Driving Experience
Includes acceleration and handling
What Owners Say
"The handling and ride of the 2017 Honda Pilot is extremely smooth and trustworthy."
Anonymous, IL (2017 Honda Pilot)"Ride quality is excellent. Acceleration and handling very good"
Anonymous, VA (2017 Honda Pilot)"The vehicle handles well and has adequate performance so far.It can handle quite a bit of cargo without intruding upon the passenger space and return reasonable economy at highway speeds.I’m enjoying a car I thought I dislike."
Sam G., FL (2017 Honda Pilot)"Sharp Handling, Acceleration is decent, better when eco mode is turned off. I bought an elite so I could get the full technology package...I like the technology for the safety of my wife and children who most frequently are in the pilot, but for me it seems to take a lot away from the driving experience and has a bit of a learning curve."
Jacob T., TN (2017 Honda Pilot)"One of the best handling cars I have ever had.and I have had over 35 . I am 76"
Donald A., FL (2017 Honda Pilot)"Transmission seems to search for new gear too often."
Joseph J., OH (2017 Honda Pilot)"This car is stupidly fast for what it is. On the highway merging in and out of traffic is cake, and the car gets to speed in no time. I also think the engine sounds great, especially when VTEC kicks in. Of course, very rarely do I drive the car like that, or have to drive it that way. My Pilot is an Elite, so it has the 9 speed transmission. I feel it has very crisp and quick shifts. I hear lots of complaints and hate on this transmission, but to me it is really quite smooth. In terms of handling. The steering is num and light which is typical, but the handling is excellent. I think it drives smaller than it is, but then again I have the AWD which has a torque vectoring rear axle, so that might help some. Overall I think it steers nicely and goes nicely and I like it."
Anonymous, FL (2017 Honda Pilot)"Drives and handles beautifully. Excellent acceleration. Pleased with the "Sensing Lane Assist" system."
Anonymous, GA (2017 Honda Pilot)"This vehicle has "Honda Sensing" including LKAS and Collision mitigation system. The LKAS needs some work and fine tuning. The collision mitigation system does NOT work well under circumstances where traffic is stopped ahead on a highway."
Anonymous, CO (2017 Honda Pilot)"Has some pep, soaks up the bumps well. Does good in the snow."
William G., NM (2017 Honda Pilot)"super fun to drive"
Anonymous, AZ (2017 Honda Pilot)"The Honda Pilot handles wellon the road and is very comfortable."
Anonymous, NY (2017 Honda Pilot)"The new "safety" features such as automatic braking, lane departure, etc. all failed miserably. The system would warn to brake at random...with no other cars on the road or anything that would require any sort of braking. The lane departure warnings would go off from marks on the road and not for truly departing from a lane. Both systems almost caused accidents. Once the emergency braking system kicked in (no car in front of us) on an highway exit ramp, and we almost got rear-ended by the car behind us. And several times the lane departure system would try to force us into another (sometimes occupied) lane. We've had issues with the brakes becoming unresponsive or barely slowing the vehicle. And the hood would vibrate in the wind, causing the front of the car to catch wind and not be very easy to control. Honda had the car for a week and a half to fix the hood issue, but their "fix" only lasted about a month. They couldn't replicate the brake failure. And the other issues with the lane departure and brake warnings...Honda's excuse was that the technology was in its infancy and bound to have glitches. We had the car for 11 months, and traded it in on the lease for the new Rogue. Yes, we had to eat $7,000 in negative equity, but we felt it worth it to drive a safer car as opposed to that terrible Pilot. We won't drive another Honda again."
John M., OH (2017 Honda Pilot)"Excellent cornering for a high clearance vehicle. Good acceleration and transmission shifts for performance. Transmission shifts are noticeable on upshift, but tolerable for performance received. Highway fuel mileage (25-27 is good without sacrificing performance, even in mountains."
Anonymous, CO (2017 Honda Pilot)"I like the handling and ride of my Pilot. The acceleration (quickness) is less than my previous 2003 Pilot, iso that took getting used to. But unlike my 2003 Pilot, there is no searching for the right gear at (about) 65 mph."
Richard W., CT (2017 Honda Pilot)"honda sense features for staying in lane and adaptive cruise control are awesome"
Anonymous, OH (2017 Honda Pilot)"Not really crazy about the 9 speed transmission and the auto-start function. Both seem very jerky....not at all like I experience in my Lexus HS 250h."
Anonymous, VA (2017 Honda Pilot)"The transmission doesn't work very well if you need to step on it since it has to shift through so many gears. The push button shifting is a joke."
Anonymous, NY (2017 Honda Pilot)"The acceleration seems slow but firm once going."
Katrina F., NY (2017 Honda Pilot)"There are many safety feature for safety. It also shifts smoothly and quietly."
Sandra D., TX (2017 Honda Pilot)"Very pleased with responsiveness and handling."
Anonymous, WI (2017 Honda Pilot)"I was concerned about the 9speed transmission based on what I read in CR and other pubs. I’ve been very pleased with how smooth the shifts are and the responsiveness. I haven’t experienced any of the bad behaviors I’d read about."
