Makes›Honda›Pilot›2016

2016 Honda Pilot

Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2016 models.

Honda Pilot
Pictured: 2025 Honda Pilot. Photo: SIGSauerP365XL, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Body styles
4dr SUV AWD, 4dr SUV FWD
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
MPG (best)
23 combined · 20 city / 27 hwy
Length
194.9 in
Curb weight
4,103–4,255 lb
NHTSA rating
Not rated
Recalls
8 campaigns

Pros & cons

What's good

  • AWD / 4WD available

Watch out for

  • Many owner complaints1,720 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 161 for similar models — most often about the engine.
  • 8 recallsMore than similar models (about 4). Confirm repairs with the VIN.

Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 21 similar 2016 models — not a review. How we calculate this →

Overview

The 2016 Honda Pilot is a small SUV offered with a 3.5L 6-cyl engine and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

It measures about 195 inches long and 80 inches wide on a 111-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,255 lb (4dr SUV AWD).

EPA rates its most efficient version at 23 MPG combined (20 city / 27 highway), 7% worse than the 2016 small SUV average of 24.6 MPG, for an estimated $2,900 a year in fuel.

NHTSA has not published a 5-Star overall rating for this model year.

It has 8 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 1720 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the engine.

What changed for 2016

  • New body dimensions: 3.6 in longer, wheelbase +1.6 in — most likely a redesign or new generation
  • Best combined MPG up from 20 to 23

Compared with 2015; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2015 Pilot →

Dimensions & weight

BodyLengthWidthHeightWheelbaseTrack F / RCurb weightWeight F/R
4dr SUV AWD194.9 in79.9 in69.7 in111 in66.1 / 66.1 in4,255 lb57/43
4dr SUV FWD194.9 in79.9 in69.7 in111 in66.1 / 66.1 in4,103 lb58/42

Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.

Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →

Engines, MPG & running costs

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCity / Hwy / Combvs. classFuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Pilot 2WD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic (S9)Front-Wheel Drive20 / 27 / 23-7%$2,900388
Pilot 2WD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic 6-spdFront-Wheel Drive19 / 27 / 22-11%$3,050405
Pilot 4WD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic (S9)All-Wheel Drive19 / 26 / 22-4%$3,050406
Pilot 4WD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic 6-spdAll-Wheel Drive18 / 25 / 21-9%$3,200423
5/10EPA fuel economy score (best version)
5/10EPA greenhouse gas score
Spend $2,500Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
24.6 MPG2016 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD average

EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2016 EPA class average. How we calculate this →

Safety ratings & technology

NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2016 Honda Pilot.

Similar 2016 small SUVs

ModelBest MPG / rangeNHTSA overallRecalls
2016 Honda Pilot (this car)23 MPGNot rated8
2016 Toyota 4Runner19 MPGNot rated8
2016 Ford Explorer22 MPGNot rated14
2016 Toyota Highlander28 MPGNot rated2
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee25 MPGNot rated8
2016 GMC Yukon19 MPGNot rated5
2016 Chevrolet Tahoe19 MPGNot rated10

Recalls (8)

Structure › Frame And Members · Jun 4, 2026

NHTSA campaign 26V365000 · 965,561 vehicles

Problem
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Risk
Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix
Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump · Dec 18, 2023

NHTSA campaign 23V858000 · 2,490,460 vehicles

Problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine › Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical · Nov 13, 2023

NHTSA campaign 23V751000 · 248,999 vehicles

Problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
Risk
A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Fix
Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch · Nov 29, 2021

NHTSA campaign 21V932000 · 724,826 vehicles

Problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
Risk
A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix
Dealers will either repair the hood latch striker, or replace the hood if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is PBV.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage · Mar 30, 2017

NHTSA campaign 17V219000 · 136 vehicles

Problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and AWD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that may leak.
Risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KE8.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly · Jun 9, 2016

NHTSA campaign 16V417000 · 39 vehicles

Problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura MDX 2WD and MDX 4WD vehicles, 2016 Acura MDX 4WD vehicles, 2015-2016 Honda Odyssey vehicles, and 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that were manufactured with insufficient welds which may separate and allow fuel to leak out.
Risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda/Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. The recall began on July 29, 2016. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA9 (Honda vehicles) and KB0 (Acura vehicles).
Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel · Oct 16, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V668000 · 35,406 vehicles

Problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to September 8, 2015 and 2016 Pilot 4WD vehicles manufactured May 7, 2015 to September 4, 2015. In the affected vehicles, when one of the safety systems such as tire pressure monitoring, anti-lock braking or electronic stability control malfunctions, there is potential that the instrument panel will not illuminate the corresponding warning light, however the warning lamps will illuminate when the ignition is turned off and then turned back on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic stability control systems", number 135, "Light vehicle brake systems" and number 138, "Tire pressure monitoring systems".
Risk
If a safety system cannot immediately warn the driver when needed, the driver may be at increased risk of a crash.
Fix
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began on December 11, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JV7.
Seat Belts › Rear/Other · Jul 6, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V424000 · 1,358 vehicles

Problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to June 5, 2015. Due to an assembly issue, the third row seatbelt may be trapped between the rear seat and the rear sideliner.
Risk
If the third row seatbelt is trapped, the occupants may not be restrained properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the rear third row seat belt, free of charge. The recall began on August 6, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-310-783-2000. Honda's number for this recall is JS7.
Check your VIN for open recalls at NHTSA ↗

Not every 2016 Honda Pilot is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.

Owner-reported problems

1,720Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
23Involved a crash
10Involved a fire
20Injuries reported
38,000 miTypical mileage at failure
Engine778
Electrical System571
Unknown Or Other292
Power Train201
Fuel/Propulsion System173
Structure › Body48
Engine And Engine Cooling41
Vehicle Speed Control38
Complaints received per month (last 24 months with reports)
24/11: 5024/12: 1425/01: 2625/02: 1325/03: 3325/04: 2425/05: 1325/06: 1325/07: 1125/08: 3125/09: 2225/10: 1725/11: 1525/12: 1626/01: 1526/02: 1426/03: 1526/04: 1326/05: 1226/06: 2026/07: 1826/08: 1526/09: 1926/10: 1124/1125/0225/0525/0825/1126/0226/0526/08max 50

Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.

Used 2016 Honda Pilot buyer's checklist

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 8 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
  2. Engine — 778 owner reports. Cold-start the engine, listen for knocking, and watch for warning lights or hesitation on acceleration.
  3. Electrical System — 571 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
  4. Power Train — 201 owner reports. Test-drive through all gears, including reverse; note slipping, harsh or delayed shifts.
  5. Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 38,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
  6. Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.

Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2016 Honda Pilot. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.

Other Pilot years

Compare all years →
YearMPG (best)LengthOverallRecallsComplaints
2026 Pilot22200 inNot rated127
2025 Pilot22200 in★★★★★4216
2024 Pilot22200 in★★★★★6116
2023 Pilot22200 in★★★★★5146
2022 Pilot23196.5 in★★★★★5169
2021 Pilot23196.5 in★★★★★10450
2020 Pilot23196.5 in★★★★★11492
2019 Pilot23196.5 in★★★★★13920
2018 Pilot23194.9 in★★★★★7440
2017 Pilot23194.9 inNot rated4936
2015 Pilot20191.3 inNot rated4108
2014 Pilot20190.9 inNot rated3105

Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Honda. How we calculate this →