Note: one correction: towing capacity will reach 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.

Only Alex On Autos can make a 32 minute video on “minor updates”, 😂 😄

Just bought the 2020 Honda Pilot EX-L and my wife loves it. I can't complain either. Combined mileage is 22-23mpg and it's very comfortable

What you didn't mention is that you can get a great deal on a Pilot now. Try getting any deal on a Highlander or Kia/Hyundai.

I just test drive this used today and the Toyota Highlander and was surprised to find the Highlander seats hurt my lower back while the Pilot was more comfortable.

You are the man Alex, always know I'm gonna get a thorough, on point review from you.

I just bought a 2020 Honda Pilot EX-L and got a SMOCKING DEAL (5K Off the sticker) while the Kia and Hyundai dealers were asking 4-7 k MARK UP. The whole family LOVES IT .It is my 3rd Honda

I got a 2006 pilot and for a car thats 14 years old it drives like brand new and has everything i ever needed in a car. Nothing beats a honda suv

Can’t wait until Honda does a redesign

Love your video , you explain so great and easy to understand. Honda is Honda they don’t have to compete with the competition. I am so happy with my new 2022 Honda Pilot. Very comfortable and feels so great on the road. Honda has been making great vehicles for many years . Finally something unique on the road. 👍for Honda

The Pilot really does feel old now. Not that it's bad. It's just that some others have gotten so much better.

You sir are the best car reviewer on KZfaq....period!!!!!

Excellent review, especially the notes re: the difference that the SH-AWD makes. Thank you.

Great explanations on all the crossovers that you covered 👍🏾

I love how my MDX drives and a Pilot would be my second choice. I can look past the Pilots lacking premium interior.

@Alex on Autos I have a 2019 Pilot AWD and one thing to note is that they can actually tow 5000 lbs with AWD but you have to pay extra for the transmission cooler.

We own a 2010 Honda Pilot. Love the practicality and the headroom in the 3rd row! Good engine with variable cylinder management.

I drove 11 different 3 row suvs. After driving the 2020 pilot ex-l I didn’t consider a higher trim at all. And this was after owning two recent Honda CRVs. The pilot was just too much like the CRVs. I thought it had a lot of road noise for its size and the car was simply outdated. I chose the 2020 Highlander Limited. Well pleased for the first 4,000 miles. Gas mileage is improving with each tank and seats are really comfortable on long trips.

Love the quality of content

We didn't buy it in 2018 because it felt dated even back then. The fact that it's still the same is scary for Honda.

I’ve had my 17 Pilot for 3+ years now and can definitely recommend. I’m not crazy about the Korean offerings... I feel they try to hard to be premium without actually getting there...

Alex, I've grown to love your reviews. Based on engineering, I think of them as most honest. However you're in California. I know you travel to other places but I noticed that to review cars equally you drive the same roads. However the one road surface I don't see you try vehicles on is improved dirt roads. Here in New England many of us live down unpaved roads that have materials mixed into the dirt to harden them. They are municipally maintained. they're a type of Corduroy road. They're in Alaska too. People drive 30-35mph on them. Add to that we have in northern New England the mud season as the roads thaw out. These are roads that I've seen Subarus get stuck in. However if you know how to drive them even front wheel drive can suffice.

I own an 09 pilot and love the awd system. I live in the northeast and its a tank in the snow. I went with a 2019 Durango for my wife and its very nice but the awd is not as good with the v6 at least

The all-new model is coming for 2022. I am going to wait and compare that model with Kia Telluride. Unfortunately, the Highlander is not on my list as it still does not offer a better third-row space. Thanks, Alex.

Our short list was the MDX Hybrid, Pilot Elite, Q7 & the Ascent. I think the Pilot & the Ascent ended up being the most competitive in this area, but I found the Honda too ordinary looking inside and out (looks like minivan styling on the outside). We ended up going with the Ascent Touring and love it

This SUV is fun to drive!! Brilliant job Alex.

To answer your question about what I would choose if shopping in the $40-45k range for an SUV, I would go in a different direction and choose the Honda Passport (Touring or Elite). Also I might take a good look at the Subaru Ascent (Limited or Touring).

I like your videos Alex they are technical and comparative to other cars. I hope you do videos focusing Canadian viewers to

How's the fuel injector failures and headunit issues with the 2016+ Pilots? I bet they are sorted in newer ones? As for my buddy's Pilot, after the warranty work done by the dealer its all good. Wonder the fuel injector failures are due to the design vs some manufacturers like Toyota use port injection + direct injection. As for the 9 speed issues I only see older videos of Pilot and MDX and no new issues. Its so much better that Honda use N/A engine with 9spd vs a Turbo engine + CVT on CR-V, Civic, Accord..

