2015 Honda Pilot Review: Problem Free & Spacious Midsize SUV That's Affordable To Own

Shaun Hardy on September 23, 2024

Truly a dream this SUV ! The amount of space and comfort is simply incredible! My family and I love everything about our Honda Pilot , such a luxurious vehicle!

Scott on May 15, 2023

Have had 4 Hondas. One I put almost 300,00 miles on with no major problems. Will buy more. Handles with ease, plenty of storage. We've had 2 Pilots and 2 Ridgelines.

Bruce and Rosemary on August 18, 2020

Had the car for 5 years and had 59,000 miles. I loved the car and had no mechanical problems. Decided to trade it in to get a newer model while I could get a good amount on the trade-in.

Jchassell83 on August 4, 2020

Tons of room, great MPGs, comfortable. Can't say enough about this vehicle. Would definitely buy another one. Better than the BMW X5 by far. Fun to drive as well.

Mothersloveof6 on August 3, 2020

Honda's are always reliable and the added bonus with this car is its compact size yet it's still roomy and seats 8 people. Better than a minivan!!

Sig Chodkowski on July 4, 2020

We have had plenty of compliments on this Pilot. It is a nice looking vehicle. It is comfortable, rides great, and has plenty of room for passengers and cargo.

carsly on June 18, 2020

Yes, the black interior is quite sullen and the leather isn't the highest quality. Interior plastics are pretty flat and the front dash is an expanse of seemingly never-ending buttons and switches. But you know what? It just works. My 2014 Pilot Touring 4WD is my second Pilot, the first being a 2008 EX 4WD which is still running like a champ and outside of routine maintenance has only had one 'repair' - a wheel bearing in a dozen years of kid-heavy operation. The 2014 we bought in Jan 2018 used with 30K miles on it as we test drove, and really didn't like at all, the third generation body style which had disconnected steering/lack of road feel, excessive length (they made the third generation narrower and longer to maintain passenger volume, ugh), too soft suspension and minivan-style looks. As for the 2014, it's everything you want out of a family hauler SUV with nothing you don't need. Yes, it's got a backup camera (three angles mind-you including top-down for lining up a hitched trailer), standard tow hitch (great for a bike rack) Honda's venerable 3.5L V6 (not a fan of the cylinder deactivation), heated leather seats, sunroof, and an incredible DVD system. What makes it so incredible? The rear-seat passengers can use wireless headsets to listen to a movie while - wait for it - the front seat passengers can get...silence. No need to use the car's speakers! Oh, it's also plenty wide, our growing boys fit three across with room in the second row and unlike many mid-sized crossovers the third row is quite usable. Now, this second generation Pilot has added some girth and weight over the first generation with a negligible increase in horsepower (maybe 4-5?) so it's definitely slower and the quick, responsive, playful feel from the suspension of the first generation Pilot is, sadly, nowhere to be found. That noted, it will chew up highway miles like no ones business and is quite comfortable, roomy and quiet inside. Sort of like a $50-70K high-priced luxury SUV without the killer price tag or logo inflation. Do I appreciate this second generation Pilot as a do-everything family hauler? Absolutely. Pile it up with sports gear, fishing gear, beach gear, Costco shopping spoils and more with ease. The power tailgate is a nice plus and visibility all around, due to the box, is quite good. If you have little people in your live ages 0-18, this could very well be the perfect family hauler to keep them safe and you sane while protecting your wallet with affordable maintenance and operating expenses - there is a reason we have two Pilots after all. I miss some of the things that made the first generation Pilot unique, the simple, clean, raked lines, the prominent snout, the tight handling and fun acceleration. It wasn't going to take anyone down in the 1/4 mile, but it did like to rev and reminded a driver of Honda's "fun" era and history in Formula 1. This second generation Pilot softened up all the edges, maybe it's just old age sinking in with the second generation, but this seems to have progressed further in the third generation as it's evolved into a 4WD capable minivan. It's sad to see it go that route. While it started out as The Rock - fun, edgy with some family-friendly personality - in the first generation the second-generation Pilot is a bit more sullen and subdued with the third generation Pilot having conceded the fight entirely and accepted it's role as a suburban mall crawler. If you're looking for a mid-sized SUV that still has some flashes of it's youth without the "looks like everything else' egg-like styling that pervaded the mid-sized SUV class, you may find the second generation Pilot to be the sweet spot in the model lineage. Enough modern conveniences to keep you happy while maintaining squared off good looks and plenty of passenger/storage space. As for us, I upgraded the head unit in our 2008 Pilot to an Apple Carplay unit and it's breathed fresh life in the car. Onwards to more Pilot miles and family fun!

Person on May 22, 2020

The bells and whistles are an added bonus from the included navigation to the in dash HDD so you don't have to fool with CDs... Handles beautifully, interior is spacious for all passengers . It's a really great car -and a gem if you can find one

Hondafan on April 26, 2020

Very reliable. Factory cant fix rotors warping - 4 sets so far. 17 mpg overall. Solid construction good for road trip, its now done 131,000.

Jaesee75 on March 16, 2020

We bought our 2015 Pilot 1 year old in 2016. Pre owned or used is the way to go if you want to save tons of money. I love the old styling more than the 2016-present version. The old one was unique and actually shaped like a box/truck. The new one looks like every other suv out there. They all look alike! We have the mid level EX trim. I think. No leather, moonroof, etc. Just 4WD. It does everything I want and need it to do. Nothing more. It's a mid sized SUV, but like all Hondas, it's actually huge inside. Honda just has a way of packaging its vehicles for max space. It's as roomy or roomier than most large suvs like the Chevy Tahoe or Infinity QX80. It has just about enough power to get going, and not much more. I bought the pilot to be a work car. Hauling large items, gardening, lumber, etc. And in that regard, it's performed flawlessly. I still enjoy looking at it and driving it. I'm in no hurry to get rid of it.