Reliable Auto DB

2026 Honda Pilot reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2026 Honda Pilot has 20 complaints with NHTSA after 1 year, or 20 per year. It is too early to rank against other Pilot years: a year is compared here only after 3 years on the road. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Rear.

2023 Honda Pilot Touring
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

20

Per year

20

Recalls

1

Years on the road

1

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Steering (9 of 20), then Seat belts (4) and Air bags (3). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 12,000 miles.

Next to 2025

The 2025 Pilot has 201 complaints, 101 per year.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2026 Honda Pilot. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall suspension, rear 2026-07-01 · NHTSA campaign 26V424000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2026 Pilot and Passport vehicles. The rear subframe bolts may have been tightened improperly.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the rear subframe bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is OOY. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 10, 2026.
Vehicles affected 3,933

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (20 total)

Steering
9
Seat belts
4
Air bags
3
Powertrain
3
Suspension
2
Electrical system
1
Seats
1
Service brakes
1
Speed control
1
Show 1 more Show less
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

The 1 complaint that includes an odometer reading reports 12,000 miles.

Complaints filed per year

202026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "When turning steering there is a clicking noise almost like a spring clicking on a gear. It is sound like it is coming from under the middle part where the airbag sits. Not sure if it is the airbag mechanism that it is…"
    Steering, Air bags · filed 2026-09-15
  • "We believe there is a serious safety issue with our 2026 Honda Pilot with its delayed acceleration. There is a distinct delay between pushing the gas pedal and the engine engaging/moving the car forward (approximately 2…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-14
  • "Steering wheel makes a clicking/spring noise when turning, especially at low speeds"
    Unknown or other, Steering · filed 2026-09-02
  • "When turning the steering wheel a clicking sound happen full lock both ways."
    Steering · filed 2026-09-01
  • "The airbag light came on and a warning stating “ Supplemental restraint system problem” on my brand new car. I purchased the car on Friday and the warnings occurred Sunday. The car has 280 miles on it. From a Facebook…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-08-31

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2026 HONDA PILOT SUV N/A AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2026 HONDA PILOT SUV N/A FWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Pilot all-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (10-speed) All-wheel drive 19 25 21 MPG $3100
Pilot all-wheel drive Touring/Elite/Black 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (10-speed) All-wheel drive 19 25 21 MPG $3100
Pilot all-wheel drive TrailSport 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (10-speed) All-wheel drive 18 23 20 MPG $3250
Pilot front-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (10-speed) Front-wheel drive 19 27 22 MPG $2950

Specs and fitment

4th generation, 2023–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 , 5.8 qt capacity
Tire size 255/60R18 (LX/EX-L) to 255/50R20 (Sport/Touring/Elite); TrailSport uses 265/60R18 all-terrain
Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Certain 2023-2025 Pilots are covered by a nationwide safety recall (NHTSA campaign 24V-900) for the fuel tank fill pipe: some vehicles may have an incomplete connection between the fuel tank fill pipe and the fuel fill pipe, so the two pipes could separate in a crash and leak fuel, increasing fire risk in the presence of an ignition source. Dealers inspect whether the fill pipe is properly secured and reinstall it if necessary, at no cost.

Compare

Previous year 2025 Honda Pilot See every Honda Pilot model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2026 Honda Pilot reliable?

The 2026 Honda Pilot has 20 complaints with NHTSA after 1 year, or 20 per year. It is too early to rank against other Pilot years: a year is compared here only after 3 years on the road. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Rear.

What are common problems with a 2026 Honda Pilot?

The complaints owners file most often name Steering (9 of 20), then Seat belts (4) and Air bags (3). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 12,000 miles.

Is the 2026 Honda Pilot more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2025 Pilot has 201 complaints, 101 per year.

Has the 2026 Honda Pilot been recalled?

The 2026 Honda Pilot has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2026 Honda Pilot?

Owners have filed 20 complaints about the 2026 Honda Pilot with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2026 Honda Pilot get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2026 Honda Pilot is 21 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Honda Pilot take?

2nd gen: 5W-20 (2009-2012) or 0W-20 (2013-2015). 3rd and 4th gen US Pilots use 0W-20 (about 5.7-5.8 qt with filter on recent fills).

Does recall 24V-900 cover the Honda Pilot?

Certain 2023-2025 Pilots are covered for the fuel tank fill pipe: an incomplete connection may allow a fuel leak; dealers inspect and repair the fill-pipe connection.

What generation is the 2020 Honda Pilot?

3rd generation (2016-2022). The 4th generation starts in 2023.