Tag Archives: Honda

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2026 Honda Pilot Facelift: Tougher Face, Quieter Cabin, Same Old V6

Honda has given the Pilot its mid-cycle refresh, marking three years since the current generation arrived. And instead of reinventing its largest SUV, Honda has focused on sharpening the looks, cleaning up the tech, and dialing back the noise—literally.

A More Assertive Front End

The big visual news is up front. The 2026 Pilot gets a tougher mug, with chunkier bumper intakes, a more vertical grille, and enlarged skid plates that vary slightly depending on trim. The design leans deeper into the rugged-SUV vibe Honda has been cultivating, even if it comes at the expense of the slightly sportier stance of the outgoing version.

Aside from a mildly reworked rear skid plate and newly standard roof rails, the rest of the Pilot’s sheetmetal is essentially unchanged. Honda did take the opportunity to roll out fresh 20-inch wheel designs and three new paint colors: Solar Silver Metallic, Smoke Blue Pearl, and TrailSport-only Ash Green Metallic.

A Digital Cockpit Worthy of 2026

Slide inside, and the updates feel more substantial. Gone are the 7- and 9-inch center screens—replaced by a cleanly integrated 12.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster. The new infotainment interface is cleaner, faster, and finally ships with Google built-in, plus 5G Wi-Fi and wireless phone integration.

Every trim—from Sport to Black Edition—now gets the digital cockpit and a power tailgate as standard. The TrailSport adds heated outboard seats in the second row and optional brown leather with orange accents, while the Touring trim borrows some premium sensibilities and adds a 360-degree camera. The Elite goes even fancier with ultra-suede touches and diamond-stitched details.

Quiet, Please

The biggest quality-of-life improvement? Noise. Honda stuffed more insulation into the doors and hood, added semi-tempered door glass, and used additional sound-deadening materials throughout. The company claims the cabin is now 2–3 dB quieter in “key frequencies,” which should translate to less droning on long highway slogs and easier conversations with third-row occupants.

Safety Upgrades—With a New Trick

The updated Honda Sensing suite now includes Post-Collision Braking, a feature designed to automatically apply the brakes after an impact to help prevent secondary crashes. It’s a subtle addition, but one that brings the Pilot in line with newer safety tech offered across the segment.

Still No Hybrid—Yet

If you were hoping the Pilot might finally go hybrid, you’ll have to wait. Honda confirms a hybrid V6 is in development for North America, but the refreshed Pilot sticks with the familiar 3.5-liter V6 for now. The engine still pumps out 285 hp and 262 lb-ft, paired with a 10-speed automatic.

The i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive setup remains standard on the higher trims and optional on the Sport and EX-L. Honda retuned the electric power steering across the lineup for better stability and more natural feedback. TrailSport models continue to sport their lifted suspension and all-terrain rubber, making them the most capable choice for dirt-road duty.

Coming Soon to U.S. Dealers

The 2026 Honda Pilot arrives at U.S. dealerships in December, with pricing to be announced as the launch nears. Honda’s biggest SUV remains a thoroughly American operation—designed in California, engineered in Ohio, and built in Alabama.

The updates won’t revolutionize the Pilot, but they bring meaningful quality improvements, a more modern interior, and a look that better fits the adventurous persona Honda’s been pushing. For family-hauling buyers who liked the Pilot before, this facelift simply makes it easier to like.

Source: Honda

News

Dealer Listings Reveal Prelude Could Be Honda’s Priciest “Affordable” Coupe Yet

Honda still hasn’t officially told us what you’ll have to shell out for the reborn 2026 Prelude, but several dealers appear happy to spill the beans early—and if they’re right, Honda’s nostalgic two-door comeback won’t be the affordable coupe some fans hoped it would be.

Dealer Listings Point to a Mid-$40K Prelude

Barber Honda in Bakersfield, California, is the biggest canary in this pricing coal mine. The dealership currently lists the Prelude on Autotrader with an MSRP of $43,850, while its in-house website pegs the car at $42,655. That $1,195 spread is suspiciously identical to Honda’s destination charge for MY25 vehicles—meaning the latter figure may be the Prelude’s real MSRP before destination.

Two more dealers have joined the party. Honda of Denton in Texas and Lehigh Valley Honda in Pennsylvania are both showing $43,650 MSRPs, though none of the listings clarify which trim levels—or nonexistent options—the prices reflect.

What we can say is that the Prelude appears to be arriving not as a budget-minded base model, but as a fully loaded, single-spec machine with premium touches already baked in.

A Pricey Return to the Affordable Coupe Segment

Earlier industry whispers put the Prelude closer to $38,000, and Motor Trend later revised its estimate to $42,000. Dealer pricing now suggests the actual sticker could be a bit north of that—potentially placing the Prelude at the very top of what can reasonably be called the “affordable coupe” segment.

