Praised for its interior and fuel efficiency, the Honda Pilot has been a favorite for many US families in the last two decades. For this reason, the Pilot is the most popular SUV from the Japanese carmaker.
However, many wonder how long honda pilots last. How much in mileage does the Honda Pilot promise as a return for your investment?
Can the Honda Pilot be trusted to rack up distances of 200,000 miles or more? Of course, when looking out for a car brand, getting the most mileage should be a priority.
Thus, hitting the 200,000 miles standard can be a sure quality indicator.
The latest generation of Honda Pilots (2016 – present) generally holds up better than most of its competitors in terms of longevity.
Repair and overall maintenance costs are relatively low, which puts it on a list of top choices of long-lasting SUVs.
Generally, the iconic Honda Pilot can rack upwards of 150,000 miles and more, depending on the model year and vehicle use.
How Many Miles Do Honda Pilots Usually Last?
To determine the longevity of the Honda Pilot, consider a 2020 report by the automotive research firm iSeeCars.com on the longest-lasting cars. According to the survey, Honda ranks on the shortlist of long-lasting vehicles.
Although the Honda Pilot does not top the ten most durable cars, it generally lasts around 150,000 miles. The latest models offer much more distance on the road.
With hybrid technology, these models are surpassing the 200,000-mileage mark, even under harsh driving conditions. Online reviews from Pilot owners boast about driving their car to over 300,000 miles.
According to the US Federal Highway Administration, car owners typically drive around 13,500 miles yearly. To put this clearly, it means 25 years of faithful service, which is about twice the average lifespan of cars.
Of course, reaching that mark does not mean that the engine will pack up and die. As with its competitors, the mileage varies according to driving conditions, maintenance, and other factors.
Therefore, not every Honda Pilot on the road will guarantee up to 200,000 miles.
At the same time, depending on the model or generation, the Pilot can deliver up to 250,000 miles if you maintain it regularly.
Weather conditions, for example, have been proven to hurt the longevity of the Honda Pilot. The cold climate during wintertime can affect the lifespan of your Pilot.
The cold is likely to weaken the engine’s metal parts, and the oil and fluids around the piston rings tend to clog, weakening the engine’s performance.
Similarly, living in a salt belt can take a heavy toll on your Pilot. As salt particles cause corrosion when in contact with the undercarriage, they can cause rust. It may affect the overall lifespan of your Honda Pilot.
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Is the Honda Pilot a Reliable Car?
The Honda Pilot has enjoyed praise for its efficient fuel performance and high-quality engineering. Despite being built for reliability, Honda Pilot has earned mixed reviews.
According to RepairPal, the yearly repair cost of a Pilot is $542, which is below the average ownership costs. The leading car information and maintenance provider also gives it a 3.5 out of 5, ranking it 13th out of 26 mid-size SUVs.
Since its first release, the Honda Pilot has drawn mixed reviews and ratings from owners and automotive research firms.
The 2003 model, for instance, has considerably more complaints than any model on carComplaints.com. The website gave its transmission problem a severity rating of 9.1.
With a typical repair cost of more than $3000, the transmission failure of the 2003 model earned 64 complaints on the website. In addition, there were also complaints about electrical issues, engine knock, and others.
Comparing Models
According to Consumer Reports, the Honda Pilot received a pretty good reliability rating for the first generation (2003 – 2008). It is despite the number of complaints from users.
In contrast, the second-generation (2009 – 2015) models did not have such good ratings as their reliability score declined.
The next redesign of the new generation of Pilots (2016) that introduced Apple Carplay and Android Auto did not seem to please the crowd either.
Its reliability score fell to 1/5, according to Consumer Reports. The following Pilots’ models strove to reach a higher rating with several new safety technology features.
However, the 2018 model managed to revive the glory of its earliest years as the Pilot pulled off a reliability score of 5/5. Later models have not fared any better.
For instance, in 2019, it earned a ⅖ rating; in 2020, ⅕; and in 2021, ⅗. The ratings through the years have been inconsistent. The 2022 model, for example, comes with a touch-screen infotainment system, criticized for not being intuitive.
The Honda Pilot has generally suffered a broken reliability record in the past years. Still, it cannot be considered the worst SUV in its class.
