Honda’s eight-seater SUV will take you and your family just about anywhere you need to go. Will it cost you a fortune in gas?
First introduced in 2003, the Honda Pilot is the largest SUV the legendary Japanese automaker produces. It was a groundbreaking addition to the Honda fleet and primarily developed for the United States market.
It features classic SUV styling that mimics that of things like the Ford Explorer and Chevy Tahoe. Also, like its American counterparts, it features third-row seating. The Pilot is a fantastic way to combine all the practicalities of an SUV that can seat up to eight people with the legendary reliability and build quality associated with Honda.
If you are looking for adventure, the Honda Pilot is more than willing to play along. With available four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive options, the Pilot is capable of going just about anywhere you might want to take it.
Furthermore, with up to 4,500 pounds of towing capacity, depending on the year, you can take all your fun toys along with you. The Pilot really is an all-around vehicle that can be used around town and around the mountains.
Over the course of the Pilot’s ongoing 18-year life span, it has undergone three major generational changes. Each redesign brought the Pilot into modern times and updated its engine and transmission technology to evolve with changing emissions and fuel economy standards. Though you can’t set your hopes too high for SUV fuel economy, the Pilot does a decent job of it across its three generations.
If you are in the market for a new or used Honda Pilot, one can be had in just about any budget constraint. But does the PIlot within your budget meet your fuel economy needs? Let’s take a look at the generational changes and the fuel economy ratings of each.
Honda Pilot First-generation (2003-2008)
When Honda first introduced the Pilot in 2003, the automaker advertised it as the “ultimate family adventure vehicle.” It was initially offered with the four-wheel-drive standard.
However, the 2006 model year introduced a front-wheel-drive variant. Both versions received the Honda J35 3.5-liter V6. Over the years, the power output of the V6 varied. Initially, it made 240 horsepower.
However, in 2005 it saw a jump to 255 horsepower. The power again changed in 2006, dropping down to 244 horsepower, where it remained through the 2008 model year, the final year for the Honda Pilot.
The four-wheel-drive version of the first-generation Honda Pilot was available through all six years of its run. It was available only with a five-speed automatic transmission.
Throughout the run of the first-generation Pilot, the four-wheel-drive models came in at an EPA combined fuel economy rating of 17 mpg. All years have a rating of 15 mpg city, while the highway numbers vary by year and are either 20 mpg or 21 mpg. Essentially, any year four-wheel-drive Pilot from the first-generation run will net you identical fuel economy.
While the four-wheel-drive option is undoubtedly better for offroad and adventure use, the front-wheel-drive variant does see slightly better fuel economy. It is rated at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway for a combined EPA rating of 18 mpg. It isn’t a drastic improvement.
However, if you’re planning to only use your Pilot for around town daily use, the FWD variant may save you a fair bit on gas over time.
A budget of $5,000 or more is enough to land yourself a well-maintained first-generation Honda Pilot. As always, check the VIN for history and recall reports.
Honda Pilot Second-generation (2009-2015)
The second generation of the Honda Pilot is where it would see its major growth into a modern vehicle. Though it did keep some of the design cues from the first generation, its new body lines brought it more towards current styling standards. It wasn’t just styling changes that modernized this era, either. The engine remained a 3.5-liter V6.
However, the V6 found in these Pilots has cylinder deactivation technology, which means it will turn off cylinders when the power is not needed to increase fuel economy. Other modern amenities would become available in this generation.
The 2012 MY brought the availability of Bluetooth and optional navigation. A backup camera came standard in 2013 and newer models. Just like the first-gen., the second-gen. Pilot is available in both front-wheel-drive and four-wheel drive.
The four-wheel-drive version, just like the previous generation, is available only with a five-speed automatic transmission throughout the duration of its production. The 3.5-liter V6 produced a healthy 250 horsepower but still managed to improve fuel economy from the first generation.
The four-wheel-drive model has an EPA rating of 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway for a combined rating of 20 mpg. That is a massive improvement from the previous generation.