That makes for some awkward comparisons:

  • Toyota GR86: $30,800
  • Ford Mustang EcoBoost: $32,320
  • Honda Prelude (est.): ~$42,650

Sure, neither the GR86 nor the Mustang gives you standard leather, Bose audio, or Honda’s hybrid tech. But a $10K–$12K gulf is tough to ignore—especially when the Prelude’s output is just 200 horsepower.

The GR86 delivers 228 hp, and even the automatic-only Mustang EcoBoost leaves both in the dust at 315 hp. Add in the fact that Honda’s hybrid system eliminates the possibility of a manual transmission, and driving purists will need to think hard about what they value more: efficiency and refinement, or old-school engagement.

Against the Nissan Z, the Prelude Looks Particularly Vulnerable

The dealer-suggested $$43K ballpark sticks the Prelude right next to the $42,970 Nissan Z. And here’s where things get uncomfortable for Honda:

  • Nissan Z (base)
    • 400 hp twin-turbo V6
    • Available manual
    • Rear-drive platform
    • Starts slightly below the Prelude’s rumored price

True, the Z skimps on upscale materials unless you climb to the $52K Performance trim. But for many shoppers, 400 horsepower and a three-pedal setup will be more compelling than leather seats and a premium stereo.

The Civic Type R Problem

Then there’s the threat lurking in Honda’s own backyard. A 2025 Civic Type R stickers at $45,895, delivering a punchy 315 hp and one of the best manual gearboxes on sale. Even if the refreshed CTR ends up pricier, the monthly payment difference next to a ~$43K Prelude would be negligible.

When the performance halo of your own brand is only a coffee a month away, it becomes harder to justify a slower, automatic-only coupe—no matter how stylish or premium it feels.

So What Is the Prelude Now?

If dealer listings prove accurate, the 2026 Prelude won’t be an inexpensive entry point into sporty coupes. Instead, Honda appears to be positioning it as a refined, feature-rich, hybrid grand-touring coupe that prioritizes comfort, tech, and style over outright performance.

That’s not necessarily a bad strategy—just a different one. But it does mean buyers expecting the spiritual successor to the high-revving, front-drive Preludes of old may find themselves surprised at the checkout counter.

Source: Honda/Barber

News

Honda Expands North Carolina ATV Operations with $9.7 Million Modernization Push

Honda is doubling down on its powersports footprint in the American South. The automaker announced a $9.658 million investment to modernize its North Carolina Manufacturing (NCM) plant in Swepsonville—a facility already known as Honda’s exclusive North American hub for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) production.

The funding will go toward upgrading equipment, adding production capabilities, and creating 18 new jobs over the next five years. More importantly, it will enable Honda to bring several key ATV components in-house, including rear and front fenders, side covers, and other small but vital parts that were previously outsourced. The move signals a clear push toward greater vertical integration and manufacturing efficiency—two words that Honda’s U.S. operations have lived by since the early days of its American expansion.

Building More, Wasting Less

The plant upgrades will also bolster Honda’s sustainability goals. Alongside the added production capabilities, NCM will install a new plastic pelletizer, a system designed to recycle and reuse production scraps. Combined with new electrically powered equipment, the updates will help shrink the plant’s carbon footprint and reduce overall operating costs—an increasingly important consideration as automakers face tightening global emissions targets.

“By equipping Honda North Carolina Manufacturing with important new capabilities to build key parts for our products right here at the facility, we can continue growing our ATV business in North Carolina,” said Lynne Hedrick, site lead at NCM. She also noted that the investment would not only modernize the facility but also expand training and upskilling opportunities for Honda’s workforce, a recurring theme in the brand’s U.S. manufacturing philosophy.

A Local Legacy of Growth

Honda’s Swepsonville operation has come a long way since it first opened its doors in 1984, when it produced humble lawnmowers instead of trail-ready machines. In 2023, the plant entered a new chapter by officially adding ATV production to its lineup, becoming the exclusive North American source for models like the FourTrax and TRX sport series. Today, the 650,000-square-foot facility employs around 600 associates and represents a cumulative $395 million in capital investment.

Local officials are celebrating Honda’s renewed commitment to the region. “We are excited to see continued growth and innovation by companies whose legacy is firmly here in Alamance County,” said Ryan Moffitt, 2025 board chair for the Alamance Chamber. “Honda North Carolina Manufacturing is a fine example of investment in place that is furthering the future of business for our community.”

Strengthening the Powersports Backbone

Beyond the immediate boost to jobs and production, Honda’s latest investment underscores the company’s strategy to fortify its North American powersports supply chain. With ATV demand holding steady among both recreational riders and utility users, domestic production flexibility gives Honda an edge in cost control and responsiveness—a crucial factor as competitors like Polaris and Yamaha expand their own U.S. operations.

It’s also a symbolic statement: the same site that once built garden tools now produces machines meant to conquer mud, rock, and trail. The transition mirrors Honda’s broader evolution in North America, from a small engine manufacturer to a major player in both automotive and powersports manufacturing.

With this latest round of investment, Honda’s North Carolina plant isn’t just building ATVs—it’s building the future of American powersports manufacturing, one fender and side cover at a time.

Source: Honda America