It runs smoothly on the road, which is one of the ways to measure its safety. The 2021 Honda Pilot model got the number nine mid-size SUV category. It also got a 5-star crash-test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
With an array of sophisticated features, like the Honda Sensing suite of safety features, the newer models of the Honda Pilot guarantee a stamp for vehicle quality and safety if you are looking to buy an SUV.
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What Problems do Honda Pilots Have?
Despite a long history of being a favorite choice for many American families, the Honda Pilot is not without its share of problems.
Aside from electrical and air-conditioning-related issues, below are some of the most common problems associated with the Honda Pilot.
Transmission Failure
One of the earliest problems with the Honda Pilot is its transmission. Although this problem is mainly exclusive to the 2003 model, there are transmission failures in other later models of first-generation Pilots.
The transmission is a part of the engine and transfers energy to the wheels. More often than not, a transmission lockup results from overheating, which affects the gears.
When not addressed quickly, the transmission can become permanently damaged. A transmission failure can also be hard to control in traffic and even result in a crash.
Transmission failure among first-generation Honda Pilots led the carmaker to recall about 1.1 million Honda Pilots.
The remodeled cars have an oil-cooling system that allows for the lubrication of the affected gears in the transmission. Since the second generation of Pilots, the transmission performance has greatly improved.
Excessive Oil Consumption
A common problem among SUVs is excessive oil consumption, which is not uncommon among some Honda Pilot models.
Although it may sometimes result from poor maintenance and improper transmission fluids, reduced oil supply is often responsible for engine failure.
As Pilots advance in mileage, their V6 engines burn through large amounts of oil to keep the engine running. It happens mostly after 100,000 miles.
Oil sludge may start to build up in the piston rings, significantly reducing the supply from the engine. It may damage some internal parts of the engine and cause the car to overheat.
If the oil supply gets too low, the same will happen. Once you know about this, it may not be such a big issue since you can handle the problem. Ensure you keep a can of oil nearby and fill it up every couple of weeks.
Fuel Injector Failure
Widespread with the 2016 Pilots, this can be expensive to fix, and it is especially troubling as it usually happens around 60,000 miles. Usually, fuel injector failure can happen in two ways.
One is when it clogs up with dirt and does not let enough fuel enter the Pilot’s combustion chamber if it happens. The other occurs when the injectors are leaky, affecting the fuel mileage or blowing up the engine if not given prompt attention.
Difficulty starting the car mainly affects Honda Pilot models of 2013-201. Owners may also notice that their car’s check engine light comes on when they try to start the car.
Usually, it is due to a faulty EGR valve, which causes a rough idle and triggers the check engine light. Cleaning the valve will sometimes fix the issue; however, replacing the EGR will be better.
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How Many Miles Do 2016 Honda Pilots Last?
Unlike its predecessors, the 2016 Honda Pilot has various sophisticated features to get the most miles out of its engine.
The 2016 model is re-engineered with a refined drivetrain and powertrain, complete with a powerful V-6 engine to blaze the trail of a new generation of Honda Pilots.
The new features and technologies are built to make the 2016 model last longer than its predecessors.
Much as the 2016 model doesn’t obtain the best ratings in terms of reliability, it surpasses the 200,000 miles mark.
The US Federal Highway Administration estimates the average American drives around 13,500 miles yearly. Judging by that average, you can expect your 2016 Honda Pilot to rack up to 250,000 miles.
With the 2016 launch, the automaker aimed to build a high-performance and well-rounded engine that puts it at a reasonable mileage.
The earlier Honda Pilot generations, such as 2003 or 2008, have hit 150,000 miles. The re-engineered 2016 model drives past the mark and delivers even more mileage. Of course, as with others, this may well depend on car maintenance and use.
Final Thoughts
The Honda Pilot maintains a spot in the rank of long-lasting mid-size cars and continues to evolve in style and functionality. Nevertheless, the question of how long Honda Pilots last is a valid one.
Thanks to its hybrid technology and high-performance engine, the latest Pilots has a proven record of racking up mileage of 250,000.
Regardless of the car brand, proper care and maintenance is the best way to increase your vehicle’s longevity. Granted, the Honda Pilot may not match up with some SUV competitors.
Still, it has a record of staying on the road for at least 18 years. Given such an impressive return on investment, the Honda Pilot enjoys substantial commercial success, especially in the US.