Great video.You are the best Alex.

I have been mulling over purchasing a Pilot or Highlander. My wife bought a 2018 XLE and I have to say, there are a lot of features we really like about it. Some people may not like the center shelf in the front, but it is a real convenience for holding the cell phones, maps and other essential items for us. We travel by automobile 90% of the time and comfort is paramount. What I dislike about the Pilot are the center armrests. What I do like about the Pilot is it's pretty roomy and I think the storage in back is better than the Highlander. We don't really care about the 3rd row seating as we have never used it in either the 2011 Highlander or the 2018 Highlander. The 3rd row seating is folded down for more trunk space so to speak. We saw the 2020 Highlander last week and it seems to have gotten smaller, or at least it really felt smaller than the 2018. One thing I didn't like about the 2020 XLE was the shelf is practically useless now. I'm off this week to look at the Pilot.

Time for a major refresh from Honda love what you do Alex keep up the great work

2021 Kia Sorento and Santa Fe should be great smaller options with a 3rd row and they should offer a hybrid and PHEV options. Hopefully Alex can review and compare them soon. I would rather wait for one of those hybrid options.

1 tip being new to your channel you should mention your height to give us an idea as to how much room is really in the vehicles you review. Thanks very informative videos and nicely produced

*Honda should have really redisgned it this year it’s really falling back*

We have an ‘08 Pilot EX-L with 160K + miles, which we have owned since new. 1 repair other than what I would call maintenance items: brakes, timing belt/water pump, rear shocks. We did have to replace the starter. In the photos, the interior doesn’t look much nicer than ours. It’s a small point, but one that has come to annoy me: the hood is not spring loaded and has a cheapo prop rod to hold it up. First off, the hood is pretty heavy, so it’s a bit of a lift. Secondly, over time, the plastic thingy that anchors the prop rod in its storage location against the radiator fails. Then you have to tie the prop rod to something to avoid losing it. This means you hold the hood up with one hand while tying or untying the prop rod. While the GDI version of the 3.5 liter engine develops 40 more hp than the port injected motor in my Pilot, it was disappointing to see the fuel mileage about the same. My 2015 GMC half ton reliably gets 22-23 mpg @ 65-70 mph lightly loaded, and it weighs about 1000 pounds more than the Pilot and has a 420 hp V-8. Given all this and the apparent decline in Honda reliability, I guess we’ll shop a new Pilot but I’m not sure we’ll end up buying it.

Can you turn off the auto start/stop? I've heard it only saves 1mpg in city driving and I find it annoying.

At 2:48 I like the length comparison. However it is on screen for less time than I am thinking about the various vehicles listed. Unfortunately the pause function on KZfaq overlays the video length display along the bottom of the screen making the vehicle size section hard to read. Maybe the AonA editor could experiment with moving that banner, perhaps to the top of the screen and leaving it visible for much longer. Often some competitors are left out, even some mentioned in the video, so it would be helpful if the editor could at least compare the audio to the graphic. For example, at 3:40 the audio references the Kia Sorrento but the graphic is already off screen and if you scroll back, the Sorrento seems to be missing. Alex is the Tina Turner of car reviewers: simply the best. 😎

I remember towing is 5000 pounds for AWD

Acura seems fine 2020 MDX 9 spd. I also drove FCA mini van and it was lousy . Always felt like shifting to higher lugging gear for economy . Felt like it be fine with more powerful motor .

So they still don't use their own 10-speed transmission, the Odysses already got it one year ago, why not the Pilot, ridiculous.

Everyone loves the Pilot! Black makes it look bland, but the other colors are 10/10

I’m surprised you did an in-depth comparison of the pilot vs mdx but not Highlander vs MDX. Also you mentioned that in your last pilot video, the ivtm4 and SH AWD don’t share the same behavior. The pilot is less aggressive in giving it a rear bias vs the mdx

A volume knob, amazing!

It is worth noting that there is the MDX Sport Hybrid, so if I was looking at top end trims of the Highlander Hybrid or Pilot, I’d go with that. I’d be okay trading the lower fuel economy compared with the Highlander Hybrid for the improved driving dynamics. If I was looking at lower or mid trims of the Pilot or Highlander, I’d probably go with a CX-9 or Telluride.

Hey Alex does the Subaru Ascent not fit in this category anymore or are they just performing poorly in North America that comparing it is not worth the time?

They added the SE trim also alex. How do I know this? We are picking one up friday.

So many trolls on here ! It may not be the best suv but it's not the worst either...this suv has been out for more than 5 years

I was hoping for real center console armrest in the refresh... The Minivan seat attached armrests are a deal breaker for me. Also the 9-speed A/T will increase ownership cost a lot. Servicing the 9-speed can cost up to $400 depending of the dealer, compared to $100 for the 6-speed A/T.

