Honda released a new image of its upcoming Pilot in its rugged TrailSport trim. Photographed driving along a rocky cliff, the upcoming Pilot TrailSport is described as “the most rugged and capable Honda SUV ever”.
Still covered in quite a bit of camouflage, it’s clear that the new generation of the Honda Pilot will get more upright proportions and a squared-off countenance. As seen previously in spy photos, it looks as though the 2023 model will borrow some design cues from the updated Ridgeline.
Those photos revealed a big, chunky grille, a flatter hood, and a flatter front fascia. All the signs point out that the Pilot will transform into a modern boxy SUV with a much more rugged appearance.
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Many questions about the 2023 Honda Pilot remain, but the new model is expected to be based on the same platform as the 2022 Acura MDX. That platform is stiffer than the Pilot’s current underpinnings and could mean the addition of double-wishbone front suspension for improved road handling.
The new model will also be the latest addition to the TrailSport lineup, which was specifically designed to appeal to weekend warriors with a taste for off-roading. Featuring orange trim elements, skid plates, and durable plastic cladding along the sides, other models in the Honda range have certainly been made to look more rugged as a result of the trim treatment.
TrailSport models also come standard with Honda’s torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, to make them more capable on roads less traveled. Unique suspension setups are also promised to improve ground clearance, while meatier tires also help. The trim level has already been added to the 2022 Honda Passport.
“Some may not realize the true rugged, off-road capabilities of our light trucks,” Dave Gardner, EVP of National Operations at American Honda, said when the Passport TrailSport was unveiled. “Now they’re getting tough, rugged looks to match, and the addition of TrailSport will further enhance the off-road capability of our vehicles in the future.”
When the 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport will be revealed remains unclear, but the automaker said today that it is “coming soon to round out the year of the SUV.”