Millennial Mom's Review: 2022 Honda Pilot (2024)

Do you ever feel like you don’t have much to say? My husband will probably say that’s never been the case with me, but I just don’t have much to say about the 2022 Honda Pilot. There’s nothing horrendously terrible about the Pilot, but there’s also nothing astonishingly groundbreaking about it either. And why should there be? It’s pretty much just your average three-row family-hauler. It gets the job done — if that job is hauling families.

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But generally speaking, whether you choose a Pilot, Kia Telluride, Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander, Infiniti QX60, or any other three-row SUV — luxury or not — it’ll likely get the job done. People don’t buy three-row SUVs for the performance, they buy them because they’re supposedly cooler than minivans (I beg to differ).

Compare the specs of these similar three-row SUVs: Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9, and more

So, it comes down to personal preferences like adequate cargo space, comfortable seating, and an intuitive infotainment system. The Honda Pilot has all of this, and more. And yet, much like how I felt in the Highlander, it’s just missing a certain je ne sais quoi.

Looks-wise, it is what it is — it’s an average looking SUV. And maybe that’s what you want; sometimes I like to blend into the sea of other boring vehicles, as opposed to standing out in the crowd. Is it just me or does the Pilot transform into a minivan if the back doors’ handles are moved to the opposite side (see my Photoshop’d image below)? Seriously, why are we so against minivans when three-row SUVs are just a sliding door — and extra cargo space — away from being a minivan? (The Odyssey even has a lower starting price, just saying.)

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The base Sport trim has a starting price of $46,920 — that price is bumped up by almost $4,000 if you’re considering the refreshed 2023 trim. This tested 2022 Black Edition costs $58,420. Again, there’s nothing significantly wrong with the Pilot, but based on my own experience, I don’t think someone looking for a Honda Pilot is aiming to spend nearly $60k — I certainly am not.

And while we’re on the topic of spending money: you’ll definitely be doing that at the gas station, but that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering a) gas prices are high; and b) this isn’t a hybrid. The Honda Pilot has comparable fuel ratings to other SUVs in the segment; it has a combined fuel consumption of 11 L/100 km, 12.4 city, and 9.3 highway.

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Shoppers in this segment should also consider that bumping down a trim level to the Touring gives the option of eight seats. The Black Edition is only offered as a seven-seater that uses its space well. There is adequate walk-through space to get into the third row, but with three kids, I love the option of having them all sit in the second row when extra cargo space is needed. The third row is a 60-40 split, meaning you can access a bit of extra cargo space while still having one or two passengers back there.

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If eight seats are just as important to you as it is to me, one thing to keep in mind is the refreshed 2023 Pilot drops the 60-40 seat in the second row and offers a removable middle seat instead. I imagine it’s similar to the one in the MDX, in which case, it’s a game-changer and a super-family-friendly option!

One thing that’s generally marketed as “family-friendly” is rear-seat entertainment, but I completely disagree, especially when there is one screen for three kids of varying ages. In general, I find rear-seat entertainment systems really confusing, and it’s the last thing I want to fiddle with while driving; I can’t even see what’s happening on the screen behind me. That said, I found Honda’s system to be fairly simple; we had Moana playing on Blu-ray in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, that didn’t matter, because the kids were bored after a few minutes, and I probably should have brought their iPads instead.

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The 2022 Honda Pilot Black Edition has a wireless charging pad, but it’s pointless — unless you’re charging someone else’s phone. There is wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, meaning your phone needs to be plugged in, meaning it will be charging via the wire. For nearly $60k, I’d really like wireless Apple CarPlay. The rest of the centre stack is simple and intuitive, with the exception of the mode selector that I find truly annoying (it’s also in the MDX). A heated steering wheel is standard across all trim levels, as are heated front seats, but only the top two trims get ventilated seats. The Sport trim is also the only trim to miss out on heated second-row seats.

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Standard safety features include blind-spot monitor and lane-departure warning, but you’ll have to upgrade to the Touring trim if you want rear cross-traffic alert. The backup camera works well as a parking aid, but for those who may heavily rely on features like a 360-degree-view camera, well, that isn’t available on any of the trims.

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Honda has supposedly dubbed 2022 as the “year of the SUV” and rightfully so, considering it revealed the sixth-generation CR-V, including a hybrid addition in Canada; a second-gen HR-V; as well as the fourth-gen Pilot that’s said to be the largest SUV the automaker has ever offered. The 2023 Pilot is 86 mm longer than the 2022 model; and although the 2023’s width is 42 mm less, its passenger and cargo space have increased. And so has the price. Canadian pricing for the 2023 Pilot starts at $50,650, an increase of almost $4,000, but a mid-trim level will easily bring you up toward the average of a new vehicle purchase, which is $55,469.

At the end of the day, the 2022 Honda Pilot is an average three-row SUV. It’s not the coolest car in the world, but I don’t think it’s meant to be. It’s a Honda; it’s well-known around the world and doesn’t necessarily need to make groundbreaking revelations to win over the hearts of its loyal customers. (That said, Honda will begin production of fuel-cell electric vehicles in 2024, in addition to plans to develop advanced Level 3 self-driving technology by 2029.)

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However, it does need to compete with similar three-rows like the Toyota Highlander, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade and Mazda CX-9, to name a few. As it stands, despite having no major complaints about the 2022 model, I can’t say I’d choose to buy this three-row over any of the previously mentioned. Maybe the 2023 model will change my mind — though there’s also the refreshed 2023 Highlander to consider, not to mention the hybrid-powered Grand Highlander.

I guess my husband was right (don’t tell him); I did have much to say, after all.

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