Correction please. Palisade is 196.1 inches long compared to Pilot's 197 inches. So Palisade should be 1 behind Pilot in the size graph for length, not ahead of it.

I thought your tag said “soldering” on....like how it is welded! Hehehe....

Are there some improvements? Sure, a split moonroof, slightly different exterior, slightly better MPG and more space. However, compared to the original Pilot and after 18 years, they've managed to take out a very useful middle console space, reduce what you can tow by about 1000 lbs, only increase the MPG by a few MPG, turn everything into some kind of touch screen thing you have to take your eyes off the road to control, force on you captain's chairs with flimsy armrests, take out the third seat in the middle row, added and then removed the back hatch window opening, add piano black fingerprint magnets, remove the "fry" cubby in the front passenger door handle, removed the ability to have 4 to 6 cupholders in the middle console, the exterior still looks boxy without any real character, and it all costs a lot more for the top end.

i will go back and re-watch....cause i didn't see or hear the ford explorer mentioned. this would be a very bad omit.

I like the looks of the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, Hyundai Palasade, it comes down to Fuel economy, reliability, cargo space, especially in the 3rd row. I need lots of room. passenger & cargo.

Alex, why don't you include maintenance charges of these suv in your review - minor, major services. Extended warranty charges information etc.

Now all 2021 pilot, come with 9 speed transmission. From the Lx, to Black Edition. Before it was only the touring, elite, and black edition. For the 2021, they have a new model. It's the SE. It's between the EXL, and touring.

$40-45k - I really like the Telluride looks and the reviews have been positive but I won't play the MSRP or higher game (paying for air) - the Highlander is a fallback good choice even if the interior is smaller - I don't haul enough people to utilize the 3rd row but once a year but loading the cargo area up with enough stuff along with a couple to three passengers is where either shines. Honestly, I don't find the appeal of the Honda, especially as dated as it is in the current model.

heard that the Honda Element is coming back in 2021 ,do you know if this is true

Alex I live in Canada, would you please gives your expertise regarding vw atlas three row, I shall be grateful to you

why don't you give your outlook on the 2021 sorento and santa fe like redline has?

My pick: Telluride, the game changer. With the Telluride/ Palisade, Kia and Hyundai have schooled the competition. To me there’s only one drawback with the Telluride: the absence of a bench option in the second row of the top trim (SX).

I just got a 2021 Honda Pilot EX-L with Navi and I miss some of the features I had with 2017 Honda CR-V Touring :(

Excellent

How does that unique Honda Pilot AWD system compare to the Subaru Ascent (the only 3 row SUV in Subaru's lineup)?

the Pilot has wireless charging, but does it support apple car play wirelessly or do you have to connect the wire to do it?

How does the Chevy Blazer fit into this category? You don't show it in any of your grafts of other suv's.

I want to add my two cents on the transmission. The fact it is a ZF transmission might be is weakest link. The reason is because my friend has a Acura MDX with it and the transmission fluid is ridiculous expensive. It is about sixty dollars per bottle and you will need four of them to service it. Plus the fact it is suppose to be done in specific way. It has no transmission dip stick too. Pooh!

I predict sales of these will plummet with the Palisade/Telluride in the market. 10 year warranty is a great counter to Honda reliability arguement.

I suspect next summer we will see the all new Pilot introduced. It should offer a Plug-In option as well. I'm sure Hondas target for the new Pilot is the Hyundai Palisades. Hyundai is really pushing in industry, which is good for us. I hope to see a new autonomous system that is more self-driving than just Honda Sensing.

Do you know if the Passport will remain the same as well for 2021? Was hoping for brake hold to be added. I will not but a vehicle without brake hold.

How does this compare to a Subaru Ascent?

I like the pilot but bought the 2020 subaru ascent limited 8 seats because the ascent was cheaper than the pilot elite and gave me more features versus the pilot touring such as cargo room. If I compare the pilot touring and the ascent limited,, the ascent limited gives me more features for the money than the pilot touring. I noticed you do not compare or talk about the ascent when you compare the pilot with other vehicles. I wonder why? You included the telluride, the highlander, the cx9 and palissade but not the ascent. Isn't it capable enough to be included in the lineup of vehicles to compare and compete with the 2019-2020 pilot? Or is that you do not like the 2019-2020 ascent? I like the pilot because of the headroom in the 3rd row, the captain chair for driver and passenger and the blu-ray DVD player for long road trip to entertain the kids. These are the 3 features I like the most for the pilot. I used to have the Honda Odyssey touring 2014 and it was great.

Honda SE models tend to be the last year before a major refresh/update.

