How did the 2020 Honda Pilot get to $50,000? Yes, it’s a great three-row SUV if you’re on a budget. At least it used to be if you were on a budget. The Black Edition is new for 2020 and is the top of the heap as Pilots go. That’s why it’s so expensive. Maybe there’s a better Honda Pilot with most of the same options for less? Let’s take a look.

The 2019 Pilot received a lot of new features including some styling tweaks and the nine-speed automatic transmission. All of that and more is carried over to 2020. In addition, all of the safety features found in the Honda Sensing package, some of which were optional, are now standard across the board. 

So, what did Honda do to spice up the 2020 Pilot?

So, Honda had to do something to spice up the Pilot, and building upon the formerly top Elite package it came up with the Black Edition. Available only with all-wheel-drive, it starts at $50,715 including destination. Everything is black, which one would expect, except for some of the red trim in the interior. 

The interior is luxurious and roomy, with lots of room for families and all of their stuff. The road manners are great for an SUV. A nimble, quick response can be expected, with a ride that seems more car-like than SUV-like.

It’s all-black-everything with a slew of options

Besides the all-black-everything, it also comes with a slew of optional features. Things like heated mirrors, heat and cool front seats, one-touch slide-and-fold middle seats, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on an eight-inch touch screen. There’s more.

Satellite radio, terrain management system, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors are still more things you get with the Black Edition Pilot. A power liftgate, heated steering wheel, leather upholstery, USB charging ports a-plenty, power-folding mirrors, panoramic sunroof, and wireless charging pad are all part of the package. 

Power comes from a 3.5-liter V6 with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. As we said a nine-speed automatic backs up the V6, which includes paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Combined mileage is 22 mpg, with 19 mpg City, and 26 mpg Highway. This compares favorably with competitors in the three-row SUV category. 

There’s just one thing…

But here’s the thing; you can get almost everything the Black Edition has for a lot less. If you opt for the EX-L AWD package, you can save $10,000. You won’t get everything that’s available with the Black Edition, but for $10,000 less you may want to do some soul-searching. Do you really need a heated steering wheel? 

If you decide you want most of what’s in the Black Edition but can do without a leather interior, you can slide into the EX AWD for $37,525. That one’s up to you. The point is the Pilot is a great choice and can be purchased for a significant amount less without the $50,000 price tag of a Black Label package. 

Three-row SUVs are the most popular and most expensive in SUV-land. If you don’t have a need for the ginormous Suburban size and price the Pilot is a terrific alternative.