SUVs & crossovers · Buyer's guide

Used Honda Pilot:
what to buy and what to skip

The Pilot is what you buy when you need eight seats and refuse to drive a body-on-frame SUV. It's a big front-drive-based crossover with a V6, and it does the school-run-plus-road-trip job about as well as anything. Honda's reliability reputation mostly holds up here, with one important exception: the Variable Cylinder Management system that shuts down cylinders to save fuel has a long history of causing oil consumption and misfires.

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Best years to buy

Generations where the known problems were already fixed and the price hasn't caught up yet.

2016–2019

Third-generation cars. Much better packaging, a nine-speed or six-speed automatic depending on trim, and improved VCM behaviour. The best used Pilot.

2012–2015

Late second-generation cars. Dated but durable, with a straightforward five-speed automatic and no transmission software drama.

Years to avoid

Not "these are bad cars" — these are specific years with a specific, documented failure that costs real money.

2003–2007

The V6 automatic transmission failures of this era are the same family of problems that affected the Accord and Odyssey. Expensive on a vehicle this old.

2016

First year of the third generation, and the year with the most nine-speed transmission complaints — harsh shifting, hesitation and occasional rollaway concerns that prompted a recall.

Common Honda Pilot problems

The failures that actually show up, and roughly what each one costs to put right.

01 VCM-related oil consumption and misfires (2008–2017)

Variable Cylinder Management deactivates cylinders under light load. Over time the deactivated cylinders foul their spark plugs and the piston rings wear unevenly, causing oil consumption and misfire codes. Honda extended warranty coverage on some cars. Fixes range from a plug change to a ring job at $3,000+, and many owners fit a VCM-disabling device for around $250.

02 Nine-speed transmission behaviour (2016–2018 Elite/Touring)

Harsh shifts, hesitation and a recall relating to the electronic shifter. A software update helps. The six-speed in lower trims is the less troublesome unit.

03 Motor mount failure (2009–2015)

Worn mounts cause a shudder at idle, often blamed on VCM. Replacement is $400–800 and often cures a complaint people assume is the engine.

04 Air conditioning compressor failure (2016–2019)

Common enough to test deliberately. $1,200–2,000 for a proper repair.

What a used Honda Pilot costs in 2026

Private-party asking prices for average-mileage, clean-title cars. Dealer retail runs roughly 15–25% higher.

Years	Typical price	What you're getting
2009–2015	$8,000–17,000	Durable and roomy. Check for VCM-related oil consumption and budget for motor mounts.
2016–2019	$17,000–29,000	The value window. Prefer six-speed cars if the nine-speed's behaviour bothers you on the test drive.
2020–2023	$28,000–43,000	Elite and Black Edition trims at the top. Still cheaper than a comparably equipped three-row Toyota.

What to check before you buy

Model-specific. Bring this list to the test drive.

Check the oil level and ask about consumption on any VCM-equipped car — 2008–2017 in particular.
Cold-start it and listen for a rough idle or shudder that smooths out as it warms; that's usually motor mounts or fouled plugs.
Drive a nine-speed car in stop-and-go traffic specifically, not just on the open road.
Run the air conditioning hard for the whole test drive.
Fold and unfold both rear rows, and check for water staining in the third-row footwells from blocked sunroof drains.

Honda Pilot questions

What is VCM on a Honda Pilot and is it a problem?

Variable Cylinder Management shuts down three of the six cylinders under light load to save fuel. Over time the deactivated cylinders foul spark plugs and wear rings unevenly, producing oil consumption and misfires. It's the most common complaint on 2008–2017 Pilots. Many owners fit a VCM-disabling device for around $250 as preventative maintenance.

What are the best years for a used Honda Pilot?

2017–2019 offers the best combination of modern packaging and sorted mechanicals. 2012–2015 is the durable, dated value option. Avoid 2003–2007 for transmission failures and be cautious with 2016 for the nine-speed transmission complaints.

Pilot or Explorer?

The Pilot is more reliable and easier to live with day to day; the Explorer tows more and feels more substantial. The Pilot's front-drive-based layout means better interior packaging for the same exterior size. Both have a known expensive weak point — the Pilot's VCM, the Explorer's PTU — so check the specific car.

How many miles will a Honda Pilot last?

250,000 miles is achievable with maintenance, and the J-series V6 is fundamentally a strong engine. The limiting factors in practice are VCM-related oil consumption and, on older cars, the automatic transmission — both of which are visible in a careful pre-purchase inspection.