Used 2021 Honda Pilot for Sale near Illinois

Compare 2021 Honda Pilot Trims

The 2021 Honda Pilot offers a range of trims from budget-friendly options to well-equipped models, all featuring spacious interiors and versatile performance.

• Starting at $23,141
• Best MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 27 hwy
• Most Popular: EX-L AWD

Trim Overview

Prices updated weekly from CarGurus listings.

Quick Compare Table

Listing prices sourced from CarGurus — updated weekly. OEM specs from manufacturer data.

Missing data displayed as "—".

Trim Deep Dives

EX AWD — "Who It's For"

The EX AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a well-equipped SUV without breaking the bank. It offers great value with essential features.

• Avg. market price: $23,141 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 19 city / 26 hwy
• Inventory: 315 listings
• View EX AWD listings

EX-L FWD — "Who It's For"

The EX-L FWD is the pick for shoppers who want a balance of comfort and technology without the AWD premium. It’s a solid choice for everyday driving.

• Avg. market price: $23,204 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 27 hwy
• Inventory: 953 listings
• View EX-L FWD listings

EX-L AWD — "Who It's For"

The EX-L AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a blend of luxury and capability without going for the top-tier trims. It’s the most popular choice in the lineup.

• Avg. market price: $24,397 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 19 city / 26 hwy
• Inventory: 2,049 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View EX-L AWD listings

SE AWD — "Who It's For"

The SE AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a stylish SUV with essential features and all-wheel drive. It’s a practical choice for families.

• Avg. market price: $24,514 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 19 city / 26 hwy
• Inventory: 376 listings
• View SE AWD listings

Touring FWD — "Who It's For"

The Touring FWD is the pick for shoppers who want advanced features and a spacious interior without the AWD cost. It’s ideal for road trips.

• Avg. market price: $26,316 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 20 city / 27 hwy
• Inventory: 423 listings
• View Touring FWD listings

Touring AWD — "Who It's For"

The Touring AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a sporty SUV with premium features and all-wheel drive. It’s perfect for those who value performance.

• Avg. market price: $27,115 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 19 city / 26 hwy
• Inventory: 1,424 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Touring AWD listings

Elite AWD — "Who It's For"

The Elite AWD is the pick for shoppers who want top-tier luxury and advanced technology in their SUV. It’s designed for those who seek the best.

• Avg. market price: $29,131 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 19 city / 26 hwy
• Inventory: 1,561 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Elite AWD listings

Black Edition AWD — "Who It's For"

The Black Edition AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a stylish and tech-savvy SUV with all the bells and whistles. It’s perfect for those who want to stand out.

• Avg. market price: $28,382 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 19 city / 26 hwy
• Inventory: 412 listings
• View Black Edition AWD listings

Trim Recommendations

Most Popular — EX-L AWD

With 2,049 active listings, the EX-L AWD is the clear volume leader in the lineup.

Browse EX-L AWD listings

Best Budget Option — EX AWD

At $23,141 avg market price — below the lineup median of $25,415 — it's the most accessible entry point.

Browse EX AWD listings

Best for Fuel Economy — EX-L FWD

The EX-L FWD offers the best fuel economy in the lineup with 20 MPG city and 27 MPG highway.

Browse EX-L FWD listings

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 24, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.

How much does the 2021 Honda Pilot cost?

Prices have softened 5.58% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

There are 2,620 listings available, which gives you a solid amount of inventory to compare.

Is the 2021 Honda Pilot a good car?

Yes — you’re looking at a 4.86/5 user-rated SUV with an expert score of 7.17/10. The standout strength is Form and function at 9/10.

Owners consistently praise the Pilot for its spaciousness, smooth ride, and range of features. They also value the technology and safety features and the overall sense of value for a large SUV.

The trade-offs are clear: the Pilot’s performance is fairly pedestrian, and its transmission can be irritating. Even so, the Pilot fits you well if you want a roomy cabin, straightforward technology, and a comfortable, practical family SUV rather than standout styling or especially lively acceleration.

With 34.7% of listings marked as good or great deals, there’s meaningful market opportunity if you shop carefully.

Is the 2021 Honda Pilot reliable?

Owners rate it 4.86/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

The owner feedback points to a vehicle that feels reliable, dependable, and well suited to long-term use. The cost-effectiveness commentary also reinforces that it’s a known quantity you can count on and expect to last a long time.

From the expert side, the Pilot is described as a vehicle that becomes an indispensable tool and is appreciated by the whole family, which supports the case for everyday dependability. Honda’s reputation for resale value and long-term ownership appeal also helps here.

For used buyers, the main long-term risk is less about outright durability and more about whether the specific example has been maintained well enough to avoid age-related wear and drivability annoyances.

What should I look for when buying a used 2021 Honda Pilot?

At 73.9% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.

