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The 2023 Honda Pilot is the largest, most powerful SUV the automaker has ever built. It's a big step up from the Pilot that precedes it, but Honda didn't jack its price to the ceiling as it moved to this new-generation model.
Honda on Tuesday announced pricing for the 2023 Pilot. A base Pilot Sport with front-wheel drive will set you back $40,445, including $1,295 in destination charges. That represents a $1,070 price increase over the previous generation's entry point, which is not a bad deal considering the Pilot packs an all-new 3.5-liter V6 producing 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, as well as a new 10-speed automatic transmission. That's in addition to the larger body that is a couple inches larger in most every direction, which translates to a fair bit more legroom for second- and third-row passengers.
The Pilot's base model still carries a bunch of creature comforts. Standard equipment includes a 7-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, in addition to three-zone automatic climate control, LED headlights and heated front seats. It also comes with the Honda Sensing suite of active and passive driver aids, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, speed-sign recognition and a rear-seat reminder.
The next trim up is the EX-L, which rings in at $43,245 for front-wheel-drive variants with seating for eight -- changing the interior to a seven-seat arrangement adds just $300 to the price. This trim adds a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring, a power tailgate, a 9-speaker audio system and leather seats.
From here, the next trim on offer is the $47,745 Pilot Touring. Instead of offering different seating arrangements, the Touring replaces that option with a removable middle seat in the second row, so owners can switch between interior layouts themselves. This trim also boasts a 12-speaker Bose audio system, embedded navigation and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
All the aforementioned trims come standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available on each for a $2,100 upcharge.
Don't fret, the infotainment system has a proper volume knob.
Antuan Goodwin/CNETComing in at the penultimate trim spot is the radically revised Pilot TrailSport, which is no longer a trim that just looks rugged. The $49,645 TrailSport adds all-terrain tires, an off-road-tuned suspension with extra ground clearance, skid plates and four exterior cameras. A unique Trail mode also rejiggers the standard AWD system's tuning for times where all four wheels may not be touching the ground.
Finally, at the tippy top of the lineup, we have the $53,325 Pilot Elite. This AWD-only trim throws everything but the kitchen sink at the SUV, including perforated leather, ventilated front seats, a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster and a surround-view camera. The 2023 Honda Pilot should reach dealerships in Dec. 12.