The One Family SUV That’s Almost Impossible To Regret Buying

We have never had more choice for SUVs in the U.S. For the last few decades, they have been one of the most popular segments, and today, there looks to be no sign of slowing them down. With such a huge array of them about, though, we find that not all models are as good as they are cracked up to be. Sometimes, brands try to be too clever with what they offer.

Read Also

1 month ago

The 4-Year-Old Japanese Hybrid Sedan That You Should Buy Used

35 autotech

Not this family SUV. It gets most things totally right, and makes for one of the standout modern SUVs that you won’t regret buying in 2026.

The Family SUV Formula Is Surprisingly Simple

A good family SUV does not need to reinvent the wheel. It needs enough room for people and luggage, sensible storage, comfortable seats, useful technology, and fuel economy that doesn’t make every fuel stop painful. That is why something like the new Grand Highlander Hybrid is a great family SUV.

Read Also

2 month ago

The Long-Lasting Japanese Luxury Sedan That Rarely Needs Repairs — And It’s Not A Lexus

66 autotech

It has 33.5 inches of rear legroom and still retains 20.6 cubic feet of space when you are using all three rows, and it achieves up to 36 combined mpg. Add in a long list of family-friendly touches and Toyota-esque reliability, and it is obvious why it is good.

The Right Mix Matters More Than A Standout Feature

Kia

The trick is getting everything to work together properly. A new Kia Telluride can bring a near-luxury cabin and a long warranty; a Grand Highlander Hybrid can offer serious space and efficiency; a Ford Explorer can lean harder into performance thanks to its available 400-horsepower bi-turbo V6.

However, a family SUV that nails one area while making you compromise elsewhere is not much good if it is your sole vehicle. The best family SUVs are the ones where nothing feels like a glaring weakness. It sounds simple, but the three-row market has become very good at proving otherwise. What you want is something that makes all these compromises feel so minor that you stop noticing them because of everything it gets right.

The 2026 Honda Pilot Gets The Big Things Right

Honda

As one of the highest-rated family SUVs this year, it is the 2026 Honda Pilot that leads the way in getting the basics right. There are seven grades of the new Honda Pilot: the Sport, the EX-L, the TrailSport, the Touring, the Touring Blackout, the Elite, and the Black Edition.

Starting prices for the Sport are $42,395; for the EX-L, $44,695; for the TrailSport, $50,595; for the Touring, $51,295; for the Touring Blackout, $52,495; for the Elite, $53,695; and for the Black Edition, $55,195.

Naturally Aspirated V6 That Tows 5,000 Pounds Without A Turbo Tax

Honda

At the heart of all new Pilot models is an engine configuration that we don’t see too often in the mainstream SUV market: a V-engine. To be precise, all 2026 Pilots are equipped with a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated J35Y8 V6 that puts out 285 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 262 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm.

All models also get a ten-speed automatic transmission controlled by paddle shifters and either front-wheel drive (the Sport and EX-L as standard, but can be upgraded), or Honda’s second-gen Intelligent Variable Torque Management AWD system (all other trims as standard).

TopSpeed | Michael Frank

Zero-to-60 mph tests have posted times anywhere from 6.9 to 7.8 seconds, so you aren’t going to win many races in one, but you can tow a decent amount with it. When properly equipped with AWD and the Towing Kit, you can lug 5,000 pounds behind you.

All Pilot models are also three-row, with the Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Black Edition coming equipped with eight seats and a second-row bench seat. The Pilot TrailSport and the Elite are three row as well, but you get second-row captain’s chairs instead. Those specs look good on paper, but a well-powered three-row SUV means nothing if it’s claustrophobic inside — so how does the Pilot actually use that space?

The Pilot Has More Room For Real Life Than Most SUVs

TopSpeed | Michael Frank

With up to 21.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, up to 59.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, and up to 111.8 cubic feet with all the seats folded down , the new Pilot is one of the leading mid-size family SUVs for interior space. You get a passenger volume of 158.4 cubic feet in the eight-seat models and 154.9 cubic feet in the seven-seat models, and all three rows have a respectable amount of space.

Up front, you get 40.5 inches of headroom and 41 inches of legroom; in the second row, 40.2 inches of headroom and 40.8 inches of legroom; and in the third row, 39.3 inches of headroom and 32.5 inches of legroom. If you need to ferry your family around a lot or need the space for more adventurous living, the Pilot looks to have you covered. And, to put that into perspective, the 2026 Ford Explorer gets a maximum cargo capacity of 85.8 cubic feet and 31.8 inches of third-row legroom. Numbers alone don’t tell the whole story — raw space is only useful if the interior is actually designed to be used. That’s where the Pilot separates itself.

