There was a time, not long ago, when shopping for a three row family SUV was easy. You walked into a Honda dealer, you bought a Pilot, you went home. It was the default. The safe bet. The SUV your neighbor had, and their neighbor, and probably your kid’s soccer coach. It earned that reputation by being supremely competent at the one job that matters: hauling a family without drama.
But here is the thing about being king. Everybody wants your crown. And over the last few years, the rivals have come for it hard. The Hyundai Palisade got plush. The Kia Telluride got loaded with tech. The Toyota Grand Highlander got a hybrid that sips fuel like a Corolla. Suddenly the Pilot’s throne does not look quite so secure.
So Honda freshened it for 2026, fixed its most embarrassing flaw, and sent it back into battle. The question is whether that is enough. Is the 2026 Pilot still the king of three row SUVs? I dug in, and the honest answer is more complicated than Honda would like. Let me walk you through it.
First, the Glow Up Was Badly Needed
Let’s start with the good news, because the 2026 refresh genuinely improves the Pilot where it counted most. The old Pilot had a dirty little secret that drove me nuts: a pathetically small infotainment screen in a class full of giant displays.
That is finally fixed. One of the big complaints about last year’s Pilot was its standard 7 inch infotainment touchscreen, woefully smaller than rivals offered. That’s all in the past now, as the 2026 Pilot comes standard with a 12.3 inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Honda went further too. The biggest changes are in the cabin, with a new digital instrument panel in all trims, a larger infotainment touchscreen, and Google Built-In, along with extra sound deadening and retuned steering for increased heft and better feel.
The exterior got meaner as well. For the refresh, Honda leans into throwback styling, with a boxier look, a broader grille flanked by vertical air intakes, giving it a bolder, more truck like presence. It is a handsome, more rugged update that keeps the Pilot looking current.
Where the Pilot Still Reigns Supreme
Now let’s talk about what the Pilot does better than almost anyone, because these are the reasons it has been a champ for so long.
Space and clever versatility remain class leading. It seats up to eight with an available stowable second row center seat that is fully removable for true versatility, and offers a spacious cargo area with a hidden compartment for valuables. That removable middle seat is a genuinely brilliant party trick no rival fully matches. Cargo is generous too, with 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row and around 87 with the rear seats folded.
The bones are rock solid. The Pilot has a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and the maximum 5 star overall score from NHTSA, plus Honda’s legendary reliability and resale. The Pilot has above average resale values, which means recouping more money when you sell. And unlike some rivals that just slap cladding on a soft crossover, the TrailSport is the real deal. TrailSport adds real off-road hardware rather than just cosmetic touches, with all terrain tires, skid plates, recovery points, an off-road tuned suspension, and a TrailWatch camera system. Some buyers fall hard for it. One reviewer who was deeply skeptical of three row SUVs admitted the Pilot turned her into a believer within five minutes.
Read: Kia K4 Just Put a High-Tech “Grand Tourer” Cabin Inside a $22,000 Daily Driver
How It Stacks Up
Here is where the Pilot lands against the heavyweights gunning for its crown.
| Model | Engine | Combined MPG | Standout Trait | Starting Price |
| 2026 Honda Pilot | 3.5L V6 | 22 (AWD) | Space, reliability, off-road TrailSport | $43,690 |
| Hyundai Palisade | V6 or hybrid | Up to 29 (hybrid) | Hushed, luxurious cabin | Lower base |
| Toyota Grand Highlander | Turbo-4 or hybrid | Up to 34 (hybrid) | Hybrid efficiency | Lower base |
| Kia Telluride | V6 | Around 21 | Tech and trim variety | Lower base |
That MPG column is where the Pilot’s crown starts to slip, and it is a serious problem. The 2026 Pilot with AWD gets an EPA estimated 22 mpg combined, trailing the Hyundai Palisade and its 29 mpg with the available hybrid, while the AWD Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is even more efficient at an impressive 34 mpg combined. In 2026, having no hybrid option at all is a glaring gap, and it is the single biggest reason the Pilot no longer automatically wins.
The “Master of None” Problem
Here is the critique that kept coming up, and it is a fair one. The Pilot is good at everything and great at almost nothing.
It comes across as the victim of an identity crisis. Honda has tried to make it a sporty, tough, and family friendly SUV all in one, but this jack of all trades approach means it’s a master of none. The Pilot is competent but lacks standout traits. The driving backs that up. The V6 sounds snarly but actual acceleration is only average in its class, with a 0 to 60 of 7.8 seconds in testing, and emergency stopping distances longer than rival three row SUVs.
Compare that to the competition’s clearer identities. The redesigned Kia Telluride offers more advanced tech and a wider array of trims, while the Hyundai Palisade is a more luxurious experience with a hushed cabin and expensive feeling materials. Each rival now has a signature strength. The Pilot’s signature strength is, well, not having a weakness. That used to be enough to win. I am not sure it is anymore.
Let Me Be Fair About the Whole Picture
I do not want to be too harsh, because the Pilot remains genuinely excellent, and the “master of none” knock cuts both ways. A vehicle with no glaring weaknesses is a deeply reassuring thing to own. It’s an easy and perfectly pleasant three row SUV to drive, with composed road manners, good body control, impressive visibility, and a quiet cabin thanks to the added sound deadening.
The value proposition is strong too if you shop smart. The EX-L stands out as the best value, adding leather upholstery, heated front seats, wireless charging, parking sensors, and the stowable second row center seat for just $2,300 more than the base Sport. And the experts still rate it highly overall. The biggest gripes beyond fuel economy are minor. The touchscreen looks a bit dated, and the third row, like most in the class, is best reserved for kids. One real demerit worth flagging: the warranty. Honda’s coverage aligns with most mainstream rivals but does not match brands offering longer powertrain protection. Hyundai and Kia’s 10 year powertrain warranties simply outclass it.
Verdict: A King, but No Longer the King
So, is the 2026 Honda Pilot still the king of three row SUVs? Here is my honest take. It is still royalty. It is just no longer sitting alone on the throne.
For years the Pilot was the undisputed default, and the 2026 refresh keeps it firmly in the top tier. If you prize a smooth V6 over a turbo four, if you want the cleverest seating flexibility in the class, if reliability and resale and genuine off road capability matter to you, the Pilot might still be the single best choice you can make. It is spacious, supremely well rounded, beautifully built, and now finally packing the tech it was missing. There is nothing wrong with it, and that is both its greatest strength and its quiet weakness.
But the crown is shared now. The Palisade out luxes it and offers a hybrid. The Grand Highlander humiliates it at the gas pump. The Telluride matches it on tech and value while undercutting its base price. The Pilot’s total lack of a hybrid option in 2026 is a real liability in a class racing toward efficiency, and its competent everywhere, exceptional nowhere character means it no longer wins by default.
My advice? Cross shop honestly. Buy the EX-L for the best value, drive the Pilot back to back against a Palisade Hybrid and a Grand Highlander Hybrid, and let your priorities decide. If you want efficiency, the Pilot loses. If you want a do everything, bulletproof family hauler with the best seating tricks and a real rugged trim, the Pilot is still a champion. The king is not dead. But the kingdom held an election, and these days the Pilot has to actually campaign for your vote. For a lot of families, it will still earn it. It just cannot count on the crown anymore, and honestly, that competition makes it a better SUV than ever.
