did a front brake job on my pilot. I've attached 2 pictures that show that the pads do not fully contact the allowable entire braking surface area of the rotor. Pads and rotors are the correct parts and match in size exactly with the old parts I took off . You can see the darker area where the pad is contacting the rotor and where it is not.
I would think that they should have made the pad big enough to contact the entire rotor for max performance? Is this a design flaw ?

2nd gen 2013 Honda pilot.

I got my 2025 Honda Pilot TrailSport last Saturday. I test-drove it before buying and loved the looks, amenities, and V6 engine. However, after driving it for a few days, I’ve realized that I don’t actually enjoy driving it as much as I expected.

The suspension feels too stiff, and the ride isn’t nearly as smooth as I’m used to. I notice a lot of bouncing and bumps, both on city streets and on the highway.

I’m wondering if this is normal for the TrailSport because of its off-road-oriented suspension and tires, or if there might be something wrong with my particular vehicle. I bought it used from a Honda dealership with around 30,000 miles on it, and I’m planning to take it back to have the suspension and alignment checked.

For those of you who own a Pilot TrailSport, do you find the ride noticeably bumpy or stiff on regular roads? Is this just how the TrailSport is supposed to feel, or does mine sound like it might have an issue?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially from those who have owned their TrailSport for a while!

Can someone share a picture of what the tow hitch looks like installed on a 2026 Honda pilot? I am more curious to see how much the hitch goes up into the bumper trim on the outside. Thanks!!

I have this crazy loud cold start engine rumble that I can not figure out what it is. Timing belt has been done already. Video attached in comments. Any advice would be great.

Wanted to share my setup.
2025 HP Elite AWD
Aftermarket crossbars: KINGGERI 300lbs Roof Rack Cross... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX1DS4K9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thule Motion 3 XXL Low

I bought the AM bars vs OEM based off the reviews of it acting just like the OEM bars, but being slightly heftier (300lbs of cargo for AM, 165 OEM). The roof box is 56 lbs on its own, so the AM bar gives me extensive margin for gear loading. I never plan to have 250 lbs of gear but I like that margin better than 110 lbs. The roof box capacity is 165lbs so the AM bars help to meet that.

I bought this specific roof box due to Reddit advice on the quietness, robustness, and overall look. I had been eyeing the regular (not low version), but I saw my local Amazon warehouse could provide next day shipping! 🤯 I couldn’t pass that up. The only difference in the Low is 3 inches (so still 15 inches high). It came very well wrapped and took 15 minutes to install with a second person helping get the box on the roof.

Our requirements for the box were low sound, fit a large collapsible dog crate, and be easy to get on/off. The sound is incredibly minimal up to 80mph+ - the bars individually are louder than with the box so I might just keep the box on all the time 😂 it easily fits a large dog crate (29”x47”x4”) of which we got the inner liner to prevent excessive scratching while loading/unloading. The clamp connectors are also super easy to allow removal/installation of the box.

Message me with any questions or if extra pictures are desired! Our first big trip is in a few weeks so I can answer “how does it hold up” after that or if someone sees this post in 5 years 🤠

What have you fellow Canadians been paying for a trailsport ? I’m in Alberta.
Thank

Need some additional storage on the roof. Truck is tiiiiny with the third row up.

Any suggestions?

I know the Thules are pricey so hoping to not go that high.

For reference were a family of four and a dog. Will likely be buying a couple kayaks in the next couple years.

Need some help feeling better.

Bought my wife a 2025 Honda Pilot Touring back in December of 2025 when the dealership had clearance deals.

At the time our budget was 45k OTD and we were shopping used. The features I really wanted were the ventilated seats and the 360 cam.

I could care less about the heated steering, HUD, rear heated seats, ETC.

The salesman told me he was confident that he could get us in a new one for 45k OTD and started showing us EX-Ls which they only had in white (the only color my wife didn’t want)
They ended up showing us the only other model they had which was an AWD Touring in sonic gray that was 51k after dealership options… after a lot of back and forth they got us down to 48k and after tax,fees, and trade the OTD price was 45k so we went with it.

They had a new 2026 on the lot that was 55k and they had gotten down to 50k OTD for us but it was just out of budget for us.

It’s been about a year now and I just sat in a friends car that has an elite. I was pleasantly surprised by the cooled seats and loved the 360 cam that they had and immediately began to have buyers remorse for not stretching that extra 5k for the elite.

Not really sure what I am looking for here other than validation that I made the right choice lol.

Edit:
We bought this car for the arrival of our first child and plan to keep it for 10+ years
Some pluses I see with the touring trim
No perforated seats so easier to keep clean
No rear heated seats so I don’t have to worry about a toddler turning the heat on by accident.
Less tech for kids to break in general.

On same financing terms the new Trailsport is $20 more.

Have a growing family with two young kids and like the flexibility to have a third row. Will eventually get a big dog again in the future.

Won't be doing a bunch of off roading but do live in Montana and we do go to Glacier and Yellowstone and travel a lot in the winter with snow.

I thought the Trailsport was comfortable, never test drives the used Elite (15k miles) but it felt very comfortable too.

There is also a used 2025 Trailsport that would be about 50 less than the Elite per month, but it's got 25k miles.

Also was considering adding the Honda Care too, anyone have experiences with that?

Got a christmas tree of lights and the scanner gave me code p0369. Looked into it and its saying the sensor inside the timing belt is going out probably due to the camshaft having excessive play. Has anyone dealt with this before? I baby the car, it has 74000 miles on it, and i just got the fuel injectors replaced covered by hondas extended warranty. Seems like i got unlucky with this one.

I have a 2024 trailsport I got about a year ago with 52k miles. The audio from any input (fm, Bluetooth, CarPlay, phone) randomly just stopped working. I can hear beeps from pushing buttons on the screen and I can hear the seat belt dings but no music from any input. It will occasionally come in intermittently but mostly it’s silent even with the volume cranked loud. I have gone through the settings, did a soft reboot, as well as a factory reboot - none of which improved the issue.
Took it to the dealership yesterday and they are saying there is an internal audial system failure and want to replace the whole audio system for around $1500 🥴
Does this sound right? My research points more to an issue with the amp. Thoughts??