Wendy W., NY (2017 Honda Pilot)"It's OK for a big SUV."
David C., VA (2017 Honda Pilot)"The only beef I have with the Pilot is that goofy 'auto off', which shuts down the engine while at idle (stop light, or stop sign or traffic). This is the biggest pain I have with the car. Yes, you can disable it easily enough, but it resets every time you restart the car."
Anonymous, GA (2017 Honda Pilot)"Accelerates and handles well."
Anonymous, AZ (2017 Honda Pilot)"The acceleration and handling are really good. I've read several reviews stating that it's clunky, difficult or awkward to drive, but we've not experienced that at all. It's very easy to steer and maneuver. We keep it on the "eco" mode but still have more than sufficient acceleration."
Phyllis B., WA (2017 Honda Pilot)"This Pilot AWD has quick, responsive acceleration but engine RPM goes very high and noise in passenger cabin is loud. Vehicle handles quite well on turns and does not feel as if it is tipping on hard turns. Braking is quick and responsive."
Anonymous, TX (2017 Honda Pilot)"9 speed transmission very irritating, all ways shifting. Drives O.K. if you never let up on the gas pedal."
Gerald H., MN (2017 Honda Pilot)"acceleration and handling are quite good for a SUV of this size. Its important to keep tire pressures at the recommended level."
Shelby R., PA (2017 Honda Pilot)"Smooth, quiet, spacious, very quick and mileage would use improvement"
Anonymous, CA (2017 Honda Pilot)"Much better pick up then our 2014 Pilot"
Albert C., PA (2017 Honda Pilot)"Acceleration is excellent handling is not to bad."
E B., FL (2017 Honda Pilot)"I am very dissatisfied with the adaptive cruise control in comparison with my Murano. The cruise works pretty good on level pavement. But in traffic and hills it falls short. It does not maintain the set speed. In an area with hills, the cruise will lose 2 - 5 mph before it begins speeding the car up. Then it will downshift a few gears and accelerate rapidly. It seems to act lazy. Additionally, the acc reacts harshly. If you drive up on a car it decelerates rapidly too soon, then it will slow allow you to drive up close behind the car. Again, compared to Murano this is poorly designed. This may be a deciding factor in purchasing another honda."
Anonymous, IL (2017 Honda Pilot)"In economy mode acceleration is sluggish at best - when off, it is very good"
Bob B., NC (2017 Honda Pilot)"The driver assist systems are very good; I find myself reminded to follow all of the "rules of the road". If you don't, the vehicle reminds you to."
Greg S., TX (2017 Honda Pilot)"You really can feel that there is a bigger engine in the Pilot. It has power behind the acceleration and I know that I'll be able to get myself out of a situation on the highway without trouble. There is no lag between pressing the gas and the acceleration."
Melissa D., RI (2017 Honda Pilot)"Acceleration is very good, great speed for passing, good straight line handling, poor cornering."
Doug B., FL (2017 Honda Pilot)"Handling is fine."
Anonymous, OH (2017 Honda Pilot)"The acceleration is great. Very comfortable ride with plenty of room for 8 passengers."
Douglas H., CA (2017 Honda Pilot)"The car handles very well and acceleration is very good."
Anonymous, MI (2017 Honda Pilot)"It has the V-6 so the acceleration is good. It seems to hug the road well for a tall vehicle."
Anonymous, TX (2017 Honda Pilot)"Powerful acceleration when required. Minimal roll when turning."
Anonymous, NC (2017 Honda Pilot)"For a seven seater, the Pilot Elite has excellent acceleration and smoothes out the pumps on NYC roads."
John K., CT (2017 Honda Pilot)"Acceleration from a dead stop is excellent, however if you need to brake while cruising then accelerate again sometimes it is hesitant to downshift to give you more speed. Handling is way too soft with pronounced body lean while turning, not sporty at all, but very comfortable on a highway cruise."
Anonymous, OH (2017 Honda Pilot)"It drives like a nice sedan, not really like a large SUV. Is fun to drive, is comfortable, feels very secure on the road. Would definitely purchase again."
Douglas N., NV (2017 Honda Pilot)"very smooth and powerful v-6. easy to manuver"
B P., NY (2017 Honda Pilot)"System that makes engine die to save gas"
Anonymous, OK (2017 Honda Pilot)"I love this vehicle. I just returned from a 12500KM trip across Canada. For the first 4000KM I pulled a 2000lb trailer. The gas mileage for the whole trip was 9.5 Litres/100 KMs. I drove from Calgary to Ottawa and the gas mileage was 8.5/100KMs. It has good power and handles like a dream. I’d love to see Honda put a Turbocharger or Supercharger on this engine. If anyone is looking to buy a vehicle of this size just go buy a Honda Pilot. You won’t be disappointed!!!!!"
