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The Honda Pilot is a three-row midsize SUV that balances power and comfort. It comes in a whopping seven different trim levels. Which 2022 Honda Pilot trims should you want, pass on, and buy?

The 2022 Honda Pilot Touring: Want

A blue Honda Pilot midsize SUV is parked outdoors.
The Honda Pilot | Honda

The 2022 Honda Pilot Touring starts at $44,870. It uses a 3.5-liter V6 engine to make 280 horsepower. The Pilot Touring achieves 20 miles per gallon in the city and 27 miles per gallon on the highway.

The Honda Pilot Touring comes standard with heated front and rear seats, leather-trimmed seats, and a one-touch power moonroof. It also includes an advanced rear entertainment system, parking sensors, and a hands-free power liftgate.

The 2022 Honda Pilot Touring features smart entry with walk-away auto lock, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, and an in-car PA system. It also comes with adaptive cruise control, one-touch second-row seats, and acoustic glass.

The Honda Pilot Touring is the Pilot to want because the midsize SUV is loaded with great standard features. It doesn’t break the bank and offers enough value to appeal to buyers as a well-equipped midsize family SUV. The Touring features plenty of creature comforts for both drivers and passengers. It costs $6,790 more than the base model Honda Pilot, but the SUV offers enough value to justify its price for many consumers.

Honda Pilot Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Elite, Black Edition: Pass

A blue Honda Pilot midsize SUV is parked outdoors.
The Honda Pilot | Honda

The Honda Pilot comes in several trims, but not all of them are winners. Some trims will naturally offer more value than others. Choosing to pass on a trim doesn’t mean it’s a bad vehicle, it just means other configurations offer more for the money.

In the Pilot’s case, the Special Edition and Touring models provide the most value for the money. The Sport starts at $38,080. The base model is a decent SUV, but it’s pretty barebones compared to upper trim levels. The EX-L costs $40,310. It would be considered one of the best Pilot trims if not for the next trim, the Pilot Special Edition.

The 2022 Honda Pilot Special Editon comes with all of the EX-L’s features and adds a wireless phone charger and hands-free access power tailgate. It only costs $600 more than the EX-L. Talk about value.

The Pilot TrailSport is Honda’s attempt at making the Pilot more capable off-road. Most of the TrailSport’s major upgrades are cosmetic. It’s more expensive than the capable Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road. The Elite and Black Edition models both cost over $50K. Neither model is a good fit for drivers looking to stay within a reasonable budget.

2022 Honda Pilot Special Edition, Touring: Buy

A white Honda Pilot midsize SUV is parked outdoors.
The Honda Pilot | Honda

The 2022 Honda Pilot Special Edition is the best option for drivers that don’t want to spend over $40K but aren’t fond of the base model. It provides great value for the money. Car and Driver recommends the Special Edition over other Pilot trims. The Touring is the best Pilot model drivers can buy without spending over $45K.

Ultimately, there are some great Pilot trims, but there are much better midsize SUVs on the market. The Kia Telluride SX final trim level is more affordable than the Pilot Touring and offers plenty of amazing standard features.

Read more about the Kia Telluride SX in the next article below.

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