Honda Weighs Bigger Pilot to Chase Explorer, Grand Highlander

Honda is reportedly considering a larger three-row flagship SUV that would slot above the current Pilot and take direct aim at the Ford Explorer and Toyota Grand Highlander, with a target launch of 2032.

The plan, according to Automotive News, would give Honda a more sizable entry in the three-row segment where it misses out to some rivals with larger offerings.

No specifications, powertrain details, or production locations have been confirmed for the prospective model.

There's a strong likelihood this new model would be a hybrid, as the Pilot itself is suspected to become a hybrid in its next generation.

Honda has lagged significantly behind Toyota in the three-row hybrid SUV segment, where the Highlander Hybrid has thrived for two decades and accounted for 44% of Highlander sales last year. However, Honda is set to catch up with a new North American strategy focused on larger hybrid vehicles.

At a Tokyo press conference back in May, CEO Toshihiro Mibe announced plans to launch 15 next-generation hybrid models globally by fiscal year 2030. Key to this strategy is the 2029 launch of three D-segment (or larger) hybrids. At the time it was believed these would be either the Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline, or Odyssey. But not it appears this larger Pilot model could be in the pipes.

Presentation slides heavily teased the Pilot, and Mibe did hint at the time at an even larger model that could compete with full-size SUVs like the Toyota Sequoia. These upcoming vehicles will feature a newly developed electric AWD unit and an improved hybrid system that is 10% more fuel-efficient and 30% cheaper to produce.