A new Honda Pilot will debut later this year for 2023, and the automaker will again offer it in the rugged TrailSport trim. A new teaser provides a far-away look at the redesigned SUV, which Honda claims will be its “most rugged and capable” SUV ever.
The teaser image doesn’t reveal anything. The Pilot TrailSport is too tiny in the frame to pick out any of the model’s defining details. However, previous spy shots have previewed the SUV’s redesign, which looks more aggressive than the current SUV’s styling. The 2023 Pilot will have an upright front end with thin headlights mounted high and vertical intakes pushed to the lower corners.
Gallery: 2023 Honda Pilot Spy Photos
If the 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport is similar to the 2022 model, the SUV could receive 18-inch wheels, a leather interior, other off-road touches, and unique badging. All-wheel drive should be standard. Honda launched the Passport TrailSport for 2022, giving the smaller crossover new wheels, other visual upgrades, and a wider track.
While the Pilot will receive a substantial redesign inside and out, the powertrain underneath the sheet metal should soldier on unchanged. Honda currently uses its 3.5-liter V6 in the SUV, which makes 280 horsepower (205 kilowatts) and pairs with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
Honda might massage the engine to make it more efficient or upgrade it to a 10-speed gearbox, but that’s speculation. The next-gen model could arrive with a plug-in hybrid powertrain option, too. Rumors continue to suggest that the next-gen Pilot will ride on the same platform that underpins the current Acura MDX. We’ve yet to see the interior, but it should arrive packed with technology and features.
Honda confirmed earlier this year that the new Pilot would debut in 2022, but the company hasn’t announced an official debut date. We expect the new Pilot to go on sale early next year, and off-road-oriented trims like the TrailSport will help draw in buyers as the SUV and crossover craze continues with consumers.
