I see so many 4Runners that rarely touch any dirt. This Pilot would handle more than enough for the vast majority of people. I'm excited for an updated Passport Trail Sport with the 10 speed auto.
You would see a lot more 4Runners touching dirt if they were priced at half what they are now. Taking a $50,000 vehicle through rock and dirt and possibly causing all kinds of exterior damage just for a little thrill really isn’t worth it. I just think people like the idea that their vehicle is capable of doing it.
What about getting a lift kit? I found one of these for just 47.6K. It might be better with 3K of lift and tires than most Jeeps (Grand Cherokee/Compass) and more luxurious than say a Bronco?
So I’ve been watching your videos for years and you always start off in normal mode until the system gets stressed. I think it’s much better when you do that
@drivingsports great review If i gonna choose between 2 cars for such dirty roads , which is more capable, this honda pilot trailsport vs the volvo xc90 t6 ? And i have no other choice than those two cars .. Which is more solid and durable for dirty roads , without overheating , with strong suspension Please advice
@amrashraf9559 I would say the Honda, only Toyota is better for reliability. When Volvo were owned by Ford they were good, but they are owned by Geely now.
I cannot find a bit of information about a 2024 passport. I’ve looked every week for months. Are they not updating it yet? If they updated the tech and style like this pilot, I would definitely buy!
I've been Off-Roading hard-core for over 20 years & I do gotta say this is impressive for a family vehicle. Ryan hit it on the head when he said to throw some Mickey's or Wikdpeaks on the Pilot. I'd make some personal modifications but overall pretty good. Good job Honda
@1:00 - Anything updated to that 3.5V6? Both my friends got the fuel injector issues with their 3Gen Pilots and looks like Honda is covering for 120K miles or something per the letter. Any design change to fix the issue? Wish they have dual injection to avoid the issue. Wish they use Timing chain also, not timing belt. @1:08 - 10 speed auto is a very welcome change as I believe its from Honda vs the ZF9. But electronic shifter is little concerning since food and drinks are near by. @1:17 - I see a Tow mode, does that mean now the Pilot can tow 5000lbs without aftermarket ATF cooler. Till 2022 it needed a aftermarket ATF cooler to tow over 3500lbs per the owners manual. @1:56 - I’m so glad Pilot (atleast the Trail sport) has good ground clearance, 8+ clearance like competitors like regular Highlander, etc.. @2:01 Love the new star in the video. Very clear information. Very WELDONE...!! (Really saying that.) @13:24 I think this is excellent for AWD, maybe even better than Subaru? But $50500 sure is a steep price tag approaching 4Runner TRD Pro territory. BTW, I wonder that removable 8 seat is available on TrailSport? A very nice feature to have imo.
Traxda needs to hurry with their next-gen Pilot offerings. Their last gen Pilot and Passport kits, axle relocator, and rock sliders are fantastic - this model Pilot needs the same to complete it.
So I think as far as cross overs go, this is the best stock off roader in the market? Also, people shy away from full-time 4x4 like a forerunner because you don't want to spend 80% more fuel for 10% of the bit of adventurous off roading you'd end up doing and with all the sluggishness that comes with it. That last hurdle is tough and you'd need momentum even with a jeep wrangler but I think if you just deflated the tires like what TFL channel guys did you'd climb right over. From the second test onwards it has already passed "actual off roading scenario" and not just soft roading, if by off roading we mean getting to a difficult spot, as opposed to being the aim. Thanks for the thorough testing already got the car but was waiting for this nonetheless 😂 excellent "everything car"!!
So a Pilot with deflated tires will 'climb right over' while a Rubicon with inflated tires need momentum ???? I know low tire pressure is important for off-roading but let's be realistic 😂.
Just like every everything else, traction. As far as factory setup goes, the Pilot did awesome. More than most people will ever put their vehicle through in its lifetime. 👍
How many times do popes make this stupid joke? Yeah and 99.9% of people use it for that. If you want something different go buy it. Why TF would they make this for Moab when that isn't what the people buy it for? So stupid.
The Pilots have (always) been easy to lift by upto 3 inches. I would recommend the 1.5 - 2 inch lift with zero issues, there are tons of videos out there. This is an easy 10 inch ground clearance car.
