Honda Alabama begins manufacturing the new 2023 Pilot SUV.
LINCOLN, Alabama — Honda’s Alabama Auto Plant has reached a new important milestone with the introduction of the redesigned Pilot SUV, which is already breaking production records for the brand.
The 2023 Honda Pilot is the largest and most powerful SUV in the company’s history, necessitating structural and training modifications at the $3 billion, 4,500-employee factory in Talladega County.
In all areas of the operation, including engine, weld, injection, paint, assembly, and final inspection, equipment and procedures were upgraded. It featured the greatest number of manufacturing changes since the Pilot’s first version launched in 2003.
In addition, the plant implemented a new employee training program and adopted a new worldwide Honda standard for the flow of assembly procedures.
Thursday marked the beginning of mass manufacturing of the new Pilot at the factory. The Alabama factory is the only global source of the fourth-generation Pilot.
“The all-new Honda Pilot is an exceptional product that requires the determined efforts of every single employee at the Alabama Auto Plant, and I am happy of how our team overcame several obstacles to provide additional value for our customers,” said Lamar Whitaker, the plant manager.
ALABAMA IMPACT
The 2023 Honda Pilot is the largest and most powerful SUV in the company’s history, necessitating structural and training modifications at the $3 billion, 4,500-employee factory in Talladega County, Alabama. (Image: Honda (
More than two decades ago, Honda helped lay the groundwork for Alabama’s expanding auto industry, and the carmaker continues to build on its long history of success in the state, according to Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.
“Honda has done it again with the introduction of yet another amazing vehicle that will exceed customer expectations and propel the brand to new heights,” said Secretary Canfield.
“The new Pilot is also the latest illustration of the dedication and talent of Alabama’s autoworkers, who have demonstrated their skills for more than two decades by producing high-performance, high-quality vehicles that are in high demand across the globe.”
The Odyssey minivan, Passport SUV, and Ridgeline truck are also produced in the Alabama Auto Plant.
Since its opening in 2001, the facility has produced over 5,7 million automobiles and over 5,7 million V6 engines.
REDESIGN DETAILS
The revised Pilot is longer and broader than its predecessor, and it has a new, tougher look with flared fenders and larger tires. There is also a larger upright grille and a new panoramic sunroof that opens.
Under the hood of the redesigned SUV is a new engine that is manufactured solely at the Lincoln facility. The new 3.5-liter V6 engine with twin overhead cams delivers 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque with improved combustion efficiency to fulfill severe pollution regulations.
There are five trim levels available for the 2023 Pilot: Sport, EX-L, Touring, Elite, and TrailSport. The TrailSport is the most off-road capable SUV in Honda’s history, boasting all-terrain tires, an enhanced all-wheel drive system, strong steel skid plates protecting the engine and fuel tank, and an off-road tuned suspension with an additional inch of ground clearance.
This month, the new Pilot will be available at a starting price of $39,150.
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