Tag Archives: Honda

NEW CARS

2026 Honda Pilot Refresh: Bigger Screens, Quieter Cabin, and Sharper Road Manners Keep Honda’s Three-Row SUV on Top

Honda didn’t reinvent the Pilot for 2026—but it didn’t need to. Instead, the brand focused on the stuff that actually matters to families who live with a three-row SUV every day: better tech, a calmer cabin, sharper steering, and styling tweaks that give the Pilot a bit more attitude. The result is a meaningful refresh that keeps the Pilot firmly in the conversation as one of the benchmarks in the midsize SUV class.

The updated 2026 Pilot is arriving at dealerships now, with pricing starting at $42,195 for the Sport model (before the $1,495 destination charge). As before, the lineup spans six trims—Sport, EX-L, Touring, TrailSport, Elite, and Black Edition—each clearly differentiated by equipment and personality.

Screens Finally Catch Up to the Competition

The most obvious upgrade greets you the moment you climb inside. Every 2026 Pilot now comes standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a massive step up from the outgoing system and one that finally looks at home next to rivals from Hyundai and Kia. It’s paired with a new 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, and both displays run Honda’s latest software for quicker responses and cleaner graphics.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard across the board, along with Google built-in and available 5G Wi-Fi. Translation: fewer cables, faster connections, and less frustration on school runs and road trips alike. Honda also made a power tailgate standard on all trims—one of those “why wasn’t it already?” features that families will appreciate immediately.

Quieter, Calmer, More Premium Inside

Honda didn’t stop at screens. Engineers went after noise, vibration, and harshness with surprising enthusiasm, adding thicker glass, better insulation, and revised door materials. Honda claims a 2–3 dB reduction in key frequencies, which might sound minor on paper but pays dividends on the highway. Touring and Elite models go a step further with enclosed fender liners to further hush road noise.

Material quality also takes a step up. Touring models now get more upscale upholstery and stitching, while Elite and Black Edition trims introduce diamond-quilted Ultra Suede seat accents that push the Pilot closer to entry-luxury territory. TrailSport buyers aren’t left out either, with an available brown leather interior accented by bold orange stitching and newly standard heated second-row outboard seats.

Subtle Styling Tweaks, Stronger Presence

Outside, the changes are evolutionary but effective. A redesigned front fascia with a larger grille gives the Pilot a more assertive face, while new scuff plates emphasize its rugged intent. Wheel designs are freshened across higher trims, including new Shark Gray 20-inch alloys on Touring and Elite models and Berlina Black wheels for the Black Edition.

Honda also adds a trio of new colors—Solar Silver Metallic, Smoke Blue Pearl, and TrailSport-exclusive Ash Green Metallic—that bring some welcome variety to the Pilot palette. Roof rails are now standard on every trim, further reinforcing the SUV’s adventure-ready image.

Better Steering, Same Strong V-6

Under the skin, Honda focused on refinement rather than reinvention. A retuned electric power steering system delivers more on-center weight and improved feedback, especially noticeable during highway cruising and on winding roads. It’s a subtle upgrade, but one that helps the Pilot feel more composed and confident behind the wheel.

Power still comes from Honda’s naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6, producing 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, paired with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic. All-wheel drive remains optional across most trims and standard on TrailSport, Elite, and Black Edition models. Honda’s torque-vectoring i-VTM4 system continues to be a standout, sending power not just front-to-rear but side-to-side at the rear axle for improved traction and cornering stability.

TrailSport Still Means Business

For buyers who actually plan to leave the pavement, the TrailSport remains one of the more convincing off-road-oriented trims in the segment. It features a raised suspension, steel skid plates, all-terrain tires, and exclusive drive modes that genuinely improve performance in sand and on trails—all without turning the Pilot into a penalty box on the highway.

Safety and American Roots

Every 2026 Pilot comes standard with the Honda Sensing suite of driver-assistance tech, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, collision mitigation braking, and road departure mitigation. New for 2026 is a Post-Collision Braking system designed to reduce secondary impacts, while the Touring trim gains a 360-degree camera system previously reserved for the top models.

The Pilot continues to be built in Lincoln, Alabama, reinforcing Honda’s long-standing commitment to U.S. manufacturing. More than 2.5 million Pilots have rolled out of the Alabama plant since 2006, and the model consistently ranks near the top of Cars.com’s American-Made Index.

The 2026 Honda Pilot refresh doesn’t chase trends—it refines strengths. Bigger, better screens, a noticeably quieter cabin, improved steering feel, and thoughtful feature upgrades make an already solid three-row SUV even easier to recommend. In a segment packed with flashy newcomers, Honda’s steady, well-executed evolution might just be the Pilot’s biggest advantage.

Source: Honda

NEW CARS

2026 Honda CR-V e:HEV (Japan Spec): The Home-Market Comeback Nobody Expected

When Honda pulled the wraps off the sixth-generation CR-V back in 2022, one question lingered louder than most: Where was Japan’s version? For reasons Honda never fully explained, the brand’s best-selling global SUV skipped its home market entirely—until now. The Japan Mobility Show finally marked the long-overdue return of the domestic CR-V, offered exclusively as a hybrid and trimmed down to a laser-focused two-variant lineup.

And in typical Honda fashion, the wait wasn’t for nothing.

A CR-V Focused for Japan

While markets like the U.S. get a sprawling menu of trims—from base LX all the way to the rugged TrailSport—the Japanese lineup is intentionally simple. Buyers have just two choices:

  • CR-V e:HEV RS
  • CR-V e:HEV RS Black Edition

Honda says the streamlined approach is meant to reduce confusion and create clear value distinctions. And honestly, it works.

