Best & worst years to buy a used Honda Pilot

Not every Honda Pilot is created equal — the same model can have a very different track record depending on the year. Using official NHTSA owner-complaint data, here's how each Honda Pilot model year we track stacks up, cleanest to worst.

Honda Pilot — used car reliability by year
Representative photo of a Honda Pilot. Credit: Bull-Doser via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).
Cleanest record ✓
2015
107 owner complaints · 4 recalls
Most complaints ⚠
2016
1,658 owner complaints · 8 recalls
Read this as a starting signal, not a verdict. Complaint volume is also driven by how many were sold and how old the car is. A first-year redesign often shows the most complaints. Always check the exact VIN and get a pre-purchase inspection.

Every Honda Pilot year, ranked

Owner complaints and recalls on file with NHTSA for each model year. Click any year for its full free report.

YearComplaint volumeComplaintsRecalls
2013
270 6
2014
116 3
2015 Best pick
107 4
2016 Avoid
1,658 8
2017
897 4
2018
425 7
2019
859 13
2020
465 11
2021
400 10

Check a specific Honda Pilot

Model-level data tells you what to expect; a VIN check tells you what actually happened to that car. Both are free.

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Frequently asked

What is the best year to buy a used Honda Pilot?

Among the model years we track, the 2015 Honda Pilot has the fewest owner complaints on file with NHTSA (107). Complaint volume isn't the whole story — always check the specific VIN and get an inspection — but it's a strong starting signal for the cleanest year.

Which Honda Pilot year should I avoid?

The 2016 Honda Pilot has the most owner complaints in our data (1,658). That partly reflects how many were sold and how long they've been on the road, so treat it as a "look harder here" flag rather than an automatic no.

How many recalls does the Honda Pilot have?

Recall counts vary by year — see the table above, where each year links to its full recall and complaint report. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer, so always ask the seller whether the work was completed.

← See all models ranked by reliability

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA.gov). Informational only — not mechanical or purchase advice.