James M., ON (2017 Honda Pilot)"The Pilot handles wel, and is a pleasure to drive. The car has plenty of acceleration when needed. We usually leave it in the Eco mode, which slows down acceleration to conserve fuel, but in our city driving we never notice it. It handles well, and the touring model with the lower profile tires is responsive and nimble. It is fun to drive on twisty mountain roads."
Scott H., GA (2017 Honda Pilot)"9spd automatic transmission takes some getting used to. Can feel sluggish at times. Shifting to sport mode can help when needed. Paddle shifters are also helpful in this regard, but I consider myself an auto enthusiast and these crutches may not be as convenient for the mainstream. First minute or so after cold starts, we sometimes experience hesitation or misshifts. Overall, not one of Honda's better transmissions. Vehicle handles well. I can tell it is a little more forgiving in turns under acceleration thanks to active AWD where otherwise the high center of gravity and weight might lend to understeer. No complaints. In the limited poor weather conditions I have experienced, vehicle seemed very poised."
Cory S., MD (2017 Honda Pilot)"Good acceleration for this class. Honda EarthDreams Engine really is quiet yet powerful. Gets fantastic gas mileage. Excellent handling in our opinion when compared with other popular vehicles in this class. Responsive turning and winding up & down the canyon roads in Utah is fantastic. Holds to the road well. However, the Auto Engine Shutdown is a NIGHTMARE! If there is one thing I could remove from this vehicle is this silly feature. It is set to be automatically on every time you start the engine. Honda really screwed this up. It should be an option to turn it on. In more than one occasion, we have found ourselves stopped at a light or intersection, the engine shuts of and when we need to move in a hurry, this silly feature has shut of the engine and the extra time it takes to start the car, engage the transmission and get going has left us with a few close calls. We recommend removing this feature or, at bare minimum, setting to "off" as default and allowing the driver to turn it on at their own discretion or preference."
Anonymous, UT (2017 Honda Pilot)"For being a "mom" car, I feel it drives very well. When you need to accelerate, it's very confident in doing so. Passing on a highway is not very stressful. I like for being a big car it's easy to steer and maneuver. The driver assistance systems work well to make driving less stressful."
Anonymous, NV (2017 Honda Pilot)"It is very smooth and quite. Acceleration is very adequate even in the Ecco mode The transmission hold back while driving down mountains is great. I really enjoy driving it."
Anonymous, NC (2017 Honda Pilot)"Handling is great"
Anonymous, TN (2017 Honda Pilot)"Handles and drives well. Transmission shifting is noticeable and often at lower speeds with 9 speed transmission. 9th gear really does not engage til speeds over 60mph. Why does the auto need a 9 speed transmission?"
Anonymous, SC (2017 Honda Pilot)"Handles Great. Have taken 2 long road trips the first year and I love this SUV."
James C., CA (2017 Honda Pilot)"Plenty of acceleration capability, and it handles well for a fairly large, high vehicle."
David L., OR (2017 Honda Pilot)"Totally satisfied"
David T., FL (2017 Honda Pilot)"This vehicle gets exceptional gas mileage at speeds I drive on rural roads averaging 70 miles per hour. Acceleration is outstanding for such a large vehicle. We live in a rural area and passing slow moving cars on a two lane road is critical. This vehicle passes other cars like a rocket ship."
Anonymous, TX (2017 Honda Pilot)"The car has an acceleration issue ( 9 speed transmission) which is very annoying and should be fixed - Honda knows about the issue - I should not have bought the Touring Model and stuck with the 6 speed Transmission -"
Anonymous, CT (2017 Honda Pilot)"Very good handling and acceleration"
Anonymous, ON (2017 Honda Pilot)"The car accelerates nicely when not in ECO mode."
Marla R., AZ (2017 Honda Pilot)"Drives well, plenty of oomph."
Anonymous, VA (2017 Honda Pilot)"FEELS LIKE AN OLD MINIVAN WHEN DRIVING OR ACCELERATING DEFINITELY NOT HONDA RIDE QUALITY I WOULD TRADE EXCEPT FOR THE FINANCIAL BEATING DEALERSHIP NOT RESPONSIVE TO INQUIRIES-IGNORES EMAILS"
Rod B., FL (2017 Honda Pilot)"Handles like a van."
Anonymous, OH (2017 Honda Pilot)"The handling is a little ponderous, but it makes for a good highway cruiser."
Chris M., NE (2017 Honda Pilot)"Average acceleration, I am used to driving a V8. Don't like the start stop option, wish it would default to off."
Anonymous, MO (2017 Honda Pilot)"Very quit and comfortable. Amazing power for a 6 cylinder vehicle."
James D., FL (2017 Honda Pilot)"very good handling and can accelerate quickly to move into traffic"
George P., NC (2017 Honda Pilot)"Good acceleration and very good handling for a car this size. Drives more like a car than a truck."
Anonymous, CO (2017 Honda Pilot)"Love it"
Anonymous, NE (2017 Honda Pilot)
"Honda all wheel drive is very smooth and provides excellent handling in all weather conditions."
Bruce G., OH (2017 Honda Pilot)