2026 Honda Pilot EX-L: Elyria Buyers Guide

Quick Answer: 2026 Pilot EX-L

The EX-L is where the 2026 Pilot picks up leather, at $44,695 MSRP (FWD) or $46,795 with AWD. It's the volume trim for a reason: leather-trimmed seats, a stowable second-row center seat that folds into the floor, a Qi wireless charging pad, front and rear parking sensors, and a real party trick — CabinTalk, an in-car PA system for talking to the third row without turning around. It does NOT have a moonroof this year; that starts one trim up.

2026 Honda Pilot EX-L black leather-trimmed cabin and center console
EX-L introduces leather-trimmed seating and a stowable second-row center seat. Photo: Honda.

The trim most Elyria families actually drive home

If you sample the reviews and sales patterns at Great Lakes Honda West, the EX-L keeps coming up as the trim families land on after cross-shopping the whole lineup — it hits the spot where the practical upgrades outweigh the cost jump. The stowable second-row middle seat is the standout: fold it down and it disappears into an in-floor storage cutout, leaving a proper walk-through aisle to the third row instead of the fixed bench the Sport carries. For a household running two kids in car seats plus a grandparent riding along on weekends, that one feature changes how the whole cabin gets used week to week.

Leather-trimmed seats with fabric accents come standard, along with driver's seat and mirror memory settings — handy when the Pilot gets shared between two drivers of very different heights. Acoustic-glass windshield glass carries over from the Sport-and-up quieting upgrade, and EX-L adds its own layer: front and rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, second-row sunshades, and USB-C ports reaching all the way to the third row for a family that's tired of mediating phone-charger disputes on a road trip.

The wheel-size trap worth knowing

Here's the one that catches people off guard: EX-L actually steps down to 18-inch machine-finished alloy wheels, smaller than the 20-inch wheels the cheaper Sport rides on. It's not a downgrade in any functional sense — the 18s are simply a different wheel package tuned for this trim — but if you're comparing spec sheets side by side and expect wheel size to climb in a straight line with price, the Pilot's trim ladder doesn't cooperate. Same story with the moonroof: EX-L still doesn't get one for 2026, a change from some earlier model years where it did. If glass overhead is on your must-have list, TrailSport is the trim where that box finally gets checked.

What EX-L buyers say about this store

Katie M. described how her EX-L purchase actually started as a used-car search before salesperson Emilio Quinonez steered her toward a new 2026 instead, calling it "the perfect fit" once she saw the stowable seat and leather in person. Leah Arndt's experience captures the trim-hunting side of buying an EX-L well: Chelsey at Great Lakes Honda West "found our Pilot in the model and color we wanted when other dealers could not," and the vehicle was delivered to Leah's door by two staff members she described as "very nice and very helpful." That willingness to source the exact configuration — not just whatever's sitting on the lot — comes up often enough in EX-L reviews specifically that it's worth mentioning to your salesperson up front if you have a particular color or feature combination in mind.

Frequently asked questions

What's the biggest upgrade from Sport to EX-L?

The stowable second-row middle seat and leather-trimmed seating are the two most noticeable changes day to day. The middle seat folds flush into the floor when not in use, which most families find makes third-row access meaningfully easier than the Sport's fixed bench arrangement.

Does the EX-L have a moonroof?

No — for 2026, the panoramic moonroof starts at TrailSport and continues on every trim above it. EX-L and Sport are the only two trims without one this model year, a change worth knowing if you're used to an older Pilot generation where EX-L did include a moonroof.

Is the EX-L or the TrailSport the better value?

It depends what you're weighing. EX-L at $44,695 gets you leather, the flexible second row, and full tech for roughly $5,900 less than a TrailSport. TrailSport adds genuine off-road hardware — skid plates, all-terrain tires, a factory hitch — plus the moonroof. If you'll never leave pavement and don't need the roof, EX-L is the stronger dollar-for-dollar pick.

Test the second row yourself

The stowable seat and CabinTalk system are things you really have to try, not just read about. Great Lakes Honda West's Pilot inventory in Elyria typically has EX-L models on hand for exactly that — bring the car seats and see how the middle-seat fold actually works for your family before you decide.

All 2026 Honda Pilot guides

MSRP excludes the $1,495 destination charge plus taxes, title, registration, and options; dealer sets actual selling price. Fuel-economy figures are 2026 EPA estimates. Equipment and availability may change; confirm current specifications with Great Lakes Honda West. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of Great Lakes Honda West.