Honda announced a series of updates to the three-row Pilot last month. An important model for the brand, the Pilot competes against newer and edgier rivals like the Hyundai Palisade and upcoming Kia Telluride. We covered the 2026 Pilot’s changes in November, and now Honda has released pricing as the crossover starts arriving at local showrooms. Whereas the 2025 version started at $40,200, the refreshed 2026 Pilot has a base MSRP of $42,195, making it one of the more expensive vehicles in its segment.
Base Trim Gets Biggest Price Hike
The base price for the Pilot applies to the Sport trim in front-wheel-drive form. Here’s a look at prices for the entire 2026 Pilot lineup:
- Sport 2WD: $42,195
- Sport AWD: $44,295
- EX-L 2WD: $44,495
- EX-L AWD: $46,595
- Touring AWD: $51,095
- TrailSport AWD: $50,395
- Elite AWD: $53,495
- Black Edition AWD: $54,995
These prices all exclude a destination and handling charge of $1,495, and the biggest price increase has been applied to the base trim. Looking at key rivals from Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, and Toyota, all have a base MSRP that’s lower than the Honda’s:
- Hyundai Palisade: $39,435
- Mazda CX-90: $38,800
- Toyota Grand Highlander: $41,360
- Kia Telluride: $36,390 (outgoing generation)
- Jeep Grand Cherokee L: $39,635
Unlike most of these rivals (and the upcoming Telluride), the Honda Pilot lacks a hybrid option. Its 285-horsepower V6 is solid, but this is now a rather glaring omission for the Honda. The Hyundai Palisade also looks more upmarket, while the Mazda is the segment’s fun-to-drive champ. While the Honda does everything well, it’s difficult to pinpoint one area where it trumps its competition.
Related: 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid First Drive, Here's My Honest Review
What’s New For The Honda Pilot?
We covered all the updates extensively in our November report, so we’ll take a look at just a few of the highlights here. The 2026 Pilot has a more rugged look with a bigger grille, new wheels, and a few new colors. Noise levels have been reduced inside and Honda claims interior quality has been enhanced.
All models get an infotainment update, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster across the range. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wireless for all variants, and the Touring receives a new surround-view camera.
Although the V6 stays the same, Honda has retuned the electric power steering to improve precision and feel. We’ll have to wait to get behind the wheel to see if the difference is noticeable.
Related: 2025 Honda Pilot Vs. 2026 Acura MDX: 5 Key Differences
Final Thoughts
It would be unfair to judge the 2026 Honda Pilot before we’ve driven one, so watch out for a first drive imminently. On paper, though, the 2026 model will have to do a lot to justify that price premium, especially when matched up against several all-new rivals. The Hyundai Palisade stands out as the more appealing prospect right now.
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