Breakdown of the Honda Pilot’s reliability rating. The Honda Pilot has a 3.5 out of 5.0 reliability rating, which places it 13th out of 26 midsize SUVs. It has cheaper ownership costs than the national average due to the $542 average annual repair cost.
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Do Honda Pilots have many issues?
There are many options available if you’re searching for a Honda Pilot that is a touch more dependable than the versions we’ve already covered. Although the Honda Pilot has a few significant flaws, the most of its iterations have been exceedingly reliable and long-lasting.
- 2018
- 2015
- 2004
- 2014
- 2006
- 2007
- 2019
- 2010
- 2008
- 2017
- 2012
- 2020
All of these alternatives are strong, dependable, and have a very low frequency of the kinds of catastrophic issues and part failures that plagued earlier Pilot versions.
You’re looking to buy a used car, then. We have already prepared a list of crucial inquiries to make while purchasing a secondhand car.
Is a Honda Pilot purchase worthwhile?
The Honda Pilot is a solid midsize SUV, that much is true. With three rows of comfortable seats, a sizable load area, and a high-quality cabin, it succeeds on almost all counts. Thanks to a strong base V6 engine and a good balance of handling ability and ride comfort, driving it is also not boring.
Are Honda Pilots durable?
Owners of Honda Pilot vehicles have grown to enjoy and value each and every one of the characteristics we just listed over the past 20 years. But the durability attached to Honda Pilots is what people have grown to love and value above all else.
Honda Pilots often have a lifespan of more than 200,000 km. In fact, there are entire message forums on the internet where Honda Pilot owners boast about their vehicles’ 200,000-mile milestones.
And, dare I say it, that’s just the beginning! Many Honda Pilot owners have likewise logged well over 300,000 miles on their vehicles. It’s a major factor in why so many individuals have started to think about purchasing a used Honda Pilot.
Do Honda Pilots have issues with their transmissions?
One of the most popular Honda models sold in the US is the Pilot. However, class action lawsuits involving the Honda Pilot and other Honda vehicles have been filed, alleging that its gearboxes have a history of recurring flaws such violent shaking, acceleration issues, stalling, lurching, gear changing problems, and transmission failure.
The torque converters in some afflicted Honda car owners’ cars are reportedly defective, and some owners have even experienced torque converter clutches locking up.
We have gathered a sample of complaints sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to give you an idea of the problems some Honda Pilot SUVs are having.
Please be aware that the Honda Pilot SUV complaints have been modified for clarity and language.
What are the Honda Pilot’s worst years?
We don’t expect you to go out into the wilderness and try to buy an automobile that is over 20 years old. However, you might find one if you’re looking for a cheap used Honda Pilot. We’re here to advise you not to purchase it under any circumstances. This is by far the worst model year Pilot has ever produced. Users of the NHTSA and Car Complaints have encountered a lot of issues since 2003.
Users have specifically reported issues with the drivetrain, electrical, engine, and airbags. There are a lot more difficulties mentioned, but these are the biggest and most expensive. For instance, the NHTSA received reports of 105 gearbox issues, 123 electrical issues, and 112 drivetrain issues. It’s far simpler to avoid this paradigm given how frequently serious, expensive to fix problems like this occur. If you see a 2003 Pilot laying around, do not purchase it.
Furthermore, same issues reappeared for the 2005 model year a few years later. This one is still best to avoid even though they don’t happen as frequently as the 2003 model did. Even if this is a different model year, we wouldn’t anticipate anyone to be purchasing at the moment.
What’s next
Honda and NHTSA will carry out their investigations and, if necessary, issue a recall.
The Honda Pilot is a reliable midsize crossover, but no car is impervious to issues, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently looking into whether or not the stop-start technology in these vehicles is a common source of complaints.
The 2016–2020 Honda Pilot is being looked into by the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation for a potential problem that prevents the 3.5-liter V6 from starting. It is unknown how many of the country’s about 195,000 examples of these automobiles may be impacted by the issue. NHTSA has so far received 221 reports about this particular ailment. The 3.5-liter V6 engine, nine-speed automatic transmission, and stop-start technology featured on Touring and Elite trims are all shared by all the aforementioned vehicles.
The stop-start system, which is designed to reduce fuel consumption by turning off the engine when the car stops, is the source of the problem. The Pilot’s engine may not restart when it should, leaving owners with a seemingly dead car, according to the NHTSA inquiry report. According to the document, some owners need a jump start to get their cars rolling again.
Is Highlander superior to Honda Pilot?
A 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque is standard on every 2022 Honda Pilot. Three-row midsize SUVs frequently have six-cylinder engines, but this one distinguishes out for its lively performance. The V6 from Honda is paired with a 9-speed automated transmission.
Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4), the available AWD technology for the 2022 Pilot, is capable of torque vectoring and offers various terrain settings. In order to maintain traction, it is possible to direct up to 70% of the engine’s torque to a single rear tire.
7.3 inches of ground clearance are typical for Pilots. Because it has 7.9 inches of clearance, the Honda Pilot TrailSport is a good option if you frequently travel on dirt roads. AWD Pilots have a 5,000-pound towing capacity as opposed to front-drive models’ 3,500-pound limit when properly equipped.
The FWD 2022 Honda Pilot receives a combined city and highway fuel economy rating of 23 mpg from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Pilots with all-wheel drive get 22 mpg on the highway. Due to its higher suspension, the Pilot TrailSport achieves a combined fuel economy rating of 21 mpg.
In a similar vein, the Toyota Highlander’s base engine is a 3.5-liter V6. With an 8-speed automatic transmission, this engine produces 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. Although there is occasionally a delay during transmission upshifts, the engine delivers power smoothly.
