2026 Facelifted Honda Pilot revealed, will PH market ever see it back?
Honda gives fourth-generation Pilot a refresh for 2026 model year
If you're looking to get a three-row crossover SUV from Honda these days, customers only have two choices: the BR-V and the VTEC Turbo CR-V. That's because the US-built Pilot was quietly discontinued for the Philippine market since late 2018. With that, we missed the chance to get the fourth-generation Honda Pilot, which was revealed across the Pacific back in late 2022.
Fast forward to the end of 2025, Honda has officially taken the covers off the refreshed Honda Pilot, and boy, do we miss seeing the three-row crossover SUV on PH roads. For the 2026 model year, Honda gave the Pilot several key upgrades, both inside and out, including a more premium cabin with new & improved features, as well as a more stylish exterior.
Starting with the (not-so) obvious, the 2026 Pilot receives a redesigned front fascia, featuring a larger grille, more prominent skid plates, and specific grille colors that give the SUV a more discerning appearance. Variants like the Sport and EX-L get a new black grille, while other models, such as the Touring, Elite, and Black Edition, all come with a gloss black grille finish. Last but not least is the TrailSport version, which gets an exclusive gray grille.
The rest of the body has been largely carried over from the pre-facelift version. However, the roof rails are now standard across the range, while a new set of 20-inch alloy wheels is now available for the Pilot Elite and Pilot Black Edition models.
Hop inside, and the three-row crossover SUV now comes with a fully-digital cockpit, which consists of a new 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a bigger 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display. Honda says the former is 43% larger than before, while the latter is bigger by 37%, resulting in more crisp graphics and better visibility for users. Also equipped as standard are wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay for a more seamless pairing of smartphones.
Other key upgrades present in the 2026 Honda Pilot include 5G Wi-Fi hotspot capability, a 360-degree around-view camera system, new semi-tempered door glass for a quieter cabin, enclosed fender liners that further reduce road noise, a new brown leather interior with Ultra Suede seat accents for the Black Edition, and heated rear outboard seats for the TrailSport version.
Under the hood, the 2026 Pilot continues to be powered by the 3.5L DOHC naturally-aspirated J35 V6 that puts out 289 PS with 355 Nm of torque. It is then paired to a 10-speed automatic gearbox and is available with the brand's i-VTM4 AWD system on high-grade models. It comes with torque vectoring, which distributes optimum torque between the front & rear axles, as well as the left & right rear wheels, for better handling response.
For now, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) has no plans to bring back the Pilot to the country. But with the possibility of a new trade deal between the US and the Philippines, where cars made and imported from the US will benefit from zero import taxes, we're wondering if this could spell the possible return of the Honda Pilot. For now, we're keeping our fingers crossed that the trade deal becomes a reality.
