2023 Honda Pilot Trim Guide

Have you been looking for a new vehicle and have settled on shopping for a Honda Pilot for sale? Are you also willing to purchase the latest model but are wondering what each trim level has to offer? Regardless of why you’re here with us today, you’re in luck because we’ve got the rundown on the Honda Pilot.

2023 Honda Pilot LX

The Honda Pilot LX is the base-level option for this midsize SUV. The 2023 model year marks the twentieth incarnation, with the first Pilot model released in 2003. This year’s Pilot LX dawns a starting price of $35,950, making it the most cost-effective Pilot model by at least a few thousand dollars.[a] The Pilot is one of those models where only one powertrain is available throughout its six trims. This means if horsepower, torque, and towing are important to you, then you can save some money by investing in the base model. To the benefit of every buyer, the Pilot LX has a 3.5L V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission running the show. The result is 285 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, and the Pilot LX can even tow a maximum capacity of 5,000 lbs.

Performance aside, the LX is a feature-packed base model, barring some of the more exclusive luxury features that each of the following trims offer. However, this is nothing but expected given the price difference, but even at its more affordable price, the base Honda Pilot still rocks a 7-inch infotainment center with features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth. Entertainment features are all well and good, but what we believe makes the LX a great option for anyone looking to purchase the Pilot for general commuting and traveling with friends and family is the inclusion of the Honda Sensing suite.

2023 Honda Pilot Sport

Stepping up into the Sport is an excellent idea for many reasons. The Sport starts at an MSRP of $39,150, but thanks to the abundance of features that differentiate it from the base model, it’s worth every penny.[a] The Sport shares many of the same features as the LX, such as cloth seats, five drive modes (Normal, ECON, Snow, Tow, and Sport,) and the 7-inch infotainment center complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, unlike the LX, the Sport adds more favorable amenities, like a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support to replace the manually-adjustable driver’s chair on the LX. Similarly, the Sport removes the manually-adjustable passenger chair and instead replaces it with a 4-way power-adjustable chair. As a bonus to Sport drivers, the front seats are also heated, and the steering wheel gets a pleasing leather wrapping.

2023 Honda Pilot EX-L

The next trim available is the EX-L which has a starting MSRP of $42,300.[a] Like the LX and Sport, this model is available in two-wheel or all-wheel drive. However, you’ll have the option of two additional drive modes if you opt for all-wheel drive: Trail and Sand. The EX-L is also the first of the six trims to replace the cloth seating with genuine leather, which is a perfect fit for the leather steering wheel that was introduced with the Sport.

The Pilot EX-L is also more advanced than the two entry-level trims because it replaces the standard 7-inch infotainment center with a larger and more robust infotainment center, one that hosts a myriad of extra features that aren’t available on the base unit. The new infotainment center has a 9-inch screen with SiriusXM radio, and your SUV will also get an upgrade to Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With this trim, you will also get a wireless phone charging pad for your smartphone or any other Qi-Compatible device, but USB ports still come installed in the vehicle, regardless.

2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport

If you want to take your Honda Pilot off-roading, you’ll have the most success in a TrailSport. The Pilot TrailSport starts at an MSRP of $48,700 and is different from its peers in a few ways.[a] Not only does the TrailSport reduce the seating capacity to seven passengers, but it’s also distinctive with unique styling that separates it from the other Pilot trims. The most notable difference between the interiors besides passenger capacity is the leather seats with orange accent stitching.

To compensate for the potential regular off-roading schedule, the TrailSport comes with seven total drive modes, like the EX-L. However, unlike the EX-L, the TrailSport comes equipped with specifically off-roading-focused suspension and All-Terrain tires. Aside from that, the TrailSport also gets the 9-inch infotainment center that comes with the EX-L and the wireless variants of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the TrailSport is the first of the six trims to add heating elements to the leather steering wheel.

2023 Honda Pilot Touring

The Touring is much like the EX-L, meaning it has eight seats, five drive modes – two extra if you purchase an AWD model – and the 9-inch infotainment center with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the Touring––with its MSRP of $46,800––is a great way to further the potential of your mid-size SUV’s luxurious amenities.[a] The Touring is a fantastic way to add further quality-of-life changes to the already feature-jam-packed Pilot. With the Touring, you’ll get a massive panoramic moonroof that sits above you and all your passengers, and your infotainment center will include Honda’s in-house navigation software. You’ll get a dozen Bose speakers comprising a premium audio setup, with a subwoofer, too, along with many more features that take the Pilot experience above and beyond what you’re currently driving.

2023 Honda Pilot Elite

The question you have to ask yourself is, “Can it get even better than the Touring?” Yes! There is something special about how Honda is able to take something you believe is perfect the way it is and continue to improve upon it. Let’s look at the 2023 Honda Pilot Elite. This trim has an MSRP of $52,380.[a]

Say you’re a commuter, drive with family and friends, or you’re an Uber or Lyft driver; the 2023 Pilot Eliite’s goal is to make each passenger as comfortable as the driver, which is something not enough vehicles do. For example, the front-row passenger gets a ventilated and heated seat, much like the driver, but even the second-row passengers get heated seats, which is a luxury that many passengers will be glad to have if needed. The Elite also includes a digital instrument cluster displayed on a 10.2-in screen that replaces the analog gauges on the other models, and a Heads-Up Display (HUD) is projected onto the driver’s portion of the windshield, but does so without intruding on your view of the road.

Premium, Premium, or More Premium?

Something that we believe you may have noticed is how much of a great value the Pilot is, regardless of which trim level suits your needs, wants, and budget. The Pilot is one of those automobiles that you can simply trust, and even if you’re looking to save money by purchasing the entry-level LX model, you’ll still be getting an experience worthy of the Honda brand and the Pilot badging. You can find these trim levels, or allow us to help you custom order one to your liking by visiting us at Classic Honda of Midland.

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^[a] MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, $1,345 destination charge, and accessories. Dealer prices may vary. MSRP does not include $395 premium color charge for 2022 vehicles or $455 premium color charge for 2023 vehicles.

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