The Honda Pilot has been a massive success in the US since it was first introduced in 2002. Despite the Japanese badge, it somehow captured the essence of a mid-size (and eventually, large) crossover that American customers want.
The popular crossover is now in its fourth generation with the current model launched in late 2022. It’s up against the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe and Palisade, Kia Sorento and Palisade, Mazda CX-90, and Toyota Grand Highlander. All very capable large family shuttles with all-wheel drive, and all with something the Pilot doesn’t have.
Care to guess what it is? All of the Pilot’s competitors have a hybrid option while it soldiered on with V6 power alone from the start. A bit surprising given that Honda was one of the pioneers of mainstream electrification.
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Honda is well aware it’s on the back foot on that matter. The company has announced that it will build large crossovers with hybrid power. CEO Toshihiro Mibe didn’t explicitly say the Pilot, but he did say that they need a large hybrid vehicle and that North America is ‘[the] main battleground’ for its electrified vehicles.
That said, the mention of ‘large hybrid vehicle’ practically singles out the Pilot. After all, Mibe said there is a ‘solid demand for large-size vehicles with spacious interiors and high cargo capacity.’ It’s also telling that Honda used a photo of a Pilot to further emphasize its point during its recent financial report presentation.
Currently, the Honda Pilot only has one powertrain choice. It’s the familiar 3.5-liter V6, but it now packs twin-cams but lost VTEC. It makes 285hp and 355Nm with most variants coming standard with VTM-4, Honda’s more advanced all-wheel drive system.
But besides the Pilot, the slightly shorter Passport is also likely to get a hybrid option down the line. This model shares the same architecture as the Pilot, so there’s a good chance of electrification. And while we’re on the topic of platforms, the North American version of the Odyssey is another candidate for hybridization.