The front-wheel-drive version sees a tiny bit more fuel efficiency than the four-wheel-drive variant yet again. Though it sports the same engine and a five-speed automatic transmission, it nets you one extra mile-per-gallon with an EPA rating of 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. Though, the combined rating of 20 mpg remains the same.
When shopping for a second-gen. Pilot, 2013 or newer is definitely the way to go for all the modern tech. A budget of between $10,000 and $15,000 will find you in a good example.
Honda Pilot Third-generation (2016-present)
The third generation of the Honda Pilot brings us to the current model year, 2021. It was initially launched in 2016. This generation shows the biggest shift in both the redesign and modernization of onboard technology. Things like a rear-seat DVD screen, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, Android Auto, and Apple Car Play became available as early as the model year 2017 examples.
They remain available with front-wheel-drive. However, the four-wheel-drive nomenclature became all-wheel-drive with this generation. Though, the system remains essentially the same. Once again, this generation brought on a big increase in fuel economy.
Both examples still use a 3.5-liter V6 but now offer the choice between a six-speed automatic transmission and a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The all-wheel-drive variant of the third-gen. Honda Pilot, just like previously, does see slightly less fuel efficiency than the front-wheel-drive version. That being said, modern technology has brought the Pilot to all-new levels of efficient gas use.
The all-wheel-drive model has an EPA rating of 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for a combined total of 22 mpg with the nine-speed automatic transmission. The six-speed automatic shares the highway rating, but has a city rating of 18 mpg and 21 mpg combined.
The front-wheel-drive version is also available with both transmissions, with the nine-speed offering slightly better fuel economy than the six-speed. The nine-speed variant has an EPA rating of 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway for a combined rating of 23 mpg. Like the all-wheel-drive version; the six-speed drops the city and combined rating by one mpg to 19 and 22, respectively.
The third generation truly shows the improvement of fuel economic growth over the past decade. For all the bells and whistles, a 2018 Honda Pilot or newer model is what you should seek for a third-gen. example. Expect to spend north of $25,000 for a lower-mileage example.
Pilot Efficiency Compared
While the Pilot has come a long way in its own right, so have its competitors. How does it stack up when compared to rival mid-size SUVs? To see a direct comparison, we are using stats from the 2018 model year of each competitor.
When stacked up against the likes of the Toyota Highlander, Chevrolet Traverse, and the Ford Explorer of similar specs, the Pilot holds up pretty well.
The Pilot, Highlander, and Explorer all use a 3.5-liter V6, while the Traverse has a 3.6-liter V6. Fuel economy ratings are fairly similar, with the Highlander standing above the rest with a combined fuel economy rating of 23 mpg.
- 2018 Honda Pilot – 22 mpg combined
- 2018 Toyota Highlander – 23 mpg combined
- 2018 Chevrolet Traverse – 20 mpg combined
- 2018 Ford Explorer – 19 mpg combined
While it seems like the Highlander may be a clear choice, the price may drive you away.
When stacked against the Pilot and its American counterparts, the Toyota has quite a lofty price tag. Its MSRP comes in over $10,000 higher than that of the Honda and over $8,000 higher than the American counterparts. It seems, then, when comparing the purchase price relative to fuel efficiency, the Honda Pilot is the clear winner.
2021 Honda Pilot: An Efficient Choice All-around
Though the Pilot in its original form wasn’t all that fuel-efficient by today’s standards, it wasn’t at all bad for the time. Since its debut, the Honda Pilot–like the 2019 model pictured above–has remained a relatively budget-friendly option for just about anything you would want to use it for.
If you are looking for a cheap older SUV to turn strictly into a weekend offroad adventurer, the first-gen. may be exactly what you’re looking for. If you’re after a used car you can depend on for road trips and family vacations, but your budget is under $15,000, a second-gen. pilot is likely all you’ll ever need.
Finally, if you are in the market for a brand new SUV and you want a fantastic blend of usability, comfort, practicality, and fuel efficiency, the third-gen. Pilot can not be beaten for the price. Essentially, no matter what your intended use or budget is, a Honda Pilot is waiting to satisfy your needs.
Photos: Honda