On the V6 Highlanders, Toyota provides two AWD systems. The entry-level system offers hill-descent control and terrain modes. Torque-vectoring technology is added to the improved AWD system on higher models to increase grip.
8 inches of ground clearance are standard on every 2022 Toyota Highlander. A properly equipped V6 Highlander has a 5,000-pound towing capacity regardless of drive configuration.
The 2022 Highlander with a V6 engine is rated by the EPA at 23 mpg combined with FWD and 24 mpg combined with AWD. Toyota offers the 2022 Highlander Hybrid if you’re looking for a more fuel-efficient family car. The hybrid powertrain combines a front electric drive motor that receives power from a compact, 1.9 kilowatt-hour battery pack with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with 186 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. The power sources are combined by a second electric motor; this is an electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT). The combined horsepower of hybrid Highlanders is 243 hp.
The rear wheels of AWD Highlander hybrids are propelled by a third electric motor. The gasoline engine does not deliver torque to the rear wheels, unlike on V6 Highlanders (and Pilots). No matter the powertrain configuration, properly outfitted Highlander Hybrids have a 3,500-pound towing capacity.
The FWD 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid gets 36 mpg in combined driving, according to the EPA. The Highlander hybrid AWD gets 35 mpg.
Despite having a lesser horsepower rating, the V6 in the Pilot is superior. If you can endure its noisy 4-cylinder engine, the Highlander Hybrid is the winner if fuel economy is your top goal.
Which is more dependable, Pilot or Highlander?
The information above makes it evident that the Toyota Highlander outperforms the Honda Pilot in every category, including safety features and fuel efficiency. The Highlander is a much better choice if you’re searching for a three-row SUV that is incredibly dependable in this situation.
What country produces the Honda Pilot?
Honda has been producing the Pilot, its largest SUV, since 2002. It is a mid-size crossover SUV with three rows of seating, primarily for the North American market. Up until April 2007, the Pilot was produced in Alliston, Ontario, but is now made in Lincoln, Alabama. In April 2002, the first-generation Pilot became available as a 2003 model .[4]
The Acura MDX and Odyssey minivan for the North American market both use the same platform as the Honda Pilot. The Pilot’s independent suspension and unibody construction are made to give it car-like handling, and its integrated perimeter frame rails enable towing and light off-road use.
Honda sold the little crossover CR-V and the Honda Passport before the Pilot was released (a rebadgedIsuzu Rodeo). Truck-based in form, the Honda Passport was marketed between 1993 and 2002. Although the 2010 Crosstour outgrew the Pilot in length, the Pilot is still Honda’s largest SUV .[5]
Period the Honda MDX (first generation Acura MDX) was for a while offered in Japan and Australia, the Pilot is sold in North America and the Middle East. Furthermore, South Korea, Latin America, the Philippines, Russia, and the Ukraine all sell the second-generation Pilot.
Is Honda Pilot upkeep expensive?
During its first ten years of use, a Honda Pilot will require roughly $7,373 in maintenance and repairs.
This is $1,760 less than the industry average for popular SUV models. Additionally, there is a 21.05% likelihood that a Pilot will need a significant repair within that time. Compared to similar vehicles in this sector, this is 0.45% better. The following graph shows how these expenses and the likelihood of repairs will rise over time.
What kind of mileage does a Honda Pilot have to have?
Any car or SUV lasting 200,000 miles, much less 300,000, can be challenging to envision. Only 1% of all vehicles exceed 200k miles, 9% of SUVs do, and only 0.3% of all vehicles reach 300k, according to the most recent dependability study from iSeeCars. Despite not making the 300k list, the Pilot came in at number eleven on the list most durable SUVs.
There are outliers and reports that defy the statistics, as there are in most things in life. There is a question and answer section on the website Vehicle History where users can, you guessed it, ask questions and get answers from other users. One such question is “How long do Honda Pilots last?” and the 44 responses range from the low 100,000s to the mid 300,000s.
A 2008 Pilot owner claims to have driven it everyday for 372,000 miles, and a 2004 Pilot owner claims to have driven it every day for 346,000 miles or more.
In fact, the majority of posters who had fewer than 200k miles on their Pilot had only recently bought it, and they all claimed it was still in good shape.
Which Honda Pilot model years are the best?
The second-generation Pilot was produced from 2009 to 2015 and featured a number of extremely significant contemporary conveniences. The latter models had more streamlined and contemporary body lines even if the overall size and shape were similar to that of the first generation. 2015 is regarded as the Honda Pilot’s best year.
Second-generation automobiles still come with the 3.5-liter engine. To increase fuel efficiency, Honda, on the other hand, used cylinder deactivation technology. Depending on how much power is needed, the engine shuts down two or three cylinders at cruising speeds. Reducing the number of cylinders in use increases fuel savings. Because of this technology, the second-generation Pilot boasts much better EPA fuel-efficiency ratings.
Both the front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions score 20 mpg overall. On the interstate, all-wheel-drive cars earn 24 mpg, while front-wheel-drive models get 25 mpg. Given that second-generation vehicles continue to produce 250 horsepower, this represents a significant improvement over first-generation models.
Like the first-generation Pilot, the second-generation Pilot has experienced many airbag recalls during its entire production run. Early models up to 2011’s seat belt stitching has been recalled owing to faulty or inadequate stitching, which might lead to the seatbelt disengaging from the chassis in the event of an accident.
Due to loose nuts on the front suspension parts, which could result in steering loss, other early models are recalled. Premature piston wear in some Honda Pilot models from the 2013 model year may cause engine failure.