The 2022 Honda Pilot is a family-friendly SUV that consistently manages to stay at the top of Consumer Reports’ recommended lists. It has most of what people are looking for in a vehicle that will transport themselves and their kids. So how does the Honda Pilot manage to stay on top as a solid choice for families while loads of car manufacturers are putting out competitive family-friendly SUVs? Let’s take a look. 

The 2022 Honda Pilot is recommended by Consumer Reports

If there’s one thing that should make you feel better about buying a new car, it’s the Consumer Reports stamp of approval. The 2022 Honda Pilot is Consumer Reports-recommended. It has a solid road test score and very good comfort ratings. 

The predicted reliability and predicted owner satisfaction scores could definitely be better but they aren’t terrible, and this is one SUV that at a minimum belongs on your list to consider later. 

The Honda Pilot’s price is comparable to other family-friendly SUVs

The 2022 Honda Pilot price starts at $38,080 for the EX-L trim, which is the base model Pilot. This offers seating for up to eight passengers, or seven if you opt for captain’s chairs. It also has a 3.5-liter V6 engine that can make 280 hop and 262 lb-ft of torque. This comes with front-wheel drive and is matched to a 9-speed automatic transmission. 

The Honda Pilot also comes with LED headlights, a sunroof, and heated mirrors. It also has remote engine start, proximity keyless entry, and push-button ignition. It also has an 8-inch touchscreen display, 7-speaker sound system, and is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In addition, the 2022 Honda Pilot has four USB ports, which will make it easy for your teens to charge their phones and other devices while driving to sports and activities. 

The Pilot’s biggest problem is its safety ratings 

The 2022 Honda Pilot was crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and its scores are somewhat lackluster. The Pilot doesn’t win either the Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award. To win either of these awards, the Pilot would have to have all good crashworthiness test ratings. 

The biggest problem with the 2022 Honda Pilot’s crash test ratings are the small overlap front: passenger side, which gets an acceptable rating, and the updated side test. The updated side test rating is only marginal. While this test isn’t included in the IIHS award criteria yet, it’s still something to take into consideration. You should also pay attention to which trim level you buy, as there are two headlight options. One gets a good rating while the other only has an answerable rating. 

The 2022 Honda Pilot continues its tradition of being a family-friendly SUV. Of course, its safety ratings leave something to be desired. Yet there are rumors that Honda plans on redoing the Pilot for the 2023 model year. If that’s the case, the Pilot just might be able to regain its status as the very best family-friendly SUV you can buy.