The Pilot’s Hands-Free Tailgate And One-Touch Seats Make Family Life Noticeably Easier

Nicole Wakelin | TopSpeed

For family life, ease of use is probably one of the biggest things you’re looking for, and the Pilot is designed to be as fuss-free as we like to see from Honda. The second row is 40/20/40 split-folding in eight-seat models, and the middle section can be removed when you want easier access through the cabin. EX-L and higher trims get one-touch second-row seats, while the third-row seats fold 60/40.

The Sport trim is equipped with a power tailgate, while Touring, Touring Blackout, Elite, and Black Edition models get a hands-free power tailgate with Walk Away Close. A kick under the rear bumper opens it when your hands are full, and pressing the button in the cargo area closes and locks it as you walk away. The higher trims also have Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock, so there is less messing around with the fob as well.

Proper Kit In The Cabin That Is Easy To Use

Honda

The Sport is basic all-round inside, but as soon as you move up beyond it, you get leather-trimmed seats in the EX-L. The TrailSport gets a more adventure-ready interior, with durable synthetic leather with contrast stitching and all-season floor mats, while the Touring and Touring Blackout models get perforated leather and quilted Ultrasuede accents.

The Black Edition also gets its own black leather interior with red detailing. In all models, the dashboard and door panels are nice and straightforward, while some of the higher trims also get soft-touch materials to give the basic layout a touch of class.

TopSpeed | Michael Frank

Every new Pilot model is equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a 10.2-inch digital driver’s display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Google Built-In. In short, more than enough for a family SUV. The EX-L adds wireless phone charging, while the TrailSport gets a Multiview Camera System with TrailWatch to suit its more off-roady build.

Touring and above trims feature a 12-speaker Bose audio rig and panoramic moonroof, and Elite models get a HUD. There are also USB-C ports across all three rows, so keeping everyone charged up isn’t a hassle on road trips.

The Pilot Costs $6,000 Less To Own Over Five Years Than A Ford Explorer

Nicole Wakelin | TopSpeed

If there is something that Honda has gotten good at over the last couple of decades, it is keeping costs sensible. Starting prices for the 2026 Pilot aren’t the cheapest in the segment, and FuelEconomy.gov says combined mpg ratings range from just 20 mpg in the TrailSport to 22 combined in the FWD models, and will cost you between $2,800 and $3,100 a year for gas, but most other aspects of Pilot ownership are kept in check.

CarEdge rates the Honda Pilot “C+” for value, and says it will cost you, on average, $56,202 to own over five years. These costs include $24,006 in depreciation, $11,000 for gas, $10,780 for insurance, $7,868 in interest, and $2,548 for maintenance. Something like a Telluride will cost you $59,969 over the same time, and an Explorer will cost you just shy of $62,800.

A 30 Percent Chance Of Reaching 200,000 Miles Makes The Pilot A Long-Term Investment

Honda

Then there is the Honda-grade dependability the Pilot benefits from. According to J.D. Power ratings, the new Pilot is rated 81 out of 100 for reliability, while owners who left a review on Kelley Blue Book rate its reliability 4.4 out of 5, with 83 percent of owners recommending it (at time of writing).

Longevity is also exceptional. iSeeCars says that the 2026 Pilot has an estimated average lifespan of 169,251 miles or around 11.4 years, a reliability rating of 7.6 out of 10, and a very impressive 30.6 percent chance of reaching at least 200,000 miles during its usable lifespan.

Honda

As an easy family-serving machine, the Pilot does fall short of the likes of the Toyota Sequoia and Grand Highlander Hybrid in longevity, but it is estimated to last longer than the Explorer (137,155 miles) and the Chevrolet Traverse (133,699 miles).

The Honda Pilot Is Hard To Beat Without Being The Best At Everything

Buying a new Pilot isn’t buying the quickest, flashiest, cleverest, or most fuel-efficient option, but it does get remarkably few things wrong. The Honda Sensing safety suite helps with everyday life too, bringing adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, and collision mitigation braking, resulting in an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. None of it feels ground-breaking, but it takes the strain out of driving a well-sized SUV all the time.

That is the new Pilot’s real trick. You can find mid-sized SUV rivals with a nicer cabin, better fuel returns, more adventurous hardware, fancier features, and more powerful engines, but you do have to start really picking at the Pilot to find the compromises. It is well-sized, properly equipped, family-friendly, easy to use, and backed up by an ownership record that makes keeping it for the long haul a sensible choice. A recent CarBuzz review of the 2026 Honda Pilot sums it up nicely.

Base Trim Engine

3.5-liter V6

Base Trim Transmission

10-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

285 hp

Base Trim Torque

262 b-ft

Make

Honda

Model

Pilot

Segment

Midsize SUV

Sources: Honda, RepairPal, iSeeCars, IIHS, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, and FuelEconomy.gov.