We had the pleasure to try out the new 2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition and found it was outstanding in all ways but one.
Follow us today...
Honda is one of the strongest supporters of the automotive media. Not only does the brand frequently provide reviewers vehicles so they can do their jobs, but they also make available to us seasoned experts on the vehicles who can help with any questions we may have. When it came to testing the 2025 Pilot Black Edition, the questions were easy to answer ourselves. This is a vehicle that needs no manual. It is simple to use, works as it should, and never disappoints.
Related Story: If You Think You Need a Honda Odyssey Minivan, You Are Correct
The Honda Pilot is a three-row, full-size SUV with room galore. It was recently fully refreshed and received important updates. The Black Edition is a high-level trim with all the goodies you want in a well-outfitted family vehicle.
2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition - What’s the Consumer Cost?
Including the $1,395 Honda Destination & Handling Fee, the 2025 Black Edition trim of the Pilot costs $55,675. This cost does not include any dealer Doc fees or added dealer content.
Honda’s Pilot is a joy to drive. Everything feels just right. The powertrain is smooth as silk, and the suspension is ideal for a commute or enjoying a back-country drive. Despite wearing low-profile touring tires, this SUV is comfortable in all situations. Every switch and control seems perfectly placed and works as well as anything else in the market at any price point.
It’s a pet peeve of mine that reviewers constantly harp on about third rows being “too small for adults.” In the case of the ‘25 Pilot, there is no reason for debate. The third row comfortably accommodated an adult side by side with a teen in our use. The second row is also very roomy. As a challenge, we sat a six-foot-three-inch man in the middle seat of the second row, and he was fine in that spot for a 60-minute journey despite having his grandparents on either side of him. The Pilot Black Edition is an 8-passenger vehicle without an asterisk.
2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition - Notable Features & Trim Options
A new feature of this pilot iteration is hill descent control. The TrailSport trim also packs a LOT of off-road capability and costs about $4K less. It would be our pick of the pack. Read our review here.
2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition - What’s Missing?
There isn’t anything missing from the Pilot Black Edition, but this reviewer’s opinion is that all large vehicles should be hybrids. I test so many great hybrids nowadays that when I test a non-hybrid, I feel like I’m throwing energy away every time the vehicle decelerates. The Pilot’s powertrain is outstanding in every way except in terms of fuel economy and emissions. Using EPA-supplied data, the ten-year difference in fuel costs between this Pilot and the equivalent Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Limited is $15,000. The lifetime cost difference is roughly $30K.
2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition - Conclusion
The Honda Pilot is a fantastic family SUV. While the TrailSport trim meets my personal needs better than the Black Edition, I feel that the Black Edition would be the right pick for most shoppers. Honda has perfected the full-size, three-row family SUV. In my experience testing automobiles, only Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia have anything that can rival its overall package at a similar price point.
If you'd like to add a comment under this story, please note that our comments section has returned and is in bold red at the bottom of the page.
John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work at our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading.
Images of 2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition By John Goreham.
Follow us today...
We have a 23 Ridgeline HPD…
We have a 23 Ridgeline HPD and we love it except for one thing there is NO compass in the vehicle Nowhere unless you have a phone hooked up.
A compass in the mirror or in the radio or on the dash would be GREAT