Meet the Black Edition: Stealth Mode Activated

Sitting at the top of the hierarchy, the Black Edition takes the CR-V’s clean design and gives it an extra layer of attitude. Crystal Black accents wrap the lower bodywork, the 19-inch wheels wear a darker finish with noise-reduction tech, and the cabin takes on a more premium, shadowy vibe with a black headliner and Piano Black trim.

Other exclusives include:

  • Panoramic sunroof
  • Ventilated seats
  • Head-up display
  • Honda Sensing 360 (an upgraded safety suite with wider radar/camera coverage and enhanced highway assists)

AWD is standard here too, because a flagship should come fully loaded.

Standard RS: Still Well Equipped

Even the entry RS trim comes with a generous kit list that would make some competitors blush:

  • 9-inch infotainment system
  • 10.2-inch digital cluster
  • 12-speaker Bose audio
  • Wireless charging
  • Hands-free tailgate
  • Heated seats
  • Honda Sensing ADAS

Buyers can pick between FWD and AWD, making it the more flexible option.

The Powertrain: Hybrid Only, and Proud of It

Japan’s CR-V goes all-in on Honda’s e:HEV technology. Under the hood sits a 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with two electric motors and an e-CVT. Honda hasn’t released full domestic figures yet, but the same setup makes 181 hp in European models.

More importantly, the system behaves like a series hybrid most of the time—in other words, the electric motors do the heavy lifting, and the gas engine often acts as a generator. It’s smooth, quiet, and efficiency-minded, which fits the Japanese market perfectly.

Accessory Packs: Tough or Urban, Take Your Pick

Honda knows customization sells, so both trims can be dressed up through two factory packages:

Tough Premium (Black Edition only)

  • Luna Silver bumper insert
  • Rugged side skirts
  • Crystal Black roof spoiler
  • Blacked-out badges

Urban Premium (RS version)

  • Similar components, but finished to blend with the RS’s lighter cladding
  • Designed for a more understated, city-focused look

Honda Genuine Accessories will expand further with items like wind deflectors and extra exterior accents.

Pricing and Availability

Order books in Japan open December 12, with first deliveries scheduled for February 2026.

  • CR-V e:HEV RS — ¥5,122,700 (≈ $33,100)
  • CR-V e:HEV RS Black Edition (AWD) — ¥5,779,400 (≈ $37,400)

And sitting in a different league entirely is the CR-V e:FCEV, Honda’s hydrogen fuel-cell plug-in hybrid variant. It’s already available in limited numbers starting at ¥8,094,900 (≈ $52,300).

Where It Fits in Honda’s Japan SUV Lineup

Now that the CR-V is officially back, it joins the WR-V, Vezel, and ZR-V to round out Honda’s domestic SUV family. The gap it left is finally filled—and with the Black Edition leading the charge, Honda seems eager to remind Japan that the CR-V is still the brand’s global backbone.

Source: Honda

News

Pininfarina and JAS Revive a Legend: The Honda NSX Reborn as the Tensei

In a world where the restomod scene has become a playground for dreamers with deep pockets and deeper nostalgia, it was only a matter of time before someone turned their attention to one of Japan’s greatest hits. Enter Tensei, a meticulously reimagined first-gen Honda NSX brought back to life by two giants of the automotive world: Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport.

The original NSX—Honda’s aluminum, mid-engine two-seater that stunned the world at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show—has long been considered untouchable. With development input from Ayrton Senna and engineering precision that challenged Ferrari at its own game, the first NSX earned its place among Japan’s all-time greats. Its successor never enjoyed the same mythos, making the original the obvious canvas for a modern resurrection.

A Faithful Form, Modern Materials

Pininfarina’s approach to the Tensei is refreshingly respectful. Rather than reinvent the NSX’s silhouette, the Italian studio chose to celebrate it. The restomod keeps the essential cues that made the original iconic: the canopy-style roofline inspired by the F-16 fighter jet, the distinctive glass curvature, and the low, purposeful stance.

But nostalgia only goes so far. Every exterior panel has been re-created in carbon fiber, wrapped tightly over the original aluminum chassis. The changes in shape are subtle—blink and you might miss them—but they’re purposeful, sharpening the car’s surfaces without erasing its heritage. Modern LED lighting replaces the original pop-ups, while ultra-light wheels with center-lock nuts sit over a beefed-up braking system that looks ready for track duty.

As for the interior? Pininfarina is keeping that part of the story out of the spotlight for now. No cabin photos have been released, which suggests something special is brewing behind those doors.

A Reborn V6 With Racing DNA

If you were worried the Tensei would trade mechanical soul for batteries and silence, relax. JAS Motorsport—Honda’s longtime racing partner—has confirmed that the car will stick with the NSX’s original naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V6. But calling it “original” is almost misleading.

The engine has reportedly undergone a full, motorsport-grade rework, promising sharper throttle response, more power, and stronger torque. No numbers yet, but the upgrades aim to enrich the car’s character rather than inflate the spec sheet. Best of all, the Tensei comes exclusively with a six-speed manual, sending power straight to the rear wheels—just like the NSX should.

Built for the Few, Priced for the Elite

How many Tensei units will be built? No one’s talking. But insiders expect the run to be extremely limited, with pricing likely approaching the stratosphere occupied by another restomod superstar: Singer’s reimagined Porsche 911s. If that proves true, the Tensei won’t just be a collector’s car—it’ll be a collector’s badge of honor.

The Tensei appears to be exactly what a restomod NSX should be: faithful, focused, and obsessively crafted. Pininfarina brings elegance; JAS brings racing pedigree; the NSX brings its own legend. If the final product lives up to the names behind it, the Tensei could become one of the most desirable Japanese restomods ever built.

And for those lucky enough to get one next year? They won’t just be buying a car. They’ll be buying the rebirth of a masterpiece.

Source: JAS Motorsport