You should start with a vehicle history report and then prioritize a thorough pre-purchase inspection, especially if you’re considering a higher-mileage example or one with visible cosmetic wear. Focus on condition, maintenance records, and signs of prior bodywork so you can separate a clean, well-kept Pilot from one that has been repaired after an incident.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The lineup ranges from the base LX to the EX, EX-L, Special Edition, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition. The base trim is the most stripped-down, while higher trims add features such as leather, navigation, premium audio, rear-seat entertainment, and more upscale appearance details.
• Powertrain: Every Pilot uses a 3.5-liter V6 with 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard, and available torque-vectoring all-wheel drive adds traction and can send up to 70 percent of engine output to a single rear wheel.
• Safety package: Honda Sensing is standard and includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning start with EX trim, so base-trim shoppers miss that extra coverage.
• Infotainment: Most models get an 8-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, text-messaging support, satellite radio, and basic HondaLink. Wireless phone charging appears on the Special Edition, while Touring adds navigation, HondaLink subscription services, a WiFi hotspot, and a 10-speaker premium audio system.
• Fuel efficiency: The AWD model is rated at 22 mpg in combined driving, and the test vehicle averaged 21.5 mpg on the evaluation loop.

Which 2021 Honda Pilot trim should I buy?

The 2021 Honda Pilot is offered in 7 trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Special Edition, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition.

Here's the short version:

• LX: This is the entry point, so it makes sense if you want the Pilot’s core space, V6 power, and standard Honda Sensing without paying for extras. It’s the trim to choose if your priority is keeping the purchase price down.
• EX: This is the best-value trim for many shoppers because it adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning on top of the standard safety suite. If you want a smarter balance of price and equipment, this is the one to focus on first.
• EX-L: Choose this if you want a more upscale cabin and a step up in everyday comfort without jumping all the way to the pricier tech-focused trims. It’s the right middle ground if you care about family-friendly refinement.
• Special Edition: This trim adds black 20-inch alloy wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, wireless smartphone charging, and a hands-free power tailgate. It’s a good fit if you want more style and convenience without moving into luxury-trim pricing.
• Touring: This is the trim to buy if you want the Pilot’s most useful tech and family features, including navigation, a WiFi hotspot, premium audio, rear-seat entertainment, and Cabin Talk. It’s the best choice for road-trip families.
• Elite: This trim brings standard AWD and sits near the top of the lineup, so it suits you if you want a more fully equipped Pilot without going all the way to the Black Edition.
• Black Edition: This is the most fully loaded version, with exclusive black leather upholstery, red contrast stitching, red ambient lighting, and standard AWD. Buy it if you want the most distinctive appearance and the richest feature set.

Honda Sensing is standard across the lineup, while blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning begin with EX trim.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2021 Honda Pilot?

The market looks selective but workable for a buyer who is ready to compare listings carefully.

• Deal availability: 34.7% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 2,620 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 5.58% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 73.9% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $24,742, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2021 Honda Pilot's resale value?

The current average of $25,165 sits slightly below last year's $26,653.

That decline suggests the market has become a little more favorable for buyers, but it also means future sellers may need to price competitively to stand out. If you buy well now, you’re starting from a lower entry point than a year ago, which can help soften depreciation pressure later.

The Pilot’s strong reputation for long-term ownership and family usefulness should continue to support demand. Well-kept examples with clean history and desirable equipment are likely to hold attention better than rougher, higher-mileage listings.

Vehicles with strong owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 4.86/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2021 Honda Pilot safe?

The 2021 Honda Pilot earns a five-star overall rating from NHTSA despite four-star ratings for front-passenger protection in a frontal impact. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives it its highest good ratings except for an acceptable score for front passenger small overlap frontal-impact protection, and the standard headlights also earn an acceptable rating while higher-trim headlights earn a good rating.

It earns a 7/10 safety score from our experts.

Honda Sensing is standard on every Pilot and includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Starting with EX trim, you also get blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning.

One caveat to keep in mind is that the system uses an older version of Honda Sensing, so its operation is not as smooth or refined as newer setups. The lane-departure warning also uses an especially noticeable steering-wheel wobble.

Should I buy a 2021 Honda Pilot or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2021 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2021 if:

• 34.7% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• At 73.9% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 5.58% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 4.86/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• It keeps the Pilot’s roomy cabin, simple technology, and family-friendly utility while adding a useful mix of standard safety equipment.

Consider the 2020 if:

• At $22,359, the 2020 costs less than the current year's $25,165 average.
• It offers tons of cargo space and an adult-friendly third row.

The bottom line: If you want the better-balanced shopping target, the 2021 is the stronger pick because it combines a softer price trend, strong owner satisfaction, and broad family appeal. If your main goal is to spend less up front, the 2020 is the better value path, especially if you find one with the right condition and equipment.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 29, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.