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- Generous passenger space in the second row, even for larger rear-facing car seats
- Wide bench seat to accomodate a variety of three-across combinations
- Fuel efficient for a three row SUV (20 city, 27 highway mpg)
- Comprehensive safety features standard
The Exterior
The 2021 Pilot shifts away from the boxier, more squared-off look of previous generations, leaning into a softer, rounded silhouette. Some people love this modern take, others miss the chunkier SUV vibe but it still looks confident and purposeful on the road.
First Row
The Pilot comes well eqipped for the driver. Up front you’ll find:
- A partially digital gauge cluster that’s simple and easy to read
- A leather-wrapped steering wheel with intuitive controls
- Standard Honda Sensing safety features (blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, forward collision warning, rear brake assist, and more)
- A full-color touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Physical climate controls (always a win)
- Heated seats, a wireless charger, USB ports, and a 12-volt outlet
One of my favorite little details? The “are-you-behaving” mirror hidden behind the sunglasses holder, perfect for quick kid check-ins without turning around.
Comfort-wise, the seats are surprisingly supportive, visibility is great, and it feels roomy without driving like a giant bus.
Second Row
Family-friendly highlights back here:
- Double door cupholders (yes, double)
- Built-in sunshades
- Rear climate controls and USBs
- Leather seatback pockets
One thing I’d love to see? Ceiling-mounted air vents. The floor vents work, but ceiling vents are better for kids in car seats.
Car Seat Setup:
This is where the Pilot really shines.
- Wide bench with a set of lower anchors in every second row seating position
- Tether anchors for every seating position
- Third row includes one set of lower anchors behind the passenger
- All head restraints in the second row are removable
A note on the second row center seat, the lower anchor bars are offset from the seat belt, so a booter could not use the lower anchors here.
The center position's right lower anchor bar overlaps the outboard's left lower anchor bar. These two could easily be mistaken for each other, so be cautious when installing a car seat with LATCH in the center or behind the driver positions.
If you plan to leave the third row down for trunk space, and install up to three car seats on the second row bench, you can fit a variety of seats. If you need third row access, the middle car seat must be narrow to allow the outboard seat space to fold and slide. The third row access is a low point of this vehicle with the tilt and slide of either outboard seat being your only access. That is not a big deal if you don't need multiple car seats in the second row, but it is something to keep in mind if you do! Otherwise a child might need to get into the third row from the trunk--not ideal to say the least!
The good news? I could sit comfortably between two rear-facing car seats in the second row, fully buckled, with solid knee and head clearance. That matters a lot when you want to sit next to a newborn or manage toddler chaos.
Third Row
The third row access is simple thanks to an easy-to-reach button (great for kids).
- Excellent head clearance
- Rear air vents
- Multiple cupholders and storage cubbies
No USBs in this trim, which was a little surprising, but overall it’s one of the more usable third rows in this class.
The bench sits very low which can give a poor lap-belt fit for many kids. Plan on using a booster seat in this position for a long time! But the knee clearance and overall space can't be beat.
There is one set of lower anchors behind the passenger seat and top tethers in every position. The center head restraint is removable, but the outboard head restraint is not. It is very flush and does not typically cause any car or booster seat installtion issues.
Trunk
Trunk Space: Stroller Approved
With the third row up, trunk space is still impressive. I fit a single BOB stroller back there, no problem. There’s also hidden under-floor storage perfect for extra clothes, blankets, or toys.
The hands-free power tailgate worked like a charm (eventually 😅), which is clutch when your hands are full.
Safety
The Pilot comes standard with Honda Sensing Suite across all trims. Important crash prevention and mitigation features like Collision Mitigation Braking, Road Departure Mitigation, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control can all be found.
Additional features like automatic high-beam headlights, a multi-angle rearview camera and vehicle stability assist with traction control are available.
The Pilot was not a Top Safety Pick due to a poor result on the updated moderate overlap front test, but it did perform very well in nearly all other tests.
The Pilot received an overall 5 star review from NHTSA, with 4 stars in frontal crash and rollover tests and 5 stars in side crash tests.
Seat belt pre-tensioners are only found in the front two seats, which is expected for a 2021 model year vehicle. Ideally we would have liked to see pre-tensioners in the second row outboard seats as well to better protect any passengers out of car seats.
Car Seat Compatibility & Third-Row Access
The Pilot offers a wide second-row bench, making it a strong contender for families with multiple car seats. You’ll find lower anchors in every second-row seating position and top tether anchors in every seat throughout the vehicle, which is a huge win for flexibility. There’s also one set of lower anchors in the third row (passenger side).
All second-row head restraints are removable, which helps significantly with car seat installation.
One important note for the second-row center seat: the lower anchors are offset from the seat belt, meaning a booster cannot use LATCH in this position. Additionally, the center and driver-side lower anchor bars overlap slightly, making it easy to confuse which anchors belong to which seat. You’ll want to pay close attention when installing with LATCH in these positions.
Fitting Multiple Car Seats
If you plan to keep the third row folded down for cargo space, you can comfortably fit up to three car seats across the second row with the right configuration.
However, if you need regular third-row access, things get trickier. The center car seat must be narrow to allow enough room for an outboard seat to tilt and slide forward.
And that leads to one of the Pilot’s biggest drawbacks…
Third-Row Access
Access to the third row is limited to the tilt-and-slide function of the outboard seats, which can become a challenge when car seats are installed. If you’re running multiple car seats across the second row, getting back there can be difficult—sometimes leaving kids to climb in from the trunk, which is far from ideal.
If you don’t need frequent third-row access, this may not be a dealbreaker. But for larger families, it’s definitely something to consider.
Real-Life Comfort
Here’s where the Pilot really shines: I was able to sit comfortably between two rear-facing car seats in the second row—fully buckled—with solid knee and headroom. That’s a big deal when you’re managing a newborn or helping toddlers on the go.
Third-Row Fit for Kids
The third-row bench sits quite low, which can lead to a less-than-ideal lap belt fit for many kids. Because of this, you should plan on using a booster seat in the third row for longer than you might expect.
The good news? There’s still excellent overall space and knee room back there.
The outboard head restraints in the third row are not removable, but they sit very flush and rarely interfere with car seat or booster installations.
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