After you reach the mid spot, you should have switched to trail from sand again. In sand mode, it’s just spinning the front wheel. So it’s on you… it could have made it through for sure. I have elite
Honestly, that last obstacle in that condition would have stump any 4Runner, Jeep and what not unless they were modified with big dirt tires and a lot of clearance.
like a 50K range Pilot Trail Sport vs 4Runner TRD Pro? That would be awesome to see since both come with dirt friendly tires vs a 40K 4Runner SR5 with street tires.
Pilot for amazing daily driving and comfort. Plus amazing drivetrain. 4Runner for rock crawling and deep mud. I wish 4Runners were not so lethargic to drive. Engine and trans is so slow and lazy. Lots of body roll too.
Im actually very impressed!! Never thought I’d say that but Honda has finally got an AWD that’s worth a damn. Detailed and thorough reviews as always Ryan….. keep it up! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
The AWD is definitely better than it used to be, but did you notice when he was getting bogged down in the soft dirt, the system was not transferring power to the rear wheel we could see...
Did I detect an alteration in your start up montage? 🤔 Your "ladder" (I would've called the slip n slide lol) I really like as the addition to the course. I like you pushing these things on it and giving them the hard tests. Cool stuff! And a shout out to your newest camera helper. He did a good job. :)
Been waiting for sometime wondering when the new Pilot would get a chance on your trail. Now I am curious if letting the air down would have helped on the incline….. Thanks and great real world off-road review.
Excited to see what they will do for the next gen Ridgeline. I love how uanda has basically taken the top for AWD off-road crossovers. Super practical and almost as capable as (suspension and ruggedness) midsize body on frame.
Why did you stop doing the thing where you see if you can lay down in the back? That was always quite interesting to see, as time went on you could really get a good reference for size based on you doing that.
Honda, and Acura, AWD systems are some of the best. Theyre issue is that theyre so conservative as a company that stops them from competing. I think that it’s great the Trailsport models are getting better but theyre still far away for being taken seriously by a lot of people. I’m also kind of surprised that there’s been ZERO word on the new gen Passport or Ridgeline. Theyre heavy due for an update at this point. Which is mind blowing because Honda is just losing money since both are huge markets.
Hondas intention was to make a model to appeal to people who didn’t want low profile 20’s plus on their vehicles. They wanted something to hit pot hikes and not worry about curbing wheels. They also wanted something off road looking just for something rugged looking and not wimpy looking. None of the buyers are looking to take them rock crawling. Honda knows that. The reviewers are the ones who are pushing for off-road to improve their clicks. This in return is pushing Honda to now take their off-road more serious. 95 percent of Jeep and 4Runner owners build their vehicles to never take off-road. That’s a fact. Most do it for appearance. It’s a hobby to them for social media clicks. It’s the world we live in. Most Off-road vehicles are older vehicles and not new ones. Nobody wants to mess up their expensive vehicle. Plus off-road kills your vehicle. Most people would never buy an off-road mess. I buy and sell vehicles and would never buy a newer vehicle to resell if it was taken off road with bruises underneath. Plus transmission and transfer cases get beat up.
2020 created more off-road enthusiasts because they were stuck home in survival mode. Most people wanted to live off the grid. This is why prices of off-road vehicles went through the roof. In a year or two, you will see the used market flooded with them. Many are buried upside down financially in them, so they can’t sell cheap yet. So they are struggling to make payments. I’m amazed at all the Jeep wranglers all modified that never seen dirt. Most won’t even drive in salt as they are worried about rust. Waste of money for most people. All because they got sucked into it in 2020 with survival mode in their head. Now reality is back and they don’t want it or need it. Most new SUV owners want a reliable vehicle with small wheels and big tires to hit hikes and curbs with zero issues. They want their big tires to also be quiet. That’s why Honda did what they did. Only people to complain are non owners and reviewers that will never own them. But it’s good cause it’s now pushing Honda to do more. The question is, will buyers care. I don’t think so. Maybe 2 percent.
Thanks for this new Pilot trailsport review! Looking forward to Honda offering a new Passport/Ridgeline Trailsport! Also would be nice if Honda offered a 2400 watt inverter like the upcoming Tacoma/Landcruiser- would make for a great camping setup!
Is the IVT4 system a renamed version of Acuras SH-AWD system? But i do agree...real AT or MT tires would've made a difference in that last trail. Thanks for the video!