I'll repeat what I said in the previous version of this video. The 9 speed can DIAF. I rather drive my Kia Soul than the MDX. It's that bad. It's like the first gear is totally unnecessary. Top gears? That's fine.

Alex, Do people driving 85 mph really care about fuel economy? For the record, the Pilot's tow rating is the same as the Highlander #Hybrid that beats it by 12-15 mpg. BTW Does anyone know the cost of replacing the old-fashioned timing belt on a Honda V6?

Love the Nixie Clock!!!

Nothing like putting a gallon of milk in your center console storage

Thanks for a great review of a great SUV. Its hard to beat the Pilot's drive train for the money. Its a great time to be shopping for 3 row SUVS. Makes me want to get a young wife and a bunch of kids! :)

If Honda really wants to sell more crv’s, pilots, and passports then they need to have a pano roof and 360° cam available on all the updated models. The competition is just too good now.

The Pilot really needs a major interior redo. I was hoping they would do it for 2019, then 2020, and now 2021. The Pilot looks so cheap inside compared to the current generation Accord which in my opinion is one of the most appealing interiors in any affordable midsize sedan. The knurled knobs, attractive faux wood, satisfying-to-push buttons, crisp HUD, semi-digital gauge cluster, etc. The Pilot and Passport are just doused in cheap looking shiny black plastic on the center stack and the oversized armrest has the ugliest plastic trim that looks like it would be at home in a Mitsubishi Mirage. The Palisade and Telluride definitely look far better inside, but the Pilot has a much stronger engine that accelerates to 60MPH almost 2 seconds faster than the Hyundai/Kia twins. Hopefully the next gen Pilot debuts next year and adopts a much nicer interior and a completely reworked exterior. The current gen Pilot is my least favorite looking outside. It always looked like a minivan whereas the 1st and especially 2nd gen were truly boxy. I think the 2nd gen was the best looking outside by far.

I do wish Honda would add the 10 speed automatic to the Pilot

When can we expect a redesign pilot?.

Why fewer seats on higher trims? Maybe they do not want it referred to as a bus. BTW, Subaru spelled backwards is U R A Bus. Something to avoid?

I was looking at Highlander/Pilot/cx9 but ended up getting Pathfinder. is ok, in the rear 3rd row seats but i should of gotten the Pilot but they didn't offer any good deals. I would love to get the pilot but $5k premium was not worth it in my eyes. However if money is no object, get the MDX for sportiness. I have to agree with Alex but it'll be $55k for that car. The Pilot look better improve soon for Highlander will take up to 30% of the buyers.

I have the Pilot LX and it’s just fine. $32,000 and eight seats is more than enough.

Still not sure why they still haven't put the 10 speed in this

I didn’t think anyone would buy the black edition, but lo and behold, I’ve seen one irl

For the 2022 the model the Honda Pilot is getting a full redesign.

Aaaaannnd once again no room for Subaru Ascent in the comparison section anywhere. I get it, AoA don't have a very soft spot for Subaru in general but what is it about VW Atlas and Ford Explorer?? At least Explorer? It has consistently been the best seller except for 2019, I wonder why no mention of it in the comparison at all? Also, Palisade is 1 inche shorter than Pilot, not longer. I know that's not much, but still for those who are obsessed with matching their new car to their garage size, for them.

I think you are incorrect,. the highlander did not shrink on the inside or the outside for that matter

This is essentially my 2008 mdx. Yay!!!!! I hate the 3rd gen mdx, the new one is way too expensive and it doesn't make sense to buy another old mdx with high miles when this exists. I definitely need to go test drive one.

9:30 Well, higher end means pricier, and rich (er) people want more enjoyment to themselves, and less chores like being a chauffeur hauling people around. Also rich people like to be driven around, so more expensive the car gets, the better the rear seats get. So car makers cater to that thinking, give them larger but fewer seats. I saw a Chinese copy cat of Rolls Royce Phantom, the rear seat is one seat, a single gigantic recliner right in the middle :)

Those pants though 👀

They must do redesign else they will fail very soon...my thoughts of compare to other competitors

GM did a terrible job packaging the Traverse. That’s disappointing. The Tahoe is the same length and, despite being body in frame and having a V8 sized hood, has only 4 fewer cubic feet of cargo space and 3.8 fewer inches of combined leg room.

Looks like Honda likes how the Telluride looks. ;)

This is way more valuable than highlander. And much better AWD system

Why wont they put those dang seat vents in the ridgeline ?

Wish to see Honda putting 10AT across their higher ends cars

I swear Alex today probably looks exactly like Alex age 13....Its the hair cut. PS Watch Acura for the MDX replacement tech. All new for 2021? I don't think so. 2022 MY.