Whether you’re thinking of the spacious skies, amber waves of grain, or purple mountain majesties, America is absolutely beautiful. While America the Beautiful describes the majestic beauty of this country, you don’t expect a strong influence in a Japanese SUV. Amazingly, the tough new exterior of the 2023 Honda Pilot drips with Americana.

How heavy is the American influence in the new 2023 Honda Pilot’s tough new exterior?

The new exterior build of this three-row Honda SUV was designed in California, developed in Ohio, and built in Alabama. This is an incredible cooperative effort from several parts of the country where Honda has design and product development facilities.

What gives the 2023 Honda Pilot its tough new exterior?

Many of the Pilot SUV trims offer off-road capabilities, which pair well with an exterior build that allows this SUV to be rugged and impressive.

The new Pilot three-row SUV includes:

• A large, upright grille
• A strong horizontal beltline
• Aggressive fender flares
• Pulled-back A-pillars
• A long hood

Is the new Pilot tougher and more capable than before?

Just because an SUV wears rugged garb doesn’t make it better for off-roading. The Honda Pilot doesn’t just wear the clothes; it brings the performance and builds to be a better off-road SUV than ever before.

The new 2023 Honda Pilot is longer, wider, and more aggressive than ever. A new TrailSport trim is truly designed and developed for off-road driving. In fact, this new trim proved itself well at the most recent Rebelle Rally, which is a serious off-road test.

What are some of the trim-specific exterior features of this new Honda SUV?

Sport Trim (base model)

• Gloss black trim and grille bar
• Chrome exhaust
• Black roof rails
• Fog lights
• Shark Gray 7-spoke, 20-inch wheels

EX-L Trim

• Chrome trim and grille bar
• Machined 5-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels

TrailSport Trim

• One-inch suspension lift
• Steel skid plates
• Tow hooks
• 18-inch rugged wheels with TrailSport logos
• All-terrain tires
• Body cladding around the wheel wells

Touring and Elite Trims

• Gloss black grille mesh
• Gloss black B-pillars
• Dual chrome exhaust ports
• Machine-finished 7-spoke, 20-inch alloy wheels

 The TrailSport model delivers more than just the most for the 2023 Honda Pilot’s tough new exterior

In addition to being one of the most rugged midsize three-row SUVs in the market, the TrailSport version of the Pilot has the performance qualities to match the rugged exterior build. Top Speed tells us this SUV has an excellent AWD system and a suspension for off-roading.

The AWD system for the TrailSport trim can end up to 70 percent of the power to the rear wheels, taking away the front-wheel drive bias. This system also offers torque vectoring to send power to each wheel as needed.

The suspension under the new Honda Pilot TrailSport includes improved sway bars, sprint rates, and shocks to make off-road driving more comfortable.

Is Honda going rugged?

Recent new models and upgraded classics from Honda give us the idea that Honda is becoming a more rugged brand. The fourth-generation Honda Pilot offers a rugged design that could influence and inspire future light-duty and midsize trucks.

Of course, the addition of the Honda Passport gave us a true off-road SUV from this brand long before the newest Pilot hit the market.

This new three-row SUV is made for the American landscape

Very few continents stretch from one ocean to another, but North America does. The new 2023 Honda Pilot’s tough new exterior expertly handles the rugged terrain found across our great nation. Is it any surprise this Honda SUV is made for America, considering where the exterior was designed, developed, and built?