Just saw your Jeep Compass Trailhawk video and that with a supposed 4L and a much lighter car didn't even get to the last test 😅 apples to apples the pilot is only competing with the grand highlander I think.
The Jeep Compass Trailhawk is a single-range vehicle. The so-called "4L" is just the transmission forcing it into 1st gear, as the transmission logic does not usually use 1st gear on the ZF 9HP in "normal" use.
A few things I dont like about this vehicle are the standard sunroof, all black interior, and no rear bench, which i think is kind of stupid considering buyers will want to load up w gear and it will just fall forward in btwn the seats. your going to have to put some kind of barrier there now like for pets. This does get rid of annoying honda roof mounted middle seat belt in the second row but cmon, what are they thinking, who goes offroading w captains chairs? I know these are personal nit picks but they really would prevent me from buying this vehicle and this is the trim I would want. At least make the pillars and headliner a lighter color like the exl and give me a cheaper version sans captains chairs and sunroof. The two tone interior on the Exl is much nicer but then people knock that one for not having a sunroof. I dont mind the smaller screen bc a bigger one would be obnoxious in that high position. At least this one has roof rails, tow pkg, full size spare and the other offroad goodies. I think the larger HPD fender flares would be better suited here as well and side steps like the santa fe xrt for roof access. Toyota has the landcruiser now and theres a new 4runner coming too but these are basically 2row trucks, so theres no way toyota will do a Highlander trd i think. Honda really stepped up its game so as far as 3row, offroad crossovers go, this is prob the best one out there out of Palisade xrt, Telluride xpro, Explorer timberline and even Grand cherokeeL bc it's awd system has brake traction. The Traverse z71 and Acadia at4 are not messing around either and 24 models will be here soon. The Outback wilderness and rav4 trd are two rows also. The Grand cherokee L has the same size tires but you can upgrade to quadradrive w a rear limited slip, plus an optional v8. I think air suspension is standard now w quadradrive so the Jeeps get expensive quick. Well see if the Pathfinder gets pro4x which it should and that would be another close competitor along w the ford Timberline bc lets face it, Kia and Hyundai are just pretenders, but the new Santa fe XRT could be a player bc its getting a 3rd row(unfortunately). Honda just needs a few more optional options. Lets hope they do that with the 24 passport, give it the same pilot trailsport treatment to boot and keep the v6. The way they spec'd this trim is a deal breaker for me. All black interiors suck!
Interesting to see that the rear driver stops spinning after a few rotations. I thought sand was supposed to be agressive with wheel spin. Perhaps using trail and just disabling the TC would yield better results as long as the rear 'locks' like its supposed to. On my PP, you can really feel it 'lock' on sand so Im confused that it didnt on the incline.
I need you to take an Outback Premium and an Outback Wilderness onto the same course so I can see if there is really that much difference. With direct comparison and thoughts. P.S. Great review of the Honda as always!
I'm really considering a Honda Pilot, if l'm honest with myself this is all the SUV need. love the fact that it doesn't have a Turbo and rather has a V6 NA which equals reliability. And also, lI'm not sure if I would be comfortable rock climbing with my brand new 60K off-road truck/SUV so who am kidding. If really want to go off-roading would just buy a Honda SXS or a Polaris and tow it with my super comfortable Honda Pilot
The one thing that would make this a true "trailsport" would be the ability to lock the diffs. With locked differentials, it likely would have climbed that hill.
It’s not a CUV. I have this truck and it’s an SUV. It’s easily accessible to very online. CUV’s are smaller SUV’s. This is not a small vehicle in anyway. I thought it was until I lived the life I am living now. Just saying.
Honda has really nailed it with their latest AWD tech. Regardless - traditional 4WD with 4Lo and Lockers is going to do better. Still - hoping they update the Passport Trailsport with this latest Tech.
Hey Ryan, cool video as always! Do you think a Forester Wilderness could get up the ladder stock? Also, was that your kid? It's nice to see him helping you out.
@@drivingsports Yea probably not. I think you brought the bronco sport heritage up the ladder and if I remember correctly it couldn't do it either. I guess you need a vehicle with at least a two speed transfer case.
Better hill descent control and TC (trail mode) than Subaru. Great Job Honda! Now they just need another inch of ground clearance to compete with the Wilderness models. Any chance you could get an Ascent on this course Ryan?
Would be good to use this hill (12m30sec) for other AWD vehicle testing - will provide a good comparison between vehicles. For the rest, great work as always.
I want to see how u drive subaru at the same train, especially the last 4 minutes. You will accelerate to avoid stuck there, then " you will say, good job subaru " as usual 😂
Your son's lisp is EXACTLY like mine was at his age. Check with the dentist to get braces. As soon as they got me braces, my lisp disappeared (parents and speech therapists swore i was failing to spread my tongue out and create the S sound correctly, when it was just I have a wide bite and I had tiny gaps in-between my teeth that made the sound nearly impossible). Cool kid, brave to do this when he has a lisp. You're a great dad, man, because he obviously trusts you. I hope he gets it fixed, it was a huge morale and confidence boost for me when I got rid of it in freshman year HS. Then I started getting girlfriends and working out thanks to that. Great video, too. How do you feel about the size of the driver area vs the outgoing Pilot/Passport/Ridgeline driver's area? I sat in this model and it felt smaller for me, but I gained 70 lbs over [Co]Vid so my 42" jeaned butt didn't enjoy the Pilot, but the Passport felt so comfy and roomy.
I really wish Honda would bring back the Element badge and make a true competitor to the Wrangler, Bronco, and Land Cruiser. They really need something to add to their lineup, as well as Acura's, now that the Lexus GX is reborn.I do also have to say that the Pilot looks amazing in the wild. It just fits its styling so well.
I'm back! I have my Driving Sports cap on and I am ready to go! OK. As an owner of a Honda CRV I am always interested in reviews of Honda products. With this video I was impressed by the fact that Ryan doesn't take us to the extreme. He takes us to trails and roads that 99% of us would use. Extreme 4x4 is not my style. I am, also, amazed at the trails he has created, on his own property. It is a much better illustration of how I might want to test my ride. I do think, however, he should give his assistant a raise. Just sayin'! We all know that when Ryan says, "No problem," we need to pay close attention to what he is addressing. More times than not it is of benefit to us would be over-the-road adventurers. I would give this video a 9.965, mainly because I don't thing he gives any kudos the his assistant!
Most Ridgelines will never see off road so it’s not worth losing fuel economy for the sake of off road chops. Its biggest problem is the low crawl ratio. It’s a very nice light duty truck.
Maybe you have your own reasons, it's free, anyone can have an opinion. but I myself was impressed because this is not an off-road car, the height of this car is clearly deliberately limited so that you don't go off-road too much, but this car stops in the same place as a real off-road car, this is unusual.
Great video. If Honda were smart, they'd make a version (maybe the only version) of the next Odyssey a trailsport model, with an all rubber floor. I'm not kidding. The adventure minivan.
With the pricing of the base model of the new Toyota Land Cruiser with all its capabilities coming next year, Honda has no excuse to price this vehicle this high. They need to go back to gearing and not clutches and computers. Great video though.
Just for the fun of thinking outside the box...what if for the last sand hill. You used sport mode or tow mode and playing with the traction control button? I'm almost surely wrong but i don't see why those two modes can also move torque around (sport mode) or send even more to the back while being more aggressive. I noticed the rear left wasn't spinning and maybe those modes could actually give a small boost in power, just enough to see if that wheel moving could give you just the bump you need.
I would LOVE to see how a Subaru Forester Wilderness does on the super-steep course. Based on how easily it conquered Sarah-n-Tuned's test hill, I believe the Wilderness would prevail.
Good showing from the Pilot. I feel like, if anything, they can take punishment and not penalize you. I have a Ford and after trying to tackle a snowy hill the power take-up (transfer?) unit overheated and I had to wait for it to cool down. Failing is one thing, but failing without any sort of mechanical punishment is even harder.
I like it! I have a Passport and l am thinking about upgrading to the Trail Sport. WOuld be interested to see the Explorer Timberline and Pathfinder Rock Creek take on the big hill. Both have better tires.
I just drove to Dingford Gate in a Hyundai Tucson today. That was quite a test. Can't wait to finally upgrade to something more capable in the next couple of years.
The rear light lamps are very basic by it's size, class and elegant front and side design, the rear light lamps are similar to the old version of the Ford Everest.
You should have turned off the traction at the end and it would have climbed to the top )) the car was cutting power and that's why you couldn't climb ))
